The Old Testament book of Jeremiah doesn’t get a lot of press, and what it does get is mostly negative. It’s understandable; it’s not the most uplifting book in the Bible, as it’s full of dire prophecies about God’s judgment on the nation of Israel, and it’s sometimes hard to figure out how it’s relevant… Continue reading Exchanging a stream for a cistern
Category: Faith
Measuring “Religious Knowledge”
Remember my mild rant about the lack of critical thinking skills among students? It’s not just students who are falling short in this area; some newspaper reporters appear to be challenged in this regard. Here’s a quote from a story in the Los Angeles Times about the results of this survey (link to a PDF… Continue reading Measuring “Religious Knowledge”
Does Praying Make You a Christian?
Last week, in response to a poll wherein almost 20% of respondents said they believed that President Obama is a Muslim, a White House spokesman stated that “the President is obviously a – is Christian.” The spokesman went on to support this assertion by saying “he prays every day,” as if that settled the question… Continue reading Does Praying Make You a Christian?
Caution: Band at Work
Former Midlander Kyle Lent owns a recording studio in Georgetown (TX) and is also the lead guitarist for The Justin Cofield Band. The band is embarking on what it calls a “Grand Experiment,” an aspect of which involves allowing us to watch their recording sessions via webcam. If you’ve ever been curious about what goes… Continue reading Caution: Band at Work
For Unto Us A Child Is Born…A Savior Is Given
Mary, did you know That your baby boy Would some day walk on water? Mary, did you know that your baby boy Would save our sons and daughters? Did you know that your baby boy Has come to make you new? This child that you’ve delivered, Will soon deliver you. Mary, did you know That… Continue reading For Unto Us A Child Is Born…A Savior Is Given
“The Color of Sin”
An article in Scientific American entitled The Color of Sin–Why the Good Guys Wear White posits that “ancient fears of filth and contagion may explain why we think of morality in black and white.” The article cites the findings of a series of experiments in which words with “strong moral overtones” were printed in either… Continue reading “The Color of Sin”
Those People
Do we judge others on superficial appearances because it’s easy, or because it’s accurate?
Book Review: “The Year of Living Biblically”
A.J. Jacobs’s first book, The Know-It-All, chronicled his quest to read the Encyclopedia Brittanica from A-to-Z. Jacobs has now extended his version of literary flagpole-sitting to the Bible in The Year of Living Biblically: One Man’s Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible, in which he describes his attempts to adhere to… Continue reading Book Review: “The Year of Living Biblically”
Book Review (Sort of): “Blue Like Jazz”
No one ever accused me of being on the cutting edge of anything. I’m behind the curve in all areas of life, slow on the uptake. I defend myself as intelligently cautious; those who know me would say that I’m just clueless. Anyway, I offer that as an excuse as to why I’m just now… Continue reading Book Review (Sort of): “Blue Like Jazz”
Merry Christmas!
We’re pleased to present the Gazette’s traditional reminder of the significance of Christmas.