Quote from BBC news:
An American teenager is on his way back to Florida after secretly travelling to Iraq to research a journalism project. Farris Hassan, 16, did not tell his parents - who are both Iraqi - anything about his trip before leaving. ...
"I know I can't do much. I know I can't stop all the carnage and save the innocent. But I also know I can't just sit here," he wrote.
"Going to Iraq will broaden my mind. We kids at Pine Crest live such sheltered lives. I want to experience during my Christmas the same hardships ordinary Iraqis experience everyday, so that I may better empathize with their distress."
"If I know what is needed and what is right, but do not act on my moral conscience, I would be a hypocrite. I must do what I say decent individuals should do. I want to live my days so that my nights are not full of regrets. Therefore, I must go," he concluded.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/middle_east/4569712.stm
Published: 2005/12/30 16:08:49 GMT
Quote from the Philadelphia Inquirer, Friday, Dec. 30, 2005:
"There is a struggle in Iraq between good and evil, between those striving for freedom and liberty and those striving for death and destruction," [Farris Hassan] wrote.
"Those terrorists are not human but pure evil. For their goals to be thwarted, decent individuals must answer justice's call for help. Unfortunately altruism is always in short supply. Not enough are willing to set aside the material ambitions of this transient world, put morality first, and risk their lives for the cause of humanity. So I will."
http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/news/nation/13511872.htm
Friday, December 30, 2005
Doggedly Blundering toward Heaven
on the humanity of the saints:
"They lost their tempers, got hungry, scolded God, were egotistical or testy or impatient in their turns, made mistakes and regretted them. Still they went on doggedly blundering toward Heaven. And they won sanctity partly by willing to be saints, not only because they encountered no temptation to be less."
Saint-Watching, Phyllis McGinley
"They lost their tempers, got hungry, scolded God, were egotistical or testy or impatient in their turns, made mistakes and regretted them. Still they went on doggedly blundering toward Heaven. And they won sanctity partly by willing to be saints, not only because they encountered no temptation to be less."
Saint-Watching, Phyllis McGinley
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
Five Christian Movie Review Sites
New York Times, December 26, 2005
New Cultural Approach for Conservative Christians: Reviews,
Not Protests
By JOHN LELAND
Christian groups used to ignore movies like " Brokeback Mountain." Recently, they have been more willing to examine popular culture critically.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/26/movies/26crit.html?th&emc=th
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Christian Movie Review Sites quoted in the above New York Times article:
pluggedinonline.com
Focus on the Family Web site pluggedinonline.com , which started reviewing movies in 1990, gets 800,000 monthly visitors to pluggedinonline, and 50,000 see the magazine in print, a spokeswoman said.
Christianitytodaymovies.com
The mainstream evangelical magazine Christianity Today last year started Christianitytodaymovies.com and the site gets 125,000 visitors a month.
HollywoodJesus.com
HollywoodJesus " HollywoodJesus.com" gets one million visitors a month, said its founder, David Bruce, a former Protestant minister who has also worked in television and publishing.
decentfilms.com
Decent Films Guide ( decentfilms.com ) an independent Roman Catholic site
movieguide.org
The more conservative MovieGuide, which runs on syndicated television, radio and online at movieguide.org, is a Web site dedicated to "redeeming the values of the mass media according to biblical principles."
Reviewer Mr. Snyder, who has a doctorate in film studies from Northwestern University, says "Hollywood projects a leftist homosexual agenda, which goes along with radical feminism, and a misunderstanding of what Christianity teaches."
Seminary quoted: Fuller Theological Seminary, an evangelical institution, in Pasadena, Calif.
Strategy:
quote: So far the religious reaction to "Brokeback Mountain" has been limited to the review pages. … This too represents a growing sophistication in the way conservative Christian groups engage the popular culture, said Stuart Shepard, managing editor of Focus on the Family's daily e-mail news updates, which go out to 115,000 subscribers. "We're not going to go out and protest it because it would probably play into the marketing plans of the producers," he said. "They'd say, the Christian right is opposed to this movie, so you really, really, really want to see it."
"We learned from 'Last Temptation of Christ' that if it wasn't for the protest, the film wouldn't be remembered today," Mr. Shepard said. "Our expectation is 'Brokeback Mountain' won't do as well in the heartland, but protest would bump that up."
New Cultural Approach for Conservative Christians: Reviews,
Not Protests
By JOHN LELAND
Christian groups used to ignore movies like " Brokeback Mountain." Recently, they have been more willing to examine popular culture critically.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/26/movies/26crit.html?th&emc=th
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Christian Movie Review Sites quoted in the above New York Times article:
pluggedinonline.com
Focus on the Family Web site pluggedinonline.com , which started reviewing movies in 1990, gets 800,000 monthly visitors to pluggedinonline, and 50,000 see the magazine in print, a spokeswoman said.
Christianitytodaymovies.com
The mainstream evangelical magazine Christianity Today last year started Christianitytodaymovies.com and the site gets 125,000 visitors a month.
HollywoodJesus.com
HollywoodJesus " HollywoodJesus.com" gets one million visitors a month, said its founder, David Bruce, a former Protestant minister who has also worked in television and publishing.
decentfilms.com
Decent Films Guide ( decentfilms.com ) an independent Roman Catholic site
movieguide.org
The more conservative MovieGuide, which runs on syndicated television, radio and online at movieguide.org, is a Web site dedicated to "redeeming the values of the mass media according to biblical principles."
Reviewer Mr. Snyder, who has a doctorate in film studies from Northwestern University, says "Hollywood projects a leftist homosexual agenda, which goes along with radical feminism, and a misunderstanding of what Christianity teaches."
Seminary quoted: Fuller Theological Seminary, an evangelical institution, in Pasadena, Calif.
Strategy:
quote: So far the religious reaction to "Brokeback Mountain" has been limited to the review pages. … This too represents a growing sophistication in the way conservative Christian groups engage the popular culture, said Stuart Shepard, managing editor of Focus on the Family's daily e-mail news updates, which go out to 115,000 subscribers. "We're not going to go out and protest it because it would probably play into the marketing plans of the producers," he said. "They'd say, the Christian right is opposed to this movie, so you really, really, really want to see it."
"We learned from 'Last Temptation of Christ' that if it wasn't for the protest, the film wouldn't be remembered today," Mr. Shepard said. "Our expectation is 'Brokeback Mountain' won't do as well in the heartland, but protest would bump that up."
Friday, December 23, 2005
Going Back to Normal
New York Times, Dec. 23, 2005
- QUOTATION OF THE DAY -
"There's nothing so beautiful as going back to normal."
- MAHMOUD SADAKAH, a taxi driver, on the end of New York's transit strike.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/23/nyregion
/nyregionspecial3/23voices.html?th&emc=th
- QUOTATION OF THE DAY -
"There's nothing so beautiful as going back to normal."
- MAHMOUD SADAKAH, a taxi driver, on the end of New York's transit strike.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/23/nyregion
/nyregionspecial3/23voices.html?th&emc=th
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
Helpful Hint
"One of the most important points to remember is the scale stamped on the inside of the pan is actually a good standard to follow."
Tiger Corporation electronic rice cooker operating instructions
Osaka, Japan
Tiger Corporation electronic rice cooker operating instructions
Osaka, Japan
Are you OK?
"If you believe in God, and He exists, you're OK.
If you believe in God, and He doesn't exist, you're OK.
If you don't believe in God, and He doesn't exist, you're still OK.
But, if you don't believe in God, and He does EXIST, then boy you're in BIG trouble!"
--author unknown
If you believe in God, and He doesn't exist, you're OK.
If you don't believe in God, and He doesn't exist, you're still OK.
But, if you don't believe in God, and He does EXIST, then boy you're in BIG trouble!"
--author unknown
Monday, December 19, 2005
Shine Anyway!
When you are not allowed to shine, shine anyway.
When you are discouraged from shining, shine anyway.
When you are criticized for shining, shine anyway.
Matthew 5:14-16
14 "You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid.
15 No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house.
16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
Shine anyway!
When you are discouraged from shining, shine anyway.
When you are criticized for shining, shine anyway.
Matthew 5:14-16
14 "You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid.
15 No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house.
16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
Shine anyway!
Saturday, December 10, 2005
Trying to Please Everyone
"You know, they say that a preacher who tries to please everyone is like a stray dog at a whistler's convention. ...
If you try to address every side ... in any given teaching situation, you'll be all over the place. Changes are good you won't do any one thing very well."
Dr. Richard Robert Osmer
Teaching for Faith, A Guide for Teachers of Adult Classes
video, Princeton Theological Seminary
If you try to address every side ... in any given teaching situation, you'll be all over the place. Changes are good you won't do any one thing very well."
Dr. Richard Robert Osmer
Teaching for Faith, A Guide for Teachers of Adult Classes
video, Princeton Theological Seminary
Monday, December 05, 2005
Statistics
"Statistics are like bathing suits. What they reveal is tantalizing, but what they conceal is crucial."
Dr. Brent A. Strawn - Candler School of Theology at Emory University
Dr. Brent A. Strawn - Candler School of Theology at Emory University
Rendering Vulnerable
"Writing is most powerful when it renders both the writer and the reader vulnerable."
Chris Bolin, student, poetry
Iowa Writer's Workshop
Chris Bolin, student, poetry
Iowa Writer's Workshop
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