Ladling calculation upon comedy

Andrew O’Hehir of Salon asks “Why are Christian movies so awful?“

I think the answer, as I suggested a while back, is because American evangelicalism distrusts metaphor:

American evangelical Christians do not like metaphor. That’s not strong enough. They fear metaphor. It terrifies them, and so they despise it, reject it and forbid it wherever possible. …

Evangelicals prefer their truth in simple, unambiguous propositions. … It is no accident that the Left Behind novels are remarkably free of metaphor, of multi-leveled themes, or even of the kinds of visual details that might be taken to stand for something at a non-literal level. Artless art — explicit, monovalent, prosaic prose — is the only permissible form of storytelling. …

Related news: “‘Left Behind’ Books Get Next-Gen Makeover”

Sixteen years ago, an apocalyptic thriller titled Left Behind quietly released to Christian bookstores nationwide. Little did its authors, Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins, or its publisher Tyndale House know that it would become a phenomenon, resulting in seven number one bestselling titles and a product line with sales topping more than 63 million copies. This month, a decade and a half later, Tyndale is releasing the 12 primary titles with new covers and updated content to inspire a new generation of readers.

You know, when the premise of your books is that the world is going to end within “one generation” of 1948 (the year of the founding of modern Israel — Tim LaHaye’s most favoritest year ever), it’s already awkward enough to still be publishing 63 years later. But rolling out an updated version aimed at “a new generation of readers” is really pushing it.

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Speaking of metaphors, I once suggested that Doug Coe, the founder and driving force of The Family — the cult of power detailed in Jeff Sharlet’s book The Family: The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power — is actually a vampire.

The latest support for that claim came Tuesday, when Coe’s minion, Sen. James Inhofe of Oklahoma, took to the floor of the U.S. Senate to praise renegade strongman Laurent Gbagbo of the Ivory Coast.

Both men — Inhofe and Gbagbo — are disciples of Coe’s religion of world-domination through Bible study, prayer and backroom deals. They believe Jesus wants them in power, using power for the powerful. And if that’s true, who are the people of Ivory Coast to say different?

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Recent scholarly publications in the field of Whedonology:

• “Reconsidering the Feminism of Joss Whedon“
• “On Whedon’s Feminism“
• “Zombies, Reavers, Butchers and Actuals in Joss Whedon’s Work“

Elsewhere:

“How to Launch an Executive Email Carpet Bomb”

“Father Zalba, do you really believe God has carried out all your orders?”

Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla.: “You can’t change anybody you don’t love. If you don’t love them, you can’t change them.”

“How Ayn Rand ruined my childhood: My dad saw objectivism as a logical philosophy to live by, but it tore my family apart”

Looking for heroes? Here’s Tawakkol Karman.

P.S.: The Federal Budget Theater productions of recent weeks have produced a slew of commentary over whether “the ball is in the president’s court” or perhaps “the ball is in Congress’ court.” Every time this has been said I’ve heard Hugh Jackman’s voice: “You’re ladling calculation upon comedy. The point is to keep the ball in your court.”