If you’re looking tips on how the Aaron Hernandez case is going to go, I imagine that this is pretty much the worst possible sign for him: The New England Patriots are offering anyone with an Aaron Hernandez jersey the opportunity to exchange it for a free jersey of comparable value, the team announced. The … Read more
I saw the headline, “Why the Church Needs Cranky, Cynical…,” and I thought, “At last! I’m getting the respect I deserve!” But no, it was about some other cynical people. Still, though, it’s good to know that someone values the sentiment. In Why the Church Needs Cranky, Cynical Historians, Justin Taylor quotes Carl Trueman, whom … Read more
After today’s Supreme Court ruling on gay marriage, President Obama says churches won’t be affected by it: How religious institutions define and consecrate marriage has always been up to those institutions. Nothing about this decision – which applies only to civil marriages – changes that. Hahahahahahahahahahahaha! Oh, golly! That’s a good one. I’ll wait while … Read more
For your consideration, I propose adding a new word to the lexicon: Paula Deened (v) – The act of taking a person who is absolutely harmless (possibly widely beloved) and portraying that person as the personification of evil. Often accomplished by exaggerated moral outrage at something the target did in the distant past or a … Read more
Creative Minority Report points out some more brilliant theology from History’s Greatest Monster: I think that what the major religious leaders say is used by others who discriminate against women as justification for their human rights abuse. For instance if an employer, who might be otherwise enlightened, if he is a religious person and he sees that, … Read more
Acculturated examines the problems that arise for single people when they spend their dating lives searching for their “soul mate”: The soul mate ideal both raises barriers of entry to those seeking to enter relationships, and harms existing relationships. First, our obsession with finding our soul mate twists how we seek a mate. It tempts … Read more
Short answer, “No.” Longer answer, with a sarcastic “um” at the start, “Um, no.” Kim Daniels outlines the repercussions of a Supreme Court ruling that establishes a right to homosexual marriage. She makes it sound pretty catastrophic, and let me tell ya, she’s soft-pedaling it: We don’t yet know how the Supreme Court will rule … Read more
An article in The Atlantic is music to my ears: “Stop Penalizing Boys for Not Being Able to Sit Still at School“: A study released last year in the Journal of Human Resources confirms my suspicions. It seems that behavior plays a significant role in teachers’ grading practices, and consequently, boys receive lower grades from their … Read more
When you have presidents on speed dial and your day job involves standing in front of a stadium full of people as they chant lyrics you wrote 25 years ago back at you, I would imagine it’s hard to stay humble enough to acknowledge that you need a savior. That’s why Bono is such an … Read more
Josh Fults comments on Stephen King’s thoughts about God which really aren’t very scary at all: Last week, National Public Radio interviewed Mr. King, and he was asked about his beliefs in God. King asserts, “If you say, ‘Well, OK, I don’t believe in God. There’s no evidence of God,’ then you’re missing the stars in the … Read more
College professor Barbara Oakley has written a paper that gives a solid, academic form to an idea that I think a lot of people had but never verbalized. She describes what she calls “pathological altruism.” James Taranto sums it up on WSJ.com: Oakley defines pathological altruism as “altruism in which attempts to promote the welfare … Read more
I came to fatherhood later in life than most. Way later. I’m sure my son is going to have to listen to more than his share of comments along the lines of “It’s so sweet that you’re out with your granddad!” throughout his childhood. I hope he’ll think it’s as funny as I will. People … Read more
Anti-abortion group Pro-Life Revolution was recently told by the IRS that they had to cut out all the Jesus talk if they wanted to keep their tax-exempt status. As someone correctly pointed out, news that religious proselytizing would disqualify you from tax-exempt status would come as a big surprise to every church in America. Kathryn … Read more
You may think that we don’t pay much attention to NBA coaching moves around here, and you would be right. However, I always make a point of following the career of Mo Cheeks, who just got hired to coach the Detroit Pistons, because he’s the kind of guy who should always have a job in … Read more
Andrew Klavan and Bill Whittle discuss whether or not a conservative can be an atheist. The answer is a pointed, “Yes, but…” An entirely different, but equally interesting, question would be, “Can an atheist be a conservative?”
David French meditates on the drawbacks of chasing after your best life now: So much pain in life lies in the gap between dream and reality, between expectations and actual life – especially when generations of Americans have now been raised in a pop culture that celebrates the dream, of romantic love, fulfilling careers, and … Read more
It was 69 years ago today. Points and Figures pays tribute to D-Day veteran and Medal of Honor recipient Walt Ehlers: On this day 69 years ago, he went ashore in the “back half of the first wave” at Normandy’s Omaha Beach. The 12 men under his care survived that day. But, Walt’s brother, Roland, passed … Read more
Rob Bell is still full of… opinions about what the church should be. (He’s apparently full of some other things, too. Starting to look a little jowly there, Roberto.) Bell recently gave a lengthy interview concerning the Bible and homosexuality. You can guess which one he supports more. Brian Mattson analyzes the interview and dismembers … Read more
David Berlinski–philosopher, mathematician, and atheist–says that, despite the proclamations of many atheists, atheism isn’t necessarily so scientific: (Via Justin Taylor)