Monthly Archives: July 2012

Is Franklin Graham putting out statements under his aged father Billy’s name?

Posted on 31/07/2012 by

Billy Graham Is Not an Anti-Gay Bigot (but his son Franklin is) Let me tell you about Billy Graham, just as he is, because based on what I experienced working for the man for six years, two statements issued under … Continue reading →

Posted in Fundamentalism, Popular Culture, Society | Tagged , , ,

How many Christmas shoe boxes would Franklin Graham’s $561,000 annual Samaritan’s Purse salary fill?

Posted on 31/07/2012 by

According to the IRS (the U.S. tax authority), in 2010 Samaritan’s Purse paid Franklin Graham a staggering $561,000. That same year the organization received $10 million in U.S. government grants.

Posted in Fundamentalism, Popular Culture, Society | Tagged , ,

Quote of the day: The Olympic Games’ Christian roots

Posted on 30/07/2012 by

‘It was in London in 1908 that an Anglican bishop named Ethelbert Talbot first said, “The most important thing in these Olympics is not so much winning as taking part” — a phrase that became part of the Olympic creed. … Continue reading →

Posted in Quote of the Day, Sport | Tagged

Pic of the day: Cormorant devours huge cod whole in Skagen, Denmark

Posted on 30/07/2012 by

Cormorants can swallow creatures up to two-and-a-half feet long.  Records have shown that one bird was once found to have an 11-and-a-half-inch kitten in its stomach. More here.

Posted in Visual Arts | Tagged , , , ,

A secular case against gay marriage

Posted on 30/07/2012 by

A secular case against gay marriage ‘Notice that there are no arguments in this post that require a religious worldview or belief in the inerrancy of the Bible.’

Posted in Popular Culture, Society, Secularism | Tagged

Quote of the day: Peter Hitchens on the 2012 London Olympic Games

Posted on 29/07/2012 by

‘This is supposed to be a light-hearted, generous-spirited event.  But it isn’t really.  It’s an overbearing, officious, self-important celebration of corporate greed, unpunished corruption, tolerated cheating and multiculturalism. As for it being a demonstration of the greatness of Britain, what can I … Continue reading →

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Another atheist converts to Christianity: Richard Dawkins bangs head against wall

Posted on 28/07/2012 by

Former atheist poet reveals details of her Catholic conversion “Until two years ago, I was a really committed atheist and I really hated the Catholic Church,” said poet Sally Read, as she explained how all that dramatically changed during nine … Continue reading →

Posted in Atheism, Poetry | Tagged , , ,

Burma’s bigoted Buddhist monks shun Muslim community and block humanitarian aid

Posted on 28/07/2012 by

Burma’s monks call for Muslim community to be shunned: The Buddhists have reportedly tried to block humanitarian aid getting to ethnic group In a move that has shocked many observers, some [Buddhist] monks’ organisations have issued pamphlets telling people not … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, World Events | Tagged , , , , , ,

Pic of the day: Christ in Majesty by David Clayton

Posted on 28/07/2012 by

Christ in Majesty by David Clayton.

Posted in Visual Arts | Tagged

Totalitarian Brighton and Hove Green Party comes down hard on Christian dissenter

Posted on 27/07/2012 by

Green council accused of ‘vilifying’ Christian over gay marriage stance: Britain’s only Green Party council has been accused of “violent prejudice” against Christians as it considers expelling a member who spoke out against same-sex marriage Christina Summers, a member of … Continue reading →

Posted in Secularism | Tagged , , ,

Archbishop of York John Sentamu’s brother is health-and-wealth preacher, promises miracles for cash donations

Posted on 26/07/2012 by

‘Bona fide rock star’: Archbishop of York’s controversial evangelical preacher brother “Pastor Robert is preaching today,” said a woman at the entrance to the 10,500-seat auditorium, where his flock must pass through airport-style security, complete with metal detectors and armed … Continue reading →

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Writers’ quote of the day: C. C. Benison on how to beat writer’s block

Posted on 25/07/2012 by

‘Buy a gallon of BumGlue™.  Apply a liberal coating to a chair in front of a computer.  Sit in it.  Do not attempt to get up until you have an idea.  When you have an idea, record it.  Then apply … Continue reading →

Posted in Authors, Quote of the Day, Writing | Tagged ,

Pic of the day: Locked in combat, mother lion takes on deadly crocodile to give her cubs safe passage across river

Posted on 24/07/2012 by

Click on the image to enlarge it.  Full story and more pics here.

Posted in Visual Arts | Tagged , ,

Secularist Inquisition of sociologist who dared to go where the empirical evidence leads

Posted on 24/07/2012 by

An Academic Auto-da-Fé: A sociologist whose data find fault with same-sex relationships is savaged by the progressive orthodoxy writes Christian Smith Whoever said inquisitions and witch hunts were things of the past?  A big one is going on now.  The … Continue reading →

Posted in Popular Culture, Society, Sciences, Secularism | Tagged , ,

Writers’ quote of the day: Camilla Lackberg on marketing and establishing a brand

Posted on 24/07/2012 by

‘I used to be in marketing so it was easy for me to use those skills in my own career and I’ve never seen a conflict in that.  The first years I took beatings from within the literary world for … Continue reading →

Posted in Authors, Quote of the Day, Writing | Tagged , ,

Quote of the day: G. K. Chesterton on humility

Posted on 23/07/2012 by

More great quotes here.

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Czech government only now beginning to recompense Christian Churches for property stolen by atheist communists

Posted on 22/07/2012 by

Czechs close to compensating churches More than two decades after the end of Communism, Czechs are close to compensating churches for properties seized during the four decades of Communist rule.  A long-awaited restitution bill cleared the parliament’s lower house after … Continue reading →

Posted in Atheism, Politics, World Events | Tagged

Is the Archbishop of York, John Sentamu, lying about his age?

Posted on 22/07/2012 by

Age of mystery for Archbishop of York: Official documents signed by the Archbishop of York Dr. John Sentamu suggest he is two years older than his officially recorded age writes Edward Malnick Dr. John Sentamu’s date of birth is given in … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Churches | Tagged , ,

Quote of the day: philosopher Victor Reppert on the danger of ideology

Posted on 21/07/2012 by

‘Whether you are a theist or an atheist, ideology can get control of your thinking and wipe out your common sense, if you let it.  The fact that you are saying it in the name of “reason” or “science” doesn’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Philosophy, Quote of the Day | Tagged

The world’s most enlightened, forward-thinking town: tiny Corigliano d’Otranto, Italy, appoints municipal philosopher!

Posted on 20/07/2012 by

Surely tiny Corigliano d’Otranto — population 5,889 — tucked away in the heel of Italy, must have the world’s most enlightened town council: It could have something to do with the fact that Corigliano is in the so-called Grecìa Salentina, a … Continue reading →

Posted in Philosophy, Popular Culture, Society | Tagged ,

New Batman film, The Dark Knight Rises, an over-long, boring, “pretentious mess” that’s far too violent for children

Posted on 20/07/2012 by

Here’s why: The Dark Knightmare: It’s bottom-numbingly long, the baddie is a mumbling bore and the plot is a pretentious mess — even Batman can’t escape this disaster and: Our attitude to violence is beyond a joke as new Batman … Continue reading →

Posted in Visual Arts | Tagged , , ,

“I don’t see how you can avoid putting Zwingli in hell”, writes evangelical Baptist theologian Roger Olson

Posted on 20/07/2012 by

‘To what extent should we let historical figures off the hook just because of the cultural context and the times in which they lived — especially when they claimed to be Christians and had their Bibles and read them?  Should … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Quote of the Day, Theology | Tagged , , ,

Writers’ quote of the day: Barbara Fradkin on how to create an engaging series character

Posted on 19/07/2012 by

‘Create a real person you can care about.  Forget the spunky females and angst-ridden guys with the artificial quirks and flaws.  Dig inside yourself.  Create a character you can know well, in a setting and job you can describe from … Continue reading →

Posted in Quote of the Day, Writing | Tagged

Pic of the day: The Song of Solomon for biblical literalists

Posted on 18/07/2012 by

From here.

Posted in Biblical Studies, Fundamentalism, Visual Arts | Tagged , , ,

Anti-Catholic bigot and vampire author Anne Rice returns to her pornography-writing past

Posted on 17/07/2012 by

Anne Rice Returns to Porn by Mark Judge How sad.  How sad and how terribly dull. Anne Rice has returned to the porn business.  The erstwhile Catholic [now anti-Catholic] and author of the first second-wave vampire novels in the 1970s … Continue reading →

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