Quality interweb mischief from Jared Bridges
No non-profit has a better fundraising letter than does Mars Hill Audio. Typically 3-4 pages each, I usually save the thoughtful, essay-like letters by Ken Myers for my personal library. This summer’s letter examines the nature of Christian hope, and how many in the church have substituted an empty optimism for the solid hope offered … Read more
It’s hard to walk through a bookstore these days without tripping over the stacks of books by “evangelical” atheists like Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, Sam Harris. These writers and others like them seek to not only raise the profile of atheism, but to subvert influence of theists. Harvard professor Harvey Mansfield, whom I had the … Read more
What benefit can examining a political candidate’s religious beliefs have for voters? Not long ago, I wrote a post on Sen. Hillary Clinton’s comments regarding her self-described Christian beliefs. A reader named Ron commented: In fact, that part of the Constitution coincides with my personal interest about the religion of a politician. All I want … Read more
In case you missed the glowing New York Times profile of Sen. Hillary Clinton’s faith over the weekend, you missed intriguing tidbits like the fact that she carries a Bible along with her on the campaign trail. Also included in the piece was this very telling portrayal of her beliefs (emphasis mine): In a brief … Read more
A few years ago, I wrote here about how our culture at large tends to marginalize the concept of sin by softening the terminology used to describe it. Sins become “mistakes” or “errors in judgment,” leaving the perpetrator a little less guilty in his or her own eyes. Sadly, this societal trend has crept into … Read more
For evangelical Christians, the Bible is authoritative. We use tradition and the church to wisely guide our appropriation of the Scriptures, but the authority of the written word of God is supreme. The doctrine of sola scriptura is based upon biblical principles and precedent. For this reason, evangelicals rightly pay close attention to the Bible. … Read more
Earlier this week, as Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad gave his “gift” of returning captured British hostages to their homeland, he cited his reason for his generous gesture: “On the occasion of the birthday of the great Prophet (Muhammad) … and for the occasion of the passing of Christ, I say the Islamic Republic government and … Read more
Those who built fallout shelters in the 1960s can attest to the fact that in that decade there was no shortage of opportunity for alarmism. One such alarmist was Paul R. Ehrlich, whose book The Population Bomb predicted that the long-overpopulated planet Earth was in danger from its ever-increasing inhabitants. Ehrlich’s book contained such soothsayings … Read more
That’s it. I guess that after 24 years, it’s time for me to give up Christianity. After all, James Cameron, the director who put Leonardo DiCaprio at the bow of the Titanic, will announce to the world next week in a Discovery Channel special that he has found the body of Jesus. Not only that … Read more
One of the most famous passages in The Brothers Karamazov, has to do with the existentialist Ivan Karamazov telling his brother a parable called “The Grand Inquisitor.” The parable examines what would happen if Christ returned to the contemporary world of Christendom. The result, Ivan tells us, would be no different from his first experience … Read more