Archives For Culture
I am very disappointed in you, South Carolina.
— Frank Gantz (@fgantz) May 8, 2013
This was my tweet when I learned that South Carolina had elected Mark Sanford to Congress. Sanford is the former governor who resigned two years ago for disappearing into South America with his mistress. Not only was he guilty of infidelity but also of financial issues and of leaving the state without a chief executive. He confessed that he had “made a mistake.”
Till on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
– In Christ Alone by Keith Getty and Stuart Townsend
In my opinion, In Christ Alone is the best modern day hymn. It is rich in theological truth with a melodious tune. I listen to it often at home and become excited when I see that we are going to sing it together as a church during a worship service.
If you have not heard it, last year I posted a video of Kristyn Getty singing it during a worship service in San Diego. Listen carefully to the lyrics.
The quote at the beginning of this article is from the song. It is also the part of the song that caused a committee for a new Presbyterian hymnal to reject the inclusion of In Christ Alone.
Jackie Robinson’s faith was integral to his success. But you wouldn’t know it from watching ’42.’
via Jackie Robinson a man of faith by Eric Metaxas
Before you go to watch the newly released movie “42″ about the life of Jackie Robinson, you need to click on the link above to read this review. Eric Metaxas is the author of the review and one of Christianity’s bright minds.
Metaxas takes Hollywood to task for omitting the core of the story. That would be the faith of both Jackie Robinson and the man who signed him for the Brooklyn Dodgers, Branch Rickey.
I love how Metaxas employes baseball imagery to get his point across. He also places this omission of faith in the wider context of Hollywood and movie goers.
Why Dr. Kermit Gosnell’s Trial Should Be a Front-Page Story
The dead babies. The exploited women. The racism. The numerous governmental failures. It just is insanely newsworthy.
via Why Dr. Kermit Gosnell’s Trial Should Be a Front-Page Story – Conor Friedersdorf – The Atlantic.
Philadelphia Abortion Clinic
Perhaps you remember the continuous news cycles when Michael Vick was found to have mistreated and killed dogs. Recently we have been inundated with news of the antics of Justin Bieber while on a European tour. So why has it been left to independents and individuals to make known the story of the trial of Kermit Gosnell?
I do not know of a more horrific story than what took place for years in west Philadelphia at Gosnell’s clinic. Finally, The Atlantic and a few other mainstream media sources are starting to cover the story.
By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents,
because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.
(Hebrews 11:23 ESV)
Amram and Jochebed exercised a brave yet dangerous faith when Moses was born to them. The King or Pharaoh of Egypt had ordered the death by drowning in the Nile River of all Hebrew boys. They disobeyed. In fact, their hiding of the baby was an act of faith.
Faith is presented in the example of this Levite couple as the opposite of fear. Consider all of the factors for which fear would have seemed to be the normal response. Yet faith trumped all of these factors.
A growing body of research, including new studies by Berkeley’s Juliana Breines and Serena Chen, suggest that self-compassion, rather than self-esteem, may be the key to unlocking your true potential for greatness.
Now, I know that some of you are already skeptical about a term like “self-compassion.” But this is a scientific, data-driven argument — not feel-good pop psychology. So hang in there and keep an open mind.
Self-compassion is a willingness to look at your own mistakes and shortcomings with kindness and understanding — it’s embracing the fact that to err is indeed human. When you are self-compassionate in the face of difficulty, you neither judge yourself harshly, nor feel the need to defensively focus on all your awesome qualities to protect your ego. It’s not surprising that self-compassion leads, as many studies show, to higher levels of personal well-being, optimism and happiness, and to less anxiety and depression.
via To Succeed, Forget Self-Esteem – Heidi Grant Halvorson – Harvard Business Review.
This same article by Halvorson already pronounced the death of the self-esteem psychology. (See my comments here.) In the place of self-esteem, she is promoting self-compassion.
Count me as one of those who are are skeptical. How about a biblical view of self?
We are created in the image of God, but sin has distorted that image within us. Only by the gospel does God begin changing us more and more into a clearer image of God. This change will not be completed until we are glorified when Christ returns.
So our focus should not be on ourselves, but on Christ who redeems us.
Prior to the kickoff of the NFL playoff game between the Seattle Seahawks and Atlanta Falcons, Russell Wilson sang this song to prepare himself for the game. Wilson is the rookie quarterback for the Seahawks. I don’t know that I have cheered for Seattle since the days of Steve Largent, but I really like the way Wilson plays and carries himself.
The song is I’m Gonna Be Ready by Yolanda Adams.
As soon as the Baltimore Ravens defeated the Denver Broncos in the AFC playoffs on Saturday, social media blew up with Tim Tebow conversations. This meme was plastered all over the place.
Even Tebow’s brother, a Christian minister in Denver, got involved with this tweet,
Am I the only one in Denver who’s happy right now?
— Peter Tebow (@petertebow) January 13, 2013
