INTRODUCTION Media Influence Art has always had an influence on society, even if that influence is more indirect than the artist intended. In the “age of mechanical reproduction” (Benjamin 1969[1936]), the aura of art may not be as strong as the medium of film and television has eclipsed the close distance of the stage. The… Continue reading American Secularization and Media Depictions of End Times
Category: Culture
The Church (Part 1): Trail of Blood
Most of us know the difference between The Christian Church and the local church. One is spiritual, and the other is physical. When COVID hit last year, I heard many Christians appeal to the Church as an excuse to abandon their church – because the “Church is not a building." However, the local church has… Continue reading The Church (Part 1): Trail of Blood
God’s Exhaltation
1 Peter 5:6 says, “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:” Humility is not my strong suit, which is ironic because I suffer from low self-esteem and imposter syndrome (an internal experience of believing that you are not as competent as others perceive you to… Continue reading God’s Exhaltation
The Christian Celebrity
Our churches have become carbon copies of one another. You can attend almost any church from any denomination and you will have a similar experience, from the look to the music to the structure of the services. The various denominations are beginning to blend back together. Protestants, who broke away from Catholic heresies are melding… Continue reading The Christian Celebrity
Altering the Availability Heuristic
A heuristic is “a mental shortcut that allows an individual to make a decision, pass judgment, or solve a problem quickly and with minimal mental effort.” We use heuristics all the time. In any given situation, we are armed with data about the situation — usually sensory — and use heuristics to fill in the… Continue reading Altering the Availability Heuristic
Why I Write
“Under the governance of the printing press, discourse in America was different than it is now – generally coherent, serious, and rational” -Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death The value of the written word has been lost in our postmodern American culture. The complexity of well written prose has given way to “tweets written by… Continue reading Why I Write
Gain the World, Lose Our Souls
“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”Mark 8:36 Yesterday, the Benham Brothers spoke at my workplace. They rose to fame because they lost a show on HGTV because they refused to back down from their public opposition to gay marriage back in 2014.… Continue reading Gain the World, Lose Our Souls
Through “The Looking Glass”
THE LOOKING GLASS SELF In 1902, C.H. Cooley published a social theory that I believe holds up over a century later - “The Looking Glass Self.” The basic premise of the theory is that our behavior is shaped by our perception of how we believe others see us. In other words, perception of “society” is… Continue reading Through “The Looking Glass”
On “Modest Apparel”
Clothing is one of the top “legalistic” or “Pharasaical” topics – along with music – that is up for constant debate among our churches. Should women wear skirts or are slacks okay? Blue jeans? Must men wear ties? Should that be with or without a jacket? What color suits and dress shirts are okay? How about… Continue reading On “Modest Apparel”
The Christian Cancel Culture
John Cooper, lead singer of the Christian rock band Skillet, has been in the news over the past couple of years for his critique of “Christian” pastors who use their pulpit for money and popularity rather than preaching the Gospel. He composed a lengthy Facebook post about making “pastors uncool again.” Most of us agree… Continue reading The Christian Cancel Culture
Simmons' Opinions 