Save G'itmo

Date June 20, 2005 Posted by Roger Overton

Sadly, Gitmo died many years ago. He was a shaggy dog that
we got as a puppy when I was an infant. Gitmo’s beyond saving, but I’m hoping
Guantanamo Bay isn’t beyond saving.

I’m sure we’ve all heard plenty of horrible things said
about the place. It was recently compared to Gulags. There was a fallacious
Newsweek article about the Koran being desecrated that resulted the deaths of
some protestors. The problem is the most accusations made of the prison camp
are demonstrably false. Still, our friendly mainstream media loves to throw all
this nonsense at us.

Some
will call what has happened in G’itmo torture or abuse.
We should be clear, though, no matter what language we use of the
activities-
NOTHING HAS HAPPENED IN G’ITMO THAT IS WORSE THAN WHAT HAPPENS IN
REGULAR U.S.
PRISONS. Any call for closing G’itmo would, in order to be consistent,
also
demand the closing of most regular prisons. The only difference I can
see is
that world opinion doesn’t care about regular U.S. prisons; they only
care about
the deadly terrorists who want to kill Americans. Of course, if we
followed
world opinion we’d all be dead and it’d be a mute issue. Those of you
who'd like it closed: Where else are we to put the terrorists? Maybe
there's a guest room in your house you'd like to provide?

So, I’m for saving G’itmo. I might order an “I [love]
Gitmo” bumper sticker, but that may be more dangerous than having a Bush bumper
sticker. It’s too bad I don’t have more money or else I could go to Club
G’itmo. Maybe I’ll just get a T-Shirt: “I Got My Free Koran and Prayer Rug at
G'itmo.”

Category Posted in Main Page, Politics, Roger's Posts Comments 1 Comment »

The Phantom Links

Date June 20, 2005 Posted by Roger Overton

My link post titles will from now on be themed to movies. If you figure out what the movie is, pat yourself on the back.

Angus Nicolson has been putting together the Christian Scholars Blog, with links to theologians who put free material online. (HT: SmartChristian)

Francis Beckwith has started posting to a third blog, this one's the Atheocracy Blog. Maybe if we send him enough hits he'll update more often.

I've been updating and redesigning the website for Ambassadors for Christ.
It use to primarily be the site for the apologetics ministry I ran at
my church, but since I left it's becoming more of just another
apologetics website. I welcome thoughts, suggestions, and insults
regarding the site.

Steve Cowan has been blogging some interesting posts on Divine Sovereignty and Free Will. (HT: Jason Dollar)

If you need some good music to pass the time, go check out Tyrone Wells. He use to be the lead singer of Skypark. “No Good Without You” is quite good. Molly Jenson has posted a couple more songs that are great, as usual.

Category Posted in Main Page, Miscellaneous, Roger's Posts Comments No Comments »

An Alternative Review of Batman Begins

Date June 18, 2005 Posted by Amy Hall

I'm going to have to disagree with Roger on this one.  I hate to say it, but I have to give this movie a 6 overall–it's a 6 trying very hard to be a 7, but not quite making it.  I've been trying to pin down exactly why I thought Batman Begins was just mediocre–maybe my expectations were too high.  I thought it was a bit preachy and political, and I just couldn't connect with Bruce Wayne.  I think it was because Bruce seemed to be lacking a core.  There wasn't really a sense that he was trying to serve something bigger than himself.  Of course, at first he wasn't, but even when he found a purpose, there still wasn't a sense that Batman's ideas of right and wrong were actually rooted in anything.  Maybe this is because Batman's actions were taken more out of personal desire than from a sense of duty to the good, maybe it was the fault of the filmmakers, or maybe it was just the secular European influence (this last part didn't occur to me until later, but this actually makes sense).

 

The movie still had some good moments, and I did think there were a few great ideas–especially the one Roger referred to in his review, although I have a slightly different take on it (I also liked the question, “Why do we fall?”); but I didn't think all the ideas of this movie fit together well–the voice was unclear, creating a disjointed, confused undercurrent.  And I found the movie, as a whole, somewhat soulless–empty, because there wasn't a sense they were serving something higher and greater than themselves.  Spidey is still number one.

 

Go ahead and see this movie–just check your expectations, and know what you're getting:  action, action, kung-fu action, action, stilted dialogue, disjointed ideas (some great), and Christian Bale in a Batman suit.  If any of these things appeal to you (and I won't judge you if they do), then head for a matinee showing.

Category Posted in Amy's Posts, Culture, Main Page, Movie Reviews Comments 8 Comments »

Movie Review: Batman Begins

Date June 18, 2005 Posted by Roger Overton

Who’s
afraid of the big black bat? Evil. That’s the idea anyway. Batman
Begins chronicles the rise of one of America’s favorites comic book
heroes. Whatever you wanted to know about Batman, played by Christian
Bale, you will likely find out. But the back-story is only a third of
the film. The rest in played out in a run-down Gotham falling victim to
poverty and crime where only a few good people believe it can be saved.

The
movie has no shortage of stars. Bale is backed by Katie Holmes who
plays his child-hood friend turned love interest, Michael Caine who
plays beloved Alfred, Liam Neeson plays his mentor, and Morgan Freeman
plays his scientist. The only performance I thought could have been
better was Katie Holmes, but she did okay. Neeson was spectacular as
always. Bale, who also stared in one of my all time favorites- Swing
Kids, was phenomenal. I had my doubts going in about how he would do,
but he exceeded all my expectations.

The
entire film exceeded my expectations. Thank goodness Clooney as Batman
is gone. Bale is the real Batman, the jewel set in this masterpiece.
The plot was almost predictable, but still strong. There were a number
of super hero clichés broken, which is nice to see.

Batman
is the one super hero who people can usually relate to. He wasn’t
bitten by a spider, descended from another planet, or burned by cosmic
rays. He was bitten by tragedy, descended from good normal parents, and
burned by the evil in the world. He’s one of us. He’s who we wish we
could be. This movie brings that man to life. It emphasizes the
necessary theme of good verses evil and shows us how thin the line
between the two can be. And it reminds us that who we are “underneath”
is known by what we do. “Faith without works is dead.” Batman Begins is
easily one of the best films of 2005.

No
language or sex issues, but it does have a dark edge to it that deems
it inappropriate for small children. Highest recommendations for
everyone else.

Category Posted in Main Page, Movie Reviews, Roger's Posts Comments 10 Comments »

What Fathers Do Best

Date June 17, 2005 Posted by Roger Overton

“What Fathers Do Best, Hint: Not the same things as Mothers” is an article in the most recent Weekly Standard by Steven E. Rhoads, author of Taking Sex Differences Seriously.

Dr. Rhoads notes the increasing influx of “Mr. Moms” into the national media’s eye. Men who do many of the things that women use to do (like cooking, cleaning, shopping, etc.) feel excluded and sometimes anger toward advertisers who play to the more traditional motherly roles. One example he offers is for peanut butter, “Choosy Moms Choose Jif.”

However, “In the real world, “ he says, “there are still 58 moms staying home with minor children for every dad who does so. This is not just an accidental social arrangement, to be overcome once the media have sufficiently raised our consciousness about the joys of stay-at-home fatherhood. Mothers are loaded with estrogen and oxytocin, which draw them to young children and help induce them to tend to infants. And babies themselves make it clear that they prefer their mothers. Even in families where fathers have taken a four-month-long paid parental leave to tend to their newborns, the fathers report that the babies prefer to be comforted by their mothers.”

Dr. Rhoads goes on to cite other differences between the effects of mothers and fathers on their children. This flies in the face of what many liberals believe; that there are no essential differences between men and women aside from sexual organs. The truth of the matter is that only fathers can provide certain things for their children and only mothers can provide certain other things.

I’ll borrow an example from Dr. Rhoads’ article. “Testosterone inhibits nurturing. In both men and women high levels of testosterone are associated with less interest in babies. Low levels of testosterone are associated with a stronger than average interest in nurturing.” Simple scientific evidence that women are better suited, and since I believe we were created this way- better designed, for nurturing than men. Sure, there may be some men who do nurturing (to some degree) just fine, but these are really exceptions to the general principle.

The distortion of the sexes is one way the devil has attempted to undermine God’s plans for His creation. In creating us male and female, God decreed that there would be differences among us. And not just for the sake of there being differences, but He did so purposefully. For more on this see Part I and Part II of my series on Feminism (if you wish to comment on them please comment here as I don’t check those).

When it comes to my hopes for starting a family, I don’t put much weight in becoming a parent. Maybe I’m being picking about words, but I think parents are generally overrated. Rather, I want to become a Godly father. What we really need are men who seek to become fathers to God’s glory and women who seek to be mothers to God’s glory.

Category Posted in Culture, Gender Issues, Main Page, Miscellaneous, Roger's Posts, Theology Comments No Comments »

Praying realistically

Date June 15, 2005 Posted by Roger Overton

When searching for different ways to pray for our country, I sometimes find the Presidential Prayer Team helpful (for example, I was pleasantly surprised by Max Lucado's prayer for the nation
on the national day of prayer). Occasionally, however, I also find it
to be hopelessly vague. For example, this week's edition contains the
following request:

Pray for wisdom on the part of the members of Congress
… asking God to lead
them into all wisdom, bringing the outcome that will honor Him.

Now, perhaps you prayer warriors out there can pray this prayer in good
faith. I, unfortunately, cannot. I just can't pray, for example, that
God will lead Ted Kennedy (there are probably better examples) into all
wisdom, because surely God's guidance is not available to those who
don't seek it (although apparently Kennedy has sought guidance from Jim Wallis on how to talk about values). Wouldn't it be better to pray
specifically for one of the evangelicals in Congress, or perhaps for a
certain legislative outcome regardless of how it may come about?

A minor point, but I think it's important to pray for those things
which are at least within the realm of conceivability (recognizing, of
course, that prayers are also an opportunity to expand and strengthen
our faith).

Category Posted in Main Page, Religion (General), Theology Comments 5 Comments »

Help Us Help You

Date June 14, 2005 Posted by Amy Hall

For those of you registered to comment here, we want to let you know it's possible to display links to your webpage and/or your e-mail address with your comments.  I've heard from a couple of readers that they're disappointed they can't click through to your pages and read more of what you have to say.  So help us get to know you and increase traffic to your site.  Everybody wins!

 

All you have to do is go to blogware.com, sign in with the username and password you chose when you registered, and then change your “Display Status” settings.  When you change them from “Private” to “Public,” we'll be able to click on your name and then send you an e-mail, check out your webpage, or both–depending on what you want to make public.

 

For those of you who haven't yet registered to comment, I encourage you to do so (go to “Create Reader Account” at the bottom of the left-hand column)–we'd love to hear from you!

Category Posted in Amy's Posts, Main Page, Miscellaneous Comments 1 Comment »

Want to Hear God's Voice?

Date June 14, 2005 Posted by Amy Hall

Alistair Begg is currently doing an inspiring, moving, motivating series on the Bible, “the safest and only sure way to hear God’s voice.”  Reading the Bible is thrilling, fulfilling, awe-inspiring, and intellectually satisfying–why do we so often take it for granted?  God's voice is beautiful!

 

Five parts of the series are online already, and you can listen for free, download an MP3, or order a CD here (see “Why Bother With the Bible” in “Most Recent Messages”).  I admire this man and his passion and love for God!

Category Posted in Amy's Posts, Main Page, Theology Comments 3 Comments »

Can I Get a Witness? Part II

Date June 13, 2005 Posted by Roger Overton

A lot of people are taken aback by Rob Sivulka’s method of evangelism. Most of the time Rob is holding up signs and aggressively engaging people in conversation. Sometimes he resorts to shouting at the top of his lungs. As I noted earlier, this approach is usually labeled “Confrontational Evangelism” (hereafter CE). Critics of this approach usually advocate more of a relational style of evangelism referred to as “Friendship Evangelism” (hereafter FE) or “Relational Evangelism.”

Rob’s one of the few people I know who practice CE so boldy. The only other person I can think of the moment who would witness this way is Ray Comfort. Having co-labored with both of these brothers I can say that these guys always get someone fired up. Ray actually uses a soapbox to stand on (not because he’s short), but he doesn’t carry a sign like “Josephlied.com” as Rob does.

CE tends to draw out the scoffers. If you want perfect strangers to get angry with you, go out in a busy public place and tell people their religious beliefs are wrong. When I accompanied Rob last summer with one of his signs a boy, maybe 9 years old, approached me and asked why I hate Mormons. I was stunned and explained to the boy that it was quite the opposite- I was there because I love Mormons. In our culture, though, we are so “tolerant” that to tell someone they’re wrong is considered hate. Canada has placed a few pastors in prison for simply saying that homosexuality is a sin; the same thing the Bible says.

However, if we hold dear the truth of the Gospel, we must be completely uncompromising to the culture. If, as the Bible makes clear, those who aren’t atoned by Christ’s blood are doomed for eternal punishment, we should have no reservations about proclaiming the good news boldly. Even an atheist figured this much out…

“If you believed one bit that thousands every day were falling into an eternal and unchangeable fate, you should be running the streets mad with rage at their blindness. That's equivalent to standing on a street corner and watching every person that passes you walk blindly directly into the path of a bus and die, yet you stand idly by and do nothing. You're just twiddling your thumbs, happy in the knowledge that one day that 'walk' signal will shine your way across the road. Think about it. Imagine the horrors Hell must have in store if the Bible is true. You're just going to allow that to happen and not care about saving anyone but yourself? If you're right then you're an uncaring, unemotional and purely selfish (expletive) that has no right to talk about subjects such as love and caring.”

The truth of the Gospel requires us to be confrontational, though, not offensive. As Greg Koukl says, “the Gospel is offensive enough all by itself. Don't add any more offense to it. But we should not take out the offense that is inherent to the Gospel, either.” There is an offense inherent to Gospel and if we take away the offense it becomes an impotent fairy tale.

Even in FE we must be confrontational at some point, or it no longer can really be considered evangelism. Both forms are legitimate methods for proclaiming the Gospel, and some people are better at one more than the other. But we must recognize that God uses the Gospel whenever it is faithfully preached and encourage those who preach it so, even if they use a method contrary to our preference.

Category Posted in Apologetics, Culture, Main Page, Roger's Posts Comments No Comments »

A Quake! A Quake!

Date June 12, 2005 Posted by Roger Overton

Some of the few things I’ve found to love about Southern
California are earthquakes. That’s right, I love earthquakes. There are very
few things that will make me happy when I get up the morning (I’m usually
grouchy); earthquakes always do the trick.

Back in the days before Al Gore invented the Internet I
would flip on AM 1070 immediately to listen for the magnitude and the calls
from people who all described the quake differently. This morning was a soft
roller, about 10 seconds long. That means it’s moderately large and a ways
away. Within a minute I had a map and all the information I could want about
the quake at my fingertips. Thank you USGS. The local news tends to have fun
with this stuff. They put up a graphic on a giant crevice near L.A. with “5.6”
in huge letters next to it. Oh no! We’re falling into the ocean! Of coarse all
that happened was some pictures fell, but that just wouldn’t be news worthy.

So today will be a good day. I’m putting my money on
the Sox actually winning one of their games against Cubs.

Category Posted in Main Page, Miscellaneous, Roger's Posts Comments 4 Comments »

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