This next psalm is one that clearly contrasts the wicked with the righteous, but it is not a psalm of imprecation. An imprecatory prayer is when we ask God to deal with the wicked in a particular way. This is more of an “oracle” about the nature of transgression and righteousness; it is teaching, not …
Hitchens Liked the Cheese
Christopher Hitchens was kind enough to provide me with my first appearance in Vanity Fair — no, not Bunyan’s, but a lot like it. He wrote an article for them that reviewed his book promo work over the last few months, and you can read that article here. I don’t know why he’s flogging the …
Oriented by the Second Coming
We rarely notice our bones, and consequently, we rarely notice what is in them. Certain assumptions have been with us in the West for so many centuries now that we readily hold that this is just “how things are.” We think it is all so obvious, forgetting that our culture at one time was taught …
Weird Guy
Christopher Hitchens is interviewed in the latest Atlantic Monthly about all the debates he was in promoting his book on atheism. That would include, of course, the CT debate he had with me. Some fun stuff shakes out in this. “What I haven’t had from anyone, in print or in person, is any argument that …
As Stacked As . . .
Since a volunteer competition is breaking out already, let’s put them all in one place. I may have missed some in the gathering, and so if I did just add them again in the comments section. And if any new ones occur to you, please add them as well. I think we could have at …
And Stay There
As a result of the atheism jag I am currently on, I received a very courteous letter from an unbelieving woman in the Chicago area. Her letter concluded this way. “Rev. Wilson, religion should be private. It belongs in churches, mosques, temples, etc. and in parochial schools. Most importantly, it belongs in people’s hearts.” The …
Sauron, Saruman, and Samwise
I have been occupied with atheism and federal vision stuff, and have not been able to work through Rod Dreher’s book Crunchy Cons as quickly as I would have liked. Ah, well. His next chapter is on the environment, and I think that it is the chapter that most clearly reveals what I consider to …
Right Pretty
It may not seem relevant right now, but Abigail was a beautiful and intelligent woman. Christians are good at fighting relativism when it comes to matters of truth. Those who reject a fixed standard of truth are soon engaged in debate by capable Christian apologists. Believers also do well when the subject at hand is …
Third Installment of the Hitchens/Wilson Debate
It has been very interesting to follow some of the blog buzz over the debate I am having with Christopher Hitchens. Speaking of that debate, the third installment is now posted here. Christian bloggers have been generally very happy about the whole thing. But the Christians who have been dubious about the whole enterprise can …
The Top Hat and the Sea Otters
We are in the backstretch now. In his next chapter, Christopher Hitchens gives us a brief historical survey of freethinkers throughout history who found themselves in trouble with the authorities. Men like Socrates, Spinoza and Thomas Paine are an inspiration to Hitchens, and he spends this chapter telling us why. But he also tells us …