Monthly Archives: August 2012

Writers’ quote of the day: Angie Abdou on the discipline of writing

Posted on 31/08/2012 by

‘The discipline of the writing life is much like the discipline of the athletic life.  Set your goal and work towards it every day, even (especially!) on the days it feels like work.  Don’t listen to the people who say … Continue reading →

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

C. S. Lewis on how to remain an atheist

Posted on 30/08/2012 by

‘A young man who wishes to remain a sound atheist cannot be too careful of his reading. ~ C. S. Lewis

Posted in Atheism, C. S. Lewis, Inklings, Quote of the Day | Tagged ,

G. K. Chesterton on gratitude

Posted on 29/08/2012 by
Posted in Quote of the Day | Tagged ,

Should fiction writers really “start with a hook” as American* thriller writer Linwood Barclay claims?

Posted on 28/08/2012 by

Here’s a quote from highly successful thriller writer Linwood Barclay: Some authors, when starting a novel, imagine a place first.  Others, a character starts taking shape in their head.  I start with a hook, a situation, a ‘what if.’  What … Continue reading →

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

Writers’ quote of the day: Linda Wiken on good openings

Posted on 27/08/2012 by

‘I love reading a book that gets you straight into the action.  A body.  A sleuth.  Both in the first paragraph.  However, it needn’t be so.  Only if that’s an indicator of  what the reader can expect on the following … Continue reading →

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Quote of the day: Thucydides on recording history; something to think about when you read the New Testament

Posted on 26/08/2012 by

‘In this history I have made use of set speeches some of which were delivered just before and others during the war.  I have found it difficult to remember the precise words used in the speeches which I listened to … Continue reading →

Posted in Biblical Studies, History, Quote of the Day | Tagged

The meaninglessness of the word ‘biblical’

Posted on 25/08/2012 by
Posted in Fundamentalism | Tagged

Writers’ quote of the day: Anne Emery on setting

Posted on 24/08/2012 by

‘When I read a novel, I want to know where I am without wading through long paragraphs on the gorse or the scrub grass.  Setting is more than landscape, streetscape, architecture.  It’s the culture of the locals, their dialects, music, … Continue reading →

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Pic of the day: A couple of cats that I happen to like

Posted on 23/08/2012 by

Click on the image to enlarge it.

Posted in Visual Arts | Tagged

Christian prayers ARE answered: Abusive Canadian preacher Todd Bentley is banned from entering United Kingdom

Posted on 22/08/2012 by

Canadian ‘punching’ preacher banned from UK: A Canadian preacher, who claims to cure sick people by hitting them, has been refused entry into the UK for a controversial tour Mr Bentley has been told he was “not conducive to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Fundamentalism | Tagged , , , ,

Quote of the day: Greg Carey on the cure for fundamentalism — reading the Bible

Posted on 21/08/2012 by

‘Biblical scholarship is an academic discipline, taught and studied at universities, colleges and divinity schools all around the world.  So it should be no surprise that biblical scholars run in all shapes, sizes, colors and denominations.  What would surprise many … Continue reading →

Posted in Biblical Studies, Fundamentalism, Quote of the Day | Tagged ,

Quote of the day: Craig S. Keener on women’s ordination and ministry in the Christian Church

Posted on 20/08/2012 by

‘Most of those who oppose women’s ordination do not follow biblical instructions to greet one another with holy kisses or wear head coverings in church.  Most recognize that these were cultural expressions of principles (such as friendly greetings) that may … Continue reading →

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Pic of the day: Japanese maple tree

Posted on 19/08/2012 by

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Pic of the day: Faroe Islands

Posted on 18/08/2012 by

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Quote of the day: Francis Phillips on Helen Gurley Brown

Posted on 17/08/2012 by

‘The Telegraph obituary reveals a lot about Helen Gurley Brown in its dry and understated way: “By her later years her face had been so lifted, botoxed, dermabraded and plumped with silicone that it was only residually human.”  Poor old girl. … Continue reading →

Posted in Quote of the Day, Secularism | Tagged ,

Just what was there to objectively admire about Gore Vidal?

Posted on 16/08/2012 by

Gore Vidal’s Fan Club: What, exactly, did they admire about the man? asks Andrew Ferguson The most puzzling thing about the career of Gore Vidal, who went toes-up last week at 86, was the reverence in which he was held by … Continue reading →

Posted in Authors, Secularism | Tagged ,

Where I don’t want to live: Shitterton!

Posted on 15/08/2012 by

Shitterton in Dorset has been voted the UK’s most embarrassing place name.  More embarrassing place names here.

Posted in Humour | Tagged , , ,

Buddhists behaving badly: Sri Lankan monks march against Muslim mosque, demolish Muslim shrine, burn Muslim flag

Posted on 14/08/2012 by

Buddhists Behaving Badly: What Zealotry is Doing to Sri Lanka by William McGowan In Sri Lanka last September, a Sinhalese mob led by some 100 Buddhist monks demolished a Muslim shrine in the ancient city of Anuradhapura.  As the crowd … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, World Events | Tagged , , ,

Where I want to live, vol. 49: Cliff-top luxury cottage in Christchurch, Dorset, England

Posted on 14/08/2012 by

A beautiful cottage-style house in Dorset, England: Front view of the large house: The interior of the house: More details here.

Posted in Visual Arts | Tagged , ,

Quote of the day: Peter Hitchens on the anti-Christian London Olympic Games closing ceremony

Posted on 13/08/2012 by

‘The closing ceremony was explicitly anti-religious.  It gave a central place to the anti-religious song ‘Imagine’, getting children to sing it (doesn’t that rather fly in the face of the Dawkinsite rage against children being brought up with religious belief? … Continue reading →

Posted in Peter Hitchens, Quote of the Day | Tagged ,

Huldrych Zwingli on why Baptists are wrong and “crucify Jesus Christ afresh”

Posted on 12/08/2012 by

‘Children born of believing parents are children of God, like those who were born under the Old Testament, and consequently may receive baptism.  Baptism under the New Testament is what circumcision was under the Old; consequently, baptism ought now to be administered … Continue reading →

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

Christian faith alive and well at the London 2012 Olympic Games

Posted on 11/08/2012 by

Ethiopian athlete Meseret Defar provided one of the most emotional moments of the London 2012 Summer Olympic Games when she crossed the finish line in the 5000 metre race to win the gold.  She then pulled a picture of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Sport | Tagged

Book Recommendation: If you like ‘Rogue Male’ you should also read ‘Watcher in the Shadows’

Posted on 10/08/2012 by

If you’ve read and enjoyed this book: You should seek out and read this one: Geoffrey Household was a very variable writer but, in my opinion, Watcher in the Shadows is every bit as good as, or perhaps even better … Continue reading →

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Pic of the day: Latest image beamed back from Mars by NASA’s Curiosity Rover

Posted on 09/08/2012 by

More Mars images here.

Posted in Humour, Visual Arts | Tagged , ,

Book Review: ‘Death Walks in Eastrepps’ by Francis Beeding

Posted on 08/08/2012 by

‘Death Walks in Eastrepps’ by Francis Beeding (pseudonym for Hilary St. George Saunders and John Palmer) This classic British crime thriller has multiple ingredients: a double identity, an illicit love affair, extortion, a soaring count of gory murders, and an extended … Continue reading →

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