Uh Huh. Take That Pagans!

Many Christians think that Christians celebrate Christ’s birth on December 25th because the church fathers appropriated the date of a pagan festival. Almost no one minds, except for a few groups on the fringes of American Evangelicalism, who seem to think that this makes Christmas itself a pagan festival. But it is perhaps interesting to know that the choice of December 25th is the result of attempts among the earliest Christians to figure out the date of Jesus’ birth based on calendrical calculations that had nothing to do with pagan festivals.

Rather, the pagan festival of the “Birth of the Unconquered Son” instituted by the Roman Emperor Aurelian on 25 December 274, was almost certainly an attempt to create a pagan alternative to a date that was already of some significance to Roman Christians. Thus the “pagan origins of Christmas” is a myth without historical substance. ...

Check out Calculating Christmas over at Touchstone.

A single death is a tragedy, a million deaths is a statistic. -- Joseph Stalin

His face wracked with sobs as he cries for his mother, tiny Moshe Holtzberg has had a miraculous escape: He was inside the Jewish centre stormed by Islamic militants during last week's Mumbai attacks.

His rabbi father and mother were both murdered by the militants. Moshe was rushed to safety - drenched in blood - after his nanny found him crying by their bodies.

Read the whole story here

Even one or two hundred become a statistic if they happen far enough away. This photo of little Moshe puts the human face back on the butchery perpetrated in the name of religion by the terrorists in Mumbai.

Darwin Catholic puts it well and I am lifting this post from him ... (you can always count on the Darwins for clear thinking and if you are not visiting their blog regularly then you're missing out).

One of my co-workers, an immigrant from northern India, is a Jain. He eats no meat, including fish and any other animal. He once rescued a roach I was about to kill in the office and took it outside.

But he supports the death penalty, because although the terrorist attack in Mumbai last week were unique in scale and in happening in one of India's major financial centers, they're hardly unique in recent Indian history. I think one figure I read was that more than 4000 Indians have been killed in terrorist attacks since 2001.

When one of my American-born liberal co-workers asked him how he could be so emphatic on preserving life in all other cases, but support the death penalty he replied, "When someone comes into your village, and enters your house, and kills everyone in your family because they do not like your race, or they do not like you faith, they have crossed a line."

While I accept the wisdom of our Church's leaders that the death penalty is seldom needed in modern society -- but seldom is not never. If any of the perpetrators of last week's terror attacks in Mumbai failed to be escorted off this mortal coil by the Indian commandoes who sought to rescue their hostages, I could certainly find it in me to hope that they receive a short trial and a long rope.

I also was much struck by this Wall Street Journal editorial examining the mainstream media's role in adding fuel to terrorists' anger.

For purposes of self-justification, Azam Amir Kasab, the only terrorist taken alive in last week's Mumbai massacre, offered that the murder of Jews in the city's Chabad House was undertaken to avenge Israeli atrocities on Palestinians. Two other terrorists cited instances of anti-Muslim Hindu violence as the answer to the question, "Why are you doing this to us?" before mowing down 14 unarmed people at the Oberoi Hotel. And if dead terrorists could talk, we would surely hear Abu Ghraib mentioned as among their reasons for singling out U.S. and British hostages.

One suspects the terrorists spent far too much time listening to the BBC World Service.

Let's hasten to add that by no means should the BBC alone be singled out. When it comes to terrorists and their grievances, nearly all the Western media have provided them with a rich diet on which to feed. ...

Would that the media would take a bit more care anyway, but definitely when reporting inflammatory facts that are not facts at all.

Being Dead is the Least of His Problems

I lent this audiobook to a friend. Later, listening to me waxing enthusiastic over the book, he said in a dubious tone, “That’s the book where the zombies and vampires are fighting?”

Hardly.

It is true that vampirism is a key element of detective Joe Pitt’s character as practically everything he does entails watchful details to stay alive and undetected for what he is. Already Dead is, first and foremost, heart and soul, a hard-boiled detective novel. One might be forgiven for thinking that Charlie Huston is merely another author taking advantage of the recent trend featuring vampires as key characters in fiction. However, they would be dead wrong. What becomes very clear is that Huston is taking advantage of this fantastical setting to examine good versus evil, rising to humanity versus sinking to the level of animals, the societal urge to define oneself by the group one joins, and, of course, what constitutes true love. It is no surprise then to find that some of the greatest intentional evil is perpetrated not by vampires but by mere human beings. All of these themes are set forth for us in crackling dialogue that hearkens back to the best of Raymond Chandler and Billy Wilder, who one is irresistibly reminded co-wrote the screenplay for the film-noir classic Double Indemnity. In fact, a scene toward the end of the book between Joe and his girlfriend Evie is a noir-style dialogue masterpiece that sends thrills through the listener and that would not be out of place in that movie.

Already Dead by Charlie Huston is for adults (unlike Twilight) and you can read my complete review at SFFaudio.

Worth a Thousand Words

Ferris Wheel is Back by ParisDailyPhoto

Isn't this fantastic? Now, let's add Paris ... on the Champs Elysee ... ohhhh, how I wish I were there to see it in person.

Jesus Meets Obama's Transition Team

Here are my rough notes (sorry for the scribbling) of the relevant answers from the questionnaire for Jesus of Nazareth. ...

10.) Please list, and if readily available, provide copy of each book, article, column or publication you have authored.
Unpublished. No paper trail. We all approved of this. Want more applicants like this guy.

11.) Please identify each instance in which you have testified before... legislative, administrative, investigative or regulatory body, and specify the subject matter...
Appeared before governor ("procurator") of Judea, as well as the (local) king. Bad news here. Annoyed almost every authority he met. When asked, "Are you the Son of God?" he said, "It is you who say so." What will Senate confirmation hearings be like for him? On other hand, vague is good.

Father Jim Martin has much more ... this cracks me up. Thanks to Michelle for the heads-up on this one!

Wallace and Gromit ... The Puns Alone Are Worth the Price of Admission

Wallace & Gromit star in a brand new adventure ‘A Matter of Loaf and Death’

Wallace & Gromit have started a new bread baking business, ‘Top Bun’ and converted 62 West Wallaby Street into a granary with ovens, robotic kneading arms and an old-fashioned windmill on the roof. The transformation is perfect.

Although business is booming, Gromit is concerned by the news that a dozen local bakers have ‘disappeared’ this year – but Wallace isn’t worried. He’s too distracted and ‘dough-eyed’ in love with former beauty and bread enthusiast, Piella Bakewell.

While they enjoy being the ‘Toast of the Town’, Gromit soon realises his master’s life is in jeopardy, and turns sleuth to solve the escalating murder mystery – in what quickly becomes ‘A Matter of Loaf and Death.’

Here's the official site.

A Little Wolverine ...

For March Hare, Hannah, and Rose ... who all appreciate Hugh Jackman. Yes, he's ok in other roles (take that shirtless Hugh Jackman in Australia) but bad boy Wolverine is where Jackman really steals my heart.

I picked up this photo from First Showing where there also are other photos from X-Men: Origins.

Jaap van Zweden ... I Forgot That He's Dutch

I tend to think of him simply as Dallas's symphony conductor, who incidentally seems to get fantastic reviews where ever he goes. However, it is interesting to see the first few minutes of this profile done by a Dutch classical music company. Especially as it is "in full-on Texan" for the first minute or two, as the Observer's Unfair Park blog noted (which is where I picked this up in the first place0.

If My Life Were A ...

... Short Story

... Play

... Poem

... Novel

Then which ones would it be?

Back to the little game that Enbrethiliel was playing which took my fancy but which I couldn't get back to until now after doing the poem section.

I don't want to risk never getting back to it so I will finish now. Except for the play, which I am still pondering because I don't get out to plays much.

Novel: The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. I, too, was hardhearted and rather sour like Mary until she entered the secret garden and learned the secret of looking out for something besides oneself. As I mentioned a while back in a somewhat round about way.

Short Story: The Secret Life of Walter Mitty by James Thurber. This isn't exactly the same as Walter Mitty used fantasy to escape the harsh reality of a nagging wife. I am not using fantasy but doesn't every Christian have that interior sense of a dual reality? They see things (if they can or are lucky) through Heaven's eyes, they offer prayers, they look at motives and actions filtered through a completely different reality from the secular world. If that makes sense, then you're there with me!

Worth a Thousand Words

Christmas Fair taken by Budapest Daily Photo

Christopher Closeup Radio

I wanted to let you know that an upcoming episode of “Christopher Closeup” had your blog as its starting point. I read about Tisha Young donating her kidney to 4-year-old Sam Gappa on your web site and was motivated to request an interview with Tisha and Sam’s mother Tami on the show. It’s scheduled to be put up as a podcast at the end of next week and air on Sirius-XM on Dec. 28. I just wanted to give you a heads up since you played a role in this.

I am thrilled to have had any part in this. All too well I remember being impressed at Tisha Young's selflessness in donating her kidney to little Sam Gappa. It is a story of sacrificial love for a child that Tisha didn't even know. I will be waiting impatiently until next week to hear this interview. In the meantime, you can hear many other great stories at Christopher Closeup.

Thanks Tony!

Advent Series

Catch it over at The Anchoress's place

Patron Saints 2009

The Pious Sodality of Church Ladies are at it again.

It's time again for the most popular Church Lady event, the distribution of patron saints for the new liturgical year.

On the first of January a new calendar year begins. On the first Sunday of Advent the new year of the Church begins. Therefore, the Saturday preceding the first Advent Sunday has something of the character of a New Year’s Eve. One of the old customs is to choose a patron saint for the new year of the Church.
[Maria Trapp, Around the Year with the Trapp Family]

In keeping with the year of St Paul, this year's saints include the Apostle and his companions. I hope you enjoy learning more about your new patron by reading Acts and the Pauline epistles and looking at images of St Paul in art.

Leave a message in their comments box to get your saint assignment.

UPDATE
I have been chosen by:

St Mark the Evangelist

Pray for the Church in Africa

Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is helpful to me in the ministry. [2 Tim 4, 11]

Worth a Thousand Words

Glasgow University from Flickr Scotland

What does a slumdog know? The answer.

In the case of Jamal Malik, the answer he knows is not necessarily the one that will win him millions of rupees on the Indian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. The answers he knows are loyalty, love, perseverance, and truth.

In a story largely told in flashbacks, the movie opens with Jamal being tortured by the police as they are sure that no uneducated slumdog would know the answers to win 10 million rupees. As the detective takes him through the background for the answer to each question, we see that Jamal's life has extraordinarily prepared him for this moment. Each answer is the linchpin to a hardwon bit of information in key events of his life which begins as a tyke in the Bombay slums. Jamal and his older brother Salim exemplify brotherly love in this Dickensian tale which shows us modern India in a way that surpasses documentaries. To a point that is. We watch warily as Jamal retains his tenacious grip on truth and loyalty while Salim is only to willing to use brutality to achieve his goals. In the mix is Latika who the brothers encounter as children and who Jamal loves for herself in contrast to Salim who uses her as a playing piece for his own purposes.

As the story begins to catch up to current time, the viewer then finds many other questions such as how Jamal got on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire at all and why he is doing it. This is where the story picks up speed and intensity as the past gives way to the future which the movie characters don't know either.

As with Charles Dickens' way with a story, Slumdog Millionaire shows us a classic tale of adversity and the human spirit told with passion and peril. Yet, despite the bleak slum setting there always are swirling the gleams of hope and humor that keep this story from being depressing. Directory Danny Boyle uses his trademark "canted shots" (Rose has the correct name for everything, being fresh from film classes), swift cuts, close-ups and speed to convey the spirit which carries the film. Anyone who has watched even a few movies set in India knows to expect vivid color and vivacity. Boyle uses this to great effect not only to show us past and modern India, but to express life which is always moving forward despite what has preceded it.

In fact, it just occurred to us that the current tragedy in Mumbai (Bombay) of which Get Religion says, "India, of course, is a culture soaked in religion. It should not be surprising that this massacre is soaked in religious content and imagery..." is reflected to a degree in this movie as well. As modern as the techniques being used by terrorists are, the fact remains that human nature and India are timeless.

Allow me to drop the hint not to miss the credits which express India in a way unique to the movies. Also, the soundtrack deserves credit for keeping us definitely in place. I want it for my repeated enjoyment, but then I'm a sucker for modern Indian music.

The movie is rated R and the rating is earned. However, I will add that Boyle used inference to a large degree for some of the most disturbing scenes and it was these that honestly brought Charles Dickens to mind. There is not much in that movie at which Dickens would not have nodded knowingly. The types of poverty may have changed over the years but the human capacity for both vileness and love have not. I have seen PG-13 movies which have shown greater explicitness than this movie. It is the content of Slumdog Millionaire which is adult, as it rightly should be. This is a story with themes which should be pondered by adults. Those who do so will find themselves enriched on many levels.

Highest recommendation.

Saturday at the Movies

We're getting ready to hit the Magnolia Theater and see Slumdog Millionaire ... I've been really looking forward to this movie.

Twilight
I have not had any desire to watch Twilight ... not due to the vampires which I see that various folks are cringing at for many of the same reasons they cringed at Harry Potter (magic! gasp!). No, my reasons are due to cringing at bad writing and acting, according to all accounts. (I got enough bad writing listening to DarkFever, which was not written for little girls, by the way ...).

For those who, like me, do not cringe at the occasional explicit word, I refer you to Cleolinda's Movies in 15 Minutes where you will see an absolutely hilarious send up of the movie by someone who saw it. Here's a sample to get you in the mood. For this, one must know the context that the real reason vampires don't go out in the sunlight is that their skin sparkles and that would give them away. Bram Stoker is busy turning in his grave right now ...

EDWARD: I AM VAMPIRE. HEAR ME TWINKLE.

BELLA: Oh, wow, I spent like $60 at Sephora trying to get sparkle like that. What is that, Urban Decay?

EDWARD: NO!

BELLA: Oh, so it's a drugstore brand?

EDWARD: THIS IS THE SKIN OF A KILLER, BELLA!

BELLA: FINE. WHATEVER. But the lipstick, that's gotta be Cargo, right?

EDWARD: *FLOUNCE*

The Spirit
For something with a whole lotta style that has us interested at the moment, check out these trailers for The Spirit. Loved Frank Miller's style in 300 and I'd watch Sin City but the girls assure me that I'd hate the extreme violence in all except one segment. I bow to their judgment. I have high hopes for The Spirit though ...

Worth a Thousand Words

Forgotten by Manuela Valenti

Worth a Thousand Words

Aural Delights, the little sibling of the audio science fiction magazine StarShipSofa, is one year old. To celebrate this occasion, StarShipSofa will have a new SF art cover designed each month by science fiction artist Skeet Scienski.

I love this magazine-cover style illustration. I am also quite fond of StarShipSofa as should be any fan of audio science fiction. Be sure to check it out.

You know, Columbia College is the most amazing sounding school for film majors ...

... Tom was talking Rose through "don't forget this" and "think about that's" before she took off on the L for O'Hare to fly alone for the first time (on the busiest day of the year at one of the busiest airports in the world).

He says they also talked movie stuff, as does everyone she talks with these days. She told me that one of her teachers was the executive producer of "Secondhand Lions". (Not the same guy who does Lifetime movies.) Only one of our favorite imaginative, heart warming movies. Wow.

Story Corp's National Day of Listening on Nov. 28

I thought you and your readers might be interesting in a new initiative StoryCorps in launching to make conducting these interviews easier. This November 28th, the day after Thanksgiving, StoryCorps is launching the first-ever National Day of Listening. We’re asking Americans to set aside an hour to record a conversation with a friend, family member, or loved one. We've launched a separate website with more tools and tips, a downloadable guide, and an instructional video for recording family and friends the day after Thanksgiving and beyond. Thank you again for helping us build a movement to honor the people in our lives through listening to them!

StoryCorp is one of my favorite podcasts and this is a great idea. Check it out!