For those interested in the fate of our culture, New York Magazine is an indispensable barometer. This single magazine, perhaps more than any other periodical, offers feature articles that catch the cultural conversation. Granted, that cultural conversation is largely Manhattan-centric and geared to the highly educated and economically secure classes. But, since those are the very people who tend to direct the cultural conversation, what interests them will almost surely soon interest the rest of the nation.
This week, the issue is children and happiness. Not the happiness of children, but the debate over whether having children makes for parental happiness. Looking first to the sociological and psychological data, the picture looks bleak. According to the current scholarly consensus, parents are more likely to be depressed than non-parents, and parents report themselves as less happy as well. Keep Reading
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An Encore Presentation of April 19, 2010 Keep Reading
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Last week, amidst all the busyness of a three-day trip to Louisville and announcing a new podcast and a new publishing company, I also announced a new program called Friends of the Blog. Since so many readers of this site were enjoying Together for the Gospel at the time, far from their computers and RSS readers, I wanted to give the program another mention. I’m grateful for the many of you who have already participated and want to make sure all the rest of you are aware of it.
Here are some of the highlights of what you gain as a Friend of the Blog:
- A $10 gift certificate from Westminster Books
- You choose 4 new books or DVDs from Zondervan (including Tim Keller’s new DVD Gospel in Life)
- A one-year subscription to Ligonier Ministries’ Tabletalk magazine
- Album downloads from bands and artists you like (four to start, more coming soon)
- Deals and savings from other stores
This comes to at least $160 in value and there are more things to come that will make it better value still. This is a year-long effort and more will be added over the course of the year. When you sign up, you get everything there plus whatever else comes in over the year. And through it all you’ll be supporting challies.com.
There are also things to win including, right off the top, a Kindle. Everyone who signs up as a Friend by the end of April will be entered into a drawing for that Kindle. If you’re really a book addict, you may want to become an Affiliate and refer friends, earning $5 in Westminster Books credit with each person you refer. Already lots of people have earned some good credit from Westminster.
You can get all the details at Friends of the Blog. Check it out and join in the fun!
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A quick note for those who are Friends of the Blog. Today you can pick the first of your free items from Zondervan. Among your choices (you get to choose one of five) are the new DVD from Tim Keller (Gospel in Life) or the book and DVD from Max McLean Unleashing the Word. Head on over to Friends of the Blog and log in to make your picks. If you haven’t joined the program, well, today is as good a day as any!
T4G Video – I know a lot of people have been looking for video of the T4G talks. You can find those here.
Our Story – David and Carol Porter share a video testimony. It’s well worth watching.
Library of Congress and Twitter – “The U.S. Library of Congress, which archives many forms of media for their cultural and historical significance, has announced it will keep a digital archive of every public tweet that has been broadcast on Twitter since its inception in March 2006.”
Good Friday Music – Mars Hill has released a 5-song album of music from their Good Friday service.
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I’m down here at T4G and, for the first time ever, have shot a bit of video. After eight years of blogging, this is the first time I’ve ever used a video camera and opened iMovie. I spent a few minutes shooting in and around T4G this morning. And here are the results. It’s rough, but it’s real…
Note: I meant Band of Bloggers, not Band of Brothers. My bad.
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A significant number of Christians are now wondering about the moral implications of the Obama health care overhaul. While any number of moral questions will demand attention, the question of abortion stands at the center of concern. And with the question of abortion comes the question of taxes.
Without the legislative remedy of the Hyde Amendment [...]
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Hailed as a “gripping account of terror, betrayal, political intrigue, and unthinkable choices,” the “Son of Hamas” is the story of Mosab Yousef’s journey from being born the son of one of Hamas’s founders to becoming a Christian. Along the way, he served as an informant for Israel providing top-secret information for more than a [...]
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Why Are Bloggers Male? – This article from the Globe and Mail asks why most bloggers are male. And more than one person noted that in the list of the Top 100 Church Blogs, almost all the bloggers were male. Unfortunately her answer is somewhat trite, so I appreciate the question more than the answer. “Guys seek thrills and speed. They go for the adrenalin rush. They get pumped by going higher, faster, farther than anyone else. They want lots of action and instant gratification. That’s also why guys like blogging–instant opinions, and lots of them.”
What Not To Say to the Suffering – Ed Welch blogging at CCEF: “Don’t say ‘If you need anything, please call me–anytime.’ to anyone. Let’s put it to rest and never let it appear on another ‘Not Helpful’ list.”
The Christianity Map – Here’s a rather interesting map showing what kinds of Christianity dominate in different parts of the US.
How Millennial Are You? – Pew Research has a quiz. Turns out I’m not very millennial at all.
What Publishers Don’t Know – It turns out they don’t know everything. “Many people seem to have a notion that publishers somehow are (or should be) a superior form of human being. It’s nice to be so highly thought of–until you find out what they mean. Like the question many of us have heard. ‘I thought you guys were smart. Why don’t you just publish bestsellers?’”
Paralympics – Boston.com has a round-up of amazing photos from the 2010 Winter Paralympics. “After a separate torch relay and opening ceremony, competitors faced off in five different sports: Sledge hockey, Wheelchair curling, Alpine skiing, Biathlon, and Cross-country skiing – the last three broken into classes of sitting, standing and visually impaired.”
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Fox News broadcaster Glenn Beck is famous for launching verbal grenades, and he did so again in recent days, calling upon church members to flee congregations that promote social justice. His comments incited an immediate controversy, where far more heat than light has yet been evident. As expected, there is more to this story than meets the eye — or may reach the ear via the public conversation. Keep Reading
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The famous words “In God We Trust” and “under God” are safe . . . for now. The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled yesterday that those phrases from the national currency and the Pledge of Allegiance do not represent a governmental establishment of religion. Keep Reading
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