I actually really like self-professedly liberal New York Times columnist Nick Kristoff. He really seems to love his neighbor in a genuine way. He's also willing to praise conservatives and be open about his own views without hiding behind a veil of neutrality (he is...
Culture
Review: United: Captured by God’s Vision for Diversity
United: Captured by God's Vision for Diversity by Trillia J. Newbell My rating: 4 of 5 stars I watched Trillia speaking to Thabiti Anyabwile in an author interview and decided I wanted to buy this book. Ms. Newbell impressed me with her bright Christian countenance...
Lying Liberals
I'm super chary about calling people "liars." How often am I privy to the inner psychology of someone, and so much so that I know they know they're uttering a falsehood? But I'm almost ready to join Ross Douthat in calling progressives "liars" when it comes to the...
Unnecessary Letter to the Editor
I just found out that Greenville, SC has banned texting while driving within the city limits. I'm glad. Looks like I won't have to send this letter to the editor I "jotted down" to myself via an audio note (on my phone, while driving...): I’m a freedom-loving...
Ross Douthat on the Possibility of Pluralism
This is exactly why I read Ross Douthat. He holds out more hope for the possibilities of pluralism than I do, though I wish I could join him. I just find it hard to see any true pluralism in a large nation to be stable long-term. The fall has so deeply affected us....
Cosmos
I'm a bit late to this, but I stole a few minutes this week from my non-TV endeavors (that would describes almost all my endeavors, actually) to catch the first episode of Neil deGrasse Tyson's reboot of Carl Sagan's famous science documentary, Cosmos. Neil deGrasse...
Excellent Reading
I found this to be a moving story told with insight and written with exceptional skill. It's not an accident that it has been one of the "most e-mailed" articles at the New York Times for days.
Consciousness and Materialism
Really good stuff from a great Christian writer and wide-ranging reader and thinker, Alan Jacobs (can't help saying it again: I loved the remarkable book Original Sin). Turns out evolutionary scientists don't really know how consciousness is possible in a...
Journalism at Its Best
Well-known New York Times religion reporter Laurie Goodstein (with Jodi Kantor) did good homework on this interesting piece about female Mormon missionaries. The authors feed the story through a distinct narrative of their own, but what comes out is still well worth...
Christian Persecution?
Ross Douthat and Rod Dreher represent two similar but different positions in a very important discussion: are American Christians being persecuted? Will we be, if current trends continue? Or is "persecuted" a label we shouldn't arrogate to ourselves considering the...
The GOP and Social Conservatives
This is exactly what I said would happen. This is what I said almost a year ago: Republican Christian conservatives, I suspect that your party as a whole will only care about you as long as you give it votes. And this is what has happened, according to this morning's...
Review: The Poverty of Nations: A Sustainable Solution
The Poverty of Nations: A Sustainable Solution by Wayne A. Grudem My rating: 3 of 5 stars I’m not an economist. I’ve read precious few books on economic and political systems. But I try to listen in on the major conversations of the day, and a debate over the proper...