The American Male's Dream: To Be 16 Years Old?

Author Kay Hymowitz's new book, Manning Up: How the Rise of Women Has Turned Men Into Boys,  about the failure of 20 to 30-something men to mature into responsible adults. I cannot speak to the quality of the book, but her essay Where Have the Good Men Gone? in the February 19, 2011 edition of the Wall Street Journal, is excellent. It is undeniably true that there is a large generation of young to early middle aged men who have no desire to make the world a better place, set goals and accomplish them, and take on the dual roles of provider and father. Many refer to this as the Peter Pan syndrome. This is the money quote from her Journal article and I believe she is right on target:

What explains this puerile shallowness? I see it as an expression of our cultural uncertainty about the social role of men. It's been an almost universal rule of civilization that girls became women simply by reaching physical maturity, but boys had to pass a test. They needed to demonstrate courage, physical prowess or mastery of the necessary skills. The goal was to prove their competence as protectors and providers. Today, however, with women moving ahead in our advanced economy, husbands and fathers are now optional, and the qualities of character men once needed to play their roles—fortitude, stoicism, courage, fidelity—are obsolete, even a little embarrassing.

The Peter Pan man-boy values personal pleasure and ease of life over and above anything else.  He lacks a defined purpose in life, which results in him drifting through life fairly aimlessly.  So long as the Peter Pan is comfortable, he is satisfied.  Setting and achieving goals, being a quality spouse and parent, and helping others are each difficult tasks and require selflessness and putting others first over everything.  In particular, they require a man to sacrifice comfort and ease in life for greater goods.  The Peter Pan lacks the will to do these things well and thus comes to resent the job that makes him work so hard, the wife and kids that put demands on his time, and the moral law that makes demands on him. As a result, the Peter Pan either chooses not to go after such things or simply fails at them.

Everything Can Be Redeemed...Even Emo Music

I generally am not a big fan of "emo" music.  I find it needlessly emotional, whiny, effeminate, and distasteful.  However, one exception that I have found is Owl City, the name of Adam Young's solo musical effort.  I first heard his hit Fireflies while eating barbecue in Tampa and actually enjoyed it.  It wasn't any of the things that I dislike about emo culture.  After listing to some of his other catchy and positive songs I realized that Mr. Young is a talented artist with messages worth hearing.   Now Mr. Young is now turning his talents to the praise and worship of God, recording a lovely rendition of In Christ Alone.   Mr. Young is not a member of the "Christian music" scene, which I am thankful for because it means he has the opportunity to serve as a witness to thousands of young people that enjoy his music...and to bless a mid-30s single lawyer with his music. 

Am I on Crazy Pills or is the Entire Terry Jones/Koran Burning Episode Completely Insane?

The entire Terry Jones Koran burning episode is breathtaking in its idiocy.  How is it that a kook pastor with a 50 member church in Gainesville, Florida, has the President of the United States begging him not to burn Korans to avoid an international incident?  Really?  Has the entire world gone insane?   Terry Jones needs to be ignored as a hateful crank and fool but instead he is being given the biggest media platforms in the world.  Quite frankly, I blame the media first and then our leaders for giving this lunatic the time of day.  The media's behavior in the whole thing has been disgraceful as it has essentially given a megaphone to the lunatic in the crowded theater that is yelling "Fire!"  The only thing that our leaders and people in "authority" need to say at this point is that Terry Jones is an irrelevant fool acting like a hateful idiot who is so spiritually blind that he cannot even follow the "golden rule" and that any IslamoFascist that uses this as a pretext to kill is a moral reprobate.

Why Evangelical Churches are Growing and Mainline Churches are Dying

My friend Jay Woodham directed me to a very interesting interview with Rodney Stark regarding his theory as to why the "mainline" denominations (Presbyterian, Episcopalian, Methodist; etc.) are hemorrhaging members and dying. Dr. Stark is a professor at Baylor University specializing in religion and sociology who obtained his PhD from Cal-Berkley. Essentially, Dr. Stark argues that the clergy of the mainline denominations is to blame for the decline because they have abandoned traditional orthodox Christianity. The article is HERE and is a must read.

Why You Should Be Wary of News Reports

With age I have become increasingly skeptical of newspaper and internet news reporting of "scientific studies" in the social sciences because they almost always misrepresent the study's claims, assert that the study proves things that it does not, and contain faulty logic. I offer as exhibit A the following AP wire service story: Teen Sex Not Always Bad for School Performance. Let's go line by line and examine it.

LOS ANGELES – There's good news for parents who worry that their teenagers' sex lives are affecting their school performance: A provocative new study has found that teens in committed relationships do no better or worse in school than those who don't have sex.

• Yes, nothing to worry about other than perhaps a teenage pregnancy. And sexually transmitted diseases. Also, I note that the study is apparently provocative.
  

The same isn't true for teens who "hook up." Researchers found that those who have casual flings get lower grades and have more school-related problems compared with those who abstain.

• Oh, so if the teenagers are just hooking up then they do have lower grades and more problems. So, taken as a whole teens that practice abstinence will have higher grades than teens engaged in sexual activity.
  

The findings, presented Sunday at a meeting of the American Sociological Association in Atlanta, challenge to some extent assumptions that sexually active teens tend to do poorer in school.

• If there are such assumptions, the study actually verifies them because it shows that teenage sex at best does not harm academic performance and often correlates to lower academic performance.
  

It's not so much whether a teen has sex that determines academic success, the researchers say, but the type of sexual relationship they're engaged in. Teens in serious relationships may find social and emotional support in their sex partners, reducing their anxiety and stress levels in life and in school.

• So, teens in "serious relationships" find social and emotional support which helps them to do well in school? First, this is pure conjecture. Second, as I recall, the performance of sexually active teens in "serious relationships" does not differ from abstinent teens. Accordingly, I do not see how the alleged positive psychological effects of committed teenage sex can be said to be improving these student's academic performance.
  

"This should give some comfort to parents who may be concerned that their teenage son or daughter is dating," said sociologist Peggy Giordano of Bowling Green State University, who had no role in the research. Teen sex is "not going to derail their educational trajectories," she said.

• Unless a pregnancy results. Or a sexually transmitted disease. Or there might be some negative emotional and/or spiritual consequences. Or their committed sexual relationship ends and they start hooking up.
  

Last year, nearly half of high school students reported having sexual intercourse, and 14 percent have had four or more partners, according to a federal survey released this summer.

• Wow, a statement of fact untainted by conjecture or bad logic!
  

For the study, University of California, Davis sociologist Bill McCarthy and University of Minnesota sociologist Eric Grodsky analyzed surveys and school transcripts from the largest national follow-up study of teens that began during the 1994-95 academic year. The researchers said not much has changed in terms of when teens first have sex or attitudes toward teen sex in the past decade.

• Let's assume this reporting is accurate too.
  

The duo examined how teens' sexual behaviors affected their learning and controlled for factors that might influence their results.

Among the findings:

_Teens in serious relationships did not differ from their abstinent counterparts in terms of their grade-point average, how attached they are to school or college expectations. They were also not more likely to have problems in school, be suspended or absent.

• The study limits itself to the academic consequences of teenage sex. Given that there is more to life than academics it appears that this finding does not in any way prove that such relationships are beneficial. This study, even if taken at face value, does not mean that parents are wrong to be concerned if their teenager is having sex.
  

_Compared with virgins, teens who have casual sex had lower GPAs, cared less about school and experienced more problems in school. For example, female teens who have flings had GPAs that were 0.16 points lower than abstinent teens. Male teens who have casual sex had GPAs that were 0.30 points lower than those who do not have sex. Teens who hook up also were at greater risk of being suspended or expelled and had lower odds of expecting to go to college.

• Gosh, it looks like parents should be worried about their child's academic performance if their teenager is sexually active.
  

Teens who have sex — whether it's a serious or casual relationship — were at higher risk of being truant and dropping out compared with teens who don't have sex. The researchers said the dropout results should be interpreted with caution because the numbers were small.

• Wait, so even teens in committed relationships are more likely to skip school and drop out? Doesn't that seem to contradict the findings of the report? Oh wait, the sample size was a bit small on this one so let's say we need to view this finding with caution and generally disregard it.
  

"Having sex outside of a romantic relationship may exacerbate the stress youths experience, contributing to problems in school," Grodsky said.

• Maybe. This conjecture makes a little more sense than the earlier bit about the positive psychological effects of sex in a committed relationship because at least here there is a correlation between hooking up and a worse academic performance when compared with abstinent teens.
  

In a statement, the Family Research Council said the study confirms what the group has long advocated about the negative consequences of casual sex.

• I doubt that this study confirms all the negative consequences of casual sex, but it is fair for the FRC to note that it identifies a correlation with poor academic performance.
  

But the council said it "would not interpret less severe educational impacts on students involved in `committed' sexual relationships as a green light for comprehensive" sex education.

• I would agree that the study does not "scientifically prove" that comprehensive sex education should be mandated in all schools.
  

University of Southern California sociologist Julie Albright disagreed. She said it might be time to revamp sex education to "emphasize the importance of relationships and spell out the consequences of casual sex."

• Ms. Albright hopefully is merely a proponent of sex-ed and doesn't actually believe that this study shows that sex-ed should be imposed. In fact, if sex-ed increases the number of teens that engage in the hookup sex then this study likely hurts her position.
  

The study dispels the notion that all teen sex is bad, said Marie Harvey, professor of public health at Oregon State University.

• Uh, no, it doesn't. The study found that sexually active teens in relationships do not have worse grades than abstinent teens. Does this show that such behavior does not have other negative consequences? No.
  

"The type of relationship really matters. When it comes to sexual behavior, it takes two to tango," said Harvey, adding that safe sex should be practiced to prevent teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.

• Did I miss the part where the study says anything about practicing safe sex and the correlation to academic performance? As far as I can tell, the study concludes that casual sex results in poorer academic performance and says nothing about how this result is mitigated if condoms are used.

_____________________________________________________________

So there you have it. I hope I've shown why a healthy dose of skepticism is wise when reading reporting on the latest sociological study.

The original study can be found HERE

The Cost of Pornography

Mary Eberstat has penned an outstanding article on the personal and societal costs associated with the increasing pervasiveness of pornography. The author says that our society has an epidemic of "sexual obesity" and her analogy is apt, for there are more and more people who are becoming ensnared in pornography with the result often being that it actually does great harm to their ability to relate to their spouses in a healthy sexual manner. From the article:

"Consider the insights of Pamela Paul, a reporter for Time magazine, who interviewed in depth more than 100 heterosexual users of pornography, 80 percent of them men, for her 2005 book Pornified: How Pornography Is Transforming Our Lives, Our Relationships, and Our Families. This book—the best yet written in laymen’s terms about the impact of Internet pornography on users themselves—is remarkable for several reasons. Just one is the unforgettably sad portrait that emerges, sometimes unwittingly, from habitual users themselves. “Countless men,” she summarizes from the interviews, “have described to me how, while using pornography, they have lost the ability to relate to or be close to women. They have trouble being turned on by ‘real’ women, and their sex lives with their girlfriends or wives collapse.”

The same point has been echoed by medical authorities including Norman Doidge, a doctor specializing in neuropsychiatry and author of The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science. Treating men in the early to mid-1990s for their pornography habits, he found it a common refrain that many were no longer able to have intercourse with their own wives. “Pornographers,” he concludes, “promise healthy pleasure and relief from sexual tension, but what they often deliver is an addiction, tolerance, and an eventual decrease in pleasure. Paradoxically, the male patients I worked with often craved pornography but didn’t like it.”

You can check out the entire article HERE. If you care about the health of the family in our society or your own marriage/relationship and those of your friends, I think the article will be worth your time.

Advice for Living

All of us want our lives to go well, to not get in trouble, to accomplish some goals. We hope by doing so we will be satisfied and happy. However, we wonder how best to do this and seek out wise counsel and advice that might point us in the right direction. In our consumer age, every demand is met with an abundant supply, and thus there is no end to the number of self-help books, videos, MP3s and even blog posts providing advice on how to live well in our relationships, in our job, in raising our children, and in providing meaning to our lives so we are able to live motivated and purposeful lives. However, I recently returned to the best book of practical advice I have ever read: The Book of Proverbs in the Bible.

Proverbs provides a multitude of brief pieces of advice for living and can be easily picked up and understood by anyone of almost any age. It provides practical advice on how to manage your finances, handle yourself at work, the sort of spouse you should seek, and much more. Furthermore, if you are a parent it is especially important to be well versed in Proverbs. Many of the chapters were written as advice from a wase father to his son, and are thus particularly applicable to the lives of young people. I believe that any person will benefit from reading the Proverbs and thinking about how the advice could be utilized. If you haven't read them recently, check them out.

Exciting Retreat for Teens and Adults with Physical Disabilities (Aug 28-30 in ATL)

If you have a family member or friend who suffers from a physical disability such as Muscular Dystrophy, Multiple Sclerosis or major paralysis you should to forward this on to them.

Announcing the 2009 SPEAK Retreat in Atlanta, GA- August 28-30!

We hope to see you all at the first annual retreat for the Speak Foundation in Atlanta, GA on August 28-30th. This will be for anyone who is dealing with Muscular Dystrophy and would like to connect in person with other adults living with the same condition. This retreat will be aimed mainly at young adults. However, others are more than welcome, and if there is a family that would like to attend with their teenager who has Muscular Dystrophy, we would love to have you. We have a fantastic rate at the Hyatt in Atlanta and they have very accessible features at this hotel for those of us who need it. The swimming pool even has a lift for all of us! We will be providing food for many of the events, so some costs for the weekend will be covered. Don't let finances prevent you from coming; some financial help is available to those who qualify. If you are interested in attending, please email us at thespeakfoundation@yahoo.com and we will give you all the details! Please email us before June 30th so we can add you to our reservation. Hope to see you soon!

For further information go to: http://www.thespeakfoundation.com/dnn/

Local Man Deemed to be Bad News by Sports Teams

Palm Bay, FL (AP)—A local youth pastor is being asked by college and professional sports teams to resign as a fan. Matt Jackson, a resident of Palm Bay, has been dubbed a "curse" by numerous teams including Florida State, the University of Texas, and the Tennessee Titans. Those who oppose Jackson's fandom include other fans and representatives from the respective schools/teams.

Those people cannot cite when or how Jackson became a curse, but some conjecture that it was probably sometime in 2006 when he lost his feared title of "Generale." The story of that downfall is well beyond the scope of this article. At any rate, Jackson cannot seem to shake the moniker of curse. He has garnered the attention of many people of influence and those people have practically begged him to give up his support of their team.

Last week, FSU president TK Wetherell and Athletic Director Randy Spetman landed their seaplane in the lake behind Jackson's Palm Bay home. They were greeted by the Jackson family, but despite their pleading could not convince the youth pastor to resign. A few days earlier, Texas coach Mack Brown called Jackson and offered him a month long vacation to the destination of his choosing if he stopped rooting for Texas, but his efforts were to no avail.

Jackson claims that he is not curse and cites specific instances of success. "Now wait a minute", he says while sipping on a large beverage from Sonic, "I watched FSU beat Colorado and Wisconsin in person. And I watched the entire Fiesta Bowl and saw Texas win." Opponents of Jackson are quick to claim that these victories had asterisks.

"Clearly the Colorado game was a result of Iron Brent watching with Jackson, and the other two—well we all know those are just the Big 10," claims Brent Doughty, aka Iron Brent. Doughty is said to be the cure for Jackson's kryptonite and his powers have overcome Jackson's curse in more than one instance. Doughty's reference to the Big 10 addresses the obvious inferiority of the Big Ten conference in all athletics. Opponents also cite that the only games FSU won during the season were ones where Jackson did not watch and instead pursued his favorite pastime of shopping, or took in a children's romantic comedy at the cinema.

Jackson adamantly denies any wrongdoing and says he will continue to support whomever he likes. He recently put forth fervent support for Oklahoma in the national championship game, writing "Boomer Sooner" on his arms. The Sooners lost the game to the loathed Florida Gators, 24-14. That put Coach Bob Stoops in the anti Jackson corner.

Representatives from the teams Jackson supports are not the only ones visiting with him these days. Urban Meyer and Charlie Strong recently took a trip to Palm Bay to thank Jackson for his support of FSU and threatened that he should think twice about ever being a Gator fan. Unfortunately, these are not the only threats Jackson has received. He will likely continue to get pressure to resign as a fan and many fear that this pressure may turn violent. Still, Jackson seems oblivious to it all. When asked at one point he would consider ceasing team support, he simply replied "why don't you ask your mom."

Video Allegory of Being a Cubs Fan

Well, for the hundredth straight year the Cubs have disappointed their fans, this time getting swept in the first round of the playoffs after having the best record in the National League. I believe that being a Cubs fan takes optimism and hope, despite all the evidence. This video pretty much sums it up. You only need to watch the first minute and a half.

Charlie is me, and Lucy is the Cubs.

Does the "Prosperity Gospel" Share Blame for People's Bad Finances?

Time has an interesting, though brief, article on their website today with musings from some theologians who say congregants at prosperity gospel churches may well be highly represented amongst those who have overextended themselves financially. (LINK) The hypothesis is that such congregants were told that God will create prosperity for them if they "step out in faith" and thus many of these folks may have taken out mortgages they cannot afford under the assumption that God would bless them for doing so. I'd guess that at least some people acted in this way, and that's a shame. In fairness, the article fails to provide proof of the contention that prosperity-theology followers took out more bad mortgages and loans.

PS: The story at the end of the article isn't necessarily magical and could have been an answer to prayer. Also, the mortgage trouble the person was in may or may not have been a result of irresponsible borrowing.

A Well Deserved Spanking on the Economy

Victor Davis Hanson's column today points out that greedy, irresponsible consumption on the part of the American consumer has as much to do with the current financial crisis as the greedy, irresponsible behavior of the Wall Street fat cats. He's right.

A Smart Move Politically: McCain Campaigning Halt and Call for a Debate Postponment to Work on Wall Street Bailout

John McCain is the underdog in the '08 presidential election (my official prediction for months now has been that Barack Obama wins by about 4% in the popular vote and gets about two more states than he needs in the Electoral College). However, I have been very impressed by the campaign his political advisers have run for him. From the "superstar" ads to the pick of Sarah Palin, they've made some bold moves, probably because they realize they are going to have to take some chances to win. McCain's announced suspension of campaign activities and Friday's foreign policy debate for the purpose of going back to Washington to work on the Wall Street bailout legislation is another bold move and one that I believe will work in McCain's favor.

Senator McCain had pulled even with Sen. Obama in the polls following the Republican convention. However, the failure of Lehman Bros., the government bailouts of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and AIG, and the proposed $700 billion bailout of the financial services industry through purchases of troubled mortgage backed securities is a potentially fatal blow to McCain's campaign. The average American is angry that over $1 trillion dollars could be used in assistance to Wall Street companies, while similar feeding from the government trough is not afforded the common man. Because people generally associate Republicans with favoring big business and Wall Street, that anger is being directed more towards Republicans and thus John McCain, as shown by recent polls that McCain is falling behind by about 5%-10%. Even if the bailout were approved and it succeeds in stabilizing the market, voters will still be extremely angry about such a large expenditure of taxpayer money going to the rich, which will allow Sen. Obama to use populist rhetoric effectively against McCain by associating his party with favoritism to Wall Street.

McCain's only hope is to come out strongly as an advocate for the "common man" and hammer "big business" and Wall Street for its irresponsibility. McCain's move to suspend his campaign and head back to Washington to work on the pending economic legislation is a gambit that can help him do this, particularly if Obama is stupid enough to keep campaigning and isn't a major part of the negotiations in Congress. For it to work, McCain will need to be out in front of the issue, lambasting Wall Street and demanding it be held responsible, while also insisting on reforms to protect the common man; news reports will not be able to avoid reporting on McCain if he is forceful and loud enough. McCain will also need to actively criticize both proposals by liberal Democrats and conservative Republicans as needed to establish his reformer credentials in a time of crisis. Then, he needs to pick a limited number of negotiating demands and either make sure they are in the bill or rip the President and Congress for not enacting his proposals. Through this, McCain can portray himself as a man of action who is fighting "for the people" and putting "country first" while Obama talks about the problem in his campaign stops. McCain will have to be forceful and get some results, the latter of which makes this the risky move that it is since Congress could certainly pass something deeply unpopular with the American people, or even worse see the market go into a tailspin despite passing a plan which will result in McCain being more closely identified with a failed plan even if both he and Obama vote for it. However, when the odds are against you, you need to make bold political moves and I think this one was worth making. It also has the additional value of being the right thing to do as John McCain is an member of the Senate and as such should be involved in negotiating the bailout package.

Merkle's Bonehead Play: The First Famous Sports American Sports Blunder

Today is the 100th anniversary of "Merkle's Blunder," which allowed the 1908 Cubs to go to the World Series (their last title) and cost the New York Giants the pennant. Late in the season, the Cubs and Giants were tied 1-1 in the 9th inning and the Giants had baserunners on 1st and 3rd base. The batter, Al Bridwell sent a base hit into the outfield and the runner on third came home. However, a young 19 year old ballplayer by the name of Fred Merkle was on first base. When the winning run scored fans stormed the field and Merkle didn't touch second base, which as it turns out was the custom of the day but was illegal under the playbook. Well, Cubs 2nd baseman Johnny Evers got the ball, went to the umpire and stepped on the bag. After deliberation late into the night (the game took place in the era before stadium lights) Merkle was called out and it wa decided that the game wouldn't count. Newspapers blared headlines about "Merkle's Bonehead play." The Cubs and Giants finished the season tied and the game was replayed at the end of the year with the Cubs winning 4-2. Poor Fred Merkle cost his team the championship and would never outlive the moment as folks called him "bonehead" for the rest of his life. There are plenty of other interesting facts about the story that can be found in an excellent New York Times story here and a good ESPN story here. If you are a fan of baseball or just a fan of sports it's worth your time to check it out.

ESPN Is Right, For Us Cubs Fans There Is No Love Lost

Well, my beloved Chicago Cubs clinched the NL Central Division crown Saturday and a playoff spot where they will have the opportunity to do something that they haven't done in 100 years--win the World Series. ESPN.com recently produced a good feature on Cubs fans called No Love Lost that consists of video interviews and accompanying article of 10 different Cubs fans, each representing each of the 10 decades since the last time the Cubs won it all. Cubs fans are without a doubt the most loyal fans of any team in all of sports and you'd be surprised the number of little life lessons you can take from being a Cubs fan:

• The importance of loyalty and sticking by your commitments.
• Learning to enjoy the good you receive without bemoaning what you don't have.
• Having hope and optimism for better things despite experiencing disappointment after disappointment.
• Some things in life are worth waiting for.
  

If you are a baseball fan or sports fan in general, it's worth a look, particularly for the septuagenarian Cubs fan interviewed for the 1908-1909 time period and the ex lobbyist who started the Emil Verban Society.

Who, Exactly, is Irrational and Superstitous?

Many people like to portray religious believers as superstitous rubes who do not believe in science and ignore hard facts and data in favor of superstition. However, it appears that this belief is not based on empirical facts or data. Today's Wall Street Journal has a column by Mollie Ziegler Hemingway that focuses on a recently released Baylor University poll and study conducted by Gallup indicates that Evangelical Christians are the least likely people to believe in paranormal activity than other groups, while athiests and the irreligious are the most likely. The article reveals some "interesting" beliefs held by the virulently anti-religious Bill Maher as well.

Hat Tip: NRO's The Corner

Understanding the 2008 Mortgage Loan Financial Crisis

NPR’s This American Life has produced the best explanation in easily understandable layman’s terms I’ve heard regarding the causes of the current financial meltdown. This is a "must listen" if you want to understand exactly what happened. Click on the orange “full episode” link on the left side of the webpage to listen.

For a great explanation of how “credit default swaps” sunk AIG, check this article out.

Rank greed and foolishness on the parts of many homebuyers, mortgage brokers, banks, investment houses, and investors has resulted in the meltdown we currently face. Understanding the financial crisis is simply exercising wisdom. The sad thing is that simple common sense would have saved many people a lot of money and heart ache. It made as much sense as the price of a Toyota Camry rising from $21,000 to $40,000 and expecting the same person who can essentially afford to make a $400 a month car payment over 5 years to pay off that $21K Camry to now be able to pay off the $40K Camry during the same time frame simply by giving them a low interest rate at the start. On its face, it is a ludicrous proposition.

Understanding the Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac Crisis

Here is a great C-Span video interview with Peter Wallison, who served as general counsel to the Regan Administration and counsel to the US Treasury Department. Definitely worth watching if you want an education on the reasons why they failed and the irresponsible actions that lead to their failure.

LINK

Hat Tip: Jonah Goldberg, NRO's The Corner

PS: I'm going to try and blog a bit more and get back in the swing of things. Let's hope I keep up with things...

William F. Buckley, RIP

In honor of the life of Bill Buckley, here are some links and videos that pay proper tribute to the man:

The New York Times Obit

Buckley on Faith in God

An anecdote showing Buckley's good humor, character, and his respect of ideological opponents.


(hat tip to National Review Online)

Emergent Church Pretensions

Quite frankly, this little spoof article does more to explode some of the internal contradictions and pretensions of the "emergent church" movement than most any scholarly article could.