One of my on-going volunteer interlocutors has pointed out that the section of the Idaho Code I cited a post or so ago (requiring Bible reading in public schools) is a four-decades old dead duck, legally speaking. She points out that it was passed in 1963 and declared unconstitutional in 1964. She did not add, …
Blowback
In the very nature of the case, over-reaching on the part of the intoleristas is a necessity. Some of them actually believe their own over-heated rhetoric, and others are foolish enough to think that if the cause is desperate, wildly inflated accusations will somehow help them. In the short run, such tactics frequently work. But …
For Love of the Code
As the ongoing harassment of Christ Church and associated ministries continues, some of the folks involved in said harassment have the cheek to maintain (in public) that their efforts are not an example of selective harassment. “You see,” they patiently explain to the rest of us, “this is about the rule of law. We may …
Lies and Liars
No one needs to teach us Pharisaism. Like all sins, it comes naturally enough if we do not guard against it. But you are Christians, you are a new creation in Christ, and one of the glorious characteristics of this new creation is the desire to guard against all such sins. One of the most …
Epistemological Noogies
My friend Phil Johnson recently read and liked my thread on postmodernism. And of course, I liked the fact that he liked it. But he added a little something at the end of his review that indicated ongoing misunderstandings on another subject, to wit, the whole Auburn Avenue thing. Phil mused that some of my …
Sad Eyes
For those who have been following such things, the last week or so in our small town has seen quite a frenzy of tolerance. As I count the lumps on my head, I am not sure how much more tolerance I can take. I have posted some comments on this whole imbroglio, but rest assured …
A Sorry and Pathetic Business
The critical reviews are starting to roll in. Over at New West, Joan Opyr gives her readers a jaundiced view of the recent doings at our Trinity Fest. The thing that seemed to irritate her the most was the concept of conservative Calvinists playing rock music and the blues. But this is what we have …
Idaho Statesman Admits Their Own Neo-Nazi Ties
Dear Ms. ___________, I have decided to submit a column to you, for the Statesman to run at the earliest opportunity you have. I have two concerns in doing this, but am proceeding cautiously nonetheless. The first concern is that I do not want you to conclude from this that I have in any way …
Libel Simpliciter
Following an argument by Nick Gier in search of a non sequitur is like following a lit fuse in search of an explosion. And mysteriously, Nick talked the Idaho Statesman into publishing an article under the headline “Neo-Nazi Christians make presence felt again in Northern Idaho.” In the past, when Nick has published his screeds …
Trinity Fest 2005, Day Five
The last day of Trinity Fest was as blessed as the first part of the festival. We were, are, and will be extremely grateful to God for His kindness to us. The day began with two lectures in the morning, and one just after lunch. I began by speaking on Francis Marion, the “Swamp Fox,” …