Primary day open thread

Last updated on: June 7, 2016 at 5:58 pm By Fred Clark

After today’s primary elections in several states, including big-delegate events in California and New Jersey, we should have a clearer picture of the national race. More importantly, we can begin recovering from the primaryitis that’s prompted so much intramural nastiness over the past year or so. (I recommend a couple of prairie oysters, bed rest, and collectively remembering that the Republican nominee is Donald freaking Trump.) The first time I was old enough to vote in a presidential primary was... Read more

NRA: Get back Loretta

Last updated on: June 6, 2016 at 5:38 pm By Fred Clark

My imaginary backstory for the character of Loretta is elaborate, fanciful, and largely unsupported by the text of this story. But it's still more credible than the official version of the character, which is too inconsistent and contradictory to make any sense. We're forced to read between the lines to find and flesh-out "meta-Loretta." And she turns out to be pretty cool. Read more

Untold millions are still untold

Last updated on: June 4, 2016 at 6:46 pm By Fred Clark

Someone left a gospel tract on a shelf at the Big Box store. This was, among other things, an attempted gesture of concern for the eternal fate of the untold millions our friend believes are damned for eternity. I appreciate that, and I'm grateful for that concern. But I also have questions. Read more

Left Behind Classic Fridays, No. 84: ‘Tactical decency’

Last updated on: June 3, 2016 at 7:34 am By Fred Clark

I doubt L&J would go so far as to agree with me about evangelism being a form of hospitality, but here at least they seem to agree that evangelism ought not to be blatantly inhospitable. They seem to recognize, at least briefly, that the Great Commission and the obligation to spread the gospel do not require us to offend and scare off those around us, and that treating others decently doesn't mean you're "ashamed of the gospel." Read more

Peel me off this Velcro seat and get me moving

Last updated on: June 1, 2016 at 8:27 pm By Fred Clark

Wherein we discuss, in no particular order: the coming out of another CCM rock-star; the notable whiteness of progressive Christianity; Tom Paine's revolutionary bridge-building; the need for cell-phone pockets; and the coyotes of Chester County. Read more

NRA: A piece of bread would buy a bag of gold

Last updated on: May 31, 2016 at 4:35 pm By Fred Clark

An obsessive vigilance worrying about the imminent Mark of the Beast plays a large role in the day-to-day culture of Rapture Christianity. So it's a bit odd to have seen so little mention of it thus far in the Left Behind series. Most fictional Antichrists jump right in 666-ing everybody's right hand and forehead in their first 100 days in office, but thus far in this story, neither Nicolae nor the members of the Tribulation Force seem to have given the matter much thought. Read more

‘Game of Thrones’ and the Bible

Last updated on: May 30, 2016 at 12:48 pm By Fred Clark

Readers of "Ulysses" face the same danger that readers of "A Song of Ice and Fire" do -- the danger of confusing the two kinds of inconsistency and thus dismissing meaningful discrepancies as meaningless errors or, in the other direction, reading too much into simple errors and fabricating meanings where none was intended. This is true of any long text written and read by us humans. And, yes, that includes the Bible. Read more

Chapter and verse

Last updated on: May 27, 2016 at 5:25 pm By Fred Clark

But when I read a story like this, I want to know more. When a member of Congress is leaning on "a passage from the Bible denouncing homosexuality" as the primary basis for his legislative decisions, thereby disgusting his GOP colleagues with his ignorant rejection of the First Amendment, I also want to know which passage from the Bible, specifically, this guy is quoting. Read more

Left Behind Classic Fridays, No. 83: ‘Today’s Gospel reading’

Last updated on: May 26, 2016 at 7:02 pm By Fred Clark

Apparently Rayford plowed through Matthew, Mark, Luke and John without finding anything notable, striking or worthy of remark. No saying or healing or parable or paradox pulled him up short. Nothing in particular made him stop and scratch his head. Nothing in particular confused or puzzled or angered him. Nothing in particular made his heart leap with joy. He simply read them and fell asleep. Read more

Clobber-texting isn’t a principled hermeneutic: A horrifying case study

Last updated on: May 26, 2016 at 6:48 pm By Fred Clark

You have heard it said that if a man meets a virgin who is not engaged, and seizes her and lies with her, she shall become his wife; but I say unto you, screw that. Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Get that rapist behind bars and keep him as far away from his victim as possible. Love is the fulfillment of the law. Read more