Archive for the ‘Culture’ Category
Friday, September 3rd, 2010
Here is another great lesson from Judges. This one from chapter 6 (the Call of Gideon). Here is the context. Israel, again, has forsaken God and He has given them over to the oppressor—this time the Midianites. The lesson from this passage is: “You are what God says you are.”
When the Angel of the Lord comes to Gideon. He greets Gideon, “”The LORD is with you, O mighty man of valor.” It is obvious, however, that Gideon is not. While the Angel is saying this, Gideon is threshing wheat in a wine press because he is scared of the Midianites who are controlling God’s people through their maniacal version of Midianite Food and Drug Administration which does not allow the Israelite to grind grain. He is hiding because he is scared. The Angel tells Gideon to tear down his father’s altar to Baal and the Asherah (Baal’s female counterpart) beside it. Gideon, “the mighty man of valor”, does this, but he does it at night because…well…he is scared. Later, Gideon requires two (not one) signs from the fleece to get his act in motion. When Gideon is called, he is obviously not what the Angel says he is, but he becomes (in just a chapter) exactly what the Angel calls him. He defeats the Midianites host with 300 men. He becomes a Mighty Man of Valor. (more…)
Tags: Bible
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Wednesday, August 18th, 2010
In the first part of this blog post—See The “Jesus” Problem, Part 1—I chronicled how “Jesus” ends up being a stumbling block for the business community. They give (many times not willingly) to all sorts of causes because of a sort of blackmail played most recently by the homosexual left against Target.
I also want to do a quick post here on the governmental side of the money equation. During this last week President Obama got Congress to pass a law touted as the Save Our Teachers Bill. This bill authorized the spending of $26,000,000,000 (it is fun to write the numbers out) a portion of which was used to “save the jobs” of 160,000 public school teachers. All of this sounds a little suspect sitting here in Pennsylvania where Governor Rendell (you can watch him on Eagle’s Postgame Live soon) has increased public education spending by close to $500 million over the last two year (when everyone else was cutting back). I have not examined the bill closely. I am quite dubious about its necessity, but whether it is necessary or not is has no bearing on the following argument. (more…)
Tags: Classical Education
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Tuesday, August 17th, 2010
Recently, I have hit upon a frightening truth. Jesus is getting in the way at Veritas Academy. No, we are not looking to kick Him out. In fact, we would like more of Him, but still He is in the way. Let me explain. Schools like Veritas Academy run like any other school. We buy books, pay teachers and rent, and buy sundry items (everything from computers to tissue paper). Most all of these things cost money. The school’s money comes from tuition and donations. We work hard for the money and people that pay tuition work hard to pay it to send their kids to Veritas. Also, we respectfully ask supporters to give to our school. Many do, and we are thankful for their support. We ask parents and grandparents and friends and alumni. We also ask businesses to support projects that we have. Many small businesses usually give. We also talk to larger businesses, however. On a number of occasions we have been able to make contacts at large businesses and as we discuss our school with them, they are fascinated. Often we talk with these businesses because they have grants that they offer or money that they can give to the school through our Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program. This wonderful program allows businesses to give money to scholarship needy students at schools like Veritas. On a number of occasions we have had someone at a larger business in a decision making capacity decide that they would like to support our work or our students. (more…)
Tags: Classical Education
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Thursday, July 29th, 2010
A while back Ben Long, a Veritas Alum and submarine officer, recently sent me this New York Times article concerning the value of working with our hands by Matthew Crawford. It is a really fine article. Here is the link:
The Case for Working with Your Hands
Articles like this have caused me to shift a little of my philosophy and to think more deeply about how a classical Christian education can and should affirm creation, the body, and the value of art and practical skills. It is really wonderful to live in Lancaster County. So much good work—work that is both artful (at it best) and useful—is done every day.
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Wednesday, July 7th, 2010
Emily and I watched Avatar last night. We both enjoyed it. This morning, however, my dissection of the movie began and my disappointment is increasing. Most—at least if I take into account ticket receipts—have already seen it, so I will not worry about ruining the plot. The story takes us to Pandora which is a planet almost exactly like a pristine forest in our world—only cooler. The trees light up when you step on them, seed display spiritual understanding, and you can “mind-meld” with animals. The computer graphics are astounding (more on this later). There are two groups of rational beings on Pandora: the Natives (who are pantheistic, highly athletic, very moral, eco-friendly, sexually liberated, exceptionally egalitarian, recapitulations American Indians—before Europeans wrecked North America) and the Invaders (mostly white, intensely oppressive, deceitful, crassly unfeeling capitalists polluters). Quickly, we see that there is a third group forming—a middle group—made up of mediators. These humans take on the form of the Natives and infiltrate their society. They are scientists which in this case means that they are almost exact approximations of left-leaning modern, eco-friendly, political liberals—all except one. Our hero is a marine who through no fault of his own is thrust into the body of an Avatar and eventually finds that he likes the Natives instead of the invaders. He falls in love with the Princess, learns to ride cool animals, and eventually leads the Natives in their intifada against the Invaders. He ultimately “goes native.” It is a good story, but the political philosophy was dumped onto the story ham-handedly. (It made me remember why I wanted the Titanic to sink quickly during his last blockbuster.) Here are some areas that need to be considered: (more…)
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Tuesday, June 15th, 2010
I have fallen in love with Florence. At first it was a tentative love on my part—they wronged Dante and they act now like he is their favorite son. LIARS! They also have not done a lot of work on plumbing—when “press the button many times” is an instruction superior to sending a handyman, you start to wonder about everyone’s sanity. Still, Florence is incredible. We have been to churches of incredible beauty. Yesterday we were at San Lorenzo. The speaker that dedicated the church on its kickoff Sunday was…guesses…St. Ambrose in AD 390—fresh off of his conversions of that ne’er-do-well, troublemaker Augustine. History really comes to life here. Although there is a darker side, the population is almost completely unchurched now. The feel here is cool, sheik, but empty. They are surrounded by thunderous truth and beauty, but they have abandoned it. Watching Florentines strut around is sort of fun. I think that cool was invented here. Capitalism was invented here as well (the one produced the fuel for the other). The cloth merchants were the driving forces in building the cathedrals. If you intend to buy clothing in Florence, it will look great and you will quickly be poor (not as bad as some parts of NY, however). (more…)
Tags: Italy
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Tuesday, June 15th, 2010
As I write this email, I am on a train hurtling down the track headed to Florence. I am making the trek that The Poet Dante always longed to make. He longed for Florence to call him back, to renounce its trumped up charges against him, and to recognize him as its son. Dante never made the trip. He died in exile always longing for Florence…never going home. Tonight, our hotel will be about 300 meters from the Baptistery of St. John the Baptist (who is the patron saint of Florence—or the second patron after Florentine Christians dumped the god Mars for the fiery forerunner of Christ). That building was Dante’s final aim. Florentines took their great poets to the Baptistery of St. John the Baptist (Florentines maintain that the Baptistery was built on the foundation of the ancient temple of Mars) and there crowned them with a simple laurel wreath. They were recognizing that the Holy Spirit who is symbolically given in baptism was working through and in the poet that they crowned. Dante is often pictured wearing the laurel crown. He never received it, however. He died far from home, rejected by his community, longing for their recognition, and never receiving it. They, now, of course, embrace him fully. They crown him daily. Too late say I. (more…)
Tags: Italy
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Thursday, February 25th, 2010
As a reminder: This is part 2 of a series based on my recent illness ramblings. Start with #1 for the context.
Note #2: The Sides of the Divide in our Culture are “Amping” up the Volume
The divide caused by the centrifugal forces ripping our post-culture apart (see part 1) are rushing apart and are shouting at each as they fly apart. This can be seen in all parts of life, but it is easiest to see in the contrast between the politics of Fox News and MSNBC. (more…)
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Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010
Recently, I have been really sick and have not been able to do too much—well, really I have been able to do almost nothing. So, I have basically spent time sleeping, listening to my mp3 player (Tolstoy is awesome), and watching TV. I really feel like I have been living in a cave.
From this I have seen a lot of trouble coming down the pipe. I am going to give you a few notes in the next few blog posts concerning my experiences in the cave and why you should be worried—very worried—I’m afraid.
(more…)
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