Al Mohler and Russell Moore appeared on CNN earlier today to talk about the Duck Dynasty dust-up. In spite of the stifling format of these interviews, I think they both did a fantastic job representing our side. Mohler is above, and Moore is below.
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Duck Dynasty Prediction
I predicted privately some months ago that it would only be a matter of time before the media sniffed out the views of the Duck Dynasty guys about sexuality. I also predicted that when they did, their reception in the popular culture would turn on a dime. Well, here we are. In a wide-ranging interview with GQ, the “Duck Commander” Phil Robertson spoke candidly about his views. In particular, he identified homosexual behavior as sinful. In response, the A&E network has suspended Robertson from the television series indefinitely with this explanation:
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Trailer for new movie about Noah and the flood
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Ohio State’s must-see Michael Jackson tribute
Ohio State University’s marching band did the coolest thing I’ve ever seen a marching band do during the halftime of Saturday’s game. In the midst of a musical tribute to Michael Jackson, they actually formed into a figure of Michael Jackson which moonwalked across the field. This is not to be missed. You can watch the highlights above. There’s a fast-motion version below. And at the bottom, you can watch the entire halftime show.
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God as the third rail of rock-n-roll
Back in the days when the earth’s crust was still hardening, I was a big fan of The Smashing Pumpkins. They were in the thick of the grunge scene–which was a whole new departure in rock music and which was all the rage for most of the 1990’s. After the grunge fad faded, the band broke up in 2000. Following a seven year hiatus, they got back together and have been trying to make a comeback. Lead singer Billy Corgan recently sat down for an interview with CNN, and he makes the astonishing claim that God is the “third rail” of rock-n-roll. He also gives a brief and trenchant critique…
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Why do people like Duck Dynasty?
In the video above, Laura Ingraham explains why she thinks “Duck Dynasty” is such a hit. I think she may not be too far off. My family enjoys the program for all the reasons she cites. We also love it because Louisiana is our home state, and the show is set in my wife’s hometown. Where else on television can you tune in and see live shots of the town you grew up in? (My wife spotted her high school in the season premier.) Also, there’s nothing like hearing some “y’alls” and “fixin’s” to make some expat Louisianans feel a little closer to home. So there’s a lot of nostalgia…
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Christianity and “The Daily Show” Distortions
Last May a producer from “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” contacted me about being interviewed for the program. He said that he wanted me to talk about my perception of anti-Christian bias in the mainstream media as it relates to “homosexual marriage and gay acceptance in America.” It was to be a produced piece in which they interview people from different perspectives, and then after that Stewart would do his thing. From the get-go, I couldn’t see any upside to doing this. For starters, I had no interest in turning a serious topic into a laugh-line for Stewart’s show. Also, even though I am not a regular viewer of…
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Stephen Colbert breaks character to honor his mother
After Stephen Colbert’s mother recently passed away, Colbert was away from “The Colbert Report” for an entire week. In his first show back after her death, he begins the program out of character to honor her memory. It is a touching tribute and worth passing along. -Exodus 20:12 (HT: 22 Words)
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A brief word about the “Downton Abbey” finale
You don’t have to be a professional literary critic to know this: A bona fide story is driven by an author’s vision of reality. It has a beginning, a middle, and an end. A soap opera—on the other hand—is driven by the contract negotiations of its actors. It has a beginning, an implausible-stringing-along-until-the-ratings-give-out, and an end. Forgive me for preferring the integrity of the former over the dishonesty of the latter and for coming to the conclusion that “Downton Abbey” has firmly ensconced itself in the latter category. I had high hopes that the elaborate drama would transcend, but the program is turning out to be nothing more than “Dallas”…
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What did you think about Beyoncé’s half-time performance?
What did you think about Beyoncé’s half-time performance at the Superbowl? I think what was most disappointing to me is that these displays have become so normal and ordinary. Hardly anyone seems to bat an eye anymore when these kinds of spectacles unfold on national television. Even the First Lady of the United States tweeted her approval, saying how “proud” she was of the performance.