Skip to main content

Links!

The U.S.A. was founded on Christian principles, true or false? As usual, it depends on how you define things like "founding" and "Christian principles." Jennifer at Scattershot takes a look at the question. It's harder - not easier - to argue that Canada is not a religiously founded country, btw. Our ties to the English Monarchy (defender of the faith) ought to make that clear enough for anyone (but sadly doesn't). *** Postscript*** Peter Thurley at Diner Table Don'ts tips us to a lengthy New York Times article on the same subject. Seven Sorrows is a Catholic alternative band whose music you can download for free. The band's site is here (looks good, sound quality is muddy) or from Download.com (MP3's sound good, site looks, well, blah). Before I became a country bumpkin I listened to alternative stuff for years. It leaves me a bit cold now, but I can still get into light trippin' ambient anytime. There's lots to be found on internet radio too. Godspy takes a look at Peter "some humans are not persons" Singer. Singer violated his own utilitarian ethics by caring for his mother when she developed alzheimer's. Rather than question his ethical conclusions, Singer simply says it is "very hard to do what's right." Singer is a classic intellectual, more in love with "humanity" than with flesh and blood people, more comfortable with a universal ideas than anything tangible before him. David Warren has an annual ritual, it seems, and it involves an evaluation of why he writes. No a bad idea, that, especially for bloggers whose page never gets full. He offers us a golden observation in this column:
The journalist who thinks what he writes doesn't matter, is not humble but irresponsible. The one who is cynical and posturing -- who pretends to be world-weary -- is not neutral in the face of events. He is on the wrong side. The one who thinks he is a mere entertainer, is an even greater fool than I am: for there is no such thing as "pure entertainment". Everything has moral consequences, including mere idleness.
Get Religion has a look at Ron Howard's upcoming take on C.S. Lewis' Narnia tales. Money quote: "I suspect you can portray resurrection in the same way that E.T. comes back to life, and that practically every fairy tale has a hero or heroine who seems to be gone forever but nevertheless manages to come back." This does not sound at all promising, especially after what Peter Jackson was able to do with Tolkien's very Catholic Lord of the Rings. Mind you, it is very subtle in Tolkien and more up front with Lewis. Still, I think audiences have shown a willingness (and a hunger, even) to have the real goods so that they can debate it like adults.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Reuters joins CNN on the bench

Makes room for CanWest to join the majors Kudos to CanWest for calling a terrorist a terrorist . Many, including The Last Amazon , will be happy to hear it. Reuters is among the worst of the major western news services, where I would also place the BBC and the CBC. Unsurprisingly, Reuters is not happy about the changes CanWest made to Reuters wire stories: Our editorial policy is that we don't use emotive words when labeling someone," said David A. Schlesinger, Reuters' global managing editor. "Any paper can change copy and do whatever they want. But if a paper wants to change our copy that way, we would be more comfortable if they remove the byline." Mr. Schlesinger said he was concerned that changes like those made at CanWest could lead to "confusion" about what Reuters is reporting and possibly endanger its reporters in volatile areas or situations. "My goal is to protect
Post a Comment
Read more

Where credit is due

A good'un from Sawyer Brown . Thank God for You Well I've been called a self-made man Girl don't you believe it's true I know exactly how lucky I am When I'm gettin' this close to you It's high time I'm giving some praise To those that got me where I am today Chorus I got to thank momma for the cookin' Daddy for the whuppin' The devil for the trouble that I get into I got to give credit where credit is due I thank the bank for the money Thank God for you A strong heart and a willing hand That's the secret to my success A good woman - I try to be a good man A good job - Lord I know I've been blessed I'm just a part of a greater plan It doesn't matter which part I am Chorus I got to thank momma for the teachin' Daddy for the preachin' The devil for the trouble that I get into I got to give credit where credit is due I thank the bank for the money Thank God for you
Post a Comment
Read more

A very limited form of inquiry

Real Clear Politics is carrying commentary on James Q. Wilson's WSJ article on ID (got that?). Wilson, the respected social scientist, gets it mostly right when he says that ID is not science because it can't be tested: So ID is not science. Does this mean that science, in any way, implies the non-existence of God? No. Does this mean that belief in God is irrational and that we should all be "free thinkers"? No. Does this mean that it is impossible to arbitrate between various theories of the existence/non-existence of God and come to some reasonable conclusions? No. Does this mean that we cannot say that humanity is meant to exist? No. In other words, rationality outside of science is quite possible, and has been around for a long time. How do you think humanity invented science in the first place? We surely did not do it scientifically. Science as we know it is the product of millennia of philosophical debate -- from Aristotle to Lakatos. Science depends upon phi
Post a Comment
Read more