"Close watch on this heart of mine..."

Just saw Walk the Line with Elise. I'm not going to say "Johnny Cash is God," but I'll admit that I'm tempted. Actually, he was perfectly horrendous in his early career (as were most in Rock & Roll history). Still I've got a soft spot for him in spite of (or perhaps because of) his appalling behaviour. But whatever he was like, the movie was quite good. I was in love the whole time. Everyone must see this movie, at the movie theatre, if possible.

I'm going to be listening to a lot of Johnny Cash in the coming days.

Somehow related to Christmas

I discovered this article on the Village Voice website. The article, "Searching for Bush's Jesus", is a curious and thought-provoking one. Tell me what you think. Check out the website sometime. The Village Voice is a rag from Greenwich Village, NY. Check it out for the liberal in you. Or, conversely, for the conservative in you find something to react against. I love discussion. One way or the other.

To y'all.

Merry Christmas to y'all! And to y'all a happy new year!

And, now, for a more serious message:

Christ is born! Glorify Him!

Inspired.

I found that "kitsch" article at this website called Ship of Fools. After perusing it, I thought it belonged on my list of "Places to Go" right below "Lark News." Check out the "Fruitcake" section, as well as the "Gadgets for God."

Kitschmas.

I read this article in the "Controversy" section of the Sunday Chicago Sun-Times. I was surprised to see such a ruthlessly Orthodox-sounding write-up about Christmas in a widely-read newspaper. Incidentally, it is by an Anglican minister who teaches philosophy at Oxford. Click the title here, "The Unbearable Kitschness of Christmas", to read it en toto. You'll be glad you did. Here's a snippet of it to wet your palate:

For the second century Gnostic, Valentinius, Jesus "ate and drank but did not defecate"....The Jesus of Valentinius is thus the kitsch Jesus. And it's this same kitsch Jesus of sentimental benevolence that features in countless Christmas cards and community carol services. The baby in the manger now presides over a celebration of feel-good bonhomie that makes the true meaning of Christmas almost impossible to articulate. Boozed-up partygoers and proud grandparents demand the unreality of "O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie".