Reclaiming The F Word

LOL

Now this is what I'm talking about. 

My post on The Audacity To Laugh was featured on the Faithful Democrats website earlier this week. Readers commented that I was maybe making a mistake by not taking the McCain campaign's underhanded, malicious, and all out nasty tactics seriously enough. One of the other writers at FD spelled out the evidence that McCain really IS trying to paint Obama as the Anti-Christ in scary detail. I responded that, even if that's true and the McCain campaign is serious, it just won't help to turn all self-righteous. Nobody likes a prude.

Well, it turns out that, by refusing to get his boxers in a bunch, Obama has allowed McCain's junior high-school advertising campaign to backfire.

Continue reading "LOL" »

So how do you explain "The One" ad the McCain campaign is running in which they make fun of Obama for being a pretend messiah? (Well, that's the best way to put it. At worst they accuse him of being a false messiah i.e., the anti-Christ. But I don't believe there's enough theological sophistication or biblical knowledge at work in that campaign to even be aware of this possible interpretation.)

Here's how I think it went down: An old, battle-scared, desperate staff let a group of emo college kids, wracked by cynicism and high on Red Bull, have the production studio for a night. 

And, if the truth be told, what emerged is a pretty funny - in a David Letterman kind of way - shtick. The honorable Mr. Heston as Moses parting the Red Sea?!? I laughed out loud, a snorting i'm-glad-i-wasn't-drinking-milk-out-of-a-carton-in-my-junior-high-school-cafeteria kind of laugh. 

Continue reading "The Audacity To Laugh" »

Posted at 11:18 PM in Politics, Religion, Television | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

Technorati Tags: mccain attack ads, obama and brittany, obama as moses

Category: Evangelism. 

So what's the weirdest thing you've ever done? 

In an effort to connect with his neighbors, Stuart Dornfeld, pastor of 134-year old Emanuel Lutheran Church in Brandon, WI built a church. Out of Legos. 12,000 of them, to be (more or less) exact.

Continue reading "Do What You Can With What You Got" »

Jim's Wallis' book God's Politics hit the best seller list a few years ago. Last night he made his second appearance on The Daily Show. His positions on various, especially justice & human rights, issues often come off sounding mealy-mouthed, like he's afraid of the conservative somebodies just off stage. That's too bad because he's got enough goodwill stored up out there - and enough media attention - to be able to really help move us forward. Poverty is his pet project and, although it is important, it is not the only thing wrong in the world; and the poor are not the only ones suffering. But Jim has done a lot to help crack the monolithic voice of the Religious Right in the public square and, for that, I'm very grateful. My hope is that the rest of us will figure out a way to leverage the opening he's created. After you watch the video of his interview with Jon Stewart (whose questions, by the way, are first rate) below, sit down and write a letter to your local newspaper. Or do something even more creative(!). Be a humble - but bold - voice for a new day in your community. Jon wouldn't have invited this guy to come talk with him if he didn't know: People out there are interested in hearing another kind of message coming out of the Christian community. That means they want to hear from you.

Muslims worldwide have had a lot of pretty negative press lately around their protests over cartoons and teddy bears. I think it's important to note that Christians are not exactly innocent when it comes to wacky overreactions.

ROME (Reuters) - An angry Italian priest has persuaded soft drinks company Red Bull to withdraw an advertisement setting its product in a nativity scene on the grounds it is disrespectful to Christianity. [Read the rest of the story here]

And, just for fun, watch the ad yourself below:

In the CNN-YouTube debate on November 28th, IAmTheScum13 (otherwise known as Tyler, from Memphis, Tennessee) asked this question directed at those GOP candidates who identify themselves as Christian conversatives: "I have just one question. The Death Penalty: What Would Jesus Do?" Mike Huckabee didn't even wait for debate moderator Anderson Cooper to direct the question to him; he just jumped right in, reassuring all those "values voters" out there that, as governor, he pulled the switch on "more people" than any governor had ever done. He did say that he cares a lot about what the Bible says. He is a minister, after all. But when pressed by Cooper to actually answer the question "what would Jesus do?", Huckabee got a good laugh from the audience (and his fellow candidates) when he said Jesus was too smart to run for president. Apparently he figures today's GOP would never actually nominate Jesus. Using Jesus to win the nomination is, of course, another matter.

Watch Huckabee answer the question below:

What a difference an ocean makes. On this side of the Atlantic, our presidential candidates get asked to quote their favorite Bible verse during a nationally televised debate, while in the UK everybody's in a tizzy because the new Prime Minister "did God" in a speech the other day. Note the unapologetic assumption on our part that our guys (and Hillary) are all good Christians.

I'm always startled to hear "Lutherans" mentioned in pop media because, other than one exciting assembly week every two years when we are caught talking about sex in public, we are such a relatively quiet bunch. But last week my friend, "Pastor Brad" (some of my best friends are pastors, you betcha!), posted a clip from the popular TV series Boston Legal on his blog. I have a hard time watching this series because William Shatner will always and forever be Captain Kirk to me. But in this clip his BL character comes out as a...Lutheran! And then proceeds to wrestle with some pretty serious questions like "What do I believe?" and "Who am I?"

Is our only sane option a completely secularized society? That may be the conclusion many people come to after watching "God's Warriors," a three part special airing on CNN beginning tonight that promises to examine "the intersection between religion and politics and the effects of Christianity, Islam and Judaism on politics, culture and public life." Here's a preview:

(If you're a subscriber, you're getting this a second time...except THIS time it's FINISHED! Sorry!)]

OK...

Looking for evidence that people really ARE interested in people with a religious point of view? Try this: Saving Grace. This new Fox TV show, starring Holly Hunter, tells the story of one of the most interesting women on the small screen today...and the ANGEL that won't stop bugging her. And I'm not talking about a "Touched by an Angel" kind of angel, either. This guy looks like he just climbed off a Harley. He is a "last chance" angel - the kind that shows up for death row inmates - and he's been sent to straighten Grace out. She's having an affair with a married man, pushes the limits on her cop job, drinks too much, and doesn't exactly think of life as holy.

I caught a whole episode tonight and I'm interested...

The Audacity To Laugh

So how do you explain "The One" ad the McCain campaign is running in which they make fun of Obama for being a pretend messiah? (Well, that's the best way to put it. At worst they accuse him of being a false messiah i.e., the anti-Christ. But I don't believe there's enough theological sophistication or biblical knowledge at work in that campaign to even be aware of this possible interpretation.)

Here's how I think it went down: An old, battle-scared, desperate staff let a group of emo college kids, wracked by cynicism and high on Red Bull, have the production studio for a night. 

And, if the truth be told, what emerged is a pretty funny - in a David Letterman kind of way - shtick. The honorable Mr. Heston as Moses parting the Red Sea?!? I laughed out loud, a snorting i'm-glad-i-wasn't-drinking-milk-out-of-a-carton-in-my-junior-high-school-cafeteria kind of laugh. 

Continue reading "The Audacity To Laugh" »

Posted at 11:18 PM in Politics, Religion, Television | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

Technorati Tags: mccain attack ads, obama and brittany, obama as moses

Category: Evangelism. 

So what's the weirdest thing you've ever done? 

In an effort to connect with his neighbors, Stuart Dornfeld, pastor of 134-year old Emanuel Lutheran Church in Brandon, WI built a church. Out of Legos. 12,000 of them, to be (more or less) exact.

Continue reading "Do What You Can With What You Got" »

Jim's Wallis' book God's Politics hit the best seller list a few years ago. Last night he made his second appearance on The Daily Show. His positions on various, especially justice & human rights, issues often come off sounding mealy-mouthed, like he's afraid of the conservative somebodies just off stage. That's too bad because he's got enough goodwill stored up out there - and enough media attention - to be able to really help move us forward. Poverty is his pet project and, although it is important, it is not the only thing wrong in the world; and the poor are not the only ones suffering. But Jim has done a lot to help crack the monolithic voice of the Religious Right in the public square and, for that, I'm very grateful. My hope is that the rest of us will figure out a way to leverage the opening he's created. After you watch the video of his interview with Jon Stewart (whose questions, by the way, are first rate) below, sit down and write a letter to your local newspaper. Or do something even more creative(!). Be a humble - but bold - voice for a new day in your community. Jon wouldn't have invited this guy to come talk with him if he didn't know: People out there are interested in hearing another kind of message coming out of the Christian community. That means they want to hear from you.

Muslims worldwide have had a lot of pretty negative press lately around their protests over cartoons and teddy bears. I think it's important to note that Christians are not exactly innocent when it comes to wacky overreactions.

ROME (Reuters) - An angry Italian priest has persuaded soft drinks company Red Bull to withdraw an advertisement setting its product in a nativity scene on the grounds it is disrespectful to Christianity. [Read the rest of the story here]

And, just for fun, watch the ad yourself below:

In the CNN-YouTube debate on November 28th, IAmTheScum13 (otherwise known as Tyler, from Memphis, Tennessee) asked this question directed at those GOP candidates who identify themselves as Christian conversatives: "I have just one question. The Death Penalty: What Would Jesus Do?" Mike Huckabee didn't even wait for debate moderator Anderson Cooper to direct the question to him; he just jumped right in, reassuring all those "values voters" out there that, as governor, he pulled the switch on "more people" than any governor had ever done. He did say that he cares a lot about what the Bible says. He is a minister, after all. But when pressed by Cooper to actually answer the question "what would Jesus do?", Huckabee got a good laugh from the audience (and his fellow candidates) when he said Jesus was too smart to run for president. Apparently he figures today's GOP would never actually nominate Jesus. Using Jesus to win the nomination is, of course, another matter.

Watch Huckabee answer the question below:

What a difference an ocean makes. On this side of the Atlantic, our presidential candidates get asked to quote their favorite Bible verse during a nationally televised debate, while in the UK everybody's in a tizzy because the new Prime Minister "did God" in a speech the other day. Note the unapologetic assumption on our part that our guys (and Hillary) are all good Christians.

I'm always startled to hear "Lutherans" mentioned in pop media because, other than one exciting assembly week every two years when we are caught talking about sex in public, we are such a relatively quiet bunch. But last week my friend, "Pastor Brad" (some of my best friends are pastors, you betcha!), posted a clip from the popular TV series Boston Legal on his blog. I have a hard time watching this series because William Shatner will always and forever be Captain Kirk to me. But in this clip his BL character comes out as a...Lutheran! And then proceeds to wrestle with some pretty serious questions like "What do I believe?" and "Who am I?"

Is our only sane option a completely secularized society? That may be the conclusion many people come to after watching "God's Warriors," a three part special airing on CNN beginning tonight that promises to examine "the intersection between religion and politics and the effects of Christianity, Islam and Judaism on politics, culture and public life." Here's a preview:

(If you're a subscriber, you're getting this a second time...except THIS time it's FINISHED! Sorry!)]

OK...

Looking for evidence that people really ARE interested in people with a religious point of view? Try this: Saving Grace. This new Fox TV show, starring Holly Hunter, tells the story of one of the most interesting women on the small screen today...and the ANGEL that won't stop bugging her. And I'm not talking about a "Touched by an Angel" kind of angel, either. This guy looks like he just climbed off a Harley. He is a "last chance" angel - the kind that shows up for death row inmates - and he's been sent to straighten Grace out. She's having an affair with a married man, pushes the limits on her cop job, drinks too much, and doesn't exactly think of life as holy.

I caught a whole episode tonight and I'm interested...

Do What You Can With What You Got

Category: Evangelism. 

So what's the weirdest thing you've ever done? 

In an effort to connect with his neighbors, Stuart Dornfeld, pastor of 134-year old Emanuel Lutheran Church in Brandon, WI built a church. Out of Legos. 12,000 of them, to be (more or less) exact.

Continue reading "Do What You Can With What You Got" »

Jim's Wallis' book God's Politics hit the best seller list a few years ago. Last night he made his second appearance on The Daily Show. His positions on various, especially justice & human rights, issues often come off sounding mealy-mouthed, like he's afraid of the conservative somebodies just off stage. That's too bad because he's got enough goodwill stored up out there - and enough media attention - to be able to really help move us forward. Poverty is his pet project and, although it is important, it is not the only thing wrong in the world; and the poor are not the only ones suffering. But Jim has done a lot to help crack the monolithic voice of the Religious Right in the public square and, for that, I'm very grateful. My hope is that the rest of us will figure out a way to leverage the opening he's created. After you watch the video of his interview with Jon Stewart (whose questions, by the way, are first rate) below, sit down and write a letter to your local newspaper. Or do something even more creative(!). Be a humble - but bold - voice for a new day in your community. Jon wouldn't have invited this guy to come talk with him if he didn't know: People out there are interested in hearing another kind of message coming out of the Christian community. That means they want to hear from you.

Muslims worldwide have had a lot of pretty negative press lately around their protests over cartoons and teddy bears. I think it's important to note that Christians are not exactly innocent when it comes to wacky overreactions.

ROME (Reuters) - An angry Italian priest has persuaded soft drinks company Red Bull to withdraw an advertisement setting its product in a nativity scene on the grounds it is disrespectful to Christianity. [Read the rest of the story here]

And, just for fun, watch the ad yourself below:

In the CNN-YouTube debate on November 28th, IAmTheScum13 (otherwise known as Tyler, from Memphis, Tennessee) asked this question directed at those GOP candidates who identify themselves as Christian conversatives: "I have just one question. The Death Penalty: What Would Jesus Do?" Mike Huckabee didn't even wait for debate moderator Anderson Cooper to direct the question to him; he just jumped right in, reassuring all those "values voters" out there that, as governor, he pulled the switch on "more people" than any governor had ever done. He did say that he cares a lot about what the Bible says. He is a minister, after all. But when pressed by Cooper to actually answer the question "what would Jesus do?", Huckabee got a good laugh from the audience (and his fellow candidates) when he said Jesus was too smart to run for president. Apparently he figures today's GOP would never actually nominate Jesus. Using Jesus to win the nomination is, of course, another matter.

Watch Huckabee answer the question below:

What a difference an ocean makes. On this side of the Atlantic, our presidential candidates get asked to quote their favorite Bible verse during a nationally televised debate, while in the UK everybody's in a tizzy because the new Prime Minister "did God" in a speech the other day. Note the unapologetic assumption on our part that our guys (and Hillary) are all good Christians.

I'm always startled to hear "Lutherans" mentioned in pop media because, other than one exciting assembly week every two years when we are caught talking about sex in public, we are such a relatively quiet bunch. But last week my friend, "Pastor Brad" (some of my best friends are pastors, you betcha!), posted a clip from the popular TV series Boston Legal on his blog. I have a hard time watching this series because William Shatner will always and forever be Captain Kirk to me. But in this clip his BL character comes out as a...Lutheran! And then proceeds to wrestle with some pretty serious questions like "What do I believe?" and "Who am I?"

Is our only sane option a completely secularized society? That may be the conclusion many people come to after watching "God's Warriors," a three part special airing on CNN beginning tonight that promises to examine "the intersection between religion and politics and the effects of Christianity, Islam and Judaism on politics, culture and public life." Here's a preview:

(If you're a subscriber, you're getting this a second time...except THIS time it's FINISHED! Sorry!)]

OK...

Looking for evidence that people really ARE interested in people with a religious point of view? Try this: Saving Grace. This new Fox TV show, starring Holly Hunter, tells the story of one of the most interesting women on the small screen today...and the ANGEL that won't stop bugging her. And I'm not talking about a "Touched by an Angel" kind of angel, either. This guy looks like he just climbed off a Harley. He is a "last chance" angel - the kind that shows up for death row inmates - and he's been sent to straighten Grace out. She's having an affair with a married man, pushes the limits on her cop job, drinks too much, and doesn't exactly think of life as holy.

I caught a whole episode tonight and I'm interested...

Be The Voice

Jim's Wallis' book God's Politics hit the best seller list a few years ago. Last night he made his second appearance on The Daily Show. His positions on various, especially justice & human rights, issues often come off sounding mealy-mouthed, like he's afraid of the conservative somebodies just off stage. That's too bad because he's got enough goodwill stored up out there - and enough media attention - to be able to really help move us forward. Poverty is his pet project and, although it is important, it is not the only thing wrong in the world; and the poor are not the only ones suffering. But Jim has done a lot to help crack the monolithic voice of the Religious Right in the public square and, for that, I'm very grateful. My hope is that the rest of us will figure out a way to leverage the opening he's created. After you watch the video of his interview with Jon Stewart (whose questions, by the way, are first rate) below, sit down and write a letter to your local newspaper. Or do something even more creative(!). Be a humble - but bold - voice for a new day in your community. Jon wouldn't have invited this guy to come talk with him if he didn't know: People out there are interested in hearing another kind of message coming out of the Christian community. That means they want to hear from you.

Italian Christians See Red Over Red Bull

Muslims worldwide have had a lot of pretty negative press lately around their protests over cartoons and teddy bears. I think it's important to note that Christians are not exactly innocent when it comes to wacky overreactions.

ROME (Reuters) - An angry Italian priest has persuaded soft drinks company Red Bull to withdraw an advertisement setting its product in a nativity scene on the grounds it is disrespectful to Christianity. [Read the rest of the story here]

And, just for fun, watch the ad yourself below:

Huckabee: GOP Wouldn't Nominate Jesus

In the CNN-YouTube debate on November 28th, IAmTheScum13 (otherwise known as Tyler, from Memphis, Tennessee) asked this question directed at those GOP candidates who identify themselves as Christian conversatives: "I have just one question. The Death Penalty: What Would Jesus Do?" Mike Huckabee didn't even wait for debate moderator Anderson Cooper to direct the question to him; he just jumped right in, reassuring all those "values voters" out there that, as governor, he pulled the switch on "more people" than any governor had ever done. He did say that he cares a lot about what the Bible says. He is a minister, after all. But when pressed by Cooper to actually answer the question "what would Jesus do?", Huckabee got a good laugh from the audience (and his fellow candidates) when he said Jesus was too smart to run for president. Apparently he figures today's GOP would never actually nominate Jesus. Using Jesus to win the nomination is, of course, another matter.

Watch Huckabee answer the question below:

Boxers, Briefs, and Bible Verses...Oh My!

What a difference an ocean makes. On this side of the Atlantic, our presidential candidates get asked to quote their favorite Bible verse during a nationally televised debate, while in the UK everybody's in a tizzy because the new Prime Minister "did God" in a speech the other day. Note the unapologetic assumption on our part that our guys (and Hillary) are all good Christians.

A Little Kick in the Pants from Captain Kirk: What DO We Believe, Anyway??

I'm always startled to hear "Lutherans" mentioned in pop media because, other than one exciting assembly week every two years when we are caught talking about sex in public, we are such a relatively quiet bunch. But last week my friend, "Pastor Brad" (some of my best friends are pastors, you betcha!), posted a clip from the popular TV series Boston Legal on his blog. I have a hard time watching this series because William Shatner will always and forever be Captain Kirk to me. But in this clip his BL character comes out as a...Lutheran! And then proceeds to wrestle with some pretty serious questions like "What do I believe?" and "Who am I?"

A Peaceful Answer To God's Warriors

Is our only sane option a completely secularized society? That may be the conclusion many people come to after watching "God's Warriors," a three part special airing on CNN beginning tonight that promises to examine "the intersection between religion and politics and the effects of Christianity, Islam and Judaism on politics, culture and public life." Here's a preview:

Saving Grace: A Real God

(If you're a subscriber, you're getting this a second time...except THIS time it's FINISHED! Sorry!)]

OK...

Looking for evidence that people really ARE interested in people with a religious point of view? Try this: Saving Grace. This new Fox TV show, starring Holly Hunter, tells the story of one of the most interesting women on the small screen today...and the ANGEL that won't stop bugging her. And I'm not talking about a "Touched by an Angel" kind of angel, either. This guy looks like he just climbed off a Harley. He is a "last chance" angel - the kind that shows up for death row inmates - and he's been sent to straighten Grace out. She's having an affair with a married man, pushes the limits on her cop job, drinks too much, and doesn't exactly think of life as holy.

I caught a whole episode tonight and I'm interested...