What Do You Do With a Drunken Atheist?

A couple of weeks ago I upset a few Terry Pratchett fans in comments at another blog because I disrespected his much-reported remark that he'd rather be a rising ape than a fallen angel. Cults of personality are everywhere, so I guess that even someone like me who owns all his books (and the new one is due next week!) and has been recommending them to people for decades must tread softly, for I

What Do You Do With a Drunken Atheist?

A couple of weeks ago I upset a few Terry Pratchett fans in comments at another blog because I disrespected his much-reported remark that he'd rather be a rising ape than a fallen angel. Cults of personality are everywhere, so I guess that even someone like me who owns all his books (and the new one is due next week!) and has been recommending them to people for decades must tread softly, for I

Did You Know There Was, Like, an Adoration Chapel Around the Corner There?

There's a strange new article at the AV Club this weekend. Well, it's really strange because it's at the AV Club, whose writers generally show more sense.Writer Allison Willmore begins "What If They Just Plain Believe?" by describing the reception of Kevin Smith's "religion-baiting" new movie Red State at Sundance earlier this year. Red State, however, "was just one of a crowd of films there to

Did You Know There Was, Like, an Adoration Chapel Around the Corner There?

There's a strange new article at the AV Club this weekend. Well, it's really strange because it's at the AV Club, whose writers generally show more sense.Writer Allison Willmore begins "What If They Just Plain Believe?" by describing the reception of Kevin Smith's "religion-baiting" new movie Red State at Sundance earlier this year. Red State, however, "was just one of a crowd of films there to

You Never Call, You Never Write ... Are You Trying to Tell Me Something?

By a remarkable coincidence, today is not only the fourth anniversary of this blog, but it's the day that, according to the eighty-nine-year-old evangelical broadcaster Harold Camping, will see the Rapture, the day when the Saints will be taken up to Heaven to be with Jesus, thus avoiding the Tribulation to come. (The Tribulation will no doubt include further posts here.)It's now about 6 p.m.,

You Never Call, You Never Write ... Are You Trying to Tell Me Something?

By a remarkable coincidence, today is not only the fourth anniversary of this blog, but it's the day that, according to the eighty-nine-year-old evangelical broadcaster Harold Camping, will see the Rapture, the day when the Saints will be taken up to Heaven to be with Jesus, thus avoiding the Tribulation to come. (The Tribulation will no doubt include further posts here.)It's now about 6 p.m.,

The Passion of the Sullivan

I haven't looked in at Homo Superior much lately. He's changed the layout several times, it seems, in interesting but still sometimes confusing ways. On the other hand I've neglected several places I used to visit almost daily, like a chat room where I used to be a contentious regular; I looked in there and found to my pleasure that it's still busy when most chat rooms have dried up. Now that

The Passion of the Sullivan

I haven't looked in at Homo Superior much lately. He's changed the layout several times, it seems, in interesting but still sometimes confusing ways. On the other hand I've neglected several places I used to visit almost daily, like a chat room where I used to be a contentious regular; I looked in there and found to my pleasure that it's still busy when most chat rooms have dried up. Now that

His Eye Is on the Bulldog

My minister friend on Facebook is at it again:Worship this morning was such a gift...amazing music by the choir...great hymns... Friend's college age son came and asked, on way to church, "Will this guy keep me awake?" Told her that was pressure. Meeting with a few key leaders over lunch...and then organ concert by Charles Webb tonight. I am thankful. (And Butler and Bloomington

His Eye Is on the Bulldog

My minister friend on Facebook is at it again:Worship this morning was such a gift...amazing music by the choir...great hymns... Friend's college age son came and asked, on way to church, "Will this guy keep me awake?" Told her that was pressure. Meeting with a few key leaders over lunch...and then organ concert by Charles Webb tonight. I am thankful. (And Butler and Bloomington

The God Who Cried "Wolf!"

I got quite a nice e-mail message about Monday's post, from a reader who identified himself as a Catholic priest. He made an observation that gave me a lot of ideas:Permit me to offer, however, that the real problem with Christians is that we don’t truly believe in the end-times, we use it as code and cover for other political agendas. If we truly believed in the apocalypse we would not be so

The God Who Cried "Wolf!"

I got quite a nice e-mail message about Monday's post, from a reader who identified himself as a Catholic priest. He made an observation that gave me a lot of ideas:Permit me to offer, however, that the real problem with Christians is that we don’t truly believe in the end-times, we use it as code and cover for other political agendas. If we truly believed in the apocalypse we would not be so

Say Goodnight, Gracie

My old friend the minister is at it again, giving me material for a blog post. He just posted on Facebook:We're beginning a new series of messages at Trinity UMC-Elkhart this weekend. Calling it BIG HAIRY AUDACIOUS TRUTHS ABOUT GOD. We're wading into deep water. Talking about such BIG mysteries as the Trinity, the 2nd Coming, and the fact (this week) that grace comes in three flavors...works in

Say Goodnight, Gracie

My old friend the minister is at it again, giving me material for a blog post. He just posted on Facebook:We're beginning a new series of messages at Trinity UMC-Elkhart this weekend. Calling it BIG HAIRY AUDACIOUS TRUTHS ABOUT GOD. We're wading into deep water. Talking about such BIG mysteries as the Trinity, the 2nd Coming, and the fact (this week) that grace comes in three flavors...works in

When Anyone Says “God”, I Keep My Hand Over My Wallet

E. Lynn Harris is improving as a writer. I read several of his earlier novels, mainly out of a sense of duty, trying to keep my finger on the queer zeitgeist. He’s very much in the Harlequin tradition, African-American subdivision, except that his sculpted Nubian princes fall in love with each other. If we could just get a gay black Jennifer Crusie, now, I’d be a major fan. But Harris has the

When Anyone Says “God”, I Keep My Hand Over My Wallet

E. Lynn Harris is improving as a writer. I read several of his earlier novels, mainly out of a sense of duty, trying to keep my finger on the queer zeitgeist. He’s very much in the Harlequin tradition, African-American subdivision, except that his sculpted Nubian princes fall in love with each other. If we could just get a gay black Jennifer Crusie, now, I’d be a major fan. But Harris has the