Travesty

How is this man leading this man for 2006 AL All-Star catcher?

Okay that's sort of a rhetorical question because we all know why. Seriously though, as of this writing Mauer is batting 120 points higher and has just 2 less RBI's and 1 less home run. Joey also has 3 more stolen bases than Varitek (if you actually care about that sort of thing). I don't have the stats in front of me but Joe's thrown out stealing percentage has to be better because Varitek's sucks.

Unlike Jason Vartiek, Joe Mauer does not hunt kittens for sport.

Joe is actually trailing not only Jason Vartitek but also 5 other players. I might be willing to concede Pudge as the starting catcher but Varitek? Posada? Martinez? Pierzynski?!?!? You have got to be kidding me. Eat me large market baseball clubs. Your fans don't know jack about players on other teams.

Nice

Randal Graves: There can only be one return, ok, and it ain't of "The King" it's of "The Jedi."

From the Clerks 2 trailer.

Helping to foster an open and honest dialogue within the Church...

...by not allowing comments on my blog.

Out of Uranus

Is Emergent the new Christian left?

Here's something from "Christianity Today's Out of Ur" blog.

While it's refreshing to hear someone from Emergent actually explaining something in a clear fashion using linear thought, I still find myself disagreeing vehemently.

I'm all for bringing different Christian viewpoints together for the sake of a common conversation but doesn't there have to be a line drawn somewhere? It's one thing for a Baptist and a Methodist to have a dialogue, but I find it difficult to equate that difference of perspective with say the differences that might be found between a mainline evangelical and a lesbian priestess.

But Tony is right: Emergent isn't the new Christian left at all. No, it's merely the old Christian left of 60+ years ago warmed over, reconfigured, reconstituted and made pretty for the modern (or should I say postmodern) masses. I personally think Emergent's view of theology is actually far more insidious and dangerous than it's social-gospel granddaddy. The classic liberal theologians, though mired in deep error, believed they were right about something and in so doing at least recognized the categories of "right" and "wrong". The Emergent crowd doesn't seem to think being right or wrong matters a lick and that to me is a far more terrifying prospect.

How do you like me now?

From NewsMax.com:

The Dixie Chicks' Natalie Maines apologized for disrespecting President Bush during a London concert in 2003. But now, she's taking it back. "I don't feel that way anymore," she told Time magazine for its issue hitting newsstands Monday. "I don't feel he is owed any respect whatsoever."

That's great Natalie—you are such a true renegade. And kudos to your group, Shania and others for ruining country music with your pop infused tripe.

Scary Mormon puppet show

This is truly one of the craziest, weirdest most disturbing things I've seen in quite some time.
I guess you just gotta love Mr. Grey Spacemen singing stream-of-conciousness songs about getting our own planets.

Faces of Death

Is it wrong that I find this so funny?

Happy birthday to me

Well today is a very special day for all of humanity: the 2 year anniversary of this blog.

Or maybe it's the 1 year anniversary of the
1 year anniversary of this blog?

Here's my very first post again.

Admittedly the first few weeks of my blogging were pretty weak, but bear in mind: I had no idea what I was doing back then. Now of course I'm a blogging professional, "Raking the Muck" is a household name bringing joy to millions and it's hard not to think of my blog without weeping.

This was my personal favorite blog of the year. Mainly because I was able to work in the words "Kalamata olives" into a blog post. And who among us will ever forget this (no matter how much we may try)?

What's the point?

This pretty much explains why I'm in no hurry to find a "Church home":

Are we asking the wrong questions about hell?

Hey Brian, the wages of sin is death. Or does your TNIV word Romans 6:23 differently? Maybe something like: "For the wages of sin is death, so vote Pro-Choice and engage in pagan, neo-mystical practices and then maybe Air America will like you."

When is someone going step up and take on the bad theology that is destroying the Church? I guess we keep waiting and praying.

Bono fatigue anyone?

Then you need bonofatigue.com

Let's carry the burden together. Be brave and share your story.
I have and it has made all the difference.

Che-Mart

Revolutionary T-Shirts for Capitalist-pig profits!

"My ultimate goal as a socialist revolutionary was to have

my face plastered on the t-shirts of rich white kids."

—Che Guevara

Cross-Examination

There's a whole category of postmodern church and Emergent®™ types who have deluded themselves into believing that some of the great apologists of the Christian faith were actually "early" postmodern thinkers. This should be deeply troubling for a few reasons: 1) It's crap 2) It shows that people don't know how to read and interpret thoughts and ideas correctly 3) It shows that people can twist anything to fit their theology.

For instance there are actually people that think Lewis and Chesterton were early postmodern thinkers. There are even people that think Francis Schaeffer was some sort of Godfather of Pomo. My advice to that group would be to put the bong down, fold up the Yoga mat and try actually reading what these men wrote sometime.

I want to get into more of this later but for now here's a quote from an interview with Lewis circa 1963. I'm not going to claim he was addressing the "postmodern church" precisely here (see category #3 above) but I do think it's especially apropos given the current state of affairs.

What is your opinion of the kind of writing being done in the church today?

Lewis: A great deal of what is being published by writers in the religious tradition is a scandal and is actually turning people away from the church. The liberal writers who are continually accomodating and whittling down the truth of the Gospel are responsible. I cannot understand how a man can appear in print claiming to disbelieve everything that he presupposes when he puts on the surplice. I feel it is a form of prostitution.

So Lewis just called liberal theologians whores. And you think I'm caustic.

Ice-breaker

Found this on Ebaums. For some reason this is really fun—and oddly exhilarating. Or maybe I like it because the soundtrack resembles a lost Tarquin Gotch song?

Ice Breaker Game

I aced it on my third try. It's all in the timing.

Isn't it always?

Whiney fan boys rejoice!

"Unaltered" Star Wars Trilogy coming to DVD.

Well the powerful and whiney Star Wars fan boy lobby has gotten it's way. For years now this crowd has been clamoring for an "unaltered", i.e. pre-1997 Special Edition version of the Holy Trilogy. George Lucas being the classy guy that he is has finally heard their cries and is acquiescing to the demands. If approx. 7 minutes of extra footage bothers you to the point that you can't watch "altered" Star Wars movies (despite having utterly amazing 5.1 Dolby EX audio mixes and gorgeously saturated, restored picture quality) your dreams have just come true.

Already of course fan-boys are complaining because the "unaltered" version won't be restored at all. The irony there should be obvious. You wanted "unaltered" didn't you? Well then you're getting "unaltered" even if that means 1970's level Dolby sound and scratchy, unrestored, washed out picture quality. You can't have it both ways Star Wars kids.

So the fanboys now can finally feel happy with themselves despite their perceived failures of the prequel trilogy. A failure for George Lucas that made 2 billion dollars worldwide I might add. I only wish I could "fail" that badly.

Nien Nunb says: "You people make me sick!"

Garfield & Friends