Pulpit glurge and ghost stories

Last updated on: June 24, 2012 at 4:02 pm By Fred Clark

“Glurge” is not unique to church, but churches tend to cultivate their own native varieties of it. Skimming through Snopes’ Glurge Gallery reacquaints me with several familiar stories that I’ve heard many times over the years in church or at youth group campfires or retreats. Stories of angelic intervention like “26 Guards” weren’t common in our kind of church (that’s more of a Pentecostal thing), but I heard dozens of variations of “The Anguishing Choice” or of “The Drawbridge Keeper.”... Read more

'It's not a lie if you believe it'

Last updated on: August 17, 2011 at 11:19 am By Fred Clark

So says Seinfeld’s George Costanza. But whether or not he really believed that is hard to say. It’s often hard to say whether or not the speaker really believes what they’re saying when they’re saying something that isn’t true. Yesterday we discussed a currently circulating political falsehood, trying to discern whether it was repeated as an outright lie or just an irresponsible rumor. The realm of untrue statements is large and incredibly diverse. It includes honest mistakes, honest misstatements and... Read more

Is Rick Perry a 'sucker,' or was he just lying?

Last updated on: June 24, 2012 at 4:02 pm By Fred Clark

Here’s a good catch by Kevin Drum, by one of his readers in Iowa, and then by the Des Moines Register: “Rick Perry Gets Suckered by an Urban Legend.” From Kevin’s reader: I was at the Iowa State Fair today and caught Rick Perry’s speech. He started talking about this stupid new regulation that would require farmers to get commercial drivers licenses if they drive their tractors across the road. I remember reading about this very issue on your blog... Read more

Unlike conservatives, I'm in favor of economic growth

Last updated on: August 16, 2011 at 11:09 am By Fred Clark

A handful of items worth repeating, and worth following the links to read in full: Nobel laureate Peter Diamond: Infrastructure spending is not a vehicle for dealing with a normal recession. But once you recognize this recovery will be slow, you realize this is a time when we should be doing major spending on infrastructure. And a lot of the infrastructure investments are stuff we’re going to have to deal with eventually, so doing it now doesn’t actually add to... Read more

Left Behind Index V: Posts 201-250

Last updated on: August 16, 2011 at 8:31 am By Fred Clark

201. In case of Rapture | Dec. 14, 2008; LBTM, pt. 5 202. Jesus met the woman | Dec. 19, 2008; LBTM, pt. 6 203. Lone Gunmen | Dec. 29, 2008; LBTM, pt. 7 204. Accumulated radiation | Jan. 9, 2009; LBTM, pt. 8 205. No love for Hattie | Jan. 17, 2009; LBTM, pt. 9 206. Think Different | Jan. 23, 2009; LBTM, pt. 10 207. Something happens | Jan. 30, 2009; LBTM pt. 11 208. The worst mankind... Read more

TF: Loving an America without Americans

Last updated on: August 15, 2011 at 3:43 pm By Fred Clark

Tribulation Force, pp. 402-403 In a rush at the end of this volume, Jerry Jenkins loses track of the narrative pattern he has followed up until this point. For more than 800 pages he’s been alternating between the points of view of his two main characters, Rayford Steele and Buck Williams, revealing to readers only that which is seen or heard by each character in turn. That storytelling framework has shaped the plot of this second book in the series,... Read more

Job Seekers Open Thread

Last updated on: June 24, 2012 at 4:00 pm By Fred Clark

. Job seekers: Let us know where you are and what you’re looking for. Everybody: Skim through and see if you know something, or know someone, or know someone who knows someone, who might help out one of our job seekers. For twice the fun, you might also want to check out the jobs threads they’ve started at Balloon Juice. Read more

Christian privilege invisible to privileged Christians

Last updated on: June 24, 2012 at 4:01 pm By Fred Clark

Jason Pitzl-Waters of The Wild Hunt writes about “Invisible Christian Privilege“: To many Christians their immense privilege seems invisible. They don’t understand how much of our society panders to their unspoken power. The churches on every corner, the holidays and celebrations structured around Christian dates, the pandering of politicians, the ceremonial deism that acts as a placeholder for state-sponsored religion. Even our vernacular is colored by Christianity. … Yet despite this, many Christians, particularly conservative Christians, have a major investment... Read more

Testamints, tattoos and holy underwear

Last updated on: June 24, 2012 at 4:00 pm By Fred Clark

Not every “Christian T-shirt” is worn as a witnessing tool or a tribal symbol or a culture warrior’s warning shot. Many of the sorts of things sometimes regarded as “witnessing tools” mainly serve a different function. They’re devotional. The popular “WWJD?” bracelets, for example, are not meant primarily to be a “witness” to others, but to be a reminder to the wearer of commitments she has made and of who it is that she wants to be. The same is... Read more

Sunday favorites

Last updated on: June 24, 2012 at 3:59 pm By Fred Clark

Romans 12: 9-21 Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with... Read more