Breaking news: Obama has his own computer

Watching this made me want to sit down with BO and share a beer/cigar. I may not agree with all his policies, but at least the man can spell and tell a joke.

March Madness for Beards...

My boss told me that I looked like the unibomber today. This post honors his convictions:

http://twentytwowords.com/2011/03/30/the-final-bracket-of-beard-madness/

The great soul? Ghandi was a man.

I'm not posting this to 'bash' Ghandi. In fact, reading this piece was personally disturbing. I'd never heard these things before, and even now tend to doubt the evidence. One thing is certain, we idolize people. Idolatry causes us to cover up scars and wipe warts away by self-imposed blindness. Its hard to hear that perhaps they were not so worthy of our worship.

One a related note, people who see Ghandi, Jesus, and any other nice religious teacher in a cathcall category have a bit more investigation to do. There are profound differences.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703529004576160371482469358.html?mod=djemEditorialPage_h

Thai vendor represents the art of tea pouring & Forgotten Foundation props

HT: 22 words on the vid. But I want to use this post to drive traffic to the new and improved Forgotten Foundation website (www.forgottenfoundation.com). They have some new videos up, courtesy of Josh Montoya, and tons of info, links, and opps to buy some new shirts. We all need some new shirts.

The Forgotten guys are doing great missionary work among the Karen people of Thailand. First off, they're not over there bible thumping a bunch of people they don't know or love. They are bring God's word in a way that meets ALL the needs of the people. They have initiatives as wide ranging as an organic farm, a school, medical care, and pastoral training. The best part is that they are working with the Karen, learning from them, in a humble posture. These guys aren't 'trained' 'missionaries.' They're some entrepreneurial crazy heads from ABQ, all with day jobs, who have a heart to put hands and feet to their feelings of concern and compassion. They saw a need and decided to do something about it. The church has a LOT to learn from these guys. I can't say enough good things about the cool stuff that the Word&Spirit are accomplishing in Forgottenland. Check them out, buy a shirt or sticker to suppor the work, and go affect your own change in your own world today.

Dogboard

Dogboarding from DANIELS on Vimeo.

Facebook and CIA agent Mark Zuckerberg

Awesome.

Angry Birds Movie Trailer

Is this just some sorta game to you...No..Yes.

Rand Paul the conservationist throws hammers...

Ha. Thanks for the smile indeed, Joe Torres.

What sort of fishermen were fishers of men?

Great post from the always provocative James K. A. Smith:

http://forsclavigera.blogspot.com/2011/03/fishers-of-men.html

RP on unintended consequences in Libya

Thoughts from the sage:

How to write a manifesto: Awesome

HT: Tastefully Offensive

http://www.tastefullyoffensive.com/2011/03/how-to-write-manifesto.html

Song from Sunday: Christ is Risen

Drew taught us this new one on Sunday in prep for Easter. What a blessing it was to sing this with my sweet little girl in my arms! I needed this powerful reminder of faith, hope, and love. If you believe this sort of crazy stuff then theologically deep songs like this have a real power.

Funny: new Ben Crane work out vid...lets get sweaty

HT: Drew Hodge

Libya: an opinion from the other side, Just war?

It's not my MO on political posts to 'have to' include opinions from both sides. However, I think this write up is helpful. Its at least food for thought for those of us who are generally non-interventionist. 

http://rationallyspeaking.blogspot.com/2011/03/bombing-libya.html

Libya: A designer boutique war?

Doug Wilson weighs in on the two-headed monster that is bi-partisan foreign policy:

http://www.dougwils.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8515:obams-away&catid=87:politics

And a word from the most loyal anti-welfare anti-warfare politician I'm aware of:

Philosophy and the study of history

Helpful thoughts here (don't fret, it's short):

http://edwardfeser.blogspot.com/2011/03/pasnau-on-history-of-philosophy.html

Fake Christian (or any) Religion vs. the gospel

Its easy to be critical in retrospect, right? I loved taco Tuesday in middle school. I loved the pizza and pony rides of youth group. I liked stealing a free coke from the adult bible study with Bo & Jared and being a hypocrite with the other h-town skaters as we kept our eyes off the cross and on younger girls before, during, and after the service. Its easy to be critical, but there was a lot of good in those days too.

However, suffice it to say that I got a lot of american-middle-class-cultural-religion and not so much of the gospel, the good news. I think this short video really sums up the true message of Jesus' love in some deep ways for me. Perhaps not for you, but for me. I've been angry, and hated loss, and wallowed in a very sophisticated sort of self-pity. My sadness tends to hide behind big words and jokes. Yours may find another form.

All religion is idolatry, whether it carries a bible or parties till 5am nightly. Every religion is a cruel master. This is just a small reminder that the gospel is not simply a happy-go-lucky feel good way of life. Neither is it a way for me to express my natural inclinations to melancholy. I don't have time to maintain these regrets...




HT Los and his buddy Adam. I hope this one makes the rounds.

Nietzsche would love this: Slave morality meets the food chain ;)

Sometimes the weak...

Life After Death? Is there corroboratory evidence from the data?

Evidence, explanations, or conjecture? Take a look at this video, which is NOT some strange attempt to proselytize...at least not directly. ;) I'm as skeptical as anyone about some of this stuff, but its interesting to hear two brilliant chaps discuss it. As the one bloke says, empirically, its 'not a slam dunk,' but empirically, nothing is. ;)

James Anderson on the Transcendental Argument for God

I'm a huge fan of James. It is a great thing to see him interacting with the wider philosophy of religion community in regard to this specific argument form. I'm hopeful for more work to come in the future.

http://www.proginosko.com/docs/NoDilemmaForTAG.pdf

Kids these days: Snoopy Snoopy Poop Dog

Classic. I love old doodes.



HT to Alex G...ooops, actually Joel Treick.

NPR: uneducated white middle class gun toting scary people and 5$million

What a day and age! You've got to love the HD cam on your phone.

First off, its no surprise that NPR, or ANY OTHER media group, is filled with bias...even groups that receive, gasp, tax dollars. Neutrality is a myth ma peeps, every medium conveys a message and every message makes a point based on its fundamental presuppositions. The problem is not bias but pretended neutrality...a severe lack of honesty.

Second, I'm not posting this because I hate NPR, or Islam, or because I want to defend the right to bare arms. Its just an interesting video that relates, in my mind, to the underlying issues of $ and power that cause seemingly opposed groups to join hands. This happens all the time, among both liberal-cans and republicrats. Ron Paul along is pure. Joking. I've been reading enough Nietzsche lately that this stuff is just intriguing.

For Bill Jacobson's opinion go here: http://legalinsurrection.blogspot.com/2011/03/npr-rip.html

Ski Jet Pack: We dreamed of this as kids

HT: 22 words

New Paradox Logos & Good and Necessary Consequence

Thanks Memo:

Also, here's neat exchange on the use of logic in theology: 

http://philofreligion.homestead.com/files/RBlogicheresy.htm

HT: Paul Manata

Scientism, New Atheism, and Naturalism "Round UP"

I realize the title is a bit provocative, but the following isn't merely polemical. Ed Fesser collects some resources for us to consider. If you have the time, give a few of these a read.

http://edwardfeser.blogspot.com/2011/03/scientism-roundup.html

Oh, why not. Perhaps a few more polemical thoughts from the blokes at Triablogue. I'm not sure I agree with everything in this piece but it gets to the heart of the matter: Facts are not brute, nor are they interpreted neutrally. SON!

http://triablogue.blogspot.com/2011/03/how-scientism-destroys-science.html

D. A. Carson Raps, "Voice" does the Catechisms

This is awesome:

The Heidelberg:

http://www.sovereigngraceministries.org/blogs/cj-mahaney/post/2010/10/25/The-First-Ever-Rap-Song-About-the-Heidelberg-Catechism.aspx

The Westminster (featuring Donny C):

http://www.sovereigngraceministries.org/blogs/cj-mahaney/post/2011/post/2011/03/03/Westminster-Catechism-Rap.aspx

The "2 Kingdom" discussion continues

Interesting thoughts from philosophical-theologian James Anderson:

http://proginosko.wordpress.com/2011/03/02/2k-or-not-2k/#comments

Hahahah: Slimy Monkey with a Ping Pong

Single tear for this one.

Whack a mole...the human version

This was too good not to repost:



HT: 22 Words

Neutrality? On being liberal, progressive, or religious

Ed Fesser has some interesting thoughts:

http://edwardfeser.blogspot.com/2011/03/liberal-neutrality-update.html

Awesome: Dance Assassin

Reminds me of Daniel Kim, Louie, and Luke L from the day. Where's my camouflage tommy hill jumpsuit when I need it?

Drew Hodge on Parade (Epic Protein)

HT: John Ball

Paul Helm on Effectual Calling

Great thoughts here:

http://paulhelmsdeep.blogspot.com/2011/03/effectual-calling.html

Christian Hosoi speaks about his addictions and his faith

Good stuff here. Lots of backwards Christianity out there. This makes the grace and mercy of the gospel pretty clear. Skate or die or believe and be healed.




HT: Chris Davis