The election-fraud story out of North Carolina is a doozy. The cast of characters seems to have stepped out of the pages of a novel by Carl Hiassen or Elmore Leonard. And the candidate at the center of the story is a right-wing Southern Baptist pastor turned politician. Read more
Once again, as happens every year around this time, our national culture slap-fight is briefly focused on a weird, popular, and utterly dishonest urban legend about the sectarian origins and "true meaning" of candy canes. Read more
Here is a Politico piece by Brandon Ambrosino from August of last year: “My Weekend at the Falwells’ South Beach Flophouse.” It seems that Jerry Falwell III owns the Miami Hostel, a seedy dorm-style outfit which “Trey” Falwell borrowed $4.65 million to buy. In addition to his day job as vice president for university operations at the college his grandfather founded, Trey Falwell co-manages this tourist hostel along with his business partner, a man named Giancarlo Granda. It’s a decidedly... Read more
Poor confused, self-pitying Jamie Dimon is only looking at one end of the story — probably because that’s the only part of the story he’s familiar with. Read more
The never-ending church service protecting a refugee family is still going on (and on, and on). Plus: A diploma mill for useless degrees, the worst of literary sex, and taking aim at the 1,000-tuba barrier. Read more
"It is not true that our hopes for the liberation of humanity, for justice, human dignity, and peace are not meant for this earth and for this history ..." Read more
According to the lectionary Christian churches use, the story of Zacchaeus is not a Christmas story. But to the rest of the world, it's a version of what seems to be one of everyone's favorite Christmas stories. Read more
Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, "Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much." Read more
Alas, I am not aware of all Internet traditions. But I'm aware of some of them, and here is one of my favorites: Allie Brosh's hilariously wonderful story of The Year Kenny Loggins Ruined Christmas. Read more
Other stories in other books persuade readers to go along through the willing suspension of disbelief. Tribulation Force insists on the willing suspension of the reader’s humanity. Read more
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