Friday, June 30, 2006
Scott Kingsolver reviews Superman Returns
I'm pleased to provide some review space over at Viewpoint for Scott Kingsolver's review of Superman Returns. Scott is a Broadcast and Electronic Media major at the University of Oklahoma, and he is minoring in Religious Studies.
MoviesMatter.com to Host Some Content
The fine folks at MoviesMatter.com have offered to house and archive some of my reviews that didn't run at Christian Spotlight.
The review for Ushpizin was the first that was moved over there. The layout of the site looks great, and there is lots of good content over there. Check it out.
The review for Ushpizin was the first that was moved over there. The layout of the site looks great, and there is lots of good content over there. Check it out.
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
North Carolina State Games
Nice disc golf weekend. Shot a pair of 49s at Kentwood during the North Carolina State Games. I don't think I've ever shot a PDGA round under par before. Yeah, it was Kentwood, but still...I was happy.
Then on Monday I won random-draw doubles for the first time ever. Shot a -12 with my partner at OT Sloan in Sanford.
Okay, Wes (my partner) shot like a -10 and I got one or two holes with good drives to help the score. But, hey, our pay out was the same...and while he probably woulda still birdied (no, that's not a misprint) hole 11 (I was no help), I did have a few drives we ended up using, so who knows what our scores would be with other partners. That's doubles.
Then on Monday I won random-draw doubles for the first time ever. Shot a -12 with my partner at OT Sloan in Sanford.
Okay, Wes (my partner) shot like a -10 and I got one or two holes with good drives to help the score. But, hey, our pay out was the same...and while he probably woulda still birdied (no, that's not a misprint) hole 11 (I was no help), I did have a few drives we ended up using, so who knows what our scores would be with other partners. That's doubles.
Saturday, June 17, 2006
Forgiving Dr. Mengele
Uploaded a review of Forgiving Dr. Mengele at Viewpoint.
This documentary chronicles the story of Eva Moses Kor, an Auschwitz survivor who sparked controversy when she decided to announce that she had forgiven the Nazis.
This documentary chronicles the story of Eva Moses Kor, an Auschwitz survivor who sparked controversy when she decided to announce that she had forgiven the Nazis.
Thursday, June 15, 2006
The Long Loneliness (167-181)
The title of this section is "Peasant of the Pavements."
I thought once or twice while reading this section about long gaps in some scriptural passages, particularly the histories. Moses flees after slaying the Egyptian and then...fast forward to an older and wiser man confronted with the burning bush.
How often people have wondered about those gaps, longed, perhaps, for some arcane bit of lost knowledge that might help explain the transition.
Yet more information rarely does the trick.
This section of Day's work often felt slow to me, and I had trouble sharing her enthusiasm for the particular details that stayed in her memory. Perhaps this is partially why I have difficulty with devotional literature. There is still a straining, from youth, after the significant, that makes one want to gloss over the daily, the mundane, and in doing so to chafe against those who do not. Even in the scripture, there are passages that are intensely descriptive of a moment--the Psalms come to mind--that I've always had trouble reading. Perhaps as I get older, I will come to appreciate those forms of expression that linger over the moment more.
Day and her friend talk of a calling to make a society in which it is easier for men to be good. I chafed, too, against this message. Is it ever easier to be good? I think there is a misunderstanding of human nature there--but an argument could be made, I guess. Certainly the New Testament teaching on the rich and poor--saying it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than a rich man to inherit the kingdom--might be read to mean there are all sorts of varied difficulties than different segments of society have. Emotionally I certainly FEEL like it is harder to be good when I have less power or control or money, but experentially, I haven't known that to be the case.
So maybe I'm struggling to understand Day's conception of the social justice strain of the gospel and to reconcile it with my own experience and beliefs. I recently finished Helen Prejean's Dead Man Walking, and there was a strain of social justice there--voluntary poverty (material and spiritual)--that while no easier to practice, made sense to me and was (key point) recognizable. Perhaps I'm a Gen-X cynic who thinks the prospect of changing society on an institutional level is just impossible and hence those who advocate it are naive...but, then, changing one human heart is impossible too, so perhaps the same God who can inspire one soul to pray for another against nearly impossible odds can equally insipre one soul to work against a sea of impossible odds to effect large changes in institutions, not in the belief that they will be permanent, but in the hopes that they will be good.
I thought once or twice while reading this section about long gaps in some scriptural passages, particularly the histories. Moses flees after slaying the Egyptian and then...fast forward to an older and wiser man confronted with the burning bush.
How often people have wondered about those gaps, longed, perhaps, for some arcane bit of lost knowledge that might help explain the transition.
Yet more information rarely does the trick.
This section of Day's work often felt slow to me, and I had trouble sharing her enthusiasm for the particular details that stayed in her memory. Perhaps this is partially why I have difficulty with devotional literature. There is still a straining, from youth, after the significant, that makes one want to gloss over the daily, the mundane, and in doing so to chafe against those who do not. Even in the scripture, there are passages that are intensely descriptive of a moment--the Psalms come to mind--that I've always had trouble reading. Perhaps as I get older, I will come to appreciate those forms of expression that linger over the moment more.
Day and her friend talk of a calling to make a society in which it is easier for men to be good. I chafed, too, against this message. Is it ever easier to be good? I think there is a misunderstanding of human nature there--but an argument could be made, I guess. Certainly the New Testament teaching on the rich and poor--saying it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than a rich man to inherit the kingdom--might be read to mean there are all sorts of varied difficulties than different segments of society have. Emotionally I certainly FEEL like it is harder to be good when I have less power or control or money, but experentially, I haven't known that to be the case.
So maybe I'm struggling to understand Day's conception of the social justice strain of the gospel and to reconcile it with my own experience and beliefs. I recently finished Helen Prejean's Dead Man Walking, and there was a strain of social justice there--voluntary poverty (material and spiritual)--that while no easier to practice, made sense to me and was (key point) recognizable. Perhaps I'm a Gen-X cynic who thinks the prospect of changing society on an institutional level is just impossible and hence those who advocate it are naive...but, then, changing one human heart is impossible too, so perhaps the same God who can inspire one soul to pray for another against nearly impossible odds can equally insipre one soul to work against a sea of impossible odds to effect large changes in institutions, not in the belief that they will be permanent, but in the hopes that they will be good.
Sunday, June 11, 2006
Disc Golf in All 50 States--The Quest Continues
One of my life goals is to play Disc Golf in all 50 states.
This year, my quest moved forward, and I reached the 30 state plateau. I also have now played 75 different courses.
That's the good news.
The less good news is that my play, like my application of other skills, has it's ups and downs. I thought I was playing better. Indeed, I played several difficult courses under par this year. Then I returned home and promptly threw a 61 at Buckhorn, a full 5 to 6 strokes over my average. Golf is a game of rhythm and comfort and practice.
Here are some scores from this year.
Brahan Springs Park; Hunstville, Alabama
3-3-4 2-3-3 4-2-2 OUT (26)
3-3-3 3-2-2 3-2-3 IN (24) 50
LaFleur's Bluff State Park: Jackson, Mississippi
(Doubles w/ Cindy)
4-3-2 3-4-2 3-3-3 OUT (27)
3-4-3 3-3-3 2-3-2 IN (26) 53
Lazarre DGC; West Monroe, Lousiana
(Doubles w/Cindy; High Water Course; Short Tees)
2-3-2 3-3-3 3-2-2 OUT (23)
3-3-3 3-3-3 2-3-3 IN (26) 49
Muse Park: Jackson, TN
2-2-3 3-3-2 2-4-4 OUT (25)
3-3-3 3-3-3 3-3-2 IN (26) 51
It hasn't been all birdies and light, though. Seven oaks in Nashville chewed me up and spit me out.
This year, my quest moved forward, and I reached the 30 state plateau. I also have now played 75 different courses.
That's the good news.
The less good news is that my play, like my application of other skills, has it's ups and downs. I thought I was playing better. Indeed, I played several difficult courses under par this year. Then I returned home and promptly threw a 61 at Buckhorn, a full 5 to 6 strokes over my average. Golf is a game of rhythm and comfort and practice.
Here are some scores from this year.
Brahan Springs Park; Hunstville, Alabama
3-3-4 2-3-3 4-2-2 OUT (26)
3-3-3 3-2-2 3-2-3 IN (24) 50
LaFleur's Bluff State Park: Jackson, Mississippi
(Doubles w/ Cindy)
4-3-2 3-4-2 3-3-3 OUT (27)
3-4-3 3-3-3 2-3-2 IN (26) 53
Lazarre DGC; West Monroe, Lousiana
(Doubles w/Cindy; High Water Course; Short Tees)
2-3-2 3-3-3 3-2-2 OUT (23)
3-3-3 3-3-3 2-3-3 IN (26) 49
Muse Park: Jackson, TN
2-2-3 3-3-2 2-4-4 OUT (25)
3-3-3 3-3-3 3-3-2 IN (26) 51
It hasn't been all birdies and light, though. Seven oaks in Nashville chewed me up and spit me out.
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