Before we begin, as a public service, here is your horoscope for today:
Of the things I clicked this week, here’s what I bookmarked to share this Wednesday:
- Was this a reaction to Charleston? I have a hard time taking this facial recognition software for church attendance seriously…
- …And reaction has come from many quarters. Here’s a critique of the product from Raw Story. [Language warning]
- Back in 1822, Thomas Jefferson would have expected that by now we would all be Unitarians.
- So how does gay marriage reopen the issue of church tax exemption? “To redistribute the wealth, of course; use one social issue as a guise to push another, completely unrelated issue.” …
- …and the New York Times weighs in…
- …while in the UK, Church-based schools may have to teach about the equality of gay relationships.
- Charleston, Continued: Predominantly black churches are being hit with arson.
- The Church in Exile: “…we have to accept that we really are living in a culturally post-Christian nation. The fundamental norms Christians have long been able to depend on no longer exist.” A Time Magazine article.
- Essay of the Week: On Tullian, church size, and “that sickening desire within us to have renown.”
- (A name I didn’t recognize in the above link: Florida pastor Troy Gramling. Here’s a 2012 video overview.)
- Looks like Driscoll made an appearance at that Hillsong Conference after all.
- Buried in the 6th Paragraph: Ushers at Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church are armed. (Well, a few are.)
- Garrison Keillor is retiring from Prairie Home Companion. To find out who replaces him, we looked of course to Relevant Magazine. (Hint: He guest hosted for two weeks a few months back.)
- I hope you got to read Ghost Boy. Now Joanna, the wife of Martin Pistorius, tells her side of the story to Redbook Magazine.
- Katy Perry vs. The Nuns: This made the evening news on Monday, but if you missed it…
- Exhortation of the Week: “Christians are not perfect, they are perfecting…” Encouragement not to be “jerks, unloving, unforgiving, demeaning and rude.”
- Across the Pond: Getting people to give, to know where the money goes, and the need to support the diocese (what we might call the district office) as well as the local church.
- Listicle of the Week: Russell D. Moore at On Faith breaking Southern Baptist stereotypes.
- By the Time They Got To Woodstock: The Mormon Tabernacle Choir performs in a part of the world known for a different type of music.
- Title of the Week: Emily Wierenga’s Why I Couldn’t Get Undressed on My Wedding Night.
- The unusual spiritual journey of Governor Bobby Jindal, from Hinduism to the Roman Catholic Church.
- Whovians: It’s time for a Bible study about vulnerability of The Doctor. (Don’t worry, the Whovians know ‘who’ they are.)…
- …While you’re at Geekdom House (really) check out the topics covered at Area of Effect Magazine. (Yes, there’s a faith element here.)
- Gallup Poll reveals a majority of Americans have no problem with an atheist President.
- Toward the bottom of this article, you’ll see why self-published Christian authors need to place their books with Send the Light Distribution or Anchor Distributors, and not Spring Arbor.
- Karl Vaters is shuttering his blog, NewSmallChurch.com and becoming part of the CT/Leadership Journal family.
- Obscure Video of the Week: The Osmond Brothers get Evangelistic with “He’s The Light of the World.”
- Curiosity Video of the Week: Harold van Lennep – Liberation. Most readers here should recognize the voice being sampled throughout. (Show your knowledge in the comments.)
- Though I never got to see my desk and office, you’ll do better at Christianity Today with one of these job openings. Also in Chicago, jobs open at InterVarsity Press.
- “Football is a great sport, but it makes a terrible God.” Chaplaincy in the Canadian Football League (CFL).
- Finally, some blast-from-the-past Christian music videos you may wish you hadn’t seen again.