Do nonbelievers see Christians as Alices in Wonderland?  The latest movie adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s 1865 story made me wonder.
In this version, courtesy of director Tim Burton, Alice is 19-years-old, with vague memories of a childhood dream about visiting an underground fantasy land. When a snobby suitor suddenly proposes marriage – a prospect Alice (Mia [...]

I just read this fascinating New York Times article about missionaries to Islamic communities. There is a dispute about whether it is deceptive to present Christian beliefs about God and Jesus using concepts of Allah and Isa from the Koran. Those who use the strategy believe that it explains our beliefs about God in a [...]

Awards make me uncomfortable.
The Oscars take place this Sunday, and I can’t think of a more brazen example of self-glorification in contemporary America. Don’t get me wrong, I love watching the Academy Awards, and maybe if I ever won something like an Oscar or a Pulitzer Prize or a Nobel I’d feel differently about this [...]

I’m a sucker for the Olympics.  I’m not sure why, but for several weeks every two years my evenings consist of my wife and I sitting on the couch and watching an evening full of events.  Like every Olympic year, NBC rolls out a whole shlew of stories featuring athletes and their emotional struggles that [...]

(Photo Courtesy: ESPN)
Today, Tiger Woods broke his public silence regarding his extramarital affairs by saying he was “so sorry” for his irresponsible and selfish behavior. He admitted and apologized for disappointing his fans and causing them pain. “I have a lot to atone for, ” he said.
This apology was expected and widely called for. Many [...]

It verges on blasphemy to question “The Blind Side.”
Not only has the movie garnered Oscar nominations for Best Picture and Best Actress, it has also made an unexpected $241 million – and counting. What’s more, the picture has been wholeheartedly embraced by scores of American churchgoers. Sermons are even being fashioned around it.
I thought the [...]

Leading up to this year’s Super Bowl, there was some controversy about a pro-life ad from Focus on the Family.  The commercial featured Heisman Trophy Winner Tim Tebow and his mom Pam, who  talked about her decision not to have an abortion (without actually saying the word abortion).   Pro-choice groups criticized CBS for accepting [...]

God doesn’t make an appearance in “Wings of Desire,” a 1987 art film with angels that has been recently rereleased by Criterion on DVD, yet the movie still made me reconsider the way He might view the world. Maybe, just maybe, we occasionally entertain Him.
Directed by German filmmaker Wim Wenders, “Wings of Desire” is set [...]

The recovery community has a saying, “expectations are preconceived resentments”. The angrier or safer people feel the freer they become to share their resentments and many of these resentments are against God. Usually these resentments are based upon some history of hurt. God’s providential governance of the universe appears overly haphazard and risky and we [...]

Last week, I watched every episode of Conan O’Brien’s The Tonight Show, all of David Letterman’s monologues, two full episodes of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, and various viral bits from other shows. But the thing is: I never watch late night talk shows except for bits I find online. So why did I watch? [...]