Separated at Birth?

Is it just me or does Kristen Stewart look like a young Nicole Eggert?

If you know my opinion of Eggert, you know that is high praise.

A Veiled Tell: Nil Soli - 2/17/2008

Speak (2004)

JTH and I watched the movie Speak tonight. The film, an adaptation of Laurie Halse Anderson’s book of the same name, originally aired as a television movie in 2004. It stars Kristen Stewart, who has starred in the more recently released In the Land of Women and The Messengers. JTH was drawn to the film by Stewart and I was drawn to its having been featured at the Sundance Film Festival.

The premise of the film is a look at the freshman year of a girl named Melinda Sordino (Stewart) after a traumatic, misunderstood experience over the summer. Watching the character gradually regain her voice throughout the film is powerful.

Kristen Stewart carries the film wonderfully. The script is structured in such a way that it lives and dies with her and she thrives. This is especially impressive considering how much she must convey without the benefit of dialogue and the fact that she was thirteen years old when the movie was filmed. The supporting cast is also good. Steve Zahn is especially endearing as Stewart’s concerned art teacher.

Much like In the Land of Women Kristen Stewart’s character has great artistic ability. Is there a real life interest there?

Both JTH and I loved the film and when two opinions as diverse as ours agree on a film, it is quite the endorsement.

Current IMDB rating: 8.0/10. Chanalysis: 8/10

7Q Bible Study - 2/17/2008

Text: Luke 5:33-39

How does the behavior of the disciples reflect upon Jesus? How does ours?

What does this text say about fasting? When should modern Christians fast, if ever?

Presuming fasting is a pretext for a greater issue, what is the real accusation?

What does this say about Jesus’ life and reputation?

How would you re-tell the parable using modern examples?

What modern circumstances do the parables in vv. 36-39 speak to?

What does this text say about God?

Danes-worthy Anecdotes - 2/17/2008

These are the best stories I heard this week:

It’s All The Same

In Janson’s History of Art, Anthony Janson discusses a classical painting of a dinner scene involving Jesus. In this painting, Christ is portrayed as dining with buffoons, drunkards, Germans, and dwarfs. The Italian painter, Paolo Veronese (1528-1588) created the work in 1573 on a canvas 42 feet long and 18 feet tall.

The painting was Veronese’s interpretation of the Lord’s Supper. Not surprisingly, the Inquisition took exception to its irreverence. While they did defend the painter's right to “take the same licence as poets and jesters take,” they objected to the painting nevertheless. Veronese eventually changed the title rather than changing the artwork itself. Its new title “Supper in the House of Levi,” changed it content to a meal Jesus had with a reputed tax collector and his friends (Mark 2:13-15, Luke 5:26-28). Janson notes that Veronese really did not care. For him, there was little distinction between the house of Levi and the Last Supper.

The painting now hangs in the Academy, Venice. (History of Art, 381).

Shoot it

This is my favorite story of the week. I like it so much I have included it in the three places it could go as it makes me smile each time I tell it.

During the post-game radio broadcast after the UT-Georgia game, Chris Lofton arrived to be interviewed. Lofton was bombarded by fans wanting a variety of things from him One woman handed Lofton her baby so that she could get a photo of the two. An obliging, but uncomfortable Lofton posed for a picture with the child. Somewhere amidst the Tennessee partisans, a voice cried out, “Shoot it!” That could be interpreted many ways, none of which would be in the baby’s best interests.

The Ridiculous Facts of Life

MLM is leading a married retreat this week titled “The Facts of Life.” I supplied him with some information on the 1980's television show of the same name, some of which I knew for no apparent reason. One anecdote concerns the decision Lisa Whelchel made to not only abstain from premarital sex, but also have her character do so. The situation is very dated, but the conversation on premarital sex remains and Whelchel is more in the minority now than she was twenty years ago. Now a popular Christian living author, I admire Lis Whelchel and the stance she took. Here is the story:

In the series’ ninth and final season, the producers of “The Facts of Life” wanted one of the four primary characters to loose her virginity. Director John Bowab stated, "It was one of those things that you knew had to happen, but not to a ‘Facts of Life’ girl." It was a different era and sex was taboo. The original script called for Blair Warner to lose her virginity. Lisa Whelchel (who played Blair) objected because it was everything she was opposed to, "They said it was just a normal part of growing up. I didn’t believe that and I certainly didn’t want to have that rested on my shoulders of some girl contemplating that and saying you know Blair did it so it must have been ok." Mindy Cohn (who played Natalie Green) interjected, "I mean it is ridiculous all of these cute, great girls and no ones getting laid. I mean it is ridiculous. It is ridiculous. I volunteered I totally opted Natalie for the job, I thought she would be perfect." On 2/6/1988, “The First Time” aired with Natalie and her boyfriend Snake becoming intimate on their one-year anniversary.

I wish more people were ridiculous like Lisa Whelchel.

I would like it noted that though this television show has been referenced in two blogs this week, I had not thought about in some time prior. Seriously.

The List - 2/17/2008

WIVK (FM 107.7) in Knoxville advertises that section 107.7 offers the best seats at Thompson-Boling Arena for UT basketball games. I take offense to this claim as I believe my season tickets in 315A, high atop the rafters, are far superior. This was all but confirmed earlier this week when my tickets were “upgraded.” So without further ado,

The Top 10 Reasons why Section 315A offers the best seats in Thompson-Boling Arena

10. Making the hike up all of the stairs is great exercise. One supplements their workouts simply by being a season ticket holder. The money saved on a Stair Master or gym membership alone almost pays for season tickets.

9. 315A offers seats high enough to avoid participating in the annoying “Vol Spell Out,” held each game during the second half. No one in your section criticizes your lack of spirit in this event either as the t-shirts, awarded to the “winning section” will never reach 315A anyway. On the plus side, “Vols” is one of the words that all Vol fans can spell and I am a firm believer in education.

8. The seats are high enough to where you can see the entire game. You can see the motion of the offense and know when a player is open. In Tennessee’s half court game, movement may be limited, but at least you know that.

7. The seats are out of view of TV cameras. This way the spectator in 315A can act as ridiculous as one wants without being immortalized. This grants freedom that the lower levels simply cannot afford.

6. On a related note, you do not have to worry about being on the Kiss Cam. This is especially important as I tend to attend with guys and I am straight. It also seems to coerce affection, which defeats the purpose. (I will admit, my eyes are always glued to the Kiss Cam and cheer for the participants I know. I think it is fun - for other people.)

5. Unlike section 107.7, Vol Radio network color analyst Bert Bertkelkamp does not sit in 315A. Actually, as a fan he would be great - a fan in real time. As an announcer, he is a fan with a three-second delay.

4. In 315A, you can speak freely without fear of a player’s family overhearing. For instance, you can cringe when Prince attempts a 3-pointer or Chism blows a lay up without fear of insulting a loved one. No player would give their family seats that high up and if they did, it would mean that they did not like them in the first place.

3. A sizable donation to the university is unnecessary to obtain season tickets. I feel I gave the university enough money during my 5½ years there as a student at UT.

2. No one in 315A wears a sweater vest.

1. We sit in Section 315A. Enough said.

View from 315A

SMA and I attended the Tennessee-Georgia game in Athens on Saturday.

We arrived at Stegeman Coliseum early and watched the team warm up, largely because there was nothing else to do. JuJuan Smith, fresh off a 32-point game, had one side of the court to himself for quite awhile as the rest of our team congregated on the other half of the court. We were amazed at the shooting exhibition he put on. He was flawless, having a personal rebounder, and hitting shot after shot. Naturally, he scored only two in the game and missing all six of his three-point attempts.

The Vol contingency was unbelievable, both in number and volume. Just prior to the game, Georgia coach Dennis Felton fields three "Hot Seat" questions from the UGA student section. The Georgia fans were visibly upset when he had to pause for some time when the Vols hit the floor. The Vol fans cheered throughout his interview, making it almost inaudible. I had no sympathy as the timing of this segment seemed inappropriate.

The game itself unfolded strangely as Tennessee continually worked the ball inside against a Georgia press, instead of relying on their typical barrage of three-pointers. The game did ultimately end in a shooting duel between Tennessee’s Chris Lofton (22 points) and Georgia’s Sundiata Gaines (23). Tennessee fans were so appreciative of Gaines that he received a standing ovation when he returned to the court during the post-game radio broadcast. Bruce Pearl acknowledged the class of the gesture but also said, "you probably wouldn’t be feeling that way if he had knocked down that three."

Tennessee won the game, 74-71. We were thankful to win. With our lofty national ranking, we now get everyone’s best game.

Half-time was dedicated to remembering the twenty-fifth anniversary of Georgia’s Final Four team. In addition to the 1983 team, many former starts were there. Current Detroit Piston Jarvis Hayes was announced during the pre-game. We were disappointed that Georgia’s most famous basketball alumnus, Dominique Wilkins, was not there. We saw him on television later that night commenting on the NBA dunk contest.

My favorite moment of the trip came during the post-game "Bruce Pearl Show." Before being interviewed as the player of the game, Chris Lofton was inundated with a wide range of Tennessee paraphernalia to autograph. Somehow, a woman got her baby through the masses to pose for a photo with Lofton. An obliging, but uncomfortable Lofton held the child. Somewhere in the sea of Tennessee fans, someone yelled out "Shoot it!" It was priceless. That could be interpreted many ways, none of which would be in the baby’s best interests.

As an aside, "Sic ‘Em" is one of Georgia’s themes and is posted on the walls in the stadium. In editorial terms, [sic] indicates improper grammar. Could this be part of Georgia’s game plan - to infuriate rival teams and fans with poor English. As an example, their guard Zac Swansey clearly misspells his own last name. Everyone knows his surname is properly spelled Swansea. I can just picture Ramar Smith puzzled by this misspelling the entire time he was guarding Swansey. This would account for Swansey’s otherwise inexplicable ability to get past out defenders. Think about it. (But not too long.)

Prayer Blog - 2/16/2008, #2

WAM is ill, evidently quite ill. He slept in ice last night to mitigate his fever. Today has been a better day but he is still not ready to resume his daily routine. May he have a quick recovery with no lasting effects.

Prayer Blog - 2/16/2008

CAT, a college basketball player, has suffered an injury. He has an MRI scheduled this week and asked us to keep him on the prayer list. May he have a speedy recovery and resume his promising career.

Separated at Birth?

In the play "Life of Galileo" I attended last night, I noted how much Carol Mayo Jenkins' head shot (left) resembled Charlotte Rae aka Mrs. Garrett from "The Facts of Life" (right). Mayo Jenkins is UT's "Artist in Residence" and is quite an accomplished actor.

WRK had no recollection of the program, which made me feel remarkably old. Then I realized that I was still probably the second youngest person at the event...

Can I get a witness?

Bible Trivia - 2/15/2008

Question: What sin did Reuben commit which his father heard of (Genesis 35)?

Answer: He lay with his father’s concubine. (Genesis 35:22)

Comments: Reuben lay with his father’s concubine, Bilhah. The event is chronicled in only one verse with no consequences or reaction given, only that his father heard of it. Where did Jacob hear it? My guess is that younger brother, Joseph, presented as an informant at best and tattletale at worst two chapters later, spilled the beans.

Though unstated at the time, there was severe ramifications for Reuben’s action. This is the type of act, that is never completely forgotten. In Jacob’s blessing shortly before his death, he displaces the birthright from Reuben, his first born son:

Reuben, you are my firstborn;
My might and the beginning of my strength,
Preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power.
Uncontrolled as water, you shall not have preeminence,
Because you went up to your father's bed;
Then you defiled it--he went up to my couch. (Genesis 49:3-4, NASB)

I have always wondered if Reuben’s later actions surrounding Joseph were indicative of constant attempts to redeem himself. How awful life must have been before Jesus...

In a completely ridiculous observation, in the last three stories in which Reuben appears he is always in verse 22 of a given chapter (Genesis 35:22, 37:22, 42:22) I will let you discover for yourself the hidden meaning of this. (By that I mean, I got nothing.)

Word of the Day - 2/15/2008

Menage

A menage is a domestic establishment; household.

Jesus often stayed in the menage of Simon Peter in Capernaum (Mark 1:29). While Simon Peter and his brother Andrew dropped their nets to follow Jesus (Mark 1:18), evidently they maintained possession of their home. This is not accusation, merely an observation that tends to contradict the image most have of the new disciples leaving everything about their former lives to follow Christ.

In Eckleburg’s Eyes - 2/15/2008

I hope everyone had a wonderful Valentine’s Day.

I spent the morning in Bible Study with MLM and CMU. I taught on Luke 5:33-39. Abbreviated notes will be available Sunday.

MLM wanted us to contemplate an episode of the TV series House, M.D.. We often supplement our Bible Study with video clips. I lead the Biblical portion and MLM leads the visual complement. We watched the episode “Damned If You Do” from the series’ first season.

The episode features a nun, whose hands are red, swollen and cracked. By chance, she is sent to House for treatment. The religious patient considers the possibility of stigmata while the atheist doctor assumes an allergic reaction. There was much theology to consider.

My favorite quote in the episode came from the title character: “She has God inside her. It would be easier to deal with a tumor.”

On a trivial note, the cliché from which the episode takes it title is from former First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt. The full quotation is, “Do what you feel in your heart to be right—for you'll be criticized anyway. You'll be damned if you do, and damned if you don't.”

---

My Valentine’s date was the beautiful and talented, WRK. I was actually a fill-in for her boyfriend, PAT, who will return from Kennesaw, GA, on Friday. Not since Joe Besser subbed for Shemp in the Three Stooges has there been such a poor substitution.

I even picked her up a dozen roses, at PAT’s request. This shows how much I love PAT as flower delivery gives me flashbacks to one of the darkest periods of my life, working for unstable florists.

I have always had my Valentine’s gifts well in advance so purchasing flowers the day of was a new experience. Seeing countless grown men scavenge for gifts and lugging around huge teddy bears was quite a sight. It is one of those situations where you definitely do not want to see anyone you know. Naturally, I ran into JMT, one of my best friend’s uncles. Even in these embarrassing circumstances, it was good to see him.

After eating quickly at Jason’s Deli, WRK and I went to see the play, “The Life of Galileo,” at the Clarence Brown Theater. I love going to the theater. I love it so much that it is one of the few events that requires formal attire without inducing vexation. We lowered the average age significantly. I really wish more young people went to the theater. I do not know why they do not.

Our seats were wonderful, fourth row center at eye level with the actors. The play was very good. It had a small cast with many of the actors assuming multiple roles, which was confusing at times. I really wish they would have altered accents with costumes, but it was still very enjoyable.

Terry Weber, who attends the church I grew up in and is in virtually every local production, was credited with five parts. I am pretty sure he played more. None of the roles were Abraham Lincoln or Jesus (the staples I associate with him), though the anachronistic insertions would have added a unique take on Galileo.

The play was very informative. Naturally, the religious aspects were of keen interest to me. It was good to see the legendary scientist placed within the historical context of the Inquisition. Thanks, Dr. Loyd Allen, for enhancing my understanding of the play.

I also never knew Galileo had a last name - Galilei. (His parents evidently were not as creative as their son.)

Galileo lived a long life, as evidenced by the length of the play. It started at 7:30 and I returned WRK to her home after 10:30! We had contemplated hearing Christabel and the Johns at Barley’s Taproom, but the lateness of the play made us call it a night.

---

I realize that Valentine’s Day is often depressing, especially for the lovelorn. I will share a verse that I learned years ago. If you read the “One Year Bible,” this verse actually falls into the reading for February 14:

“The LORD is near to the brokenhearted/And saves those who are crushed in spirit.”- Psalm 34:18 (NASB)

Associated Baptist Press - 2/14/2008

Associated Baptist Press

February 14, 2008 (8-19)

IN THIS ISSUE:

Religious voters in ‘Potomac Primary’ boost Obama, protest McCain
Surgery causes Al Mohler to bow out of SBC race
Rep. Tom Lantos, champion of religious freedom, dies
Huckabee endorsement brings IRS investigation of Wiley Drake
Opinion: Torture is the bone caught in America’s throat
Opinion: An economy of scale to pursue edification, discernment

Religious voters in ‘Potomac Primary’ boost Obama, protest McCain

By Robert Marus

WASHINGTON (ABP) -- In the latest presidential primary contests, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama improved his position among Catholics on the Democratic side while most white evangelicals chose not to vote for Arizona Sen. John McCain, even though he is now all but guaranteed to be the GOP nominee.

The so-called “Potomac Primary” on Feb. 12 involved contests in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia. Obama and McCain swept all three of their respective primaries, but exit-poll data showed that Obama won decisively among Maryland’s most religious voters and made significant inroads into Clinton’s previous lead among Catholics.

McCain, meanwhile, won the Virginia primary by a smaller margin than many observers had expected. And he lost decisively to former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee among Republican voters who described themselves as evangelical or born-again Christians.

On the Democratic side, results by the afternoon of Feb. 13 showed Obama beating Clinton in Maryland with 60 percent of the vote to her 36 percent.

He won among all Maryland faith groups other than Roman Catholics and Jews. But while Clinton had won Catholics by large margins in earlier contests, she only edged her rival 48-45 percent among the state’s significant Catholic population.

Obama, meanwhile, beat Clinton decisively (61-31 percent) among Democrats who attend religious services weekly or more often. Among those who said they worship more often than weekly, his advantage was even greater: 67 percent to Clinton’s 20 percent.

Clinton still edged Obama among the most faithful Catholics, but she led by less than 10 percentage points.

In the overall Virginia GOP contest, McCain beat Huckabee 50-41 percent. But the Arkansan -- who was a Baptist pastor before he entered politics -- beat McCain 60-31 percent among those who describe themselves as evangelical or born-again Christians.

Huckabee also beat McCain among the most fervent believers of all faiths, with those who said they attend services weekly or more often favoring the Arkansan over McCain by eight percentage points.

McCain beat Huckabee handily among the commonwealth’s more secular Republicans. Virginia GOP voters who said they attend church supported the senator 59-29 percent over his chief rival.

McCain has amassed more than half of the delegates required to cinch the GOP nomination, while Huckabee lags far behind. But the governor has shown no indication he intends to drop out.

-30-

Surgery causes Al Mohler to bow out of SBC race

By Robert Marus

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (ABP) -- Al Mohler, president of Southern Baptists’ oldest seminary and spokesman for conservative social causes, will bow out of the race to head the nation’s largest Protestant denomination, according to a Feb. 14 statement.

Mohler will undergo surgery for a pre-cancerous tumor in his colon, according to a release posted on the website of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Mohler, 48, has headed the institution since 1995.

Three other candidates for the SBC presidency have already been announced: Georgia pastor Frank Cox and Californians Wiley Drake and Bill Wagner.

Doctors discovered the tumor during a routine colonoscopy Feb. 11, and a subsequent biopsy revealed that it was pre-cancerous.

Mohler went through similar surgery in December 2006. That surgery was complicated by blood clots that formed in his lungs. The Southern Seminary statement said Mohler’s physicians “will take special precautions to prevent a recurrence of the blood clots with this new surgery.”

It also said a date for the surgery had not yet been determined, but it will likely “require an extensive period for recuperation and recovery.”

Because of that, Mohler said, “I have decided to give my greatest attention right now to addressing this new challenge and to ministering to my wife and children. This is clearly not the right time for me to accept this nomination.”

He continued, “Frankly that decision is made much easier by my knowledge that there is at least one strongly conservative, committed pastor who intends to be nominated in Indianapolis.” He was presumably referring to Cox.

-30-




Rep. Tom Lantos, champion of religious freedom, dies

By Robert Marus


WASHINGTON (ABP) -- One of Congress’ staunchest defenders of international religious freedom has died.

Rep. Tom Lantos (D-Calif.) died Feb. 11 at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., reportedly of complications from esophageal cancer. The 80-year-old Lantos had represented suburban San Francisco in the House since 1981.

Lantos was the only Holocaust survivor in Congress. At the time of his death, he served as chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. He was also a co-founder and co-chairman of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus.

The congressman used his office to draw attention to human-rights issues, especially religious freedom. Lantos focused on abuses of minority ethnic and religious groups in Sudan, Saudi Arabia and China, to name a few.

“Despite the many demands on the time and attention of such a senior member of Congress, victims of human-rights abuses could consistently rely upon Rep. Lantos to be an advocate for freedom,” said Michael Cromartie, chairman of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, in a statement mourning Lantos’ death. “Rep. Lantos never hesitated to speak on behalf of those with no political voice.”

Lantos pushed for the 1998 legislation that created the commission, an independent government agency that monitors and reports on religious-liberty conditions worldwide. It also created, for the first time, an ambassador-level State Department position with a focus on freedom of conscience.

More recently, Lantos turned his attention to the ongoing genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan. In 2006, he was one of four members of Congress arrested at the Sudanese Embassy in Washington for protesting that government’s role in the crisis.

Lantos was born to a Hungarian Jewish family in Budapest in 1928. As a teenager, he fought against the Nazis as part of the Hungarian resistance to German occupation. He was eventually captured but escaped a concentration camp before fleeing to the United States.

At a Feb. 14 memorial service in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, colleagues and dignitaries honored Lantos. “For Tom, freedom was not just an abstract ideal,” said Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, according to the Associated Press. “I can see him look at us with those piercing-yet-compassionate eyes and say, ‘All right, you can pause for a moment to remember me, but then you must resume the struggle.’”

After arriving in the United States, Lantos used scholarships provided by Jewish organizations to attend college, eventually earning a Ph.D. from the University of California. He worked as an economist and business advisor before being elected to Congress.

Lantos’ death came only a month after his announcement that he would not seek re-election due to the cancer diagnosis.

“It is only in the United States that a penniless survivor of the Holocaust and a fighter in the anti-Nazi underground could have received an education, raised a family and had the privilege of serving the last three decades of his life as a member of Congress,” Lantos said, in a statement announcing his decision to retire. “I will never be able to express fully my profoundly felt gratitude to this great country.”

-30-

Huckabee endorsement brings IRS investigation of Wiley Drake

By Robert Marus

WASHINGTON (ABP) -- Outspoken California pastor and former Southern Baptist Convention officer Wiley Drake is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service.

The candidate for the SBC presidency this year is under scrutiny for using his church letterhead and church-sponsored radio show last year to endorse Mike Huckabee. Joe Conn and Jeremy Leaming -- alive and well after Drake called God’s wrath against them for criticizing his endorsement -- work at the religious-liberty agency that filed an IRS complaint that prompted the investigation.

After Americans United for Separation of Church and State announced their IRS filing in August, Drake asked his supporters to pray for ill to befall Conn and Leaming. The two are communications staffers for the agency.

Drake confirmed Feb. 14 that he had recently received an IRS letter noting he was under investigation for using church resources to endorse Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor, Southern Baptist minister and Republican presidential candidate. Federal tax law prevents churches and similarly organized non-profit groups from endorsing candidates or political parties.

Drake, pastor of the First Southern Baptist Church of Buena Park, Calif., made the endorsements last August. “After very serious prayer and consideration, I announce today that I am going to personally endorse Mike Huckabee,” he said in the press release printed on church letterhead. “I ask all of my Southern Baptist brothers and sisters to consider getting behind Mike and helping him all you can.”

He said he believes “God has chosen Mike for such an hour,” and that of all the candidates running for president, “Mike Huckabee will listen to God.”

Shortly after he released the written statement, Drake also endorsed Huckabee on an Internet-based radio show the church sponsors.

“Yes, I endorsed him personally and, yes, we use the First Southern Baptist Church,” Drake said on the show. “Everything we do is under the auspices of the church.”

The Americans United complaint to the IRS mentioned both forms of endorsement. The IRS letter to Drake also mentioned both the press release and the radio show.

Drake, reached by telephone Feb. 14, referred a reporter to his attorney. “Because I have retained legal counsel and they’ve told me, ‘Don’t talk to the press,’ I have to abide by that,” he said.

The attorney, Erik Stanley, did not return a telephone message by press time for this story. But he told the Associated Press that Drake did not violate federal tax law by endorsing Huckabee because it was a personal endorsement, not done on behalf of the church.

“Our position on this is that ... churches and pastors have First Amendment rights just like anybody else, and that includes the right to speak out,” he said. “They can feel free to personally endorse candidates. It was not a church endorsement, and he made that very clear.”

Stanley is representing Drake on behalf of the Alliance Defense Fund. The group is a national network of attorneys who often offer legal defense of individuals and causes supported by the Religious Right.

In recent years, some religious conservatives have tried unsuccessfully to undo the tax laws that prevent churches from endorsing candidates or parties while retaining their tax-exempt status. Opponents of such efforts claim the prohibition actually upholds religious freedom by protecting houses of worship and denominational bodies from being used by candidates and parties.

In August, after Americans United announced their complaint, Drake told the Los Angeles Times that he wasn’t worried about federal tax regulators. “They don't scare me,” he said. “I don't give a rip about the IRS. I don't believe in the separation of church and state, and I believe the IRS should stay out of church business.”

The letterhead Drake used both to endorse Huckabee and to call for God’s wrath against Conn and Leaming also mentioned his previous position as second vice president of the SBC. He held that office from June 2006 to June 2007. He has announced that he will run for president of the nation’s largest Protestant denomination this year.

SBC officials, however, have asked him not to mention his denominational leadership post on such press releases.

On Aug. 14, Drake released the statement calling for “imprecatory prayer” against Conn and Leaming.

The term “imprecatory prayer” is used to describe prayers, mostly in the Bible's Old Testament, that the righteous used to call down God’s wrath against their enemies.

In the statement, Drake asked supporters to “specifically target” Conn and Leaming. Their names usually appear as the return address or contact line on the Americans United press releases, including the one that announced the IRS complaint. Drake’s call to arms said Conn and Leaming “are those who lead the attack” on him, even though the group’s executive director, Barry Lynn, was quoted extensively in the release.

Drake’s statement justified its call to wrath by citing statements from Jesus, the apostle Paul, John Calvin, Martin Luther and the book of Psalms. It quoted extensively from Psalm 109, in which the Psalmist prays that his enemy’s “children be fatherless, and his wife a widow.”

The Psalmist, quoted by Drake, also asks that his enemy’s “children be continually vagabonds, and beg; let them seek bread also out of their desolate places.”

Conn, asked how he was feeling Feb. 14, laughed about the situation.

“I’m pleased to say that both Jeremy and I are feeling fine, and we’re pleased to see that the IRS is ready to enforce the law,” he said. “The irony of ironies is that both Jeremy and I have been doing very well even though most of the office has come down with the flu.”

-30-

Read more:

Drake, SBC presidential candidate, calls for God's wrath against AU (8/15/2007)

Opinion: Torture is the bone
caught in America’s throat

By David Gushee

It is clear to me that the problem of torture is like a bone caught in our national throat. We can’t swallow it, but we can’t quite spit it out. And so we are choking on it.

The sound of choking can be heard from various directions:

In recent congressional testimony on waterboarding given by Attorney General Michael Mukasey, CIA Director Michael Hayden, and others, the torture issue has been front and center. The basic import of this testimony is that the Bush Administration has at last admitted that it has employed waterboarding (simulated drowning, a recognized torture technique for centuries). Administration representatives say waterboarding is not presently occurring but suggest that such techniques could still be employed with the approval of the Attorney General and the President. This stance apparently will not change under the current administration, despite fierce opposition from many Americans of all faiths and political perspectives.

This week Senate leaders are trying to pass an anti-torture amendment with teeth. The context is the 2008 Intelligence Authorization Bill. The amendment would apply the interrogation restrictions imposed on the military by the Army Field Manual onto the CIA. This would ban waterboarding and a host of other cruel and inhumane acts. It appears that this legislation, which passed the House, faces doubtful prospects in the Senate. (Immediately is a very good time to contact your senators about this issue.)

The presidential campaign has had a number of surprises. Among them is the ascendancy of presidential candidates who oppose all forms of torture, and the decline or collapse of those who take the current administration position. Now, of course, these anti-torture candidates, such as Senator McCain, are being flogged as too moderate and too soft on torture.

The Bush administration announced this week its plan to prosecute six detainees linked to 9/11, including Khalid Shaik Muhammad, the purported mastermind of that terrible attack. Muhammad is among those whom the administration has admitted to have waterboarded as part of interrogations. The admissibility of any “evidence” he offered up under waterboarding will be just one among many issues raised by the trials of these men -- if the public is given access to news of these trials at all.

Given developments in the presidential campaign, it is now very possible to envision an election in which both major party candidates resolutely oppose torture. For this I can only thank God, even as others apparently gnash their teeth in frustration.

However, the fight against torture is not over until it is really over. This will require the ongoing efforts of advocates to help cement a cultural, religious and ethical consensus against torture over the next year or more. If our nation does elect an anti-torture president, we will still need to help that person implement their intentions into law. And this will require strong support from Baptist and evangelical communities, which have not broadly engaged this issue.

That is not entirely true. Many influential voices in the national (and international) evangelical community have come out strongly against any resort to torture. Many mobilized around our 2007 “Evangelical Declaration Against Torture,” which can still be signed at www.evangelicalsforhumanrights.org.

Few of those hundreds of signatories are Baptists -- as of now. The stance of the official Southern Baptist Convention leadership was signaled by attacks on the declaration through Baptist Press, with no opportunity given to me or anyone else involved with the declaration to respond.

I am more surprised by the silence from moderate Baptist leaders and the centrist-progressive kinds of Baptists who gathered at the New Baptist Covenant meeting. It is my hope that their general silence on torture does not signal consent or acquiescence but simply a lack of focus amid other pressing issues.

A religious community that selected Luke 4 as its central text, that lifted up Jesus Christ our tortured Savior and Lord, and that emphasized peace, justice and mercy, cannot be sanguine about our national use of torture in the war on terror, can it?

Also: Please continue to be in prayer for the Union University community, which faces a massive rebuilding effort even as it celebrates God’s grace in sparing the lives of the thousands of students -- including my daughter Holly -- who were in the dorms when the tornado hit last week.

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-- David Gushee is distinguished university professor of Christian ethics at Mercer University. His latest book is The Future of Faith in American Politics: The Public Witness of the Evangelical Center. www.davidpgushee.com

Opinion: An economy of scale to pursue edification, discernment

By Beth Newman

I recently had the privilege of enjoying the hospitality of the Englewood Christian Church of Indianapolis. This congregation isn’t as well known as Saddleback, nor has its pastor (Michael Bowling) ever been interviewed by Larry King, but its story is as exciting as any told by Joel Osteen.

Even a partial list of the community projects supported by Englewood is remarkable: a lawn care business, bookkeeping and PC-repair services, and a bookstore with on-line ordering capability. All of these benefit neighbors in the streets around the church. The church’s largest area of outreach has been in the housing sector, where it has helped more than 25 householders become homeowners in their neighborhood.

What makes this story particularly impressive is not just what the church is doing but how it got into the position to make it all possible. Englewood’s history over the past 100 years is in many ways the case history for mainline Protestantism: once one of the largest churches in Indiana until “urbanization” led to a loss of members, it faced a struggle to survive financial and numerical freefall. I won’t recount the full story (it’s available on the church website) but I do wish to lift up for consideration the three Scriptural convictions that guided their path to renewal and dialogue:

-- The church must pursue one-mindedness.

-- Assembly is for the purpose of edification.

-- Godly discernment must take place in assembly.

These conversations (every Sunday evening) took place in a congregation that within 20 years had shrunk from more than 1,000 to 250 people.

I can’t help wondering whether their numbers made it possible.

While we are being inundated by the campaign ads of various presidential contenders, each of whom promises to transform, I can’t help wondering how a nation of 300 million can discern anything. Wendell Berry has observed that it’s impossible to think globally and act locally because of the vastness of scale. The globe is an abstraction, and what is real for any of us are our families, our schools, our neighborhood and our churches. Any change will take place there, or it won’t take place at all.

This is what the Baptist emphasis on the autonomy of the local church -- at its best -- is all about. The emphasis on the local is not an assertion of rights over or against a national convention or the church catholic. Still less is it a vehicle for the implementation of national programs. The local church is the place where the gospel is embodied.

Above all, the local church is the place where the voices of the congregants matter in discerning the call and the vision of the larger congregational body. As Paul wrote to the early Corinthians, “When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.” There must be, therefore, some economy of scale that allows space for each member to speak and to be heard.

While this practice, as Englewood discovered, is messy, costly and painful, it also embodies a kind of “localist” economics -- an economy not based on bureaucratic structures but based on love. This might sound cheesy or idealistic. But at a place like Englewood the economic focus is not on getting rich people to give money but on how individuals envision the kingdom of God in the concrete place where they exist.

As Englewood tells the story, “What has emerged from all of this activity has been a community of faith imperfectly but intentionally bearing the transformative gospel of Jesus Christ. It is a community church immersed in the real stuff of life. What better placement could there be for the leaven of God’s kingdom come on earth?”

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-- Beth Newman is professor of theology and ethics at Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond. bnewman@btsr.edu

Bible Trivia - 2/14/2008

Question: For what request did Solomon have Adonijah killed?

Answer: For asking to marry Abishag (I Kings 2)

Comments: Adonijah was, quite literally, the man who would be king. As David’s son, Adonijah he had a rightful claim to the throne and as his father lay dying, he had taken measures to ensure his succession. When Bathsheba and Nathan informed David of this, he appointed another son, Solomon, next line. After David’s death, Adonijah enlisted Bathsheba’s help to secure Abishag, David’s concubine, as his wife. Solomon interpreted this as an attempt to usurp his crown and had his half-brother executed.

In short, Adonijah was killed because he wanted to shag Abishag.

Word of the Day - 2/14/2008

Imbroglio

An imbroglio is a misunderstanding, disagreement, etc., of a complicated or bitter nature, as between persons or nations.

Paul and Barnabas had an imbroglio over the participation of John Mark in their missionary endeavors. (Acts 15:37-39) R. Alan Culpepper suggests that the dispute may have been due to John Mark’s loyalty to Jewish Christianity in general and Simon Peter specifically, whom had stayed in John Mark’s home during his youth (Acts 12). He bases his theory on linguistics and John Mark’s return to Jerusalem (Acts 13:13). Paul’s primary argument, on the surface appears to be John Mark’s previous desertion which would indicate unreliability. I might add to Culpepper’s theory that Paul may have been jealous as Simon Peter and John Mark have two names and no one ever seems to refer to Paul as Saul Paul, leaving him with just one. Note to self: E-mail Culpepper directly.

Though the imbroglio caused a rift, Mark and Paul later reconciled. In the last chapter of Paul’s last epistle (his last will and testament, if you will), he instructs, “Pick up Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service. (II Timothy 4:11)

There is no dispute greater than the love of Christ.

In Eckleburg's Eyes - 2/14/2008

As usual when KJW rides in my XTerra, we forgot to return her car seat to its proper home on Tuesday night. You would think that this would be difficult to forget seeing as how one has to pry the baby out of said seat before leaving, but somehow we always manage to leave the seat in my vehicle. So yesterday, I returned the seat.

Not wanting to waste the trip, RAW, on his day off, KJW, and I ate at the Tropical Smoothie Café. Their slogan is "eat better, feel better." I cannot be certain that the food is healthier than other restaurants but I feel better about myself for intentionally eating healthier anyway. That has to count for something.

As you can tell from the photos, KJW was far more interested in her potato chips than the healthy wrap and banana we bought her. They are Sun Chips, so even the potato chips are healthier I suppose.

KJW typically turns any dining experience from a short film into a miniseries, so we were there for quite some time. The televisions were tuned to the Roger Clemens congressional hearing and VH-1's "Air Guitar Nation." Being unable to hear either program, we commented on the ridiculousness of both.

Why is Roger Clemens’ situation a congressional issue? Evidently, the 4½ hour session ended in a stalemate which essentially means that nothing was accomplished. What were they hoping to accomplish anyway? This is our tax dollars at work. It is times like these that I am thankful that I make virtually nothing and as such contribute very little to the government!

On the plus side, Tennessee Congressman John J. Duncan, whom SMA had seen at Ye Olde Steak House on Saturday, was featured, asking why Clemens never met with Senator Mitchell of whom the infamous Mitchell Report is named. He did not at any time say, "Go Vols!" but otherwise he represented Tennessee well.

I spent the night at Thompson-Boling Arena with a slightly different crew in a slightly different location. We were not in 315A for the Tennessee-Arkansas game. MPW acquired four extra tickets in Section 300, so he gave away our standard seats. There is a price for every transgression and we paid severely for this one. Three incredibly obnoxious fans sat directly in front of us. One of them was wearing a sweater vest. Need I say more?

Giving away our wonderful seats was not the dumbest move of the night. On a shivery day when it even snowed gently, I wore only a t-shirt at an event I knew included a significant walk. That coupled with a strong wind, made for quite an unpleasant trek to and from the stadium. A barking scalper actually asked for some of what I was smoking. Knowing that there was no one else to blame made it even worse.

The new crew consisted of myself, MPW, CL, and D, the point guard on our YMCA league team this past season. CL is becoming a fixture at MPW events, which is fine by me. D came to see his cousin, Gary Ervin, a senior point guard for Arkansas. Ervin did not play especially well, scoring seven points and shooting just 3 of 8 on free throws. The game is recapped in the currently inaccurate name of "View from 315A."

Kenya’s African Acrobats (http://www.africanacrobats.com/) performed at half time. They had a few impressive stunts but most of their act could be replicated by cheerleaders.

The halftime highlight for me was a replay of Ryan Childress’ marriage proposal to Lauren Clabough after the Georgia game on January 26. I suppose with tomorrow being Valentine’s Day, the powers that be thought that this fit the romantic theme. It was not for sentimental reasons that I enjoyed the clip. D, the only married member of our party, wanted confirmation that Childress was a current Tennessee basketball player. He then substantiated that he was not a senior. His conclusion was summarized in one word - "Dumb@$$!" His sincerity made the moment priceless.

The night was concluded at Applebees for half-priced appetizers with MPW and CL. There, I got to embarrass MPW (not that this feat is difficult) by telling her several facts and stories, including his nickname. All in all, it was a great day.

View from 315A

Tennessee (22-2) handily defeated Arkansas (17-6) tonight, 93-71. With Kentucky’s embarrassing 41-point loss last night and Florida’s home loss to LSU tonight, the Vols sit firmly atop the SEC East. The LSU win also makes Tennessee’s narrow escape from Baton Rouge on Saturday seem less discouraging. Maybe John Brady really was LSU’s problem...

JuJuan Smith was amazing hitting all six of his three-point attempts en route to 32 points. He scored only two in the last game in which he was hampered by the flu. I think it is safe to say that JuJuan Smith plays better when he does not have the flu. Remember, you heard it here first.

Chris Lofton did not get a good look at the basket all night and scored only six. JuJuan and Lofton seldom score heavily in the same night. It was only Lofton’s second game all season without a three-pointer.

Tennessee actually shot 73% from the line after going 4/15 against LSU. Overall, it was a great win against a good Razorback team.

I’ll just say, “Go Vols” and let you talk.

Prayer Blog - 2/13/2008

I talked to my good friend, CAB, tonight. I was saddened to hear that her position was not renewed by an organization that could really use her expertise. To make her job search more challenging, she is also recovering from lime disease she acquired on a trip to the northeast. God, grant her the discernment to find the job You wish her to have, the strength to do the job, and peace as she waits on You.

Bible Trivia - 2/13/2008

Question: According to Isaiah 11:6, in the Messiah’s peaceful kingdom, the leopard shall lie down with what?

Answer: The kid (Isaiah 11:6)

Comments: The leopard lying with the kid (goat) is one of three examples Isaiah uses to illustrate the peaceful nature of a future age. This is an example of synonymous parallelism, a literary device which uses the line to repeat a concept from the preceding line without making any significant addition or subtraction. The line in question, is lesser known than its counterpart, featuring the lion.

“The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.” - Isaiah 11:6 (KJV)

Word of the Day - 2/13/2008

Chanticleer

A chanticleer is a rooster. The term was used as a proper name in medieval fables.

On the night of his arrest, Jesus predicted that before the chanticleer crowed, his disciple Simon Peter would deny Him three times (Matthew 26:34, Mark 14:30, Luke 22:34, John 13:38). As usual, Jesus was correct. This is the only New Testament pericope that features a rooster (alektor).

In Eckleburg's Eyes - 2/13/2008

Yesterday marked the birthdays of SMA and my childhood friend, KEO. Many blessings.

I spent the evening with RAW, KLTW, and my beloved, KJW.

One of KJW’s favorite new toys is a bunny that her great granddaddy gave her. It plays “Jesus Loves Me” when you press its belly. She loves it! I am so pleased. Karl Barth (1886-1968), perhaps the most influential theologian of the 20th century, was asked in 1962 (on his sole visit to America) how he would summarize the essence of the millions of words he had published. He replied, "Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so." So in my estimation, KJW already understands the gist of Church Dogmatics. She is so advanced.

One of her favorite books is the My First Bible, given to her by yours truly. She brought it out for us to read to her. Now, if her parents would just let me start teaching her Greek...

The thing she was most interested in last night was SpongeBob SquarePants, known to her simply as “Bob.” We decided to take her to MoFoS, to check on the availability of “Bob” and so she could see JTH, her “Uncle Hickey,” whom loves her though he would never admit it.

Her daddy had her look at JTH and mimic the words “Dumb Hickey.” Despite the fact that the child did not know what she was saying (or at least mean it anyway), JTH instantly, “Well, you were a mistake!” Touché.

After purchasing KJW some “Bob,” the four of us went to IHOP and participated in “National Pancake Day.” From 7 am - 10 pm, every customer was privy to a free small stack. The only catch was that they asked you to consider making a donation to the Children’s Miracle Network. We could not believe the place was not packed, but we got right in. I guess this was not something they advertised.

I noted that “free” is perhaps my favorite word. RAW countered with “Snickerdoodle.” I could not argue.

Like ordering her a half-priced appetizer at Applebees for my consumption, here I ordered KJW’s free small stack. I get a great joy out of using the child for discounted food. She did get to eat silver dollar pancakes. For future parenting reference - beware of food with syrup.

We then returned to their house to view the 1993 version of The Three Musketeers at my request. For some reason, unknown to even me, I wanted to watch the film. I enjoyed it very much, it was just random.

I will close today with Aramis' (Charlie Sheen) method of “wenching,” perhaps my favorite scene in the film:

As morning hues of sun swept fire caress your passion face. Alone with thee in pure desire, to worship your untold grace. My soul would cry in silent prayer, for hours spent apart. Your essence warms the evening air, as I dance into your heart.

I will consider my dating career a success if I can utter those words to a girl’s face without laughing.