Now that’s what I call philosophy. Joe Carter’s riff on the relation of logic to comedy is worth a look—especially if you are a connoisseur of one-liners from Seinfeld. Read it here.
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Top 10 YouTubes of 2009
It’s time for my annual posting of the Top 10 YouTube Videos of the Year (see last year’s list here). This ranking is totally unscientific. Only one person was polled to compile this list–yours truly. Except for the John Piper video at the end, the videos are all humorous this time. If you think I’ve left something out, let me know. I’ll think about adding it to the “Honorable Mention” category. Here’s the count down from number 10 to the number 1 video of 2009.
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50 things that changed our lives in the aughts
The Associated Press has an alphabetical list of the 50 things that changed our lives since the beginning of the Millennium. Included on the list are blogs, celebrity culture, cell phones, Facebook,Twitter, and YouTube. Do you agree with this list? Did they leave anything out? I think the author identifies some trends in American culture, but she has missed the big picture. The list is hopelessly techno-centric—as if our lives can be reduced to the accumulation of our gadgets. It reveals more about what American value than about how the human story has really unfolded over the last ten years. Read it for yourself here, and see if you agree…
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The Sissification of Men
Have you ever seen a guy carrying a man-purse or wearing “guy-liner” make-up? They exist, and unfortunately their tribe appears to be increasing. On this topic, Tom Purcell pens an Op-Ed for The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review in which he mourns the loss of manhood in our culture. Purcell has some trenchant critiques about how sissified men have become. He writes, Why are men turning into a bunch of softies?
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Evangelical Church Endorses Homosexuality
The Associated Press reports that an “evangelical” church in Colorado has decided to endorse homosexual monogamy as a valid Christian lifestyle. The pastor of the church reasons this way: “Our position is not one of lenience, but a matter of justice. It’s not that we don’t acknowledge the reality of sin. It’s not a sin to be gay or act in accordance with your nature.” The article also suggests that this particular church has found a middle-way and has transcended the typical conservative-liberal divide on this issue. But as you read on, it becomes clear that the pastor has embraced traditionally liberal interpretations of key biblical texts.
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Army general in Iraq issues ban on pregnancy
It’s a “lawful order,” and violators face court-marshall and jail. NBC News reports: Anyone who becomes pregnant or impregnates another servicemember, including married couples assigned to the same unit, could face a court-martial and jail time, according to an order issued by Maj. Gen. Anthony Cucolo. . . Military officials say the order was issued because Army policy requires the force to remove a pregnant soldier from a war zone within 14 days of learning of the pregnancy, creating a hole in a unit that makes it more difficult to complete its mission. “It is a lawful order,” Thompson said Friday during a phone interview with Stars and Stripes. Thompson,…
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Russell Moore’s Review of “The Princess and the Frog”
Check out Russell Moore’s review of the new Disney film “The Princess and the Frog.” It’s really good. He lists five things he likes about the movie and four things that he really hates. Here’s my favorite part: ‘Disney is embarrassed (and rightly so) now by the racial stereotypes present in at least one of their earlier movies. No one now would market crude ethnic caricatures in an animated film, and that’s a good thing. Why then is it okay to use the most derogatory and cardboard stereotypes of rural working southern people? The cajuns in the bayou are presented as characters from “Deliverance.” ‘Wendell Berry rightly warned us against…
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“Twilight” Is a Mormon Love Story?
I just read a fascinating article in Touchstone magazine about the meaning of the Twilight vampire series. In his article “Mormon Vampires in the Garden of Eden,” John Granger argues that the Twilight story is actually a metaphor for Mormonism. “Twilight is essentially an allegory of one gentile seeker’s coming to the fullness of Latter-day Saint faith and life.” If this sounds far-fetched to you, then you need to read the article. Granger bears out his thesis by connecting the events and characters of the Twilight books to the history and theology of Mormonism. Given that author Stephenie Meyer is an observant Mormon, Granger makes an interesting case. The reader…
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WaPo on Manhattan Declaration
Richard Cohen’s Op-Ed for The Washington Post this morning takes issue with The Manhattan Declaration. In particular, he rails against the Declaration’s stance on same-sex “marriage.” The bottom line of Cohen’s argument in favor of same-sex “marriage” is his own personal experience. He writes, “I know of children raised by same-sex partners and they seem no worse for the experience.” He also writes that “Some of the declaration is couched in religious terms, and with that I cannot argue. But it is its appeal to common sense that I find so appalling.” In other words, he argues that “common sense” and his own personal experience trump the religious basis for…
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True Love Pays
It will cost you $87,403 to make your ‘true love’ happy this Christmas—that is, if you use “The 12 Days of Christmas” for your gift list. According to the annual “Christmas Price Index” compiled by PNC Wealth Management, the $87,403 figure is slightly up from last year. Here’s the entire list.