Gene Edward Veith Jr.'s Blog, page 198
December 15, 2015
Tonight’s Republican debate
It’s an interesting point in the Republican presidential race, as Ted Cruz passes Donald Trump in the Iowa polls. (The Iowa caucus, which kicks off the primary season, in which delegates are actually chosen for the convention will be February 1. There will be one more debate before then, on January 15.) Tonight’s matchup will [Read More...]
December 14, 2015
Pope says to preach Gospel, then Law
The Pope began his Jubilee Year of Mercy by ceremonially opening the Holy Door at St. Peter’s basilica. (More on that and the indulgences going through a door like that will get you in a later post.) In the accompanying address, Pope Francis reversed what Lutherans say about preaching the Law (to awaken hearers to [Read More...]
The world’s leaders have saved the planet
The Paris climate talks ended with all 195 nations agreeing to cut carbon emissions to combat global warming. Previous agreements asked only the developed nations to do so, leaving the developing nations, including mega-polluter China, to keep pursuing economic growth without worrying about energy use and climate change. This agreement, in contrast, committed pretty much [Read More...]
3rd century fragment of John’s gospel offered on eBay
A priceless fragment of the Greek New Testament, a text from St. John’s gospel, was discovered on eBay, with an opening bid of $99. (Similar texts have sold for $500,000.) A relative of a deceased Bible scholar and collector came into possession of the document, not really knowing what he had. Another scholar saw the [Read More...]
December 11, 2015
Prayer shaming while praying to the government
When a tragedy strikes, it seems natural for those affected to ask for people’s prayers and for those concerned to pray for the victims. This held true with the recent shootings in Colorado Springs and San Bernadino. But this time, multiple pundits and media figures mocked those who were praying. Prayer won’t solve the problem, [Read More...]
The death of relativism?
Can the West keep up its postmodernist ideology of relativism–that there is no moral truth and that all cultures are equally valid–in the face of ISIS terrorism? Andrew Klavan thinks not. From Andrew Klavan, The Death of a Bad Idea | PJ Media: Watching Obama’s speech Sunday night, it occurred to me that we are [Read More...]
The seal of Hezekiah discovered
Archaeologists have discovered the seal of King Hezekiah near the Temple Mount. It is a small piece of clay bearing the imprint of a ring, inscribed with various symbols and the words “Belonging to Hezekiah, [son of] Ahaz, king of Judah.” The seal must have been placed on a document ratified by the king’s ring, [Read More...]
December 10, 2015
How barring all Muslims is like gun control
Donald Trump has called for banning all Muslims from entering the United States, not only as immigrants but as tourists. He defends this religious discrimination by invoking Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s internment of Japanese-Americans! Francis Schaeffer predicted that there would come a time when Americans would be so fixated on their personal peace and affluence that [Read More...]
Time Magazine’s Person of the Year
Time Magazine‘s Person of the Year is German Prime Minister Angela Merkel. Interesting choice: Prime Minister Merkel is a Lutheran, a conservative (relatively speaking, for Germany), a woman, an economic hard-liner, by all accounts a skillful leader. She has been compared to Margaret Thatcher, a formidable figure, though now she is being accused of being [Read More...]
You may now sing “Happy Birthday to You” for free
Did you know that when you sing “Happy Birthday to You,” unless you have paid royalties to Warner/Chappell Music, you have been violating the copyright law? But no more. A court has ruled that the song, based on an 1893 melody, is in the public domain. The publishers do not pursue private uses of the [Read More...]
