Category: Culture
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Why being Pro-Life is Important
Read more: Why being Pro-Life is ImportantDemocracy is not looking up here in America. It has been a tough election season, and in an unique turn of events, we have two candidates that are, well, tough to vote for. Even after two insane presidential debates, there are most likely a few people who are unsure who they are going to vote…
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America Will Lead The Way To Mars?
Read more: America Will Lead The Way To Mars?Have you all seen the recent article by President Obama on CNN claiming that America will lead the way in putting humans on Mars? You can check it out here. Perhaps you’re also familiar with the privately funded expedition known as Mars One. Have you guys heard about this? A year ago I was following…
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The Word and Their Words: How to Listen to Speeches Theologically
Read more: The Word and Their Words: How to Listen to Speeches TheologicallyTheology and language are inseparable. Theology is speech about God, and this speech is linguistic and therefore culturally defined. Languages, particularly those of civilizations with imperial and colonial histories, are the words of the most affluent and well-to-do. (This is why words like ‘suwanne’ and ‘purdy’ are not found in the OED). Words of conquered…
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My Farewell to Vin Scully: Five Glimpses into Vin’s Greatness
Read more: My Farewell to Vin Scully: Five Glimpses into Vin’s GreatnessAnyone who knows me well can attest to Vin Scully’s importance in my life. His gentle voice, now warmed over by time to a grandfatherly lilt, is a perpetual fixture in our house every April to September (and by the grace of God, most Octobers). That voice. That unmistakable, inimitable voice has been with me for…
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Reflections on Catfishing (Part Two): Being Known by Others
Read more: Reflections on Catfishing (Part Two): Being Known by OthersI’ve always wondered what it means to be known. Last time I talked about how our desire to be known has to be rooted in God’s knowledge of us. I looked at the song “Goner” by twenty one pilots (the final track off of their album, Blurryface). I think Tyler Joseph says some interesting things…
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Remembering Difficult Days: The 15th Anniversary of 9/11
Read more: Remembering Difficult Days: The 15th Anniversary of 9/11Yesterday marks the 15th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks. After 15 years, the pain still stings the many families who lost loved ones on that day. The memories still haunt those who survived the attacks, and live with the trauma of the devastation. Memorials and moments of silence permeate the places where many…
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Robbing Ourselves of Joy: Entitlement or Grace?
Read more: Robbing Ourselves of Joy: Entitlement or Grace?“You deserve to be happy.” “You deserve someone who treats you well.” “You deserve to be taken care of.” “You deserve the best in life.” Problem: These don’t seem to be happening with much consistency. If there was any cry under which modern culture united, it would be the one that preaches humanity deserving to…
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The ‘Blurred Lines’ of Plagiarism, Ownership, and Christian Practice
Read more: The ‘Blurred Lines’ of Plagiarism, Ownership, and Christian PracticeI recall as a first year law student attending a lecture on music copyright by Clyde Spillenger. The professor played a recording of Sweet Georgia Brown by Bernie and Pinkard (the “Harlem Globetrotters song,” if that helps). He then played a folk recording of Hava Nagila (that one Jewish song that you know). He asked students to…
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Decoding Kaepernick: American Idolatry and Settling for Symbols
Read more: Decoding Kaepernick: American Idolatry and Settling for SymbolsSymbols and their usage can be a powerful thing. Within literature, music, and film, symbolism is used to communicate a particular abstract truth by using concrete images. These mediums employ natural objects in order to discuss and explain ideas and truths that resonate deeply with us. Sometimes a symbol can be a building or a…
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Reflections on Catfishing (Part One): Being Known By God
Read more: Reflections on Catfishing (Part One): Being Known By GodWhat does it mean to be known? I’ve been thinking a lot about how we all tend to project images of ourselves and how we all tend to create images of others. It’s something that compels me to get to know people on a more real basis, but it also compels me to be as…