The Impoverishment of America October 10, 2008
Posted by Tim in Morality, Politics.add a comment
Below is from a comment to the Washington Post. I don’t agree with the tone, but this comment struck a chord with me that needed to be struck.
Amazingly, Christians have supported the behavior described below, and called it “conservative.” I’ve been guilty of supporting some of these behaviors myself. Now, I’m not naive enough to think that the Democratic Party is better–I’m just tired of giving the Republican Party a blank moral check, and trusting them to behave in a manner that pleases God. Being pro-life on abortion legislation doesn’t mean that the GOP values life the way God intends. One could argue that, based upon the demonstrated behavior of the last eight years, the opposite is true.
I’m more and more convinced that God will hold me accountable for not speaking out long ago… for not saying to the GOP “You will no longer be allowed to associate yourselves with people of faith. You’ve demonstrated that you’re not morally better, and in countless ways morally worse, than the liberal Democrats you so willingly demonize.”
I may not vote for a Democrat in November, but I’m feeling quite certain that I won’t be voting for the Republican ticket. They just don’t deserve another chance.
What Happened to the Palin Post? September 28, 2008
Posted by Tim in Blogging.add a comment
At 7:15 PM EST, I noted an article on Google News, originally published on Fox News:
Fox News Story on Google
Unfortunately, if you click the link on Google, Fox News tells you that no such story exists. Is this yet another example of Fox News being “Fair and Balanced”? Did someone at the top see the link, and bury the story?
We’ll never know. If you search Fox News’ election site, you’ll find no such story exists anymore.
Interesting.
Has Your Preacher Jumped the Shark? September 26, 2008
Posted by Tim in Religion.Tags: politics in the pulpit instead of where it belongs, preachers talking about subjects they know nothing abou, room temperature IQs, things that make you wonder if evolution really happens
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First, Fonzie jumped over a shark in that fateful episode of Happy Days, and the show lost it’s following and whatever credibility it might have had with its audience as something worth watching. Since then, the digerati have begun referring to the phenomenon of fading into irrelevance as “Jumping the Shark.” Here’s a way to tell if this has happened to your preacher. From today’s New York Times:
“I would say endorsement is a strong word,” he said. “I’m planning to make a recommendation. I’m going to evaluate each candidate’s positions in light of Scripture and make a recommendation to my congregation as to which candidate aligns more so.”
Let me be clear. I have no problem with anyone publicly endorsing a candidate for any office, and doing everything in their power to influence others to support that candidate.
Jumping the Shark from the Pulpit
My first problem is someone wanting all the benefits that come with being a 501(3)(c), but also wanting to be a political entity. The purpose of the existing law was to ensure that political influence didn’t make its way through the financial channels of a charitable organization. Granted, you can argue that even with the existing law, a huge number of organizations, both on the left and the right, have successfully circumvented this law. That hardly suggests that preachers should take advantage of that fact. (more…)
It’s that time of year again… September 18, 2008
Posted by Tim in Fun, Talk Like a Pirate Day.add a comment
Are you ready to talk like a pirate?
Digging Through the Mud September 13, 2008
Posted by Tim in Politics.Tags: Biden, McCain, Obama, Palin
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For anyone interested in figuring out what facts really are behind the various ads and speeches, check out the Annenberg Political Fact Check. It’s a non-partisan publication funded through a foundation, with the intent of performing research and analysis on the various claims of political candidates.
Then again, if you’d prefer to continue believing everything your preferred candidate or party says, just keep reading the partisan stuff from each side. It makes it so much easier to believe falsehoods about the “other” candidate and ignore the truths about your own.
As for me, it’s not caused me to suddenly like one side more than the other, but it’s helped me sort through some of the misinformation about Governor Palin and Senator Obama. (Senator McCain and Senator Biden are more well-known, so it’s easier for me to spot blatant falsehoods.) Where I sit now is a position of having less respect for both candidates, and for their campaigns.
It should be an interesting November.
What Happens in the Bathroom… Ends Up in the Blog September 11, 2008
Posted by Tim in Parenting/Children.Tags: bathroom humor, Football
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This morning, after letting the dog out for his morning ritual, I decided to go to the bathroom myself. This is not really something earth-shaking or momentus, because it’s not that unusual for a middle-aged man to make an early morning trip like this, but it caused me to do something that I rarely do, and something I’m unlikely to do in the near future.
I went into a bathroom used almost exclusively by a teenage boy. (more…)
The Political Blog Non-Entry September 7, 2008
Posted by Tim in Politics.Tags: Christianity, Governor Palin, Senator McCain
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Recently, I sat down and wrote out a series of questions that I, a registered Republican, have for the Presidential and Vice-Presidential candidates. It was long, and expressed my frustration with the candidates and their recent decisions.
Then I thought, “Why bother?”
Mike Arvin: “Used Car” August 4, 2008
Posted by Tim in Blogging.13 comments
Here’s our third video, from the people who brought you “On Patrol” and “Post-It: I Love You.”
By the way, I have no idea why there’s a full minute of black at the end of this. If you sat around waiting for some kind of surprise at the end, I’m sorry for the disappointment. – Tim
Camping in the Smokies with George and Clem (Guest Post) August 3, 2008
Posted by Tim in Blogging, Friends.Tags: best friends, Black Bears, Camping
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[Ed Note: This is a guest post by a childhood best-friend of Clem. Any resemblance between Clem and the author of this blog is unavoidable.]
For a former Wyoming mountain and back-country guide, this is a story I wish I could forget. It does, however, demonstrate that in the absence of technical expertise, passion and desire will press on…along with a few good memorable laughs.
