Our guest today is Richard Falk - an international law and international relations scholar who taught at Princeton University for forty years. Since 2002 he has lived in Santa Barbara, California, and taught at the local campus of the University of California in Global and International Studies … Read more about Richard Falk on War, Water and The Wolf of Wall Street
Maybe the Mayans Weren’t Wrong
In all of the hub-bub surrounding the Mayan apocalypse that came and went without incident, it was tough to resist the funny one-liner on Facebook and Twitter. We have become so calloused against the doomsday predictions that have fueled the religious airwaves, TV broadcasts and book sales of the … Read more about Maybe the Mayans Weren’t Wrong
When did America become like God? or Who would die for their country?
Charles Taylor, in his book Modern Social Imaginaries, utilizes the term ‘social imaginary’ to refer to god-like capacity described by Benedict Anderson in Imagined Communities. The term encompasses a threefold meaning: First is the way that ordinary people “imagine” their surroundings in … Read more about When did America become like God? or Who would die for their country?
I Might Vote For The First Time Next Month
I’m thinking about voting for the first time next month. I mean, seriously thinking about it. But I’m not sure I want to break the seal - cross that threshold - and break my long string of abstaining. Here is the background on why I have never voted: In High-school my family moved from … Read more about I Might Vote For The First Time Next Month
The Pornography of Fundamentalism
- by Bo Sanders Normally I try to be as generous, welcoming and irenic as possible. One of my favorite slogans actually comes from my venerable partner Tripp Fuller at Big Tent 1 when he said that the ‘tent’ should be big enough for every former incarnation of ourself ... but I was never a … Read more about The Pornography of Fundamentalism
Waiting for Superman: the problem with Christopher Reeve
I had an interesting conversation with a friend of mine about Christopher Reeve. As you may remember the rich movie star, famous for his role as Superman, was tossed from his show horse and broke his neck resulting in paralysis. He soon began a campaign to bring awareness for the cause of such … Read more about Waiting for Superman: the problem with Christopher Reeve
I am not a pacifist nor am I non-violent
In anticipation of recording a TNT (Theology Nerd Throw-Down) tomorrow afternoon in which Tripp and I will deal with J.R. Daniel Kirk’s blog post about violence and the gospel, I thought it would be good to put all my cards on the table. Kirk is one of our favorite New Testament scholars and one … Read more about I am not a pacifist nor am I non-violent
Violence in the Hunger Games
Writing a paper on Globalization calls for a serious study break and tonight I headed to the opening day of the Hunger Games. There are three things that you should know about my movie going experience: My theater is one block from UCLA and I appeared to be the oldest person in the theatre. LA … Read more about Violence in the Hunger Games
The Death of the Liberals is killing us
In chapter 1 of his book Death of Liberal Class, Chris Hedges sketches both the height of the Liberal era in the 19th century and its cataclysmic implosion with the arrival of World War in the 20th. The disillusionment of human evil, aggression, and suffering deflated the optimism of innate human … Read more about The Death of the Liberals is killing us
Merry Christmas! Peace on Earth… and all that good stuff
In Luke chapter 2 the Angel of the Lord says something really profound (v.14) "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom God is pleased" (NAS) It is beautiful in its simplicity. I'm not trying to make this into a three point sermon, but it does seem to me that there … Read more about Merry Christmas! Peace on Earth… and all that good stuff
War and Weight Watchers
On this holiday when we remember those who served and died, there are so many interesting things that get presented and portrayed in regards to our national storyline. Some of them are valiant and deep, others are pithy and cliched. There is one, however, that gets used pretty flippantly and … Read more about War and Weight Watchers