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Getting swept up in sports madness, and wondering what war is good for.

by CAPC Writers

[17 Mar 2010 | No Comment | 49 views]
Podcast #76: War is Madness, But So is March

Ben and I talk about the merits of sports in the midst of March Madness, and with the debut of HBO’s The Pacific, ruminate on why exactly it is that men so love war films. Plus, the return of the top 5 with our top 5 war films!

Every week, Richard Clark and Ben Bartlett acknowledge and respond to the big issues in popular culture. We love feedback! If you’d like to respond you can comment on the website, send an email to christandpopculture@gmail.com, or go to our contact page. We would love to respond to feedback on the show, so do it now! Subscribe to us in iTunes by clicking here. While you’re at it, review us in iTunes! We’ll love you forever!

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Of the Moment

CAPC Writers share their thoughts and discoveries.

Richard Clark says:

SBC Blog Madness 2010 has begun! Vote for us in the East Division! (and if you’re feeling generous, vote for our own Drew Dixon in the West Division as well).

[permalink16 Mar 2010 | No Comment | 236 views]

Richard Clark says:

Jason Boyett, author of the Pocket Guide to The Bible/Sainthood/The Afterlife among other things, has just posted an interview with our own Chase Livingston about his participation in the Ride:Well bicycle tour. Check it out!

[permalink15 Mar 2010 | No Comment | 346 views]

Richard Clark says:

Glenn Beck, Social Justice, and the Limits of Public Discourse – Al Mohler has written an extremely helpful and clarifying article about Glenn Beck’s now infamous call to leave churches that deal in social justice.

[permalink15 Mar 2010 | One Comment | 451 views]

David Dunham says:

Southern Seminary hosts a panel discussion on Brian McLaren’s newest book, see it here.

[permalink12 Mar 2010 | No Comment | 606 views]

Alan Noble says:

The Tennessean presents a list of companies that are “rooted in Christianity.” The post features the usual companies: Chick-Fil-A, In-N-Out, Hobby Lobby, and a few that hardly seem to count since they primarily sell Christian products: Thomas Nelson and and Lifeway. Lists like this raise all kinds of questions:

  1. What is the purpose of listing companies who are “rooted in Christianity”? Should I be compelled to buy a greasy Chick-Fil-A “sandwich” just because they are closed on Sundays?
  2. What does it mean for a company to be “rooted in Christianity”? In-N-Out has Bible verses on their cups, Chick-Fil-A is closed on Sundays, and Precious Moments features angelic children with freakishly large eyes in “christian inspired” scenes. What Christianity is this? Does this rootedness lead to business practices that honor God? Products that honor God?

This list reminds me of a trip my wife and I took to the mall yesterday to buy her some clothes. She bought a few shirts from Forever XXI, and when we left I was surprised to notice John 3:16 printed on the bottom of the bag. I was shocked to find out that this was a Christian company since the atmosphere of the store seemed to promote an utterly vain, club lifestyle. Obviously, I don’t think there is anything wrong wear wearing attractive clothing, or buying clothes from stores that promote non-Christian worldviews (if I did I would probably be naked), but I was surprised that a company which seemed to be so explicitly appealing to vanity would also explicitly market themselves as a Christian store.

I have no strong conclusions to draw from these observations, except that we should be discerning when companies claim to be Christian and those companies or others in the Church imply that we should support them because they are “rooted in Christianity.”

[permalink11 Mar 2010 | 6 Comments | 853 views]

Adam Carrington says:

Roberty Gibbs continues the White House’s rather childishly-enacted attack on the Supreme Court. Chief Justice Roberts was right to criticize the way President Obama singled out the Court during the State of the Union. The action was not unconstitutional; it was not illegal. But it was in bad taste to subject the Court to a standing ovation against it in a setting where it had no chance to defend itself. If he is upset about the tone of those opposing Health Care, he could set a better counter-example than that.

[permalink10 Mar 2010 | No Comment | 883 views]

David Dunham says:

Facebook Research reveals how we are connected

[permalink8 Mar 2010 | No Comment | 1,197 views]

Richard Clark says:

Glenn Beck Wants You to Leave Your Church – If you hear the words “social justice,” run!

“I’m begging you, your right to religion and freedom to exercise religion and read all of the passages of the Bible as you want to read them and as your church wants to preach them . . . are going to come under the ropes in the next year. If it lasts that long it will be the next year. I beg you, look for the words ’social justice’ or ‘economic justice’ on your church Web site. If you find it, run as fast as you can. Social justice and economic justice, they are code words. Now, am I advising people to leave their church? Yes!”

[permalink8 Mar 2010 | 4 Comments | 1,380 views]

Richard Clark says:

The story behind Oscar’s “Kanye moment” – This is both fascinating and sad.

[permalink8 Mar 2010 | No Comment | 1,167 views]

Richard Clark says:

The Curator analyzes Up In the Air:

Up In The Air gets so many of our modern conundrums right that it’s hard not to classify it as a tragedy, even with some great laughs. The film explores themes of corporate greed, alienation, infidelity, and much more, but the dilemmas that really triggered further reflection were the film’s portrayal of certain dichotomies: family versus career, love versus romance, and freedom versus commitment.

[permalink6 Mar 2010 | No Comment | 1,169 views]

Richard Clark says:

Our own Chase Livingston is offering you a chance to Get A Free Book & Win A Library! Also, help people live!

[permalink4 Mar 2010 | 2 Comments | 1,207 views]

David Dunham says:

Here’s an hour long interview with Christian cultural critic Ken Myers

[permalink4 Mar 2010 | No Comment | 1,152 views]

Richard Clark says:

Remember Six Days in Fallujah, the video game based on real life war events? They’re looking for a publisher, and Micahael Abbott says someone should Step up and get it out there.

[permalink3 Mar 2010 | No Comment | 1,150 views]