Posts tagged "Week Ends"
Another Week Ends: Ugly Anthropomorphism, Shaken Manchildren, Big Love, The Church’s Cognitive Dissonance, March Madness, and the MoneyQuest for Happiness
Church / Film / Gender / Music / Psychology / Sports / TV / Week In Review

Another Week Ends: Ugly Anthropomorphism, Shaken Manchildren, Big Love, The Church’s Cognitive Dissonance, March Madness, and the MoneyQuest for Happiness

by Ethan on Mar 25, 2011 • 2 Comments

Doing my best to fill in for DZ, who is currently gearing up for next week’s conference.

1) A great article from the Times this week, discussing the recent tendency of creaturely films (“Rango” etc) to capture the creature in all of us:

THERE is a special kind of appeal to stories that lead us to the far boundary of the human and allow us a glance at what is on the other side, where the wild things are. What often comes into view out there is a projection of something buried deep within. That wolf in the bed, in grandma’s clothes,…

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Another Week Ends: Japan, Facebook & Divorce, Preschool Litigation, more Galli on B(h)ell, The Beach Boys’ Smile, Community
Books / Conferences / Humor / Music / News / Relationships / Reviews / Suffering / Theology / TV / Week In Review

Another Week Ends: Japan, Facebook & Divorce, Preschool Litigation, more Galli on B(h)ell, The Beach Boys’ Smile, Community

by David Zahl on Mar 18, 2011 • 1 Comment

1. Two very moving additions to the coverage of the disasters in Japan. First, if you can decipher the google-translation, there’s the story of a woman who sacrificed her life to warn a village of the impending destruction here. And two, the footage that made this all very real to yours truly. If it doesn’t get you on your knees, nothing will (be sure to stick with it to the end):

2. An amusing report in the Guardian about Facebook and divorce. If ever there was an excuse to take a potshot at lawyers for having a shallow view of human…

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Another Week Ends: Galli on B(h)ell, Growing Up Catholic, Secret Millionaires, Immortal Billionaires, Lillian Roth, Mixed Signals and Nicolas Cage
Addiction / Books / Humor / Identity / Psychology / Religion / Science / Theology / TV / Week In Review

Another Week Ends: Galli on B(h)ell, Growing Up Catholic, Secret Millionaires, Immortal Billionaires, Lillian Roth, Mixed Signals and Nicolas Cage

by David Zahl on Mar 11, 2011 • 3 Comments

1. If you’ve been scratching your head over the whole “Rob Bell universalism” uproar this past week, conference speaker Mark Galli will set you straight with this charitable overview of how the topic of Hell has been dealt with over the centuries. Suffice it to say, there’s nothing new under the sun, and the outcry says a lot less about Bell than about the folks reacting to his as-of-yet largely unread book. 

To lighten the mood, check the sort-of related and apparently very real After The Rapture Pet Care (ht CH).

2. The Guardian takes a look at the new laugh-or-cry…

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Another Week Ends: Stalin, The Confession App, Forgotten Rights, Exercise Widows, Elton and Billy, Dummies and Clowns
Addiction / Books / Death / Humor / Music / Politics / Psychology / Relationships / Religion / Sports / Week In Review

Another Week Ends: Stalin, The Confession App, Forgotten Rights, Exercise Widows, Elton and Billy, Dummies and Clowns

by David Zahl on Feb 11, 2011 • No Comments

1. A thoughtful if gruesome review on Slate of Timothy Synder’s new book Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and Stalin which delves into the perennial question of the relative evil of the two dictators’ crimes. The measurement of evil is a tough question – the Sermon on the Mount notwithstanding (…) – even when cannibalism isn’t a factor. As reviewer Ron Rosenbaum asks, in light of the atrocities, “Must we readjust radically downward our vision of human nature?” The article (and book) may not be for the remotely squeamish – it’s horrifying in fact [fair warning] – but that doesn’t prevent…

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Another Week Ends: Transformation Myths, Eating Disorders, Suicidal Standards, Aging Ungracefully, Rehab Albums, St Elizabeths
Addiction / Books / Death / Grace in Practice / Psychology / Suffering / TV / Week In Review

Another Week Ends: Transformation Myths, Eating Disorders, Suicidal Standards, Aging Ungracefully, Rehab Albums, St Elizabeths

by David Zahl on Feb 4, 2011 • 3 Comments

1.  The timing just could not be any better. NYC Mockingbird Conference Speaker Mark Galli has been blowing up this past week, most notably on The Internet Monk. Start with The Evangelical Myth of “Transformation” and go from there – the discussion provides a helpful overview of where Mr Galli is coming from, not to mention a few clues as to why we asked him to speak. Speaking of NYC, we can now announce that childcare will indeed be available, for kids under the age of 8. Email us at info@mbird.com if you plan on taking us up on the…

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Another Week Ends: Facebook Blues, Freshman Blues, Bowling Blues, Val Kilmer and The Office
Art / Conferences / Film / Humor / Identity / Psychology / Sports / Theology / TV / Week In Review

Another Week Ends: Facebook Blues, Freshman Blues, Bowling Blues, Val Kilmer and The Office

by David Zahl on Jan 28, 2011 • 1 Comment

1. Libby Copeland at Slate asks the question “Is Facebook Making Us Sad?”, unpacking some findings from a recent study at Stanford. Very relevant stuff:

“The researchers found that their subjects consistently underestimated how dejected others were–and likely wound up feeling more dejected as a result. Jordan got the idea for the inquiry after observing his friends’ reactions to Facebook: He noticed that they seemed to feel particularly crummy about themselves after logging onto the site and scrolling through others’ attractive photos, accomplished bios, and chipper status updates. ‘They were convinced that everyone else was…

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Another Week Ends: Brooks on the Subconscious and Failure, DFW Studies, Coldplay, Todd Marinovich, Coptic Drama, and Jail for the 99th Time
Children / Forgiveness / Grace in Practice / Humor / Literature / Music / News / Politics / Psychology / Week In Review

Another Week Ends: Brooks on the Subconscious and Failure, DFW Studies, Coldplay, Todd Marinovich, Coptic Drama, and Jail for the 99th Time

by David Zahl on Jan 14, 2011 • 1 Comment

1. A fascinating article by David Brooks in The New Yorker about “What the Science of Human Nature Can Teach Us.” Bottomline appears to be that people are not the free agents they think they are, the inner life always trumps the outer, and that the subconscious ultimately calls the most important shots in our lives. Also, we are happiest when we are least self-focused:

“…we are not primarily the products of our conscious thinking. The conscious mind gives us one way of making sense of our environment. But the unconscious mind gives us other, more supple ways. The cognitive revolution…

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Another Week Ends: Galli on Resolutions, Anger at God, Last Words, Sex & Marriage, Geek Culture, Jonny
Addiction / Books / Christmas / Identity / Music / Psychology / Religion / Week In Review

Another Week Ends: Galli on Resolutions, Anger at God, Last Words, Sex & Marriage, Geek Culture, Jonny

by David Zahl on Jan 7, 2011 • 2 Comments

1. The final word on the New Year from 2011 Mockingbird Conference speaker Mark Galli over at Christianity Today, in his column “Blessed Are the Poor in Virtue”:

At the risk of derailing someone’s hard fought New Year’s vows, let me suggest that some of us stop trying to become good Christians, or whatever noble thing we’re striving to be.

The more I strive to be a “good Christian”—more prayerful, patient, giving, sacrificial, whatever—the more I find myself anxious, irritated, guilty, resentful, and self-righteous. When I simply accept that I’m a sinner, really, I find that I pray more, am…

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Another Week Ends: Yancey on AA, Whit Stillman, Dawn Treader and Ron Swanson
Addiction / Film / Literature / Relationships / Religion / TV / Week In Review

Another Week Ends: Yancey on AA, Whit Stillman, Dawn Treader and Ron Swanson

by David Zahl on Dec 10, 2010 • 1 Comment

1. A great little interview with evangelical author Philip Yancey on CNN about his new book What Good Is God?, in which he responds to one of our all-time favorite questions, i.e: What can churches learn from AA?

Yancey: Two lessons stand out sharply to me: radical honesty and radical dependence. Alcoholics Anonymous members can spot a fraud, hypocrite, or liar the minute he or she walks in the door. They know the only path to healing begins with a frank self-assessment of failure.

When we go to church we like to look good and gain the respect of others. …

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Another Week Ends: Self-Evangelism, Jay-Z, Paradoxes, Susan Boyle, NASA, Friday Night Lights
Church / Music / Philosophy / Science / Sermons / TV / Week In Review

Another Week Ends: Self-Evangelism, Jay-Z, Paradoxes, Susan Boyle, NASA, Friday Night Lights

by David Zahl on Dec 3, 2010 • 1 Comment

1. Another scorcher from our 2011 NYC conference speaker Mark Galli entitled “Evangelizing Ourselves”, in which he unwittingly sums up much of our operating philosophy:

How do we talk about our faith without making others feel denigrated or angry? For one, we can talk about our faith so that everyone feels equally denigrated and equally inflamed!… So that everyone—even the Christian—recognizes his or her sinfulness…[and his or her] desperate need of a savior. If we can do that, a couple of remarkable things will happen. First, we will recognize afresh that we’re not talking about our religion versus…

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Another Week Ends: Seminarian Plagiarism, Disney’s Decline, DCAU, Mad Men, MJ
Celebrity / Education / Film / Gender / Identity / TV / Week In Review

Another Week Ends: Seminarian Plagiarism, Disney’s Decline, DCAU, Mad Men, MJ

by David Zahl on Nov 19, 2010 • No Comments

1. Our Pensacola mini-conference is underway! If you live in the area, don’t be afraid to drop in unannounced… We would love to see you. And those of you that don’t live in the area, don’t be afraid to say a prayer in support.

2. An unsettling firsthand account of professional plagiarism over at The Chronicle of Higher Education, entitled “The Shadow Scholar”, the most arresting portion for us being (ht AZ):

I do a lot of work for seminary students. I like seminary students. They seem so blissfully unaware of the inherent contradiction in paying somebody to help them cheat…

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Another Week Ends: Insignificance, Kanye, Rooted & Fundamentals, Zadie Smith, Blue Like Jazz and Steve Martin
Children / Film / Identity / Music / Psychology / Religion / Week In Review

Another Week Ends: Insignificance, Kanye, Rooted & Fundamentals, Zadie Smith, Blue Like Jazz and Steve Martin

by David Zahl on Nov 12, 2010 • 5 Comments

1. Mark Galli continues his hot streak over at Christianity Today with a thoughtful editorial entitled “Insignificant is Beautiful,” in which he rightly explores why young people are so intent on making “a difference” and what that might mean. He doesn’t trash do-gooders per se as much as discuss how the yearning for significance often contains an unconfessed element of narcissism. The takeaway line being:

“…the human soul [is] subject to self-deception, and this colors even our highest aspirations. Even the best of intentions mask the mysterious darkness within, which is why we need to be healed also of our best…

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Another Week Ends: Procrastination, Galli on Miners & Prayer, Wes Anderson, JK Rowling & goodnewsforpeoplewithbigproblems
Books / Celebrity / Film / Prayer / Psychology / Suffering / Week In Review

Another Week Ends: Procrastination, Galli on Miners & Prayer, Wes Anderson, JK Rowling & goodnewsforpeoplewithbigproblems

by David Zahl on Oct 15, 2010 • 2 Comments

1. A wonderful and highly relevant article in this week’s New Yorker by James Surowiecki reviewing a new book on procrastination, The Thief of Time. A perfect storm of Law-related paralysis (also known as “perfectionism” – think Chinese Democracy), Romans 7-style inner divisions and general human silliness:

Philosophers are interested in procrastination for another reason. It’s a powerful example of what the Greeks called akrasia—doing something against one’s own better judgment. Piers Steel defines procrastination as willingly deferring something even though you expect the delay to make you worse off. In other words, if you’re simply saying “Eat, drink, and be…

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Another Week Ends: Cyber Bullies, eBay, Glenn Beck, FUNdamentals, Madonna, TV roundup
Children / Humor / News / Politics / TV / Week In Review

Another Week Ends: Cyber Bullies, eBay, Glenn Beck, FUNdamentals, Madonna, TV roundup

by David Zahl on Oct 8, 2010 • 6 Comments

1. A quick study in opposites: In an NPR story about the rise of cyber-bullying and public humiliation, “It’s Not the Web, It’s Us” sociologist C.J. Pascoe wisely states, ‘we shouldn’t place all the blame for [cyber-bully] actions on new technology. ‘I think the problem starts pre-technology, which is, what are the motivations we have in humiliating another person, and humiliating them sexually?’ she says. ‘That’s the issue we need to deal with, and then follow up with concerns about new media.’”.

The good people at ebay might beg to differ:

2. The NY Times Magazine ran a cover…

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Another Week Ends: Green Guilt, Agnostic Knowledge, Tearjerkers, The Social Network, Damsels in Distress
Film / Law / Music / News / Religion / Week In Review

Another Week Ends: Green Guilt, Agnostic Knowledge, Tearjerkers, The Social Network, Damsels in Distress

by David Zahl on Oct 1, 2010 • 1 Comment

1. Such a fascinating article about Green Guilt in Wednesday’s NY Times (ht BZ). Substitute the eco-language with discipleship-talk and you have a nigh perfect allegory for the double-edged sword of self-righteousness/despair that comes from living by the Law (or  any attempt to live consistently). Again, nothing against the environment – I ride a bike to work after all – and I know it’s an easy target, but the religiosity lurking behind the movement, especially in its most radical, overtly self-justifying forms, is just so obviously toxic. Pun intended. That is, it’s hard not to chuckle a little…

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