NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity’s shadow in the Gale Crater on Mars.
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Monday Open Thread64 comments to Monday Open ThreadLeave a Reply |
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First!!!
Watching a Clark Gable Debra Kerr film. Wonderful is such a small word
for such masterpieces!
So, I’ve been doing a a bit reading on the shift of Christianity’s center away from the West toward the “Global South,” particularly the Philip Jenkins’s book The New Faces of Christianity: Believing the Bible in the Global South (it’s the leading survey on the subject, but it has a bit of a tilt leftward, ideologically and theologically). Doing a bit of searching, I came across a documentary in production called African Christianity Rising (their Vimeo site is here, with lots of videos). A few things come across. First, for all practical purposes, Christianity is no longer a Western religion. Second, Christianity in Africa comes in a lot of flavors (though a few of them feel quite familiar), but they all seem to involve a lot of color, music, and dancing. Third, syncretism is an ongoing problem.
As a recently minted Catholic, I have no idea what you mean by “for all practical purposes, Christianity is no longer a Western religion.” A major factor of my crossing the Tiber is because I am a man of the West and the Catholic Church was, is and shall be the foundation of Western Civilization.
If you don’t mind, could you expand on that “Christianity is no longer a Western religion” comment. If it’s not ‘of the West’, what is it?
I’ll let Marcoe answer for his own intentions, but I would say he’s correct insofar as the future geographical concentration of the Church being the Southern Hemisphere. The foundational principles are Western(Asian if we’re being persnickety.
).
I have a Protestant point or two about your paragraph but that’s for another day.
It’s a simple fact of life, subject to change by God’s grace, but this is how it is for the present. At this point in history, more Africans attend Anglican churches in Africa than English people and Americans (Episcopalians) put together. Christianity is booming in Africa and China, but dying in Europe. Also more than a little sick in the U.S. I expect that liberals who despise Christianity as “the white man’s religion” today will soon despise it as “a pathetic Third World religion.”
I heard a sermon the other day in which the preacher, who had been to Africa in mission work said that there are a lot of good Chistian people there, but sadly in many cases they have incorporated their old “witch doctor” theology in with Christianity, and in some cases the results aren’t much better than out and out paganism. In some cases, even child sacrifice is practiced.
Daniel, the world’s largest (Catholic) seminary is in Nigeria. Roughly half of all Catholics reside outside the West, while the majority of growth came from Africa, Asia, and Latin America. By 2050, I believe it was, the West will represent only one-fifth to one-sixth of all Christians worldwide, Catholic, Orthodox, or Protestant. So, for all practical purposes, Christianity is no longer a Western religion.
So racial and national make-up decides whether or not Christianity is “Western”? By that definition if you dropped Hillsdale College into Africa you would declare it no longer teaches Western civilization because the students are Nigerian. Ridiculous.
Western is also a geographic identifier Daniel.
He’s not saying its not philosophically Western he’s saying it physically located in the Southern Hemisphere. How is that arguable?
I’m not going to rehash the Peter pope issue because we would obviously disagree and debating it would be needlessly argumentative.
Daniel, first, you know me better than that. We’ve talked and argued enough that you should know I wouldn’t make such a ridiculous argument, and it’s rather insulting that you would think I would. Second, think it through: every culture brings their own traditions and cultural lens through which they understand the faith. It doesn’t alter the message, but it does alter it’s context, presentation, and the atmosphere of the Church that grows up there. Read Bede’s Anglo-Saxon Chronicle or about Matteo Ricci’s mission to China if you want to learn more about cultural issues in evangelism and presentation of the Gospel.
Oh, and that’s roughly a reversal of the position in 1900, when about 83% of Christians resided in the West.
Blessed John Paul II said the Church had two lungs – one Eastern (the various Orthodox churches) and one Western (the Catholic Church) that were sadly divided by schism. That strikes me as a better way to view Christianity than the Protestant notion that the racial and national make-up of those who reside within a particular building is what decides what Christianity is.
Attend a Mass in Africa, Asia, Germany, or Illinois and you will see the same thing. A Catholic might not be able to understand the various languages but will always know where one is in the Mass.
Attend an Orthodox liturgy in Russia, Greece, Jerusalem or Los Angeles and, again, you’ll see the same forms used, and every Orthodox will recognize where one is in the liturgy at any given moment.
On second thought about all this, I’m probably wrong and confused about this subject also. The Father didn’t send his Son and the Holy Spirit just for the West. He came for every human person condemned by Original Sin. I give thanks to God every day that “on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”
The Father didn’t send his Son and the Holy Spirit just for the West. He came for every human person condemned by Original Sin.
Agreed. God be praised.
So what are Protestants,potted plants?
Oh, good Lord, you’re not going to make this a Catholic versus Protestant thing, are you? Look, Christians are Christians. Whatever culture or civilization took/takes the lead in setting the tone for the Church, we cleave to Christ. If the Church had gone East, instead of West, they would’ve been using a Confucian instead of a Platonic framework to articulate the doctrines of the faith, but it would’ve been the same Gospel. And even under the umbrella of Rome, local conditions can vary a great deal, without leaving the reservation, so to speak.
Oh, and FYI: I’m headed off to Catholic liberal arts college in less than a month. I have happen to have a Catholic Bible and a copy of the Catechism of the Catholic Church in the pile of textbooks I’m bringing with me. So, while you’re pounding your chest, you might want to note that us lowly Protestants aren’t so dismissive of our Catholic brothers.
/sarc
Look, don’t bring that Catholic/Protestant food fight here. There’s a time and a place for debate, but it discussions that concern all Christians, it’s just rude.
You’re lucky,David…a few hundred years ago the Catholic church used to burn people alive for reading the Gospels.
And the anti-Catholic bigotry raises it’s ugly little head.
Actually, I think that’s more Scott’s humor than anything else.
Oh, Protestants have a few notches on their belt in that regard as well. But most of it was the dangerous co-mingling of state and church. Just look at how our own First Amendment begins, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion…”
And we go from all that, to documents like Evangelicals and Catholics Together and JPII inviting Billy Graham to preach from his own pulpit while he was Archbishop of Krakow.
COHAGAN!
Get your ass to Mars!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CeiPJaHuoQ
Mornin’, all! Happy birthday to the lovely and badass Michelle Yeoh, the hilarious Lucille Ball, and the great Robert Mitchum.
I think 3D could use one of these: http://theawesomer.com/breakfast-machine-project/19742/
Cool idea, but maybe one that makes something besides omelets? I really don’t like omelets.
Except the one’s her poolboy makes.
Scott…take it easy on Julio. He’s simply doing his job!
In DC, Uber is a service that connects limo-light luxury sedan drivers to customers. You download an app, make your request, a car shows up and sends a text to let you know, your credit card is charged and off you go. Uber even serves areas that taxi drivers won’t go to, such as the notorious Ward 8 (Marion Barry’s ward).
It is more expensive that a cab, but is far faster and efficient. So of course the DC city council is attempting to crush it.
http://dailycaller.com/2012/08/05/dc-city-council-members-move-against-uber-sedan-service/
Harry Reid,we hardly knew ye!
http://anabolicminds.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=49424&d=1323909344
http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Hiroshima-marks-67th-anniversary-of-A-bomb-attack-3764553.
Memo to Harry Truman’s grandson:it was absolutely the right thing to do.Your grandfather saved hundreds of thousands of lives by his decisive action.The US had several options:one was to starve Japan into submission,whereby countless Japanese would have died a slow horrible death.Another was to continue firebombing,which had months earlier razed much of Tokyo(100,000 people incinerated in one night).The last was to physically invade the Home Islands with the Army and the Marines.
Never start a fight you can’t finish.
Check out what Hiroshima looks like now: http://lh4.ggpht.com/hydmastipics/SM5B7vzjgSI/AAAAAAAAlAU/ZC9GQJkp5hg/185493image004.jpg
Cities can be rebuilt. What Germany, Japan and Italy were trying to do to our civilization, on the other hand? That would have taken hundreds of years and millions of innocent lives to undo, if it ever could be undone.
The link doesn’t appear to be working. But I’m assuming he (the grandson) was apologizing? This has sadly become standard fare on the left. Just one more thing to throw in the box labeled, “Why America Sucks” that they generally like to rummage through and pull out randomly lest someone suggest we’ve actually accomplished something worthwhile.
And JimmyC, excellent point. I hadn’t really thought of it that way. I’ll have to remember to use that next time a lib brings this up.
Does anyone know if there have been any long term studies about any lasting physical or generational effects on the populous from the radiation from the bomb?
It made a whole nation a bunch of sanctimonious whiners about war…but I couldn’t answer if that was a physiological change or not.
I looked up some research and found many papers on long term studies. Unfortunately they are all in foreign journals or journals I do not have full access to so I cannot read through and critique their methods. And I’ve included a few choice studies to quote that were published this year that are representative of what I’ve read so far. That said; it appears there have been no significant differences in cancer rates for offspring of survivors.
There is significant variability in the cases of actual survivors including what kinds of diseases develop (even reports of increased risks of strokes), the age they were when the bombing occurring seems to have significance (the younger you were, the worse off you are) and so on. Basically, the risk of ill health and cancer went up compared to the non-exposed population but sometimes only very slightly and sometimes a lot. In other words, radiation = bad but it is far from a death sentence. As you might guess, most of the recent work was inspired by the Fukushima plant meltdown and the concern for long term effects of exposure.
Very interesting, and pretty much what I expected and hoped for. Thanks for the info, Skip!
They learned how to make excellent automobiles!
But they forgot how to make fighter planes.
True!
Gee…go figure that an author of confusion would like his own abomination!
http://news.yahoo.com/obama-embraces-health-care-law-court-ruling-135603187–finance.html
Coffee, and whatever it was that Magnus, my Sgt. Major and yours as well, presented for breakfast!
I think we discussed this item yesterday or Saturday: http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/08/05/flashback-dems-disqualified-military-ballots-in-2000?utm_source=e_breitbart_com&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Breitbart+News+Roundup%2C+August+6%2C+2012&utm_campaign=20120807_m113224950_Breitbart+News+Roundup%2C+August+6%2C+2012+&utm_term=More
The article recalls the effort in 2000 to disqualify military ballots.
I honestly don’t see how this can legally happen. Of course when did legalties bother the left?
What, Herr Sgt. Major, did you do to Helga over the weekend? She hasn’t shown up for work!
I don’t think he can answer that, this is a family blog.
True that…on both counts. Or, she’s hanging with Julio, your poolboy!
Since when is this a family blog, Tink? It stopped being that a long time ago.
I don’t know if it ever was. That is why it is funny.
It is?
Of course it is – check out all of those smiley faces you are sporting up there!
I just double checked… we’re back up to a PG-13 for death, some sex, and the word “dick”. No man boobs or Salma for awhile cleans the joint up a bit.
Yes, but you must factor in the Marcoe Photo Files, wnich should come with a disclaimer!
Helga will be recuperating in my barracks for a few . . .um . . .weeks.
What did you do to her? Humiliate her or something?
Yupper…NC-17!
This is a cool graphic showing the Usain Bolt’s place in history vs all of the other 100M sprinters since the start of the modern Olympiad.
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/08/05/sports/olympics/the-100-meter-dash-one-race-every-medalist-ever.html?ref=sports
Very interesting Tink!
A big, fat black and white cookie for the lady!
I hope Kriskey is going to this event. They need his money:
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/obama-coming-close-beach-143039714.html
Wow.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wisconsin-temple-hero-cop-brian-murphy-shot-times/story?id=16939854#.UCBLfGhdBD0
Anybody see Romney v Obamas fundraising numbers? Romney is CRUSHING Obama in money. I am thinking if the cash and the Rasmussen polling is correct, Obama is soo O.V.E.R!
Provided we have an honest election, which the Dems seem intent on preventing.
Like Hugh Hewitt says if its not close they can’t cheat. And looking at the state wide elections, honestly I don’t think it will be close. I have never seen a more panic striken national campaign in my life like the one Obama’s running.
Speaking of Harry Reid…
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0812/79419.html