Cornelius Van Til argued that unbelieving societies alternate between rationalism and irrationalism, that unbelieving thought displays a rationalist/irrationalist dialectic, which is quite true. But in advanced stages of cultural decay it should be observed that this dialectic turns into an oscillating fan set on high. Examples are plentiful — in fact, it is hard to …
The Footings of the World
It is a shame, certainly, when you call in the carpet guy because you think the carpet he sold you last year has gotten kind of spongy, and he informs you that the actual problem is that your floor joists have been eaten clean through by progressive termites. Don’t you hate that? In the meantime, …
A Crash Course in Crashes
As everything comes unraveled more rapidly than you thought it could, perhaps your thoughts have turned to the prospect of coming to a greater understanding of stuff. The airplane is nose down ten thousand feet above the ocean, and you have now begun to reflect on where, exactly, the flight attendant said the life preservers …
It Gets Creepier
On the back of this month’s Sports Illustrated, we have as fine an example of agitprop as can be imagined.
Babylonian Exceptionalism or, Insanity Explained
Over time Nebuchadnezzar drifted into a belief in Babylonian exceptionalism. “The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?” (Dan. 4:30). Because of his hubris, because of his conceit, he was …
On the Attempted Defenestration of Mablog Through the Overton Window
So then first, what is this Overton Window? That window, named after Joseph “Wiki” Overton — who coined the phrase — refers to the range of ideas that are palatable, thinkable, acceptable, or otherwise within the pale, when it comes to public discourse. Outside the window, you’re just a hate-filled weirdo. In the area of …
Tolle, Leg It
In the aftermath of the Obergefell decision by the Supreme Court, a lot of Christian parents are reeling. They know they must do something, but what can they do? The decision was so high-handed, so arbitrary, so insolently rendered, that it would be easy to assume that there is nothing we can do about it …
The Red Light District of Euclidville
I have some random thoughts on some problems related to pornography. Porn constitutes a huge problem, but I have had an increasing and nagging suspicion that it is not the kind of problem that we tend to think. But before I begin, I want to anticipate and head off several slanders. The first is that …
Flatter My Heart, Three-Person’d God . . .
For many years I have taught that authority in a Christian home is to be found in Christ — not in the husband, not in the wife, and not in the two them together. The masculine perspective is not normative, and the feminine perspective is not normative. Both the husband and the wife are to …
The Reason We Are in the Back Seat is So That We Can Be Salt and Light
If incoherence were beans, or cheese, or sour cream, or anything like that, Obama’s executive DECREE on bathrooms in government schools would be at least a nine-layer dip. Incoherence, how do I not follow thee? Let me be unable to count the ways. There are too many. They come too fast. They are throwing them …