I have no idea why I am up at 1:30 a.m. I've been up since 6:00 a.m. and haven't even wanted a nap. I have a feeling this is going to bite me in the butt tomorrow.
Apparently there's a lot to update you on in the world of books, movies, and reality television.
a) I read The Shack by William Young today. I had heard mixed reviews of the book, and the most common was, "It's a good read as long as you remember it's a novel." Here's a pretty unbiased article from USA Today on the subject. My thoughts... as a novel, it is pretty good. Compelling read, although sometimes the writing was a little overdone. (I frequently overdo writing, so I can recognize when it's overdone.) Theologically sound? I don't have a degree or a whole lot of head knowledge on doctrine, but there were a few things that I could definitely pick out as being off track. Overall, I enjoyed the open-mindedness of the book and the beauty of grace that was portrayed.
b) Revision on Crazy Love... I like the online video segments. Francis Chan is a cool guy.
c) Josh and I went over to a friend's house tonight and watched the Ben Stein documentary Expelled. It was really interesting, and if you are into documentaries I would definitely recommend that you rent it/Netflix it/watch it online. The gist is that in the United States, academic freedom is being lost in the scientific community because of pressure to conform to the majority. Darwinian evolution has become the only acceptable origins of life theory and as a result, if you are a career professional in the scientific field and even mention Intelligent Design, you can lose your tenure or lose your grant funding or even lose your job. The whole argument of the documentary is not in support of ID but rather in support of the freedom for all ideas to be scientifically explored, not only ideas that fit in with what the humanist academic community deems worthy.
What was interesting to me is that the Darwinian evolution vs. ID debate isn't about science at all. It is intrinsically deeper and clearly an ideological and spiritual disagreement at its core. The arrogance and venom of some of the leading proponents of Darwinian evolution was astounding to me. One biologist named Richard Dawkins (who authored The God Delusion) argues vehemently against even a remote possibilty of any sort of deity existing that could be at all responsible for intelligently contributing to the design of human life. However, he asserts that the origins of human life could be attributed to aliens on other planets that could have evolved in such superior ways that they had the technology to "seat" human life on the planet Earth. (This, by the way, is the theory of Intelligent Design.) Aliens, but not God? Obviously, the issue is farther reaching than scientific evidence.
There was some interesting linkage to the Holocost and Hilter's obsession with enhancing natural selection by eradicating all "inferior" peoples. That could open up a whole can of worms, but the documentary handles it in a very realistic manner, not a sensationalist one.
Two thumbs up.
d) Biggest Loser. Vicki, the contestant who I really wanted to be voted off because she is mean and manipulates the game, managed to stay in the game even though she was up for elimination this week. I was disappointed to see Coleen go, because she was in it for her health, not the $25,000 grand prize. At least that's what she said.
e) America's Next Top Model is over... I don't know whether to be sad or glad, because I like the show but really I could spend that hour in a better way every week. Mckey Sullivan won, which was good, because she deserved it, I think.
So now it's coming on 2:00 a.m. and I think I should probably try to go to bed. What time should I wake up tomorrow? Let's take a vote and we'll see who gets closest to the time I actually roll out of bed.
3 comments:
Yeah... I felt the same way about The Shack. I haven't finished it, but there were some interesting perspectives on things, but mostly the theology kind of unnerved me. But I did love the picture of grace that was painted. I thought the idea of a 'garden soul' was cool.
Anyway... I also have really wanted to see that documentary. I've heard good things. And I read an article a few years ago about how athist scientist were turning to the theory of aliens planting life on earth. I remember scoffing and saying to myself "But they can't fathom a God? A book that predates any scientific knowledge by humans has perfectly outlined the same concepts of evolution in Genisis on how the world was created, but this to them is ignorant?... and they believe in aliens."
Our educated higher-ups are losing their mind Ms. Megan. It's sad.
This is my major, you know. The biggest problem I see with the ID vs. Darwinian evolution debates is that educated evolution proponents are guilty of the same diehard fanaticism that they accuse right-wing conservatives of having. Rather than both parties just have an intelligent, open-minded debate, evolutionists dismiss ID talk because it doesn't agree with the scientific record; Christians don't listen to evolution theories because it disagrees with the Bible. I'm the only sane person in my major who can question everything and assume nothing.
I really wanted the other girl to win. I just liked her more. Oh well, she'll still be famous.
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