The inevitable injustice of unreality and Al Mohler’s ongoing crisis of faith

Last updated on: October 25, 2011 at 5:25 pm By Fred Clark

Google Reader brings me a serendipitous, or perhaps providential, sequence of articles. First up is Douglas Starr’s Discovery article, “Spark of Truth: Can Science Bring Justice to Arson Trials?” At laboratories throughout the United States — some large enough to contain a three-story house — researchers have been lighting rooms and houses on fire and analyzing the results with the kind of scientific scrutiny that has upended several deeply entrenched misconceptions about how fires behave. The upheaval is more than... Read more

Unemployed in ‘The Affluent Society’

Last updated on: October 25, 2011 at 12:40 pm By Fred Clark

I read John Kenneth Galbraith’s The Affluent Society more than 15 years ago in an edition, the fourth, that was then already 10 years old. I don’t know how the argument of that book has held up over time or whether it is still well-regarded within the discipline of economics. But yesterday I found myself plucking this book down from the shelf for two reasons: 1) More than 14 million Americans are unable to find work, and 2) I am... Read more

TF: Springtime for Nicolae

Last updated on: October 25, 2011 at 1:23 am By Fred Clark

Tribulation Force, pp. 426-428 Nicolae Carpathia seemed thrilled about Rayford’s marriage and insisted upon meeting his new wife. Note that “seemed.” Nicolae seems thrilled. He acts like he’s thrilled. He does everything one would expect that someone who was thrilled would do: He took both her hands in greeting and welcomed her and Rayford. … After pleasantries, Nicolae immediately approved Rayford’s request that Amanda accompany them on the next trip to the U.S. But since we know he’s the Antichrist... Read more

Our brother’s brother

Last updated on: October 25, 2011 at 12:25 am By Fred Clark

He Who makes peace in His heights, may He make peace,upon us and upon all Israel. Sad news in our community. Our longtime friend here, aunursa, has just lost his brother. Let those who pray pray, and let us all keep aunursa and his family in our thoughts as we mourn with those who mourn. Read more

Idea of a debt Jubilee takes shape, gains a little steam

Last updated on: October 24, 2011 at 4:56 pm By Fred Clark

And you shall proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you. … — Leviticus 25:10-11 E.D. Kain of Forbes (!) likes the idea of Jubilee to end or mitigate oppressive debt, noting that the principle has support not just from the Bible, but also from South Park. A debt forgiveness program is a great idea, but it won’t go far enough if we don’t find ways to breathe life back into real... Read more

Monday miscellany

Last updated on: October 24, 2011 at 2:08 pm By Fred Clark

The day I was born there were approximately 3.4 billion people on earth. The world’s population is now more than twice that. Geez. I’m old, but I didn’t think I was that old. Anyway, The Guardian has a neat little calculator for “How big was the world’s population when you were born?” “Park Plaza Co-op Residents Making Park Their Own” The Fridley (Minn.) Patch reports that the members of the Park Plaza manufactured-home community are thriving and prospering after converting... Read more

#OccupyTheNewsroom

Last updated on: October 24, 2011 at 10:45 am By Fred Clark

David Carr of The New York Times has a lovely rant about the unlovely Craig Dubow, the incompetent enemy of the public who, in the course of helping to destroy American journalism and undermine American democracy, also laid off me and 20,000 other people while collecting millions in “performance” bonuses: Craig A. Dubow resigned as Gannett’s chief executive. His short six-year tenure was, by most accounts, a disaster. Gannett’s stock price declined to about $10 a share from a high... Read more

Climate denialism: ‘It’s about ideology, not facts’

Last updated on: October 23, 2011 at 11:21 pm By Fred Clark

The big news last week on climate change wasn’t news at all, just more of the same. A lot more of exactly the same. The Guardian reports: “Global warming study finds no grounds for climate skeptics’ concerns: Independent investigation of the key issues skeptics claim can skew global warming figures reports that they have no real effect” The world is getting warmer, countering the doubts of climate change sceptics about the validity of some of the scientific evidence, according to... Read more

Annual Halloween rituals

Last updated on: October 23, 2011 at 6:06 pm By Fred Clark

Halloween is, among other things, an excuse for the Slacktivixen and my daughters to dress the dog up in costumes. Willow is a patient dog, and can be bribed into complying with almost anything in exchange for a treat. But Halloween is also, according to Herbert Hoover Fan Club President Amity Shlaes, a Pagan ritual promoting “necromancy” and the undermining of monotheistic hegemony. Jason Pitzl-Waters responds to Shlaes’ complaint that the holiday is a threat to christianamerica. “Halloween isn’t secular.... Read more

Sunday favorites

Last updated on: October 23, 2011 at 11:44 am By Fred Clark

Micah 6:6-8 ‘With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt-offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with tens of thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?’ He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require... Read more

What is the "mystery" Paul reveals in Ephesians 3?