Monday, March 24, 2008

A conservative blog for peace

A conservative blog for peace: "Can we be as precise as to say [the Crucifixion happened at] 3pm, the Jewish “ninth hour”? Four years ago, a pair of astronomers claimed to have scientifically verified this. Their computer programme looking at star activity between 26AD and 35AD found the first full moon after the vernal equinox was registered on Friday 7 April AD 30 and Friday 3 April at 3pm on 33AD. The solar eclipse, described in the Bible, was only visible in Jerusalem on the latter date."

Sunday, March 23, 2008

Friday, March 21, 2008

Celtic Spirituality: Just what does it mean? [Thinking Faith - the online journal of the British Jesuits]

Celtic Spirituality: Just what does it mean? [Thinking Faith - the online journal of the British Jesuits]: "Ireland celebrates the Feast of St Patrick tomorrow (early, as it cannot be celebrated in Holy Week). But what would St Patrick - arguably the most famous Celtic saint - make of the practices and beliefs called 'Celtic Spirituality' today? Liam Tracey OSM examines whether the Celtic church was really anything like the romantic picture often painted of it."

Saturday, March 15, 2008

March 19 Iraq War Blogswarm: Participate / Learn More About the Blogswarm Against the Iraq War

March 19 Iraq War Blogswarm: Participate / Learn More About the Blogswarm Against the Iraq War: "This blogswarm will promote blog postings opposing the war in Iraq and calling for a full withdrawal of foreign occupying forces in Iraq. Five years of an illegal and catastrophic war is five years too many. On the March 19 anniversary of the conquest of Iraq by the Bush Administration, there needs to be a loud volume of voices countering the pro-war propaganda from far too many politicians and corporate media outlets."

Dion's random ramblings

Dion's random ramblings: "Today, however, I want to recommend a tool for students and scholars of the Bible that will help to deepen and enliven the content of your presentations or sermons. The tool is called 'The resurgence Greek project'. It is one of the very best free Biblical Greek resources available on the internet!"

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Consortiumnews.com

Consortiumnews.com: "The Army officer in charge of the interrogation/torture operation at Abu Ghraib in late 2003 is being court-martialed. My first thought was: Finally an officer is being held accountable. In view of the repeated rebuff to my own attempts to stop the torture and identify those responsible, however, you will perhaps excuse my skepticism that justice will be done."

Wednesday, March 05, 2008

Hippie Christian: Should We Go Back To The Communes?

Hippie Christian: Should We Go Back To The Communes?: "I am not suggesting that we all live in a 60's style commune to be closer to the early faith communities. I'm talking about developing a stronger community that looks beyond the 'church' building, one that embraces the concept of a family of believers called out from a life of sin and joined together with a common purpose of building each other up and spreading the Gospel."

MaestroTimothy.com � Blog Archive � If it’s hip and trendy, they’re not interested

MaestroTimothy.com � Blog Archive � If it’s hip and trendy, they’re not interested: "Just what is hip has become nebulous in a digital age of microtrends, when a cultural blip goes from underground to overexposed in one season. Likewise, the original concept of hip as something outside the purview of the mainstream has been replaced by the hipstream: mainstream cool packaged by corporate marketing departments.

The inevitable backlash — not against the bohemian veritas but the sycophantic consumer of cool — is well underway."

The Ochlophobist: catharsis, sex, an aside concerning von Balthasar, the trivial nature of drama, the song of songs, usual ochlophobic topics, part V.

The Ochlophobist: catharsis, sex, an aside concerning von Balthasar, the trivial nature of drama, the song of songs, usual ochlophobic topics, part V.: "We live in the age of 'lifestyle centers.' Wiki says of these: 'A lifestyle center is a shopping center or mixed-used commercial development that combines the traditional retail functions of a shopping mall but with leisure amenities oriented towards upscale consumers.' The designation stems from developers located in Memphis, which might seem odd, but most certainly is not. There are also 'lifestyle coaches' and 'lifestyle managers' for the so inclined bourgeoisie.

We should note this combination of the words style and life. What is meant by style?"

Some Children Left Behind: The Revolution Will Be Televised (and Advertised)

Some Children Left Behind: The Revolution Will Be Televised (and Advertised): "It's interesting how the mainstream staples of society have begun to extinguish themselves. Oil companies are claiming to go Green. That's believable because I know that gasoline can never hurt the environment. It's not like it inherently will destroy the Ozone Layer or anything like that. Major car companies argue that it's very important for people to buy hip and cool cars from them BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT MAINSTREAM. It's officialy cool to be anti-societal and everybody ought to be a non-conformist in this Awesome Rebellion."

Philosophers' Playground: What is the difference between hip and cool?

Philosophers' Playground: What is the difference between hip and cool?: "An interesting conversation today that tried to distinguish between being hip and being cool. One could be utterly unhip, but a very cool person. To be hip, it was argued, requires being hip to something, it means being on the cutting edge, being more current than current. Being cool on the other hand, is something else. But what else? Is it an attitude? a disposition? an image?"

bits and bobbins � archives � deep questions: hip, cool freaks and geeks

bits and bobbins � archives � deep questions: hip, cool freaks and geeks: "when it comes to fashion/style, what is “hip?” what is “cool”?

does it even matter? is it important?

is to be a hipster the goal?

what’s a hipster anyway?

do hipsters create or follow?

is it easier to follow than to lead?

is it better to be hip, of the moment, or better to be oneself, whether that is “hip” or not?

is being oneself more acceptable these days? is freakishness and geekishness celebrated or scorned?"

Tuesday, March 04, 2008

TMcG: We are not so seperate after all..

TMcG: We are not so seperate after all..: "Just read a blog post by the Urban Monk on how he disagrees with the 'trend' of post-boomer Buddhists making Buddhism more palatable for the 'raised on' MTV/McDonald's/New Coke vs Old Coke brand of Buddhists."

Beside the Point: Christian Communes Are Back

Beside the Point: Christian Communes Are Back: "Having graduated high school in 1972, I was old enough to enjoy the long-distance fruit of the Jesus People Movement (including being a regular reader of the 'underground' Jesus People magazine), but I was just a bit too young to have a chance to experience any of the Christian communes that sprung up (although I met one member of one in Florida, who told me why it didn't work for him and others)."

Madisha and the Decline of the Left � The Shrieking Man

Madisha and the Decline of the Left � The Shrieking Man: "The removal of Willie Madisha, head of the SA Democratic Teachers’ Union, from his leadership position in the Congress of South African Trade Unions is extremely interesting. To understand it, however, a lot of context, as usual, is needed.

Back in 2006 the Treasurer-General of the SA Communist Party, Phillip Dexter, was called in to investigate corruption and mismanagement at the Mpumalanga Development Corporation. This might seem a little odd; why call in a Commie to handle such things? Because Dexter headed a Cape consultancy which claimed to be good at that sort of thing. This is because Dexter comes out of a trade union background, and the trade unions were the first organisations to latch on to corporate investment by political entities."

Monday, March 03, 2008

The Moon By Night

The Moon By Night: "I just started reading a fascinating new book called Planet Narnia. The author, Michael Ward, argues that the main organizing principle behind C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia is in fact the seven medieval planets--the 'seven heavens' of medieval cosmology. The book was actually sitting in my husband's office at--I went in for some trifle, idly picked it up, became engrossed, and just sat there reading it."