Well, children, I've been hunting and gathering for you all week, and I have a bushel-full. This actually may just be The Best Hither And Thither,
Ever. Tell a friend. Seriously.
Let's get going:
- Turns out not all Britons are enamored with our newly-anointed president. Among other things, Gerald Warner correctly observes, "It seems the era of Hope is to be
inaugurated with a slaughter of the innocents." (h-t Michelle Malkin). - Indeed, I'm seriously considering a Bloody Hands Update meme, to keep Obama-supporters and enablers abreast of how their man is doing in his war against the unborn (or, as they may call them in the White House, "the little punishments.")
- Now, to pleasanter things. Aww. Sweet story about a real-life Sleeping Beauty awakened by her husband's kiss. Worth a prayer for her full recovery, as well.
- Mark Driscoll gets 'buked, but it's hard to say by whom exactly. The writer says "I," but the byline is "Staff." He has so much good to say and do, Driscoll really decisively has to step away from the naughty quip-from-the-hip, and fall out of love with the adoring laughter of his audience. If he doesn't do that, it will ruin (or sideline) the vastly more important aspects of his ministry, and that's a bad thing.
- Ouch! Important reminder to pastors with wireless mikes. (Or: Naked Gun — it's more than just a movie.)
- About Ted Haggard: this guy is right. Haggard should shut up. Put in about ten solid years of repentance, restitution, and rebuilding, and then maybe get back to us. (h-t Joel Griffith)
- Coffee: it's more than just a pleasant diversion. It's a health-food.
- Puzzlingly, Anne Rice continues to get a "pass" from Christian/oid writers. I remarked on this phenomenon once here, at its most baffling (WORLD magazine). Now up it comes again here, in a
conversion story that, strikingly, features no conversion. Not to Christ, anyway, though it's titled "An atheist returns to Christ." It's really "An atheist returns to Romanism," with its ritualism and false gospel of works. The article is an interesting-enough read, but a sad one. Here's the puzzling punchline: "[Rice] describes sensing with her entire being that she was surrounded by God's love. The next day she went to Mass for the first time in 38 years. Her re-commitment to Christianity began with that miracle shortly before Christmas of 1998, but was not completed until 2002." No, I didn't delete anything. Going to the blasphemous re-sacrifice of Christ = "re-commitment to Christianity." There is nothing in that about the Biblical Christ who saves. But we read that God talks to Rice, tells her to write more books. Not very good books, though, judging by the one I read (to be reviewed later). Towards the end of the article, we read that "to be a Christian is ...to act differently." Well. There y'go. It's all about works after all!
- Great news (I hope): Dawn Treader is back on track, with another studio.
- Tangentially relatedly: I want these cakes.
- Another peek at the dark future looming in consequence of pretending that serial acts of sexual perversion = "family."
- Just sad, truly: actor Patrick Swayze has been battling his cancer to the best of his
ability, and has kept working. But now he's told doctors to end all medical treatment, which signals that the end must be drawing near. What I've read and heard sounds proud and defiant; pray that the Gospel gets through to him. We all should know that we're literally a half-tick from Judgment. Some get warning shots, many don't. Swayze's had his. Pray he heeds. - Breaking news: for once, I agree with Hillary! Clinton: US has a 'lot of damage to repair.' My only demurral is that her observation comes eight years late.
- More breaking news: MSM still Obamolotrous! But first, riddle me this: if all the "Yea" votes for a bill come from Party A, and all the "Nay" votes come from both Party A and Party B, which vote is partisan, and which is bipartisan? The "Nay" vote is the bipartisan vote — unless you're the AP, and Party B is the GOP. And, similarly....
- Totally-unbiased MSM meme update. Patterico does a comparison on how the LAT (Lost ObamaAngeles Times) reports GOP opposition to Obama today, verses Dem opposition in 2001. Enlightening, but unsurprising to any regular reader of this blog.
- Obama's America: want to butcher helpless unborn babies? No problem! Want to offer help and alternatives to women about to take out the contract on said babies? GUILTY!
- Reason #479 to be glad you're not Canadian. If you aren't. If you are... soe-ree, eh?
- Another Top-50 Guitar Solo List = Dead Wrong. I don't know whether Chicago is the greatest rock/jazz/ballad band ever, but I do know this: they're the most underappreciated. Constantly snubbed in "top" lists in favor of nothingburgers, never inducted into the Hall of Fame. And now this. Keith Richards' rambling, unstructured, nothing work on "Sympathy for the Devil" is top 50, but Terry Kath's soaring, chilling unforgettable solo on "25 or 6 to 4" isn't? I'll retire to Bedlam.
- All you need to know about Hollywood. Count it up. Number of movies about Reagan and the fall of the Berlin wall: zero. Number of moral-boosting movies generated during the War on Terror and the liberation of Iraq: zero (unless I'm forgetting one). Number of movies about the amazing (and successful) efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the liberation of an enslaved populace: zero. Number of biographies in the works about Steve McQueen: two.
- On that subject: Andrew Breitbart is attempting to light a candle, rather than merely cursing the darkness. Though, Lord knows, that's some darkness that calls for some serious cursing.
- On a totally tangential note: Brietbart is the son-in-law of Orson Bean, who I remember
as a wacky liberal from my childhood. Yet Breitbart says Bean has become a Christian, and is now to the right of him. (Some confirmation in the Wiki article on Bean.) - You know... when you have to insist to the world that you're not stupid, really, it just might be time for serious, root-and-branch re-evaluation.
- This is kind of fun — for a second or two. (At least in FireFox, every time you right-click then go back without selecting anything, it changes color.)
- And now some graphics. The first is Mesa Mike's LOLcat depiction of The One's approach to one of our enemies.
Let's get going:
Posts
35 comments:
Oh, for goodness' sake! Frank warned me.
A couple slight variations of the LOLcat image here, and here.
On the culture wars front, here in New Mexico there is a domestic partnership bill (SB12) trying to get passed. My wife (and a bunch of other concerned citizens) went down to the state house a couple days ago to attend the committee level debate in the state senate. She reports that it was mostly spun as something beneficial for senior citizens who depend on social security benefits. If we religious bigots want to oppose domestic partnerships, we're being cruel to the elderly!
Why is that a reason to be happy one isn't a Canadian? I must not find it funny.
Canadian, eh?
"I am confident that we are going to get Republicans to vote (for) our bill," said Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. "If we don't, it's not our fault."
*boggle*
Drat those partisan Democrat defectors - how dare they side with the enemy!
Yes. Things would be so much nicer if those nassty Republicans would stop being so partisan, and just do what the Dems want them to do!
I mean... don't they know that we're in serious deep trouble never seen before on the face of the planet ever? Don't they want the plan that will fix all problems? They must hate us. That must be it. Bless the LA Times for informing us properly about who hates us.
Heh. You'd better believe I'm Canadian. A dying breed, too; evangelical, Bible-believer, gospel-preaching Canadian.
I guess I don't find a lack of public WASHrooms to be amusing. I can think of a number of other reasons to be happy one isn't a Canadian, though... plight of the homeless isn't one of them.
I think it was the compounded ridiculousness of the story that Dan found amusing.
People are defecating on public grounds, so the guy puts up signs indicating that this is an illegal serious health hazard, but has to take the signs down because someone found stick people pooing in the park more offensive than actual people doing it. The guy brings the problem to the city council, and their eventual "solution" is to put the signs back up... because they don't want to open washrooms where people would probably continue to do drugs and have sex... which is somehow worse than them doing all that in a public park.
It's not the unfortunate broken homeless that are funny, it's the comedy of manners and bureaucracy surrounding it that is ridiculous.
Coming from South Africa, where you run the risk of being shot to death or raped every single day, the ridiculousness of many of our "issues" in our part of Canada is actually why I appreciate being here. Our community newspaper just the other day headlined an angry resident mad at council for planning to cut down three trees on district land for the sake of a neighbour's VIEW. Can you believe they'd cut down healthy trees for the sake of a VIEW? Geez. Then we have the article about pet-blessing ceremonies at a local United "church".
These are issues I can live with.
Thanks for the interesting hither and thither today, Dan.
Trinian,
Ahhhhh... Yes, thank you for that. See, I'm just so used to that level of idiocy it doesn't even faze me these days. :P
I will be commenting on the point relating to Driscoll's rebuke; as the article in question deals with sexual matters, so does the following. I've tried not being too explicit, but the links are.
The Driscoll rebuke comes from Ingrid Schlueter over at Slice; it is a reprint of a press release she sent out. Here's the blog post which also links to the press release.
Here is Driscoll's blog post that the Slice post linked to.
In part, it said: "Thus, [the technique in question] is technically permissible, but for a host of reasons may not be beneficial. We do not endorse everything on this website, but if you want to read some commentary on the issue from Christian married women, you can go to Christian Nymphos."
Based on the above from Driscoll's original post, I find the following characterization from the origianl press release / news story to be somewhat disingeneous: "Pastor Driscoll, in a recent blog post, promotes a website called ChristianNymphos.org which features articles on how a Christian wife can turn herself into a dominatrix. the glories of An-l and or-l sex, and the use of sex toys."
I think it is worthwhile to discuss if his answers are correct, or if he should be publicly posting answers to his people's questions in this way, but I'd be more inclined to listen to the criticisms if they didn't try to twist what he said in doing so.
Sorry, I meant to tone down that last quote from the linked article too, not just the Driscoll quote.
That's one way of approaching it, Denis. But I saw and heard the crack he made on the verse from Ecclesiastes. It wasn't that long ago, and it was indefensible.
I'm actually more on the pro- side than the con-. I think Driscoll's own point is a fair one: look at a man's trajectory. Is he heading this way, or that? Piper and the others saw a good trajectory and have tried to do him good, and I think they have. Unlike say the Maclarens and Joneses of the churchworld. Driscoll's been heading in the right direction.
But he's not done. I think the point I made is the main one. He has a lot of things right — but he loves the laughs too much. He loves the "bad-boy" image. He loves stand-up patter, and his mouth gets away from him. Which is a really, really bad thing in a pastor (James 3:1ff.).
I think the Bloody Hands Update is an excellent idea.
Okay, I admit it. This was worth waiting for.
The Patrick Swayze thing just makes me sad. I've been too close to this sort of thing. I don't know how people face it who aren't ready to see Jesus.
Sorry, I'm not familiar with your Ecclesiastes reference, but I do admit I am not completely familiar with all he's done.
I'm reading his Radical Reformission book and plan on picking up some of his more recent stuff. Aside from that I've only listened to some select sermon/podcasts on topics I was specifically interested in (more doctrinally focused and some emerging stuff). But, from what I have read/heard so far coupled with endorsements from men like Piper, Driscoll has become someone I look to a bit more as a trusted teacher.
His style does resonate with me, but between age, location and blue-collar exposure I think there are a lot of cultural similarities that could account for that.
However, I have heard the murmur of criticisms that are out there, but when I have been able to trace back the criticism to the source material I've usually found that, like this Slice press release, the critic doesn't seem to fairly critique him. Maybe I've just read some bad critiques?
When it comes to the laughs, I admit that's something I may be somewhat blind to; the church I was (re)born into is lead by a pastor who does teach expositionally, but also typically works a joke or two in his sermon.
Thanks for your insights though. I always look forward to learning more.
Steve Hackett's live solo on "Firth of Fifth" from Genesis' "Seconds Out" album ought to rank up there. It's gorgeous. I was watching a clip of it on Youtube last night. Goosebumps.
note to Paris: It's not just the women who use you for the wrong reasons. And frankly, the men would prefer you to be dumb.
I think it's ironic that the great socialism of Canada hasn't been able to stamp out homelessness. And yet, libs think it will be so great for us here in the U.S.
Dan, something's been bugging me. It's completely unrelated to this post, but your use of the neologism "Obamolatrous" reminded me of it, and I don't really know where else to put it.
In your "My Neologisms" post on January 6th, you mentioned "emerg***," which you have used to great effect over the years.
I believer, however, that your humble servant may have been the first to use the word (or a variant thereof), in my comment on August 31st, 2007 on the ultra-serious, 1062-comment post "Emerging Church: bad as Gutless Grace Girliemen? Worse than Wrongheaded Wrightophiles? Sillier than Leaky Canoneers?".
All uses of "emerg***" (when searching for "emerg*" [with the quotes] in Google) on the illustrious TP blog appear to date from late 2007 at the earliest.
What sayest thou, brother?
Oh, and all good stuff today.
And I'm not taking the bait of all the reasons it's great not to be a Canadian. Nosiree, Bob.
Except that The One (so enamoured up here) is going to take away all our iron and steel jobs....
That hyperlink doesn't jump directly to comment (although it's supposed to). Once you've linked to the TP article, you have to search for "emerg*."
And here are the Google search results.
It's heard to search that, since * is, by definition, a wildcard. So far it's looking bad for me in that you do use "Emerg*" in the thread you cite, which I obviously read. I first seemed to have used the form "Emerg***" 11/20/07, which is the form I usually use. I'll keep looking, but so far you may well be right.
I take payment in pizza.
Loaded H&T, indeed. Just like those lovely crabs that I wish I could consume. (Are those blue crabs, BTW? I don't think I've ever met one before....)
I will now attempt to read the H&T items the same way I enjoy crabs--VERY...VERY...SLOWLY....
The Lisa Miller/Janet Jenkins case is indeed unnerving. However, I think it's ridiculous for the author to say that Jenkins has no love for Isabella, and is doing this simply for "the homosexual agenda."
True, Miller was the one who gave birth to the child, but it could have just as easily been Jenkins. If Miller had then converted to Christianity (and praise God that she did) would she have then rolled over and let Jenkins take away her visitation rights? I doubt it.
I just think that though Lisa Miller does deserve full custody for being the biological mother, she has to recognize that both women did decide to have this child together. They have different ideologies now, but I still do think that Jenkins should be a part of the child's life.
Since we've got a hither and thither post I though this might be a good place to remind everyone that this weekend on Bible Burgh we'll be reairing our interview with a certain Mr. Dan Phillips, and he's got the whole Super Show!
Hi Michelle of:
"Coming from South Africa, where you run the risk of being shot to death or raped every single day, the ridiculousness of many of our "issues" in our part of Canada is actually why I appreciate being here. Our community newspaper just the other day headlined an angry resident mad at council for planning to cut down three trees on district land for the sake of a neighbour's VIEW. Can you believe they'd cut down healthy trees for the sake of a VIEW? Geez. Then we have the article about pet-blessing ceremonies at a local United "church".
These are issues I can live with.
Thanks for the interesting hither and thither today, Dan."
Fellow ex-South-African Canadian.
Hope this is OK to "use" your comment thread like this Dan? I do like what I read here, as well as at Team Pyro.
A couple of comments about the greatest guitar solo list.
First comment - one word - PATHETIC
Even though B.B. King was represented, they totally forgot about Albert King, Lonnie Mack, Johnny Winter, Albert Collins, Little Milton, Roy Buchanan and Buddy Guy.
Also no mention of Gary Hoey, Rick Neilsen, Alex Lifeson, Nancy Wilson, Steve Vai, Joe Perry or Frank Zappa? All of whom perform better guitar solos than Kurt Cobain who made the list.
Why no Chet Atkins, Merle Travis, Joe Maphis, Roy Clark, Jerry Reed, Ry Cooder or Carl Perkins?
This list was severely flawed IMHO.
Hello Desia. My Afrikaans is nie to goed nie, maar aangename kennis!
Well, I think you knew all Britons were not enamoured with Mr Obama. I was pondering today, as I pushed my trolley round the supermarket, that his election is really just another piece of fallout from the evil that is racism.
A dark-skinned man is elected and Christians are telling each other they should rejoice, even though this man is committed to women having their own children killed, at the expense of the taxpayer. If racism had never existed, I hope such a bizarre circumstance would never have arisen.
Regarding Mark Driscoll, I think you are right, Dan. Although I'm a woman, and therefore not a pastor, I recognize in myself that same dangerous tendency to fire off a close-to-the-line quip, and it does stem from the desire to be liked. Temperance isn't a very fashionable virtue, but it stops the shipwreck of many a good witness. I do sincerely pray that Mark Driscoll cultivates it in earnest.
(word verif. is 'Glympat' - sounds like a Narnian, don't you think? Hurrah for the Dawn Treader!)
If the top 50 list were to include live solos, the inimitable Jerome Garcia could have taken up several of the slots, IMHO.
Some would say he'd hold all 50 slots!
Ducks, runs for cover.....
So this Canadian is wondering, what are the other 478 reasons? And may we post 479 reasons to be glad we're not Americans? Eh?
Here's a reason to be glad you're not a Canada Post employee.
Well, a Christian one, anyway.
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/WeirdNews/2009/01/23/8125116-cp.html
To me, one of the hallmarks of a really good lead guitarist is his/her melodic capability. It's one thing to do the high speed notes and flash i.e. Eddie Van Halen, but I hear little real melody in those kinds of solos. If you can hum the guitar solo and remember how it goes, chances are it's a jim dandy.
So, going straight to the fun stuff, the same guy who sent me that Pollock site a long time ago also sent me these three (caution, you may like these too much) first, an intriguing site with a devilish name, a ton of optical illusions to play with, and finally, some amazing photography to enjoy.
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