Christian Carnival #104, a weekly collection of posts that are submitted from around the Christian blogosphere is up at Random Responses. This week, it is called the Random Edition, with posts arranged in a random fashion. It looks like there are about thirty posts this week, and there is a smorgasbord of pieces on theology, spirituality, politics and Christian living.

My submission to the Carnival is The Problem with Dogmatism, where I reflected on the stifling attitude that shuts out discussion in any sphere of life.

“A woman seeking a divorce went to visit her attorney. The first question he asked her was, ‘Do you have grounds?’

She replied, ‘Yes, about two acres.’

‘Perhaps I’m not making myself clear,’ he said, ‘Do you have a grudge?’

‘No, but we have a carport,’ she responded.

‘Let me try again. Does your husband beat you up?’ he said impatiently.

‘No, generally I get up before he does,’ she said.

At this point the attorney decided to try a different tack. ‘Ma’am, are you sure you really want a divorce?’

‘I don’t want one at all, but my husband does. He claims we have difficulty communicating.’”

I found the above story while reading Read the rest of this entry »

I haven’t really scoured the blogs in search for what other Christians are talking about Brokeback Mountain. I did read on one site the author’s objection to the movie because of its controversial subject matter. Apparently, Christians are uncomfortable with portrayals of a lifestyle that appears to be opposed to biblical teachings.

I also read the review on Christianity Today, which I thought was very balanced. After providing a disclaimer for it’s 3-star rating, which it offers, “is only in reference to the quality of the filmmaking, the acting, the cinematography, etc” and reiterates that “[I]t is not a ‘recommendation’ to see the film, nor is it a rating of the ‘moral acceptability’ of the subject matter, it went on to provide a careful analysis and commentary on the movie, how it was made and the art and craft of the celluloid story-telling.

While most Christians who object or worry about this movie do so because they are either opposed to, or uncomfortable with, the implications of promoting homosexuality, one well-known blogger lamented it as a blatant distortion of a beloved American icon (It appears that he is having hosting problems. When his site comes back up, I will link his post. UPDATE: He has had the same problem I had a few months back. He is up and running now. Here is the link.). “This film has taken the image of the cowboy, a figure still revered by Americans, and used it to advance a lifestyle that is forbidden by Scripture and harmful to society.” Interesting. One suspects if some Christians are unconsciously equating Americanisms with biblical Christianity! Read the rest of this entry »