Linkathon!
There hasn’t been much out there this week to link to.
So…we’re going to give this one to you.
If there is a link you want featured, or something you have written on any topic that you want to promote, link it in the comments.
Let’s see what matters to you this week.
I have been a little bit out of the loop over the last week, which has been good in a way, it has allowed me to recharge my batteries a little bit. I don’t have anything new, but I was meditating on the concept of bearing one another’s burdens last night (props to a good Bonhoeffer devotional), and it brought me to mind of a post I made around this time last year.
https://dswoager.wordpress.com/2014/05/18/cutting-people-2/
It’s only tangentially related to the topic on my mind, but I think the basis is the same. Finding peace with being the person to lift someone else up, an attitude of serving others rather than chiefly being served.
So Rolling Stone retracted its UVA rape article and has basically pinned blame on the source rather than their own failures of competence and procedure, The linked post is veritably a linkathon in itself about the post mortem.
http://wenatcheethehatchet.blogspot.com/2015/04/rolling-stone-retracted-uva-rape-story.html
The most damning observation so far has been that Rolling Stone went for an “emblematic” if atypical scenario on which to hang the shock value of its article. Not that I’ve ever taken RS seriously as a bastion of journalism on anything but pop culture, but they’ve shot themselves in the lung on this.
The other thing I’ve kept some tabs on is the Blurred Lines verdict because the 21st century may be the first one in which popular culture at large does not, practically speaking, have a public domain. Much of our shared pop culture has come mediated in recordings and films that have copyright registrations. For classical musicians and composers there’s a sea of public domain inspiration but for rock and pop, some have joked that if you’re gonna rip off a songwriter make sure it’s Tom Petty because he has enough money already and probaby won’t sue.
I spent most of the day at Urgent Care yesterday with my wife and young kids. (Wife was finally diagnosed with an ear and sinus infection and got meds). I learned that Urgent Care isn’t really “urgent” after spending over 6 hrs waiting. The other option Kaiser Permanente gave us was a doctor’s appointment two days away and my wife couldn’t endure the nausea and dizziness that many days. So we endured. It felt like an Emergency Room wait, so crowded and frustrating. Sigh.
Well, enough of my whining. Here’s a link from radical Anne Lamont on repentance and life’s priorities. Don’t agree with all Lamont often says, but I thought this was insightful. It brought a smile to my face this morning:
http://www.thepassivevoice.com/04/2015/what-if-you-wake-up-some-day/
dswoager @1,
Thanks for sharing. We need to change the world, not let the world change us. I think we can let the world change us in two bad ways: 1) by joining in on the sins and debauchery, 2) turning us into a hermit who avoids everything about the lost society we live in. Either way the Enemy wins and we are no longer a light to the world around us.
EricL, the Bonhoeffer passage that I was reading was referring to the suffering of the cross, and how Jesus carried the weight of sin for us, and the cross that we are to bear is similar in nature. We walk in a sinful world, whether it be inside or outside our fellowship of believers, and one of the things that we have been called to is to carry the burden of the sins of others, at least in a physical relational way. Essentially, I am feeling convicted that I should put up with a lot more of the things that frustrate and annoy me, and should be quicker to forgive and encourage. Still chewing on that, it has been a good topic to let bounce around my brain.
This is one of my favorite essays:
The Politics of Hobbits, by Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick
https://blogs.ancientfaith.com/roadsfromemmaus/2011/04/07/the-politics-of-hobbits/
Something fun-
Exposing the Religious Industrial Complex, an interview with Richard Flory.
http://hatcheryla.com/009-exposing-the-religious-industrial-complex-with-richard-flory-usc/
Oh, Mrs. ODM, that was hilarious. I was only going to watch a few minutes but I was laughing so hard I had to see it all.
I think the funniest scene was watching Benny swatting the people across the stage with his white jacket.
Why do most of these TV preachers dress in such ridiculous outfits? Isn’t enough for Satan that he’s enlisted these people into his army but must he give them such idiotic uniforms?
But I do have a soft spot in my heart for Tammy Faye.
Glad you liked it. You’re right about the dress code of televangelists. They love showing off — they;re just a bunch of cheap exhibitionists.
For all of you who give generously, to whomever, thank you.
This is for you:
http://steve-harvey.dailymegabyte.com/hes-live-air-when-phone-call-cant-tears/
Well, there IS this cool song called “Neon” by John Mayer,
and there’s this instructional video, no lyrics, just a guy playing it chord for chord, note for note…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlfUGC9yivk&feature=related
…ok, back to practicing !!O_o!!
…not me, btw
My link.
America and I…
http://shekinahfellowship.blogspot.com/2015/04/god-bless-america.html