The Yosemite Triple Crown

The complete video is up!

VOM, India:

CHHATTISGARH STATE - On November 19, Hindu militants attacked a church, tied up and beat the pastor unconsciousness, and burned down a recently constructed church building in Manduwa in Chhattisgarh State, India. There are no reports on the present condition of Pastor Sudharu. The Hindus accused the church of being involved in the conversion of tribal people in the region. According to reports, missionaries in this remote area face regular threats from Hindu militants. Pray for the continued witness of this church. Pray for healing for Pastor Sudharu as he recuperates from the assault.

Examining the scientific grounds for the social and psychological effects of birth order. I'm basically a textbook case: smart, conscientious, bossy, and melancholy.

I thought the part about older siblings developing their knowledge by teaching the younger made a lot of sense. Teaching is the best way to learn.

Ben Witherington: Is God a narcissist?

God it would appear is not merely a glory grabber, but rather a glory giver.

HT: Michael Spencer

VOM, North Korea:

In September, the National Security Service of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) announced the arrest of several "foreign spies" and "native citizens working for a foreign intelligence service." VOM sources say those arrested are Christians and not spies. VOM sources have identified the following nine Christians who have disappeared and are believed to have been arrested by government authorities: Mr. Chul Huh (34), Mr. Chun-Il Jang (39), Mr. Myung-Chul Kim (36), Ms. Young-Su Jin (32), Mr. Nam-Suk Kang (48), Mr. San-Ho Kang (36), Mr. Suk-Chun Suh (29), Ms. Mi-Hae Park (30) and Ms. Young-Yae Lee (37). The whereabouts of these individuals is unknown. It is possible they have already been tried and executed. Pray the loved ones of those arrested will find peace in the fact that God works all things for the good of those who love Him and who have been called according to His purpose. Pray that North Korea's leaders will come to repentance and faith in Christ.

Mortimer Adler on How to Mark a Book:

I contend, quite bluntly, that marking up a book is not an act of mutilation but of love.

(HT: Tim Challies)

Some thorough coverage from National Geographic on the current situation in Bethlehem:

"It's easy to think of Bethlehem as the center of the world," says Mayor Batarseh. "This can't be a place where calm never exists. If the world is ever going to have peace, it has to start right here."

Tim Challies on making progress by writing:

Writing has become a critical part of my spiritual development. I write about things I’ve learned, and the desire to keep having things to write continually motivates me to seek to learn more. I think Saint Augustine said this best: “I am the sort of man who writes because he has made progress, and who makes progress by writing.”

A recent interview of N. T. Wright, conducted by Trevin Wax.

Some good thoughts from Owen Strachan on extended adolescence and the need for vision:

We need a generation of men to teach themselves to have vision. We need these young men to set out to do something big with their life, something challenging, something calculated to bless and help as many people as possible according to their gifting and interest. We need these young men not to drift around and fool with girls' hearts and play at life, but to assume responsibility, seek out challenges, and strategize to mature as men.

From Michael Spencer: The Sanity Verses.

The execution of Michael Servetus in Calvin's Geneva is a prime example of the less pretty side of the Reformation. Greg Boyd shares some thoughts about the incident and provides a roundup of relevant reading material. Here's another take on the story from a Reformed perspective.

VOM, Iran:

In July 2007, an Iranian Christian couple was sentenced by the Justice Court of Revolution to be whipped, two years after they were accused of attending a house church. According to Farsi Christian News Network (FCNN), "The couple was arrested on September 21, 2005, by government agents. They had gathered in a house, in a town northwest of Tehran (gohar dasht) for their regular prayer and devotional time." The FCNN reported, the woman was born into a Christian Assyrian-Iranian family, while the man converted to Christianity long before their marriage. Following the arrest in 2005, the couple was required to check in with authorities on a regular basis until the court decided their punishment. FCNN reported that on one occasion when the wife met with authorities, she was abused and decided not to return. According to FCNN, "After a few days, in September 2007, two female and four male agents went to this couple's house and showed them a letter from the court saying they should execute the sentence of whipping right there in their house. This couple is under high mental pressure right now." The Voice of the Martyrs is providing assistance to this couple. Pray for this couple and Christians in Iran who face great challenges because of their faith in Jesus Christ. Ask that the Holy Spirit will give them peace, health and protection during this difficult time.

India, Maharashtra:

On October 23, Pastor Victor Periera and a group of local villagers were beaten by Hindu militants. The militants were angered because the pastor had organized prayer meetings attended by Hindu tribes in the Thane district of Maharashtra state. Pastor Periera was conducting a prayer service at a local church when the attackers stormed the building. The attackers shouted curses at Christianity and beat the pastor and several believers. The pastor's rib was broken in the attack. Pray for Pastor Periera's healing. Ask God to give believers in India boldness to share Christ with nonbelievers, despite persecution.

Chip and Dale Rule!

A review of How to Talk About Books You Haven't Read. Of course, the reviewer hasn't read it. (A&LD)

Here's an interesting article probing America's convoluted religious-political self-identity with the question: What is Political Theology? (A&LD)

Victor Davis Hanson on 1) Congress's decision to formally recognize the Turkish Holocaust/Armenian Genocide, 2) the current situation in Iraq, and 3) the ideological erosion of the Democratic party.

MercatorNet on the new atheism.

The irony of this new desire to further the spread of atheism is that, unlike the cool and laid-back atheists of an earlier age, these new atheists write like true believers...

Here's a really good post from Owen Strachan on American history and Church and State.

Sometimes it is as if we evangelicals have applied our sense of individual conversion on a national scale. It is as if we seek to convert America. We cannot do this. We are not a divinely led nation in the sense that Israel was, and thus we do not possess a spiritual identity in the same way that Israel did. Our country is a complex mix of good and bad, right and wrong, and a political theology that leads us to in some way "save" our country on a mass scale is bound to fail. Better for us to push ahead in our kingdom work, to labor with enthusiasm and energy to advance the kingdom and spread the gospel, and work for the application of truth and justice in our society. America is not saved yet--and in fact, she never will be. But there are millions--no, billions--out there who can be saved, and we need to focus our efforts on them.

Read the whole thing.

From Dan Edelen (Cerulean Sanctum): 100 truths learned in 30 years of following Christ.

Tim Challies and Michael Spencer weigh in on Joel Osteen's new book and recent spot on 60 Minutes.

Osteen is a Gospel preacher like Col. Sanders is an army officer.

UPDATE: A podcast from Spencer.

MercatorNet reviews a new book about John Henry Newman, someone James Sire draws heavily from.

Though I may not completely agree with Victor Davis Hanson, I always get the undeniable impression that he knows what he's talking about. This final post about his recent trip to Iraq is pretty good.