Your morality is your leader

We all have a morality. We all navigate by that morality. Choose wisely. Our morality can lead us in circles.

HT: Mockingbird

It is silently ravaging our souls...

(HT: Z)

Harry Potter Activism? If you like your apathy, handle stories with care.

"There are so many of us who love Harry Potter and want to do more for our world," Andrew Slack, 31 year-old Harry Potter fan who started the "Harry Potter Alliance" (taken from "Harry Potter: Boy Wizard ... And Real-World Activist?" at the NPR "Monkey See" blog)

Our sanity rests on our ability to make sense of what we see. When we can't, it's helpful, for a time, to retreat into ignorance or another world altogether. Burying our heads in the sand (or the substance of your choice) or retreating into another world can make breathing more tolerable. But, if our goal is to hide, we need to be careful of stories. They'll mercilessly pull us out of our hiding places to confront reality.

Neda Ulaby at NPR has an interesting piece covering the Harry Potter Association, a story-motivated network for social action (listen to it here).  It seems a generation of Potter fans may be seeing a need for Dumbledore's Army to step out of the pages and on to the streets.

"Did you ever wish that Harry Potter was real? Well it kind of is."
Just as Dumbledore’s Army wakes the world up to Voldemort’s return, works for equal rights of house elves and werewolves, and empowers its members, we: Work with partner NGOs in alerting the world to the dangers of global warming, poverty, and genocide. Work with our partners for equal rights regardless of race, gender, and sexuality. Encourage our members to hone the magic of their creativity in endeavoring to make the world a better place. Join our army to make the world a safer, more magical place, and let your voice be heard! - From the HPA website

That's fascinating. Out of apathy, a clear sense of purpose has been awakened... by a story. Now over 100,000 members of the HPA are facing what they see as problems in a real world with a clarifying mantra: "The weapon we have is love."

Reality is even more fascinating. It to is a story. Creatures, bearing the image of their perfect, eternal Creator, have rebelled from that Creator to find a life outside His authority. Being subjective rule makers and opportunists, each of us (the creatures) have brought destruction and death instead of creativity and life. And, for that, justice must be done. But, the Creator, being rich in mercy stepped into His creation and took that justice on His own shoulders, dying so that He might be just and justifier of those who would trust Him. Some call it Good News.

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree” (Galatians 3:13)
 
we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. (Titus 3:3-8)

Here, in the Bible, we see the connection between life's narratives and life's motives. Justification, atonement, redemption, regeneration, and sanctification are concepts that come to us, biblically, in narrative form. They are not merely "good doctrine" disembodied from our everyday, they are the thematic elements of our history before God. And so they must be proclaimed. And so they must be received.

Be careful with all this though, you just might chuck your distractions and give up your life (and/or your apathy) for something good...and eternal.

There are times when silence is not an option and maybe, even, civility @5280Magazine

There are times when I take the devastating effects of sin lightly. I shouldn't. It's serious. The world is swimming in the tears that accompany the advent of sin. From genocide to rape to war and famine all the way to families broken by unrelenting selfishness. And we haven't even begun to consider the weight of rebellion against a perfect, loving and holy God.

A friend brought this article from the recent addition of 5280 Magazine to my attention this weekend. Its cavalier approach to sin begs a response. The following is the letter to the editor that flew off my hands in about 5 minutes. Unfortunately, it is far too snarky but I will offer this consolation, I need to say these things to myself every time I callously forget (or willingly ignore) that all of our sin adds to all of our burden.

Thanks for the honest look at the Seven Deadly Sins in Denver. It was refreshing to see a piece about human behavior that was (almost) intellectually consistent with the rejection of any objective moral sensibility. How I long for the day when it is perfectly reasonable and "good" to satisfy all of our appetites in any way. "Sins" are SO last...well... a long time ago. Of course, thankfully, that means that the tears of the wife tormented by the mental images of her husband visiting the dominatrix also are "good" (I'm not sure why I keep using that word, let's just say "acceptable" and avoid any complications). The 13 year-old boy who learns of his father's enjoyment of the strip clubs is really in for a life of satisfaction in those same clubs. An early education is always preferable. Acceptable are the cries of children who watch their parents crumble under the weight of these amoral experiments with other husbands and other wives. Happy children and serious commitment just get in the way.

Hurt (yours mostly) is a small cost for my freedom.

Now to the "almost" qualifier in my praise of your intellectual consistency. My only complaint about the article is the brazen justification employed for the swinging lifestyle. Let's try to stay on target here. Why make the case that swinging IS NOT the result of an inordinate sexual appetite? What is that anyway? Who cares if lifestyle parties end up in orgies? Who cares if they are driven by perverted husbands? What is a pervert anyway? Let's move on and continue to the new territory afforded by the fall of our Moral Wall. I've seen some great books on Amazon lately.

I look forward to more crisply refreshing and culturally improving work in the future. Thank you for this stimulating contribution to the character of our great city. Hopefully, someday, we can become the most free place on earth. Won't it be good?

Awaiting the City of God - from R.C. Sproul (some political controversy for you)

From the Ligonier Ministries Blog... some election-season controversy:

Evangelical Christians love America. Some see in her the last hope of creating a Christian nation. But it is not a Christian nation. It is pagan to the core. It is in danger of becoming, if it is not already, the new “Evil Empire.” The Mayflower Compact is a museum piece, a relic of a forgotten era. “In God We Trust” is now a lie.

Yes, we must always work for social reform. Yes, we must be “profane’ in Martin Luther’s sense of going out of the temple and into the world. We do not despise the country of our birth. But in what do we invest our hope? The state is not God. The nation is not the Promised Land. The president is not our King. The Congress is not our Savior. Our welfare can never be found in the city of man. The federal government is not sovereign. We live—in every age and in every generation—by the rivers of Babylon. We need to understand that clearly. We must learn how to sing the Lord’s song in a strange and foreign land.

America will fall. The United States will inevitably disintegrate. The Stars and Stripes will bleed. The White House will turn to rubble. That is certain. We stand like Augustine before the sea. We pray that God will spare our nation. If He chooses not to, we ask for the grace to accept its demise. In either case, we look to Him who is our King and to heaven, which is our home. We await the city of God, the heavenly Jerusalem, whose builder and maker is God.

Coram Deo: Are you looking to your King and to your eternal destiny, despite the circumstances around you? Keep your focus on the heavenly Jerusalem, whose builder and maker is God.

1 Corinthians 15:50: “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption.”

John 3:5: “Jesus answered, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.’”

2 Peter 1:11: “An entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

What do you think? Is R.C. right? Is that a fatalistic view?
(I just wish he were a little more clear about his opinion.)

Anne Rice says "I'm out."

"Today I quit being a Christian. I'm out. I remain committed to Christ as always but not to being 'Christian' or to being part of Christianity."

Check out the full text of her Facebook comments here at the Mockingbird blog.

Additional Resources
Anne Rice hasn't betrayed you - by Russell Moore

Big Government and the Church: Historical contrasts between Russia and China

The gospel is the power of God for salvation. No matter what our future holds politically, we must be ready as individuals to wield that power. The future of the church depends on it.

Francis Chan on Politics from Nate Hanson on Vimeo.

"Take America back where?" Laudable thoughts from Doug Wilson

This is just too good to merely mention on the "Shared" list in Google Reader. It's not very often that we get challenged with the orthodoxy of our most deeply held convictions by someone on our own team. When we do, we should rejoice - especially if the challenge is substantive, good work is being done... on us (John 16:8-14).

From Wilson's post at Blog and Mablog today:

A common rallying cry for conservative activists, including Christians, is that we need "to take America back." Okay, sign me up. Take America back where?

Generally the point is that we need to take America back from the liberals and progressives -- the secularists in the academy, the homosexuals in the streets, and the raunchy movie producers in our very own Netflix queue. Okay, sign me up again. Once we have taken America back from those guys, what do we do with it?

The assumption is that the underlying America is just fine the way it is unless some progressive has been messing with it. We need to "save America," the thinking goes, and so the language of salvation is used all the time. But in our heart of hearts, we are saving an innocent kidnapping victim, and not a skid row bum who became a drunk because of his own stupid choices.

In other words, once the progressives, that alien force, are taken out of the picture, America's native good sense will return, the nation will right itself, common sense will again prevail when it comes to the national budget, we will stop killing the unborn "because we are too good for that," and so on. In short, America gets to be saved without a savior. America gets to be saved without repentance. America gets to be saved without hearing and believing the gospel. In other words, if the terms of the Great Commission were a great tournament, America always gets a bye.

This is not just a trivial error; it is heresy. It is another gospel. It is false, damnable. Further, it is a basic reason why we have so little success in fighting the progressives, whose vision for society really is a lunatic vision. Traditional values can't fight sin, for the same reason that healthy tissue can't fight cancer -- but is rather the tissue that provides cancer with its scope and its future.

Read the rest here.


Additional Resources
The Church and Politics (a short video)

Are we really in danger of idol worship?

If that resonates at all, I commend Keller's book to you.

A win beyond golf

Rick Reilly (ESPN.com) has a fantastic summary of Phil (and Amy) Mickelson's win at last week's Masters.

An excerpt:

"I saw Amy just before I putted," Mickelson said. "That was so great. I mean, I didn't know if she would be there. To walk off the green and share that with her is just very, very emotional. We'll remember this the rest of our lives."

Contrast that with Woods, who spent the week reverting to form -- acerbic answers, sprayed swear words, and curt interviews. He finished fourth, which shows that the golf game is very close. The personality makeover, though, looks like it needs some work.

Soon enough, though, Woods will win tournaments like this, pass Nicklaus, and order will be restored in the universe. But for this one Sunday in a flower-stuffed pocket of Georgia, the good husband, the good son, the good man actually got rewarded.

"Why do we suffer, God?" The ever-popular question with horrible popular answers, today at NPR

Rabbi Harold Kushner, author of "Why Bad Things Happen to Good People" was interviewed today on National Public Radio. His interview confirms the fact that the problem of suffering is still a very present issue in people's souls and that solid, biblical, hope-giving, God-exalting answers are hard to come by.

Consider his thesis statement in the interview:

"What I realized is, where did we ever get the notion that worshipping power was the greatest compliment we could pay to God? If I, walking through the wars of a hospital, have to face the fact that either God is all powerful but not kind or thoroughly kind and loving but not totally powerful - I would rather compromise God's power and affirm his love.

So the conclusion, the theological conclusion I came to, is that God could have been all-powerful at the beginning, but he chose to designate two areas of life off-limits to his power. He would not arbitrarily interfere with the laws of nature and, secondly, God would not take away our freedom to choose good and evil." - Rabbi Harold Kushner

Let's consider the Rabbi's claims in light of the Old Testament. They are not that simple, not that Biblical and not that hope-giving.

"I would rather compromise God's power and affirm his love."
It is important to note that Rabbi Kushner begins with his intellect being superior to God's (if we are assuming the Bible to be God's revelation). He is subjecting the revelation of God in the Old Testament to his preferences ("I would rather...", "...the theological conclusion I came to..."). If God exists, He is not subject to Rabbi's Kushner's preferences. If (as if we had any say in the matter) we compromise God's power, doesn't that destroy our hope for deliverance? Why pray? Isn't God's choice to no longer "interfere with the laws of nature" arbitrary and cold?

The Old Testament does not compromise either God's power or His love.
God is gracious and compassionate:

The LORD passed before [Moses] and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands,forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.” (Exodus 34.6–7)

And, in the words of Nebuchadnezzar, His dominion is everlasting:

At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?” At the same time my reason returned to me, (Daniel 4.34–36 ESV)

Note that reason returned to Nebuchadnezzar when he subjected himself to God - not the other way around.

"He would not arbitrarily interfere with the laws of nature."
This is a facinating statement from Rabbi Kushner. Every year, I would assume, he faithfully celebrates God's deliverance of Israel from slavery in Egypt via a series of God's interferences with the laws of nature - the greatest being the parting of the Red Sea (Ex. 14:21). The Passover is a celebration of God's miraculous keeping of covenant promises. This celebration of the past was meant to solidify a hope for the future. That is why God continually addresses Himself to Israel as the one who delivered them from Egypt (1 Sam 10:18). God was able to deliver then and, one day, He will finally deliver His people from every enemy including evil, sin and suffering (Isaiah 60 and 61).

Again, to satisfy his limited intellect, Rabbi Kushner rejects God's infinite delivering power. It's not helpful and eventually everyone who adheres to this theology will find its limits in despair.

"God would not take away our freedom to choose good and evil."
Here the Bible agrees. But the Bible does not agree with the Rabbi's subtle implication, namely that God is therefore not sovereign over the choices of man. Consider Joseph's statement of God's sovereignty over his brothers intentions to sell harm him by selling him into slavery:

But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. (Genesis 50.19–20, emphasis mine)

Our brains prefer "either/or" statements. They are nice and clean. The Bible is not limited by that preference. "Both/and" ideas exist all over the Old and New Testaments (Acts 4:27-28). Man, therefore, is responsible for evil and God remains sovereign over it - working it together for the good of those who love Him as recounted in the most hope giving (and God's-sovereignty-celebrating) passage in the New Testament proclaims:

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8.28–39)

Rabbi Kushner's fundamental error is that he begins with himself. His intellect is the standard by which we judge God's revelation and actions. Answers that provide hope, fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore are found when you begin where the Bible begins - "In the beginning, God..." God is all-powerful, He is intentional (Ps. 115:3) and He seeks His own glory first for our own good (Ps 16:11).

To examine this more in the life of Jesus, listen to last week's message.

Additional Resources
A much more Biblical and hope-giving NPR Interview

Message in a Bottle: Social Networking and the prophetic voice of the Police

As a responsible father, I have been introducing my kids to the Police (the band, not the law enforcement - I'll do that later). At this point the family favorite is "Message in a Bottle." I have always loved the guitar riff but, until now, I have never noticed the lyrics.

Now, every time I hear the song, the lonely cry of the human heart and the advent of social networking have been on my mind. Examine the lyrics for yourself and consider if, like me, some of your attraction to social networking is fundamentally a loneliness that cannot be addressed by a bottle on steroids.

Message in a Bottle
written by Sting, 1979

Just a castaway
An island lost at sea
Another lonely day
With no one here but me
More loneliness
Than any man could bear
Rescue me before I fall into despair

I'll send an SOS to the world
I'll send an SOS to the world
I hope that someone gets my
Message in a bottle

A year has passed since I wrote my note
But I should have known this right from the start
Only hope can keep me together
Love can mend your life
But love can break your heart
I'll send an SOS to the world
I'll send an SOS to the world
I hope that someone gets my
Message in a bottle

Walked out this morning
Don't believe what I saw
A hundred billion bottles
Washed up on the shore
Seems I'm not alone at being alone
A hundred billion castaways
Looking for a home

I'll send an SOS to the world
I'll send an SOS to the world
I hope that someone gets my
Message in a bottle
Sending out an SOS

In the words of Jeremiah, "How lonely sits the city that was full of people!" (Lamentations 1.1). We are not alone in being alone and, yet, a hundred billion bottles (or followers) sent by other castaways will not resolve that loneliness. We need more. We crave something that ones and zeros are limited in providing, namely, Trinitarian intimacy.

The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant. My eyes are ever toward the LORD, for he will pluck my feet out of the net. Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me out of my distresses. Consider my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins. (Psalms 25.14–18)

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8.38–39)

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. (1 John 3.1 ESV)

By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. (1 John 3.16–18)

Additional Resources
Is the local church my only place to develop relationships?

Mark Driscoll's Sermon on Haiti

HT (JT)

He who is forgiven much loves much - Luke Series #9

Out of the many news accounts of suffering and injustice this week, two tragedies stood above the rest. Our response to them provides some enlightening cultural commentary especially against the backdrop of Jesus' words to Simon the Pharisee in Luke 7.

The immense human suffering in the rubble of Port-Au-Prince, Haiti has captivated the world and aroused human compassion in every geologic and cultural corner... and that is a good thing. On the quieter end of the news, last week marked the 37th anniversary of Roe v. Wade and the legalization of abortion. Since that decision, 50 million little lives have been terminated in their mother's womb. Currently 3,500 babies die in abortions every day. It is a calamity the size of Haiti every 57 days - a tragedy the size of 9/11 everyday for 13,541 days straight.

It is hip to be "for Haiti" right now, but does our check-writing and well-wishing from a distance betray a self-righteous agenda - especially while the ubiquitous, tragic consequences of abortion remain largely unaddressed (or at least with much less zeal)? Can our charitable efforts for Haiti be rightly motivated if we are not moved to action on behalf of the unborn in our neighborhoods? What does it say about our actions in either area if we are happy to write a check but inconvenienced by personally engaging the real people in these struggles with compassion and mercy?


In Luke 7:36-50, Jesus finds himself in the home of a holy man. He is the guest of honor. The party is awkwardly interrupted by a prostitute who throws herself at Christ's feet in cathartic fit of sorrow and gratitude. Simon, the holy man, is indignant and uncomfortable in this display. Although, he has "welcomed" this woman into his house as an act of charity, he wants nothing to do with her (and her sin). Jesus' response to Simon, reveals his self-righteousness and cuts to the issue of genuine compassion.

Genuine compassion is fueled by a knowledge of personal neediness and grace received. "He who is forgiven much loves much" or, say it another way, "He who is forgive little loves little (to self-righteously promote self)."

Find out what this exchanges has to say about our contemporary "compassion" for Haiti and the unborn in this message.

Additional Resources
Overturning and Undermining Roe v. Wade: An Interview with Clarke Forsythe
Doug Groothuis on Fetus Fatigue
Questioning God Over Haiti - at theResurgence.com
Haiti earthquake updates from Compassion International
The Goal of the Gospel - the last Chapter of "The Normal Christian Life" by Watchman Nee
Discussion Questions

Totally, like whatever... you know? Does that make sense?

A great commentary on the degradation of language. Check it.
HT (JT)

(From the "I-wanna-be-like-this" files) A Great Picture of Real Concern for Haiti

haitiadoption.org
Haiti Adoption through Bethany Christian Services

Haiti: Where are you O LORD?

As the news of the Haiti earthquake broke yesterday, Reuters reported this:

Panic-stricken residents filled the streets desperately trying to dig people from rubble or seeking missing relatives as dark fell shortly after the quake.

"People were screaming 'Jesus, Jesus' and running in all directions," Delva said.

A major earthquake, of magnitude 7 or higher, is capable of causing widespread and heavy damage.

It isn't hard to read between the lines. "O the pain and destruction! Where is your God now?" Throughout the world, the question resounds to the faithful. Our response must be biblically accurate and, accordingly, filled with compassion.

After the Tsunami in 2004, John Piper provided tremendous grounding for both in a sermon to Bethlehem Baptist and an interview with NPR. I would encourage you to review both. The NPR interview is amazing in content and countenance (you'll note that the interviewer is rattled throughout) - if you don't have time for both, listen to the interview today or download the .mp3.

Here's a summary of Piper's main points in both the sermon and the interview:

1. Satan is not ultimate, God is.
2. Even if Satan caused the earthquake in the Indian Ocean the day after Christmas, he is not the decisive cause of 100,000+ deaths, God is.
3. Destructive calamities in this world mingle judgment and mercy.
4. The heart that Christ gives to his people feels compassion for those who suffer, no matter what their faith.
5. Finally, Christ calls us to show mercy to those who suffer, even if they do not deserve it.

Show Mercy
Many relief organizations have already established funds for earthquake relief in Haiti. Help.

By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. (1 John 3.16–18)

Some respected relief organizations
Compassion International

A video from Compassion president, Wess Stafford on Jan 15th, 2010

Samaritan's Purse
American Red Cross
A nice collection organizations from the Desiring God blog

Adoption organizations that work in Haiti (to think about after the news is gone)
haitiadoption.org
Haiti Adoption through Bethany Christian Services

Additional Resources
Does God Hate Haiti? - a piece from Al Mohler (in response to Pat Robertson)
Randy Alcorn interviewed at Justin Taylor's blog regarding his latest book "If God is Good..."
Jesus in Haiti - a poem by Piper

A Passionate Plea to Reject the Prosperity Gospel (video feat. J. Piper)

Many have referred to this and I will risk being redundant, it is simply too good to not post.

John Piper explains why the so-called "prosperity gospel" is not the gospel.

Christopher Hitchens: "What I have learned from debating religious people"

Yesterday Christopher Hitchens had this to say at Slate:

I haven't yet run into an argument that has made me want to change my mind. After all, a believing religious person, however brilliant or however good in debate, is compelled to stick fairly closely to a "script" that is known in advance, and known to me, too. However, I have discovered that the so-called Christian right is much less monolithic, and very much more polite and hospitable, than I would once have thought, or than most liberals believe. I haven't been asked to Bob Jones University yet, but I have been invited to Jerry Falwell's old Liberty University campus in Virginia, even though we haven't yet agreed on the terms.

Wilson isn't one of those evasive Christians who mumble apologetically about how some of the Bible stories are really just "metaphors." He is willing to maintain very staunchly that Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ and that his sacrifice redeems our state of sin, which in turn is the outcome of our rebellion against God. He doesn't waffle when asked why God allows so much evil and suffering—of course he "allows" it since it is the inescapable state of rebellious sinners. I much prefer this sincerity to the vague and Python-esque witterings of the interfaith and ecumenical groups who barely respect their own traditions and who look upon faith as just another word for community organizing. (Incidentally, just when is President Barack Obama going to decide which church he attends?)

I think I'm starting to like this guy...
(HT: Doug Wilson at Blog and Mablog)

Additional Resources
Buy Collision TODAY at Amazon
Read the whole Hitchens piece at Slate

Hitchens and Wilson on NPR's "All Things Considered" (download .mp3)

It's hip to be square, or disinterested in hipness, or rebellious toward disinterest...

Fantastic sociological commentary on the crazy mental topography we will cover to try to be cool...I mean not cool... I mean... here

If I learned anything through this experience, it’s that if you’re trying to be cool by not being cool, or at least subconsciously attempting to not be cool, or pretending to be not cool in order to be cool, it would be cool to at least act like you are unaware of all that is cool but at some level have a deep obsession for that which could be considered cool, just in case someone asks you to become famous.

It is this potentiality for cool that makes one cooler. And of course this can only be found within your perfect-inner-famous-self. At least this is what you will tell yourself while you secretly look outward, with your eyes, and develop an idea of what is cool through the world around you. Just push away the objectivity of your inner confusion. Ignorance is bliss and can come off as totally hip. Especially when it doesn’t take a shower in order to preserve bed head.

from "The Diaries of Dennis, a Hipster" by Brian Watkins at the Curator