Safe Haven

The Folly of Dismissing the Mainstream and Popular in Music Let me begin this by saying that I despise musical snobbery. By this, I do not mean an appreciation for the high art involved in constructing music, nor an understanding of the language of music, nor a dogged appreciation of one style or genre of music. Rather, I mean an a priori rejection of a musical form or performer simply because it/he/she is popular. I do not say that popularity equates with quality, nor do I deny the possibility (cherished by music snobs) that truly great music is buried underneath piles of mindless dreck. But I do say that even buried within the art of those whose music we revile, the music which zooms up the charts inexplicably like funky swamp gas into your nostrils, is gold waiting to be mined. Maybe it's just a song that needed to bake in the oven of the AC charts for a time; maybe they wait while we mature, leaving the petty cliques of our youth (and their distinct sonic identities) behind....

5 Thoughts On My Hebrew Final Exam 5. "What is the root of this word?" 4. "What if this word isn't in my lexicon? Not in BDB, my ginormous $30 lexicon." 3. "This is a horribly hard text." 2. "I want to punch someone in the face." 1. "I wish my name was C. John Collins." P.S. It ain't over.

5 Thoughts For The Moment 5. Babyface is like a gateway drug; I'll bet on being a fan of Ken Hirai on the strength of this song. 4. Finish the post; you need sleep. 3. If you can be the best quarterback in football and the most overrated at the same time, Peyton Manning is it. 2. God bless the inventor(s) of Coca-Cola. 1. Happy Birthday, "JB." May your next 25 years be as criminally good-looking as these have been.

5 Inconvenient Dangerous Thoughts I Had During A Hermeneutics/Scripture Discussion 5. "Maybe Scripture isn't perspicuous." 4. "What is the 'gospel'"? 3. "That hermeneutical spiral thing you keep mentioning is a load of crap, and too much a concession to the postmodernists anyway." 2. "Maybe there's so many denominations because our final authority was not intended to be used for that purpose." 1. "Maybe there's so many denominations because we are angry malcontents and schism-artists." [ So are you ready to submit to the infalliable Roman Catholic Church, and the successor to St. Peter?--ed. ] No. But I salute them for provoking the question, and for providing a semi-palatable, alluring answer, even if it is highly convenient. Sola Ecclesia is better than No Ecclesia. Which is really what you've left us with, "Uncle Marty." That's another thing--James White, are you listening?--You're darn skipp...

Dangerous Jamie is at it again. Seriously, stop waiting around to read Bryan's essay on ecclesial deism; No, I don't care if you don't think Catholics are saved. You're wrong, anyway. The ecclesial infalliability claim bothers me too, but alas, I haven't read through Newman, so I reserve judgment at this time. This is THE question of the new decade: Is it time to go home? Co-belligerence is a failure; I'm telling you, non-Christians see right through it, and they wonder if it's just a ploy for a political program to "save America from the heathen" [read: Democrats, socialists, gays, peaceniks, and college professors. Yes, I know I repeat myself. Granted, in all seriousness, the only group I'd have no gripe with is the peaceniks, but the point is, "How's licking the boots of the GOP working out for you?" But I digress.]. The giant elephant in the room is: Can we sustain a protest on points of doctrine which we cannot verify, even ...

5 Thoughts On The Day In Football 5. Fear the Ravens. 4. The most important player on the Patriots is...Wes Welker? Who knew? 3. Good job remaining composed, Aaron Rodgers. I was wrong about you. 2. Ray Lewis is still the best linebacker in football. 1. Blitzing Kurt Warner is like wiping your buns and having a movement; just not smart.