This Land is Whose Land?

How many times have we read Christ’s parable of the vineyard and assumed its application is long in the past? It’s easy to interpret as the history of the Jews, who were given the Abrahamic Covenant but then failed in their stewardship by rejecting the prophets and ultimately killing the Master’s Son.
But [...]

America’s Religion of Wealth

In the New Testament, there are two occurrences of the word wealth: a silversmith of Ephesus said to his fellow idol-makers “. . . ye know that by this craft we have our wealth” (Acts 19:25); and from Paul to the Corinthians, “Let no man seek his own, but every man another’s wealth” (1 Cor [...]

“The Summer of 1787: The Men Who Invented the Constitution” book review

Last week I finished a new book called The Summer of 1787: the Men Who Invented the Constitution by David O. Stewart. The author does a good job of weaving together vignettes of the Framers, notes on the contemporary situation, and the actual goings-on in the Convention. I came away with more knowledge, [...]

George Orwell’s “Notes on Nationalism”

I recently read the essay “Notes On Nationalism” by George Orwell. Below are some of the more relevant passages, illuminating because of their applicability 60+ years later.
Orwell gives the name “nationalism” to an attitude or approach that he describes. It is beyond pride in one’s country or patriotism. It is a [...]

American Messianism

In his book The True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements, Eric Hoffer gives various reasons why people join mass movements. Most have to do with the believer’s desire that the movement absorb and absolve his unworthiness into a higher cause. As James said, “he which converteth the sinner from the [...]

“Over-Zealous to Inherit”

In the book of Mosiah in the Book of Mormon, a man named Zeniff wanted to reclaim the “land of [his people’s] fathers’ first inheritance,” at his time occupied by an enemy people. Looking back on his decision years later after he had led his people into a trap that locked them into a [...]

“Why We Fight” movie review

In the middle of reading Eisenhower: Soldier and President by Stephen E. Ambrose, I saw in the video store a picture of Eisenhower on a documentary called Why We Fight. It was the Grand Jury Prize Winner at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival.
The movie’s launch-pad is Eisenhower’s 1961 farewell speech in which [...]

Political pornography

One of the definitions of pornography from Merriam-Webster (www.m-w.com) is: “The depiction of acts in a sensational manner so as to arouse a quick intense emotional reaction.” This same definition can be applied to most political talk-shows.

What Conservatives Seek in a Candidate

Mitt Romney carried Utah with about 90% of the Republican primary vote. But since Romney dropped out of the race, lots of Mittlers have expressed their dislike of the obvious GOP nominee, John McCain. I have tried to ask why, but the answer is usually too emotionally-centered to be understandable to someone not in [...]

How to increase entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship is a favorite subject of “conservatives,” who like to see people pull themselves up by their bootstraps and make something worthwhile of themselves. A lot of talk goes into how tax cuts and economic stimulus packages help “the small business owner.” But if you really want to encourage entrepreneurship and help the [...]

« go back — keep looking »