As we approach the general election, the term “evangelicals” will once again be understood as a homogeneous group of individuals who are mostly associated with the Republican Party. The term will be used by the media in terms of this group’s political leanings and will be completely divorced from the context of faith. Although it is not completely the media’s fault that the representation of “evangelicals” may be rather unfair given how vocal many pastors and churches have been in... Read more
Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world’s largest retailer, announced Monday it would expand its discounted prescription drug program to offer 90-day supplies for $10 and add several women’s medications at a discount. It also said it would lower the price of more than 1,000 over-the-counter drugs. The move marks the third phase of a company program that began in 2006 to provide a 30-day supply of generic prescription drugs for $4. The Bentonville-based company said the program has saved customers more... Read more
In a delightful piece, Michael Novak provides us with the “structural propositions” of the neo-con creed: Economic realism, breaking from leftist utopianism, is fundamental; and the dynamic drive of realism in economics flows from mind, creativity, and enterprise. Also, in the real world, incentives help mightily. Politics is more fundamental than economics, for without the rule of law, limited government, and respect for natural rights economic progress is scarcely possible. Culture is even more fundamental than politics or economics, for... Read more
Dear Jesus, Have Mercy! Officials believe over 100,000 people are dead from the cyclone in Myanmar! For those wanting to help, donating to CRS is a very good way to go. Read more
Kathryn Jean Lopez: “CNN is highlighting a story of a Catholic nun in South Bend who were turned away from their polling place today for insufficient ids. My takeaway question: What were any Catholic sisters doing voting for either Clinton or Obama?” Now, this is highly ironic, especially since Ms. Lopez is on record as defending an intrinsically evil act (waterboarding). Indeed, if we interpret the infamous 2004 “Ratzinger letter” as many partisans would like to interpret it, then Ms.... Read more
It appears play time is over, and the media is ready to make judgements, regardless of any candidate’s delusions. What we have known since at least Pennsylvania is now being reported as truth: Barack Obama barring a flight of reason from super delegates will be the nominee of the Democratic Party. In other news, John McCain had impressive wins in North Carolina and Indiana last night. Due obviously to a biased media, McCain’s stunning victories have been under reported. We... Read more
One of the things they teach you in law school is the advantage of having a sympathetic plaintiff, a person and situation a judge is going to want to find in favor of apart from any of the legal particulars. It’s not the most important part of winning a case, certainly, but if you are going, say, to be challenging mandatory school attendance laws, you’re better off if you plaintiffs are Amish than if they are abusive deadbeats. Well, it... Read more
Appalachia was on the radar of participants of the Theology in the Americas conference in Detroit — a gathering of Latin American and North American liberation theologians — in the summer of 1975, just months after the promulgation of the Appalachian pastoral letter This Land is Home to Me, and was included in those discussions as one of many particularized theologies in the U.S. that need to be in dialogue with one another. And while impressive grassroots activity was inspired... Read more
Continuing my shilling for the Chicago Tribune – two more of these posts will hopefully get me a comped subscription – this past Sunday’s edition offers a very interesting view inside Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, a church that among other things has been the home to Oprah Winfrey. (While finding the story at the Tribune, there were some leads noting that she had left the congregation.) There are some things that aren’t surprising. For example Reverend Wright is... Read more
Society is becoming increasingly less personal. An indifference to the Divine, a strong emphasis on technology, growing challenges to human dignity, a disregard for the sanctity of human life at all stages, a preoccupation and glorification of physical sex and a misunderstanding of the true nature of freedom collectively contribute to an unhealthy individualism. A spirit of strict individualism is a violation of human nature. The human person is deprived of the capacity to enter into a meaningful relationship with... Read more
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