Monthly Archives: April 2013

America’s Split Foundation

Posted on April 27, 2013 by mthayes42

Americans tend to think of the “Pilgrim Fathers” as the foundation of the American dream of liberty and justice for all. We have so exalted those first New Englanders that we have obscured some very important realities. One of the … Continue reading →

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Irony in Boston

Posted on April 21, 2013 by mthayes42

There has been plenty of good news coming out of Boston this week. The Marathon bombing has been the occasion for many acts of love and service and bravery. For me, the most telling has been that the surviving bomber … Continue reading →

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The New Old Barbarism

Posted on April 15, 2013 by mthayes42

While undergoing a series of chemo treatments, I am watching lots of documentaries on television. Today I happened to watch a British journalist travel to New Guinea to talk with former (he hoped) cannibals. As it finished I turned the … Continue reading →

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Psychic Poison, 2

Posted on April 13, 2013 by mthayes42

I’ve been mulling for several days on a particular passage of Scripture, Paul’s letter to the Christians in Philippi (a town in Macedonia). He writes: Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever … Continue reading →

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Declaration of Independence

Posted on April 9, 2013 by mthayes42

I’ve been reading an amazing document, the Declaration of Independence. In many ways it is more of a charter for the United States than the Constitution itself because it sets forth the principle of independence which stands at the heart … Continue reading →

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Half-a-History. . .Or Less

Posted on April 7, 2013 by mthayes42

I like buying old textbooks in a variety of fields, especially history. I’m fascinated by the way perspectives change over the decades. One change which badly needs to be made — but hasn’t yet — is the tendency of western … Continue reading →

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Psychic Poison

Posted on April 6, 2013 by mthayes42

A good many years ago, when Hollywood was just becoming a substantial part of American culture, conservatives argued that it would become a tool of the devil, that it would encourage smoking and drinking and violence and licentiousness. Now, a … Continue reading →

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Deeper, Not Faster

Posted on April 5, 2013 by mthayes42

The truly gifted artist is both a master craftsperson and a visionary. Some see deeply into the heart of humanity. Others see deeply into the future. One of the values of art is that a masterpiece shows us ourselves more … Continue reading →

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How Good It Is. . .

Posted on April 4, 2013 by mthayes42

Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s reflections on his experiences in founding the underground seminary in Germany in 1935 are captured in his book Life Together. The opening line is a verse from Psalm 133 — “How very good and pleasant it is when … Continue reading →

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Not Religious but Faithful

Posted on April 2, 2013 by mthayes42

A recent interview on the BBC World News website (accessed 2 Apr 2013) discusses ideas that remind me of Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s observation that “the world is coming of age” and is becoming religionless, no longer feeling the need for the … Continue reading →

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