Friday, 26 June 2009

• Novel Concept

  
  
  Hello there, my faithfuls! I hope you're enjoying your summer so far. It's gonna be a hot one- but I doubt it has anything whatsoever to do with Global Warming.
  
  Hubby and I celebrated our 3rd anniversary the other yesterday with lunch and a movie. We've been waiting for the opening of Transformers 2. It's got a great plot and the effects are cool, a little on the dirty side regarding language and sexual suggestiveness, not to mention its theology is a bit off. Definately a refreshingly pro-military movie with a bit of a nip at Obama's yellow-bellied tendencies: best line in the movie, "President Obama has been moved to an undisclosed bunker..." (Note: it's not said directly by a character- just overheard from a tv). Now what's so hilariously sad is it's probably true about his reactions regarding North Korea. Did anyone else hear about that lovely ominious threat yesterday???
  
  Let's see, what else is worth mentioning...?
  
  Oh yes! My lightbulb moment of the day. So I'm doing catch-up work from last semester, right? And my assignment at present requires I visit 5 apologetic sites and give my reviews. So I go to CARM.org and visit their Christian Issues page. There was an article on Christians and Homosexuality and seeing as it's a hot issue I opened it. As I was reading through the arguments it dawned on me that homosexuals cannot legitimately claim they love each other. Know why? God is love. And that which is contrary to God and his nature cannot be simultaneously true to it. Law of contradiction always holds true to God's nature and His Word. God is love, therefore the justification of any sin is incompatible with true love. I haven't worked all the kinks out of it yet, but there are the bare bones of the concept.
  
  How about a little bit of a book report on what I've read so far (recall that draconian booklist I shared before summer?). I've completed "Liberty and Tyranny" and am simultaneously picking my way through "The Gospel and the Greeks" and "The Politically Incorrect Guide to Western Civilization." I recommend all three to any looking for a book to work through as you tan on the beach. First things first, there's a lot of blog worthy material to pick from "Liberty and Tyranny"- too much to go into here, but the most crucial thing is to understand the contrast between Conservatism and Statism- not only in modern terms but as our founders understood them. I hope to research and share with you on the Civil Society (the vision our founders had for America) and then the various ways in which Statism subverts and destroys it (with plenty of modern day events as fodder for demonstration). If you haven't gotten this book PLEASE do yourself a favor and buy it or check it out from your library. It's probably the most readable political book you'll ever pick up.
  "The Gospel and the Greeks" supplies a great defense of the inspiration of Scriptures. About every 100 years or so theological dogs return to their pseudotheological vomit and raise ridiculous claims such as the idea that the NT was borrowed from Greek philosophers such as Plato and the Stoics. Actually that's a total farse and Nash (the author) does a great job of laying out why theologically, ethically and philosophically the Greeks and the NT are worlds apart. Nash does a great job of making philosophical concepts digestable by the average joe so feel free to get yourself a copy.
  "The PIG to Western Civilization" is probably the most interesting to read- though it is more broad than deep in its approach. But it definately does a great job on demonstrating how the West has benefitted from the Greeks, Romans and Christianity and debunking liberal myths about western history. For one, all three were and are patriarchal societies and that is a strength, not a weakness (actually can you really even name a genuinely matriarchal society that is even worth mentioning??) for another, homosexuality wasn't a cause celebre for the Greeks or Romans- both societies frowned on it- the Greeks practiced it in the form of pedophilia, and it wasn't rampant until either civilizartion was falling apart- their days of zenith were conservative. Furthermore Shakespeare used his plays to argue against relativism and exalt Christ- the author discusses a few of them in the book in some detail such as the Duke of Venice. And- the Middle Ages were the Bright Ages, not the Dark Ages- intellectually speaking- laying the philosophical and theological foundation for scientific exploration- and witch hunts were more prevalent under the Renaissance and Enlightenment than they were the Middle Ages. Have I whet your appetite yet?
  
  Well, now I must be off to go pick up my kids. Tootles!
  

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