Jonathan's blog

Anticipation is building for the Dec. 9 release of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe film.  I vaguely remember reading the whole series of books as a kid and also maybe watching a cartoon version that was kind of scary for whatever age I was.  I'm thinking it might be this year's Christmas/New Year's movie.  If I remember correctly, last year's was Meet the Fockers and before that was one of The Lord of the Rings.  Lisa says she doesn't want to see Narnia; she wants to see walk the line.  Maybe there'll be two Christmas/New Year's films this year.  Any volunteers to babysit?

A fan at a recent CFL (Canadian Football League) game kicked a 50 yard field goal and won $1 million.

Krister recently mused about a speech by Jim Wallis (author of God's Politics).  I can relate.  A few excerpts:

His main premise had to do with the fact that in our country we have created a great divide in politics over religion. The right uses religion to polarize a nation while the left leaves religion behind despite the fact that they are historically associated with many movements started by faith communities. I'm not going to lie here; it felt unbelievable to be in a building with people who are passionate about the same things I am passionate about. Wallis talked about how the religious right act like they own God and have narrowed faith down to a couple key issues: abortion and gay marriage. The problem, however, comes when you look at the entire witness of scripture and see that there are over 3,000 verses that speak to poverty. And what are we doing about it? Not a heck of a lot from a religious standpoint. Sure we give and are charitable, but poverty will not be overcome through charity. That's like blowing out a trick candle. Eventually the flame sparks up again and poverty is back in full effect because we've not gotten at the heart of poverty and the systemic influences that allow it to flourish... Wallis believes that the time of the religious right is up and that a new movement is beginning that is listening to the center of the country that does not feel represented by televangelists or family values promulgators or by wishy washy liberals who don't stand for much of anything. Instead, he believes that religion will be the tool that serves as a bridge to bring both "conservatives" and "liberals" together over the big issues that affect not only our country but our world as well... One of the most insightful comments he made was that the big choice to be made is not between belief and secularism. The real choice is between cynicism and hope. It is entirely easy to fall into the trap of believing that things are terrible and should get better but will never really change. The cynic thinks thus, but those who hope are compelled by a vision of the realized future that can only be fueled by faith. This hope is what makes things like eliminating poverty possible...

When we do right, things go well.  When we don't, they don't.  Right?  So says Earl.  Pat Robertson, in addition to calling for the assassination of another country's president, made the news recently when he warned "...citizens of a Pennsylvania town that they had rejected God by voting their school board out of office for supporting "intelligent design" and warned them Thursday not to be surprised if disaster struck."

"I'd like to say to the good citizens of Dover: if there is a disaster in your area, don't turn to God, you just rejected Him from your city," Robertson said on his daily television show broadcast from Virginia, The 700 Club." And don't wonder why He hasn't helped you when problems begin, if they begin. I'm not saying they will, but if they do, just remember, you just voted God out of your city. And if that's the case, don't ask for His help because he might not be there," he said.

Maybe you've heard someone speculate that some of the recent disasters were some form of punishment for places like New Orleans.  Most theologians think not.  Everything happens for a reason, people say.  What about the minister (Kyle Lake) in Texas who died recently after being electrocuted while standing in the church baptismal during a morning service?  Did that happen for a reason?  Christianity Today reprinted a portion of one of Kyle's books to address that question.

From an article on CNN.com about Fruitport Township, MI:

A man on a scavenger hunt entered a police station hoping to get a photo of an officer eating a doughnut. The officers planned to play along, and they chatted with the man and woman while waiting for the doughnut run. The man, Louis Jasick, recognized Rypstra, a high school classmate. Durell then remembered seeing Jasick's name on a flier that had been posted in the station only a day earlier. Jasick was wanted on two felony warrants for failing to pay $5,000 in child support...

so they arrested him.