Christmas Without the Incarnation

"Nothing's changed...nothing is right..."



On the Incarnation

The Avett Brothers - Emotionalism

Here's a video that make me want to pack thing up, buy a bus, and head out on tour with all my friends...



Move Avett Brothers videos

theavettbrothers.com

Roger Ebert on our celebrity driven culture....

If you are interested in hearing Roger Ebert rant and rave about our celebrity culture, read this blog post, "Death to film critics! Hail to the CelebCult!". I enjoyed it. A couple exerpts:

"The CelebCult virus is eating our culture alive, and newspapers voluntarily expose themselves to it. It teaches shabby values to young people, festers unwholesome curiosity, violates privacy, and is indifferent to meaningful achievement. One of the TV celeb shows has announced it will cover the Obama family as "a Hollywood story." I want to smash something against a wall."

"The celebrity culture is infantilizing us. We are being trained not to think. It is not about the disappearance of film critics. We are the canaries. It is about the death of an intelligent and curious, readership, interested in significant things and able to think critically. It is about the failure of our educational system. It is not about dumbing-down. It is about snuffing out."

"Death to film critics! Hail to the CelebCult!"

Free Dr. Pepper - Today

Dr. Pepper...Guns-n-Roses...2008? ...it means a free Dr. Pepper.

http://www.drpepper.com/freeDrPepper

UPDATE:
I've tried about 5 times today to get my free Dr. Pepper with no luck...I guess there's lots of cheapos like me out there. Or, it's a strategic Dr. Pepper move so that they don't have to give out free drinks...conspiracy theorists, beware.

Also, you can download the new Springsteen song today for free. You can get it at iTunes or brucespringsteen.net

UPDATE II:
I'm officially registered for a free Dr. Pepper. Thank you Dr. Pepper and thank you Guns-n-Roses for releasing an album in 2008. 4 minutes and 23 seconds to spare.

Coldplay - Viva La Vida

This is everything I love about music...and everything I hate about music videos. Press play and minimize your screen.



Same song...better video...



...which is a spoof/tribute of/to this Depeche Mode video.

The song (not Depeche Mode) has an interesting spiritual side to it. I like what it has to say about pride. ...I could be interpreting things too straight-forward-ly, though. There may be a touch of cynicism hiding out (Wikipedia, BBC, Q Daily).

Star Wars by John Williams

(FilmChat)

Politics & the Abortion Trump Card

I've always been frustrated that I've never been able to jump into the "fun" part of the political playing field. I feel like there's a fence around the field called abortion that keeps me from the more interesting discussions of big government vs. small government, tax cuts, etc. I know I fall into that stereotypical right-wing group that doesn't get it...that people are dying overseas, that we aren't taking care of our sick and our poor, that we don't care about our environment...wouldn't it be better to be part of a party that (arguably) handles these issues better?

I've flirted with this thought before...for a couple minutes I even thought Donald Miller had a pretty good argument in his post which said: "The continuation of rhetoric about being pro-life but not having a realistic plan has tired me of the Republican Party". The idea that the Democratic party (supporting a Pro-Choice ideal) will lower abortions by promoting safe-sex type of concepts makes sense and is interesting, but I don't buy it. For me it is just as "rhetorical" as what some may accuse the Republican party of in their attempts to overturn Roe vs. Wade.

In regards to this, I found Justin Taylor's blog post on the Freedom Of Choice Act helpful...he references this chart from the Guttmacher Institute that shows that the number of abortions in Maryland has increased since 1991 while the national numbers have gone down.

The significance of this is that Obama has stated that "the first thing I’d do as President is sign the Freedom of Choice Act"...which is disturbing because I think Maryland is representative of where we'd be if Obama were able to impliment his pro-choice policy. I say this because Maryland is a very Pro-Choice state. NARAL Pro-Choice America gives them a grade "A", which means the state is extremely Pro-Choice friendly. I think the rise of abortions in Maryland is due to the fact that they are quite liberal in their abortion views...which is where our country would head federally with something like the Freedom of Choice Act in place. (You can look at the chart above and this NY Times article and possibly draw some conclusions from the bill they passed in 1991.)

The above paragraph is only a brief example...and, perhaps too wordy for the simple point I'm making...but, with all that said...I really don't think we are going to lower the number of abortions while at the some time condoning abortion and making it easier to get abortions. I don't understand how we can tell people that abortion is not a big deal (in some ways easier than buying beer or a pack of cigarettes)...and, yet, you should be careful in your sex life because you don't want to get pregnant...? ...it doesn't make sense to me.

...so, my vote comes down to the fact that I believe abortions will increase under Obama.

Maybe I could be convinced that the Democratic party could answer some of the other problems of the world that are also offensive and moral. But, I firmly believe that there is no difference in killing a week old infant and a 40 week old "fetus" in the womb. Philosophically, if you are consistent, this is the only option. If we rewind the tape from there, I know of no term in the pregnancy where you can draw a line in the sand and state it's okay to end this life now. Simply stated...human life is on the line, the burden of proof is on the person who says life (human rights...personhood...whatever) does not begin at conception. I've never heard anything to convince me otherwise.

Woman's Rights throws an emotional difficulty into the equation, especially, when something like rape is involved. But, I still feel as though the killing a living being is of greater importance than the inconvenience of a pregnancy. I don't feel as though this emotional concept should be unfamiliar to a Pro-Choice advocate, because many of them would emotionally feel the reverse...i.e. it's a horrible thing to end the potential for life, but a woman should have these rights over her body. I think it can be a difficult (I can't quite bring myself to write "horrible") thing to carry a baby that you don't want, but the baby should have the right to live.

So, for what it's worth...I'm the guy who's tempted to consider some of Barack's promises to America...but, I just can't get past the abortion trump card. Abortion is different than slavery, anti-semitism, sexism, etc...I acknowledge that, but in my mind...in my conscience...it's of a similar caliber. No matter what a leader offers in their public policies, if slavery, anti-semitism, or sexism were part of their agenda, by conscience I would refuse to vote for them. For myself, it's the same thing when it comes to abortion.

_____

Also See:

Witherspoon Institute 1
http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/viewarticle.php?selectedarticle=2008.10.14_George_Robert_Obama

Witherspoon Institute 2 (Infanticide)
http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/viewarticle.php?selectedarticle=2008.10.16_George_Robert_Obama%20and%20Infanticide_.xml

One More From Witherspoon
http://thepublicdiscourse.com/viewarticle.php?selectedarticle=2008.10.24_New_Michael%20J._Pro-Life%20Politicians%20Have%20Made%20a%20Difference,%20Pro-Life%20Laws%20Work_.xml

Randy Alcorn on Donald Miller
http://randyalcorn.blogspot.com/2008/10/not-cool-obamas-pro-abortion-stance.html

Akira Kurosawa Interviews

I briefly read through the Akira Kurosawa Interviews tonight (edited by Bert Cardullo). Here were some of my favorite parts.

1963 - "Nothing could be more difficult for me than to define my own style. I simply make a picture as I wish it to be or as nearly as it is within my power to do so. I have never thought of defining my style. If I tried such a thing, I would be caught within my own trap." (25)

1966 - "There are so many things which portray violence and so many films show this. Somehow, I feel tired of it. It is easy to be happy. If it is necessary to show violence in a film, it is good to avoid ugliness...There are already too many films that show sex. I do not want my films to be another vehicle for it. Besides, I do not think it should be a purpose for entertainment. Children would not be able to understand it; it will only complicate their minds, and they will not be entertained." (32)

1975 - "Where films are concerned, if you set out to convey some special message or thesis you will become narrow and rigid. I think it is true for any other creative work as well." (58)

.

1980 - "...there's a tradition in Western films that deal with cavalry battles, whereby one almost invariably fires to hit the rider. In terms of real battle strategy, however, this is entirely unrealistic because the horse is a much bigger target and if you wanted to disable the whole cavalry, you'd get rid of the horses first. But nobody has ever made a film that way. The convention is to shoot the rider and see him fall off and the response to the film comes from that. I felt that this tradition has already worn out and wanted to try something different, more effective, for the sophisticated film audiences of today--to show the final effect of the battle rather than those shootings themselves. Besides, when you have a stuntman on a horse who knows he's going to be shot, this is apparent in his whole physical attitude. The audience also knows it's going to happen, so why show them what they already know?" (72-73)

1986 - "Ideally, a film should be spherical. This is physically impossible; however, it is possible to approach such a shape. A film should appeal to sophisticated, profound-thinking people, while at the same time entertaining simplistic people. Even if a small circle of people enjoy a film, it will not do. A film should satisfy a wide range of people, all the people." (141)

1986 - "CINEASTE: Once you said that the most important thing for young people aspiring to become directors was to read world classics. Do you still believe so?

.

KUROSAWA: Definitely. To read everything is almost impossible, so you must find writers that you like. Then, to find favorite works of these writers, and read them again and again. Therefore, your understanding of the characters in these works is deepened. One's level of understanding after reading a work once, and after reading it ten times, is naturally different." (143)

.

...if I ever complain about not having any free time, feel free to slap me.

Paul Newman

A couple good articles on Paul Newman...

Roger Ebert

Robert Redford

"Theirs is a mission impossible..."

(...from Justin Taylor's blog)

"I pity satirists who might be tempted to try to tweak these segments of the evangelical world.  Theirs is a mission impossible.  It can no longer be done.  No matter how indelicately they might exaggerate, no matter how much they might embellish to make a point, no matter how many descriptions they might offer of the tasteless things that are happening, it will most likely be met with only a yawn and a bored question: 'So...?'  Nothing seems improbable.  None of it, in fact, ever seems exaggerated and none of it seems improper.  It has now become impossible to insult some evangelicals."  (David Wells, The Courage to Be Protestant, p 24)

Bob Dylan Links

Don't miss the free download ("Dreamin' of You") at bobdylan.com

The video is freshly posted at amazon.com

Also, finally, here is my liberal friend John Mellencamp covering "The Times They are A-Changin'" (We are both native Hoosiers, you know.)

Ben's Brother, John Mayer, and videos that I can't embed

Here's a good video that I can't embed: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5Ctt4fIo1w

...it's Ben's Brother singing Carry On. 

Also, here's John Mayer singing Free Fallin...also, I can't embed it...also, it's not funny like the Ben's Brother video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wJ-VPqFzy0

...it's the internet, isn't all this stuff supposed to be steal-able? 

Gossip in the Grain - Ray LaMontagne

The first two tracks off Ray LaMontagne's new album, Gossip in the Grain.
Release Date: October 14, 2008

http://www.raylamontagne.com/home.php

You Are The Best Thing


Let It Be Me


Tracklisting:
1. You Are The Best Thing
2. Let It Be Me
3. Sarah
4. I Still Care For You
5. Winter Birds
6. Meg White
7. Hey Me, Hey Mama
8. Henry Nearly Killed Me (It’s A Shame)
9. A Falling Through
10. Gossip In The Grain

Evil in the Movies

I'm still thinking about the evil-in-the-movies concept I brought up a few posts ago (The Dark Knight). At the risk of implying a tidiness that I don't think exists...

Which says more about our attitude toward evil...1) an explicit rendering of what is evil, or 2) a discomfort that prevents us from visualising it?

Which paints a better picture of evil...1) an explicit rendering of evil acts, or 2) an explicit rendering of the consequences of evil acts?

Superman vs. Batman

How To Reboot the Superman Movie Franchise -- Comic Writers Chime In

"Superman was created not because America is the greatest country on earth, not because Moses came to save us from Krypton, but because a little boy lost his father,” Meltzer said. “In his first appearances, he couldn’t fly. He didn’t have X-ray vision. He was only bulletproof. So Superman’s not a character built out of strength, but out of loss.”

“When you hear that, it puts on a whole new spin on Superman and his origins,” Waid said. “The understanding was that Batman was born out of tragedy and Superman out of hope and aspiration, and it turns out that it’s about not wanting to lose your loved ones. That’s critical, and it means that we can connect with him. He’s not an untouchable character. Bad things still happen to him. His father passes away, and his powers can’t save him.”

Mike Bullmore

Thoughts on The Dark Knight

I think it happened again last week. Further desensitization. I remember the first time I saw Saving Private Ryan and The Passion of the Christ and soon realizing that I don’t want to see them again because they are built on the shock of their violence. If I keep watching them, they lose their punch. The first time I saw The Fellowship of the Ring I went away distressed at the clear way in which evil was visually portrayed in the orcs.

And, last week I saw The Dark Knight and again left the theater wondering about evil depicted in the movies. It seems like we might be part of an un-winnable battle. We can become more and more explicit in our depictions of what is wrong…but will a generation ever hit the evil threshold and say “okay, now we’ve finally got a handle on the darkest depths of evil…we can no longer top ourselves”. Or, will we continue an infinite trip down the dark layers of our hearts?

My mind gets fuzzy every time I think about it because there are two sides of the argument. On the one hand…are we actually telling the greatest of lies when we portray evil as anything but the disturbing, pit of darkness that it is? When we pretty it up, so that it is not difficult to look at, are we actually insulting all those who have been touched by its pain?

But, then, when does the game go from artistic to pornographic? If we take The Dark Knight for example, so many times the camera takes us up to the second before death and then turns away. There’s only so much we need to see and then we are indulging in things that don’t need to be seen. A slasher movie takes you on the full ride. It takes you to the point of death and then presses forward allowing the pleasure of the removal of all curiosities.

So, we have somewhat of a dividing line. Show all the evil except for the final act of hatred. But, maybe we aren’t dealing with a very good dividing line? Maybe the mystery should begin earlier? Maybe the line of indulgement exists sooner than we think? …we might be reveling in unprofitable areas because the camera doesn’t turn away when it should.

There are no easy answers…but, if nothing else, I think it’s good to be aware of our slow slide into further realism and explicitness. There has to be consequences here, perhaps of a moral nature, so it would seem wise to be alert to the desensitizing effects surrounding us.

Neon Bible Part II

"...not much chance for survival if the Neon Bible is right..."
- Win Butler (The Arcade Fire)

My Life as Seen From the Second Row at a Kenny Loggins Concert

Sometimes you find yourself hanging over the guard rail at an Extreme Home Makeover in Kansas City yelling for Ty to come out of his trailer…and, then you start talking to the person next to you and you reveal that you’ve never watched a full episode of Extreme Home Makeover…and, then, suddenly the joking stops, the smile leaves the face of your new found friend as they say “What are you doing here?”.

And, other times, due to free tickets, you find yourself in the second row…dead center…at a Kenny Loggins concert…(yes, Mr. Footloose himself)…and he says, “Okay, everyone knows the drill here”…and, as the spotlights hit the crowd he looks down at you and holds out the microphone to the crowd… …It’s amazing the thoughts that can run through your mind in the .5 seconds it takes you to think “Please, don’t make eye contact”. …Things such as: Kenny, I’m sorry. Kenny, I should have been listening you in the eighties. The crowd can’t be singing “Please, celebrate me home”. Kenny, I should have done more YouTube research before I came. If I sing “Please, celebrate me home” and those aren’t the lyrics will Kenny be able to notice? The horrible grammar of these lyrics apparently makes sense to the 5,000 people behind me. I’m glad the old guy in front of me isn’t singing. Kenny, this doesn’t mean you are a failure. We’ll never be friends after this.

Luckily, a couple songs later he sings “Your Momma Don’t Dance” to which I knew all the words.

Link to D.A. Carson Interview

Here's a quick interview with D.A. Carson:
http://www.reformation21.org/articles/don-carson-talks-about-culture.php

It's in reference to Carson's latest book, Christ and Culture Revisited. It's a fairly short interview, insightful, and uses plenty of big words. Here's one question/answer that I found especially thought provoking. Enjoy...
___________________________________

DT: You mention several key issues which force us re-evaluate Christ's role in culture (secularization, democracy, freedom and power). In short compass, can you explain what you mean by this and how this helps us to understand our own (postmodern) culture?

DC: Inevitably, we in the West, not least in America, tend to adopt a host of "givens" that are part of growing up here. Most of us think freedom is a good thing. But is it always a good thing? A friend in Slovakia once told me that only three weeks after the Berlin wall came down, for the first time in his life he saw pornography sold in the street. Was the enhanced freedom an unmitigated "good" thing? I'm not denying it was good in many ways, but some of us have given "freedom" such an iconic value that we fail to see how, in the name of freedom, we may become slaves to sin. Most of us are thankful to God that we live in a democracy. But I have met Christians who live in parts of the world under one form or another of tyranny who are much less daunted by the violent "beast out of the sea" that they face than by the "beast out of the earth," the danger of deceptive teaching and materialism, that we face in the West: they pray for us that we will escape the tyranny of the seduction of easy, triumphalism, and materialism. Certainly what Paul wrote about the government of his day being appointed by God, he did not have a democracy in mind: what bearing do such differences in the structure of power have on our responsibility as citizens -- as citizens of the US, and as citizens of the new Jerusalem?