The Self and Groups of Selves

Posted on July 27, 2012 by PaulVK

Nice post from “The Messy Middle” on identity, groups and inclusion. Also includes a wonderful Walt Whitman quote. Here’s the conclusion. Click through to read the whole post. I recommend the blog. She’s insightful and a good writer. Continue reading →

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Kristen/Bella’s Confession

Posted on July 27, 2012 by PaulVK

I dip my toe into the Celebrity gossip beat on TC. What does Kristen Stewart’s public confession say about her self and the selves of her followers? 

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Around the Blogs on the Chick-fil-a drama

Posted on July 27, 2012 by PaulVK
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How the Gun Changes the Self

Posted on July 26, 2012 by PaulVK

An Atlantic piece on how the gun isn’t simply another technology. Holding a gun changes us, kind of like holding the Sauron’s ring changes the wearer. It isn’t automatic. It isn’t overwhelming, it is subtle, inviting, alluring. Every person I know that is a “gun person” learns to “respect the gun”. This is part of the respect.

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Proof that we objectify women, and both genders do it

Posted on July 26, 2012 by PaulVK

From The Atlantic.

Women are broken down for their body parts while men’s parts are seen as part of the whole. Both genders do this.

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If Darwin was Right, His Children Will Lose

Posted on July 26, 2012 by PaulVK

Through The Cold Eye of Science

We are frail, vulnerable creatures orbiting a burning ball of gas at 66,000 miles an hour, rotating on an axis at over a thousand miles an hour, the experience of which we are mostly unaware of.

We will eventually be destroyed by

  • falling space debris,
  • microscopic viruses and bacteria we can’t see,
  • wild animals including homo sapiens, the most deadly animal on the planet
  • environmental devastation caused by homo sapiens
  • mutations of our own cells (cancer)
  • corruption of our biological systems (smoking, eating, inactivity)
  • the exhaustion of all of the energy in the universe given enough time
  • or as individuals we simply wear out (old age) Continue reading →
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Christian should relate to Mormons like Christians related to Samaritans

Posted on July 23, 2012 by PaulVK

Richard Mouw continues his long term, thankless work of trying to help evangelicals think about Mormons.

Relating to Mormons is not a simple thing.

  1. Christians are not very clear or well informed on Mormon belief.
  2. Mormons are culturally and religiously sometimes indistinguishable from conservative Christians to outsiders.
  3. Mormon accomplishments (mobilization, centralization, morality, visibility) are sometimes envied by evangelicals who are divided by denominations, etc. Continue reading →
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Why Divorce Calls Children’s Existence into Question

Posted on July 23, 2012 by PaulVK

Andrew Root following the ideas in his book summaries his thesis in Christianity Today.   Continue reading →

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Should we Stop Asking Jesus Into Our Hearts?

Posted on July 23, 2012 by PaulVK

From CT: Should we stop asking Jesus into our hearts? Great title and idea for an article (and book). I didn’t think the article delivered as I hoped it would.

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Katy Perry, the Samaritan Woman of John 4 and what it means to be a Christian

Posted on July 23, 2012 by PaulVK

Most of what I know about Katy Perry I know from reading articles from the Christianity Today website (here and here). That makes me feel super uncool and evangelical, but oh well…

Katy’s story (for those of you like me who aren’t in the know) is that she grew up in a very conservative Christian family, tried to make it as a Christian artist, then went out and made it huge in the secular music business with a series of hits that would not have been hits with her old community.

Katy Perry’s Brand of Christianity-ish Continue reading →

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