Stuff You Should Check Out: 11/27/09

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving (or, if you live outside of the United States, and happy November 26th). Here are some stories that caught my eye this week:

-First, in Shameless Self-Promotion, my "Praying for Obama's Demise" article is now on Burnside Writer's Collective. The article has started quite an interesting conversation.

-Cracked.com finally says what we've been thinking: Facebook I.Q. tests are stupid.

-Kirk Cameron and a college student debate evolution. Despite the bad audio quality, it's actually a very good discussion. (Although between you and me, I think there are bigger fish for Kirk to fry than whether or not little Johnny should learn about evolution. Stuff like, I don't know . . . poverty.)

-Richard Rushfield at Gawker confirms what we already kind of knew: Avatar is probably going to suck.

-And finally, this week on Disturbed Christians I take a look at the post-Thanksgiving tradition known as Black Friday.

Thankful

Since I'm a huge Derek Webb fan, and today is Thanksgiving, I thought it would only be fitting to post this video:



Happy Thanksgiving!

Praying for Obama's Demise?

January 20, 2009 was a day that I’ll always remember. We brought up a TV so everyone—from the library patrons to the staff—could watch the inauguration of Barack Obama. Despite a heated and sometimes vicious election season, we watched the inauguration not as Democrats and Republicans, but as Americans. We even sang the National Anthem together. In that moment, we realized that we were truly One Nation.

I’m not sure what happened since then, but the current political tension is thicker than the election season. What started as mere criticisms of Obama’s policies have transformed into vicious attacks and slanders. The President has been accused of promoting socialism, not being a U.S. citizen, and setting up “death panels.” The backlash against Obama has transcended beyond basic Democrat-bashing; some are even praying for his demise.

No doubt you have seen a new crop of t-shirts and bumper stickers that say, “Pray for Obama—Psalm 109:8.” At first it seems innocent enough; the Bible does tell us to pray for our leaders. However, if you look up Psalm 109:8, you’ll realize it’s not as innocent as it seems: “May his days be few; may another take his place of leadership.”

What makes it even scarier is what follows that particular verse: “May his children be fatherless, and his wife be a widow. May his children be wandering beggars; may they be driven from their ruined homes” (v. 9-10). Although the “Pray for Obama” slogan does not include those verses, if you take Psalm 109 in its entirety, it makes it sound like a prayer for the President’s death.

You might ask how this is different from the bumper stickers that said, “Send Bush back to Texas.” While the backlash against the former president was also huge, and sometimes got a bit ugly, I don’t remember God being brought into the mix. I might be wrong, but I don’t recall anyone praying for Bush’s demise or death. With the “Psalm 109:8” slogan, Obama’s critics are once again reiterating the false notion that God, in His infinite mercy and justice, is some how politically partisan.

According to Scripture, “there is no authority except that which God has established” (Romans 13:1). The Bible also tells us to pray for “all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness” (1 Timothy 2:1-2). That’s not to say that civil disobedience isn’t sometimes necessary (see Daniel 3:1-11 and Acts 5:28-30). But regardless of who is in the White House, he is still our president, and still needs God’s guidance.

While there is nothing wrong with not liking either Obama or his policies, praying for his demise is taking it way too far. Instead, we should pray that God gives our president the wisdom and strength to lead our nation. God is not politically partisan, and neither should be our prayers.

Need Some Technological Help

Stuff You Should Check Out: 11/20/09

Here we are at the end of another work week, which means it's time to take a look at what's been going on this week:

-The book Deadly Vipers was pulled from stores by its publisher, Zondervan. The book stirred stirred up a bit of controversy over its marketing, which many believe reinstated many Asian stereotypes.

-Jim Wallis proposes an alternative to President Obama's current Afghanistan policy.

-Diana Butler Bass examines the Pray for Obama, Pslam 109:8 bumper sticker.

-McSweeney's has a new column written by high schooler Caroline Lazar called Oh My Gawd: A Column about a Teenager Navigating Religion. Great stuff!

-Arianna Huffington and Keith Olbermann discuss the "fearmonger-in-chief" Glenn Beck. Pretty much sums up why I can't stand Beck.

-And finally, my article The Thorn in the Flesh was published this past week on Relevant Magazine's website.

Open Letter to Joe Albero

Dear Joe,

I congratulate you for the success of Salisbury News. In this day and age, I think it's important for the blogosphere to catch the stories that occasionally slip through the established press' fingers. However, there is an alarming trend on your blog that I want to point out.

First let me make it clear that while I did vote for Barack Obama last year, I don't think that he's some sacred cow that no one can touch. Questioning and fact checking your leaders--whether they are Democrats or Republicans--is the most patriotic thing you can do. My problem is that you print things about the President that are simply not true.

For example, recently you posted a picture of Obama not putting his hand on his heart at last week's Veteran's Day ceremony. The problem is according to FactCheck.org, that picture is him approaching the podium while "Hail to the Chief" played. And it wasn't even at the Veteran's Day ceremony either; it was at a Memorial Day observation.

Then a few weeks ago you quoted Obama as saying, "My friends, we live in the greatest nation in the history of the world. I hope you'll join with me as we try to change it." Well, according to Politifact, it's a made up quote.

And then there's the whole Obama is a Muslim baloney. Snopes.com disproved that urban myth a long time ago.

The troubling thing is I posted those links in the comment section of those blog entries, and you didn't put them up. I wasn't rude, neither did I call you names. All I did was post the links, and you deleted them.

Like I said, I'm not one of Obama's "brown shirts" who want to silence his critics. Neither am I going to devote my entire blog to hating you, like The Salisbury Grinch. It just troubles me that, as a citizen reporter, you don't check your facts. How are people supposed to trust you if you don't check your facts?

From one blogger to another,

Travis

Christmas in November?

I'm usually not a fan of The Family Circus. It's too sweet for my dark sense of humor (I prefer The Nietzsche Family Circus). However, little Jeffy (or is it Billy?) is on to something.

This past Sunday Amy and I strolled around the Annapolis mall. Crate and Barrel had only a handful of Thanksgiving items near the front, and then the rest was Christmas. Then at Spencer Gifts they already had naughty Santas and snowmen on on display. There was even a mall Santa already asking kids to sit on his lap. I asked Amy, "This is still November, right?"

When I was a kid, the days between Halloween and Thanksgiving were about getting ready for Thanksgiving. The classroom was decorated with fake leaves and pictures of pilgrims, turkeys, and Native Americans. We made lists of things we were thankful for. And yes, we did the hand-print turkeys. Christmas was too far into the future think about; we had to carve the turkey first before writing our letters to Santa.

During the past couple of years, however, I've noticed that as soon as Halloween is over, department stores start hanging up snowflakes and garland, and play Christmas music on the P.A. system. We're told to start our Christmas shopping before the Halloween night sugar buzz wears off.

Of course I can understand why, and it's not just about commercial profit. We feel all warm inside thinking about the Christmas trees, carols, and toys of our childhoods. We know that when Halloween is over, it won't be long until it's time to break out the eggnog and decorations. And really, who wants to wait for three more weeks?

So I think while part of the whole Christmas-in-November phenomenon is driven by marketing, some of it also comes from personal nostalgia. Either way, I'm just glad Starbucks' peppermint mochas are back!