Bryan Chapell on the state of the PCA

PCA ht Dreher

He sees a demographic divide in the PCA but believes despite their squabbling “pluralism” as understood as challenging that “Jesus is the only way” is the big threat they need to address.

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Daily Beast on Sex and Religion in the Ancient World

Daily Beast

Maybe the author should read Gilgamesh. http://www.angelfire.com/tx/gatestobabylon/temple1.html

The temple priestess is sent out to seduce Enkido, to tame him with sex.

Go to Uruk, find Gilgamesh
Praise the wild man’s strength ask for a temple hierodule from the Temple of Love,
Such a child of pleasure;
Bring her and let her power of woman
Subdue this wild man.
When he goes to the wells,
He will embrace the priestess
And the wild beasts will reject him.’

The “heirodule” is a temple slave prostitute.

Enkido is then tamed and civilized by sex to effectively become the mate of Gilgamesh.

What is interesting is the parallels to Genesis 1 and 2. In Gilgamesh the helpmate of the great Gilgamesh is Enkido, made by the gods to be his match. Sex is for pleasure, procreation and civilization. The men are “soulmates”, partners, equals. Women are to be used by men.

Genesis 1 and 2, regularly lambasted seen in contrast to the Babylonian myth is alarmingly positive towards women in contrast with Gilgamesh.

I wonder what other aspects of Babylonian enlightenment the author would like to propose.

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NY Times Escatalogical Faith Expression after Irish SSM Vote

NYTimes

nytimes eschatology same sex marriage

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Our identities matter in Core classrooms

http://columbiaspectator.com/opinion/2015/04/30/our-identities-matter-core-classrooms

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Hollywood Double Standard on LGBTQ

The Daily Beast

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Gay Rights Revolution in Ireland

http://www.theamericanconservative.com/dreher/the-gay-rights-revolution-in-ireland/

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the ochlophobist: Arkansans, oh, my poor people.

http://theochlophobist.blogspot.com/2015/05/arkansans-oh-my-poor-people.html

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The Benedict Option

Dreher has been beating this drum consistently enough that he’s getting discussion.

But I think the reason you’re frustrated, and the reason the conversation has gone the way it’s gone so far, is that many Christians are profoundly and (I would say) irrationally hostile to the very idea of seeking to form intentional ethical communities. Even to think about such a thing strikes many as a “run for the hills” mentality, so they portray the idea in the most lurid light possible.

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High Heels

Wonkblog

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Ed Stetzer offers Perspective on the Pew Study and Michael Gershon

CNN

Essentially the same point many have noted that this is mostly about the decline of nominal Christianity.

Washington Post: Michael Gershon the End of Casual Christianity

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