Archive for December, 2005
« Previous EntriesTime and Context
Saturday, December 31st, 2005Time and context are
In the beginning was the Word
We Are Not Alone
Saturday, December 31st, 2005Yesterday’s post on journaiistic practices
calls for added thought.
Yesterday I was critical of a CNN report on the return of a pastor to a local church in Crawford, Texas after a stint as a military chaplain in Iraq. My criticism was that the reporter did not cite the pastor’s denominational connection nor local church.
My [...]
How the Mainline Loses
Friday, December 30th, 2005Here’s an example of how the mainline loses
its presence in media coverage.
Yesterday’s television news provided an example of how poor journalistic practices result in the lack of presence of mainline denominations in major media. CNN presented a piece on the return to Crawford, Texas of a local pastor who’s been serving as a chaplain [...]
Plain Writing
Friday, December 30th, 2005Keep it simple.
We had dinner with long-time friends from out-of-town a couple of nights ago and the conversation turned to our appreciation for our respective pastors and their abilities to communicate complex teachings with simplicity and clarity.
My friend contends that one result of seminary education is to ruin the ability to communicate in everyday language. [...]
Writing and Social Context
Thursday, December 29th, 2005A few weeks ago I wrote of the importance of
context and writing. These are a few examples of the kind of writing that
explains context and helps the reader understand how culture and other dynamics
in a social context affect the lives of people.
A few weeks ago I wrote of the importance of context in reporting. [...]
Trains, Trains, Trains
Monday, December 26th, 2005The Washington Post says trains,
specifically model trains, are not dead. The hobby is booming. And it’s adults
who are providing the growth.
Having just spent the past several days working on the railroad, I know the Washington Post’s article on model trains is on track.
Model railroads may be marketed to kids, but [...]
Living in Different Worlds
Wednesday, December 21st, 2005We all live in circumstances that contribute
to how we see the world and its peoples.
Where you live affects how you view the world and the people around you. So does your daily work environment, home life, tribal culture and education along with a host of other influences.
I became aware many years ago that we [...]
The Improbable Christmas Story and Depression
Tuesday, December 20th, 2005This is a time when people are more aware of
depression. Yet, it’s also the time to remember the improbability of the
Christmas story and find hope in it.
I’ve received a couple of Christmas letters and talked with a few individuals that mentioned how depressed they are this year. Some attribute it to the course [...]
Values at Risk: Morals in Crisis
Tuesday, December 6th, 2005President Jimmy Carter writes about our
endangered values and the crisis in moral leadership in the U.S.
today.
A few weeks ago I promised readers of this blog that I’d try to keep posts short and to the point. Haven’t succeeded, have I? If you’ve hung in there through these last several posts, thanks. I [...]
Scapegoating and Truthtelling
Sunday, December 4th, 2005When stressed we seek both relief and
equilibrium.
It is an embarassingtragedy to see adeparture from ournation’s historic leadership as a champion of human rights.–Pres. Jimmy Carter
To read former President Jimmy Carter’s latest book, Our Endangered Values: America’s Moral Crisis, is a worrisome exercise. President Carter writes that religious fundamentalists and political conservatives now in [...]
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