Love and Christianity are apparently synonymous. If love is innate in Christianity, how should Christians view the death penalty? Pew Research Center reports 1 that Judaism and Buddhism oppose the death penalty. Hinduism holds no clear stance. Islam favors the death penalty. American atheists and agnostics are split almost equally on the death penalty. Pew … [Read more...]
Would Discovery of Aliens Destroy Christianity?
Not all Christians may believe in the prospect of discovery of alien life, but all Christians should offer reasonable responses to honest questions. One such question is whether discovery of alien life would hurt Christianity. … [Read more...]
Neil Gaiman’s Interworld Trilogy: Heroes And Cautionary Tales
I was first introduced to the writings of Neil Gaiman through Neverwhere, a dark, moving, parallel universe fantasy that takes place beneath the streets of London. As I further explored his writing, I found him to be constantly creative, often profound, and entirely capable of writing books for both adult and youth audiences (American Gods and The Ocean at the End of the Lane, … [Read more...]
Should Christians Practice Yoga?
Yoga is rapidly gaining popularity. Yoga (Transcendental Meditation – TM [1] is understood as a path of union with the divine in Hinduism. Yoga is any type of exercise (physical, mental or spiritual) that promotes an individual’s journey to a union with the divine. Should we practice yoga because it’s popular? … [Read more...]
It’s Not Just Entertainment
At this year's Traverse City Film Festival, anyone in downtown Traverse City inevitably saw a poster with this year’s slogan: “One Great Movie Can Change You.” I completely agree. This is not a new insight, of course. People have recognized the power of entertainment for thousands of years. However, the slogan has encouraged me to revisit how the arts and entertainment both … [Read more...]
Wayward Pines
“Before I built a wall I’d ask to know what I was walling in, or walling out." Blake Crouch’s Wayward Pines books, which have recently experienced a resurgence thanks to M. Night Shamylan's recent television show of the same name, have sold over 1 million copies in twenty-five countries. Shamylan diverged from the book series around Episode 5; this review will focus on the … [Read more...]
Inside Out
Pixar's latest blockbuster, Inside Out, chronicles the life of Riley, an eleven-year-old girl, as she moves with her family from an idyllic, postcard kind of town to a large and lonely city. And by "chronicles the life of Riley I mean it tells her story by focusing mostly on her five core emotions: Joy, Anger, Disgust, Fear and Sadness. Up until the move, Riley has led a life … [Read more...]
Undivided (The Unwind Dystology)
If you aren't reading Neil Shusterman, you should be. Unwind may be one of the best current Young Adult series addressing significant moral and social issues in a way that leads readers toward the truth. This review will cover the final book, Undivided. If you are not familiar with the series, it may be helpful to read some observations about the previous books (just click on … [Read more...]
Age of Ultron: Human Visions, Second Chances and Filled Gaps
The Avengers have invaded your local theaters - and the public consciousness. Critics like it and audiences love it. It passed the $700million dollar mark only eight days after its release, and a spokesperson for Disney said it should pass the $1.5 billion that the first movie brought in. That billion, with a 'b'. The next Avenger movie is several years away, but between now … [Read more...]
Saint Odd
Odd Thomas has become perhaps the iconic name associated with Dean Koontz. The series has sold over ten million print copies and 900,000 ebooks just in the United States. There are also three graphic novel prequels, a couple novellas, and a movie based on the first book. Odd Thomas deserves the popularity – and the acclaim. Odd is a genuinely good guy, devoted to doing the … [Read more...]