Misc. Graham Greene Quotes

It is impossible to go through life without trust: that is to be imprisoned in the worst cell of all, oneself. The Ministry of Fear

My two fingers on a typewriter have never connected with my brain. My hand on a pen does. A fountain pen, of course. Ball-point pens are only good for filling out forms on a plane.

Sentimentality - that's what we call the sentiment we don't share.

Success is more dangerous than failure, the ripples break over a wider coastline.

We are all of us resigned to death: it's life we aren't resigned to.

Art and Worship

“People ask what are my intentions with my films — my aims. It is a difficult and dangerous question, and I usually give an evasive answer: I try to tell the truth about the human condition, the truth as I see it. This answer seems to satisfy everyone, but it is not quite correct. I prefer to describe what I would like my aim to be. There is an old story of how the cathedral of Chartres was struck by lightning and burned to the ground. Then thousands of people came from all points of the compass, like a giant procession of ants, and together they began to rebuild the cathedral on its old site. They worked until the building was completed — master builders, artists, labourers, clowns, noblemen, priests, burghers. But they all remained anonymous, and no one knows to this day who built the cathedral of Chartres.
Regardless of my own beliefs and my own doubts, which are unimportant in this connection, it is my opinion that art lost its basic creative drive the moment it was separated from worship. It severed an umbilical cord and now lives its own sterile life, generating and degenerating itself. In former days the artist remained unknown and his work was to the glory of God. He lived and died without being more or less important than other artisans; 'eternal values,' 'immortality' and 'masterpiece' were terms not applicable in his case. The ability to create was a gift. In such a world flourished invulnerable assurance and natural humility. Today the individual has become the highest form and the greatest bane of artistic creation.
The smallest wound or pain of the ego is examined under a microscope as if it were of eternal importance. The artist considers his isolation, his subjectivity, his individualism almost holy. Thus we finally gather in one large pen, where we stand and bleat about our loneliness without listening to each other and without realizing that we are smothering each other to death. The individualists stare into each other's eyes and yet deny the existence of each other.
We walk in circles, so limited by our own anxieties that we can no longer distinguish between true and false, between the gangster's whim and the purest ideal. Thus if I am asked what I would like the general purpose of my films to be, I would reply that I want to be one of the artists in the cathedral on the great plain. I want to make a dragon's head, an angel, a devil — or perhaps a saint — out of stone. It does not matter which; it is the sense of satisfaction that counts.
Regardless of whether I believe or not, whether I am a Christian or not, I would play my part in the collective building of the cathedral.” Ingmar Bergman

Spreading Benediction

“Every man is a missionary, now and forever, for good or for evil, whether he intends or designs it or not. He may be a blot radiating his dark influence outward to the very circumference of society, or he may be a blessing spreading benediction over the length and breadth of the world.” Thomas Chalmers

Loss of an Historic Independent Book Store

Canada's oldest book store is closing after 169 years of business--yet another book retailer is unable to compete in a dot.com book world.

Quotes on Architecture

The following quotes on Architectural Theology come from Michal S. Rose.

Church architecture affects the way man worships; the way he worships affects what he believes; and what he believes affects not only his personal relationship with God but how he conducts himself in his daily life.

Architectural theology....simply means that church architecture is more than a matter of taste and more than a matter of tradition: what we build as a house of God should reflect what we believe about God.

One basic tenet that architects have accepted for millennia is that the built environment has the capacity to affect the human person deeply—the way he acts, the way he feels, and the way he is. Church architects of past and present understood that the atmosphere created by the church building affects not only how we worship, but also what we believe. Ultimately, what we believe affects how we live our lives. It’s difficult to separate theology and ecclesiology from the environment for worship, whether it's a traditional church or a modern church.

NEA and Homeschooling

With the current and various battles raging against home schooling, I found the following quotes from an article posted on the National Education Association website to be quite enlightening:

Home Schools Run By Well-Meaning Amateurs
Schools With Good Teachers Are Best-Suited to Shape Young Minds
By Dave Arnold, Custodian and member of the Illinois Education Association

There's nothing like having the right person with the right experience, skills and tools to accomplish a specific task. Certain jobs are best left to the pros, such as, formal education…

So, why would some parents assume they know enough about every academic subject to home-school their children? You would think that they might leave this—the shaping of their children’s minds, careers, and futures—to trained professionals. That is, to those who have worked steadily at their profession for 10, 20, 30 years! Teachers!...

Don’t most parents have a tough enough job teaching their children social, disciplinary and behavioral skills? They would be wise to help their children and themselves by leaving the responsibility of teaching math, science, art, writing, history, geography and other subjects to those who are knowledgeable, trained and motivated to do the best job possible.

These statements indicate just how far some in the profession of teaching have drifted in their priorities with regard to what is true education.

Easter and Church Flyers

It’s nearing Easter, which means that we start getting the glossy flyers in the mail from non-denominational emergent “churches.” These are generally the gatherings that have slick photos of the husband and wife pastor-team.

“Flipped”—how Jesus flipped the world with his message.

Most of these flyers have an itemized list somewhere of what the assembly is like (note—these are actual quotes):

1. We dress for comfort
2. We have meaningful, moving music (no people in polyester singing sadly)
3. Kids have cool classes
4. Baby gets to hang out in our neat nursery
5. You can worship with real people just like you
6. You will feel wanted & welcomed, but not watched
7. You don’t get beat up

The kicker usually comes in where the flyers announces the core values:

“The Assembly (not the real name) is a new church in your area committed to helping you make real connections with God and other people. We are not into religion, but seek a relationship with God and others that can change the world.

“If you’re looking for a fun, non-nonsense, practical approach to faith, than you owe it to yourself to give the Assembly a try.”

It never ceases to amaze me that people try to package Yahweh, the Creator and Ruler of the universe and Most Holy God, into a neat, practical and fun time for the kids. And that church becomes nothing more than about your comfort, preferences, and ease.

At this time of year when the whole creation ripples with new life, our hearts do soar, but only through the realization of the absolute depravity of our own efforts, our need for a Redeemer—and hence the need for the blood and gore of the cross, AND the glorious Resurrection glory. Sin and death have been conquered and swallowed up in victory! Hallelujah, what a Savior!

Scottish, Once Again

In typical bureaucratic fashion, the Library of Congress changed their catalog system and swept 700 years of Scottish literary tradition under the heading of "English." Thankfully, the ire of the Scots has made them reconsider and to restore Scottish literature as its own literary heritage. The Washington Post has an article here.

Reading Statistics

If you have read one book in the last year, you have read more than 25% of the people in Great Britain, according to a report from the Office of National Statistics. Thirty-three percent of adults had not bought a book in the previous twelve months, and thirty-four percent said that they did not read books at all. Almost half of males between the ages of 16-24 had not read a book in the previous year.

Another survey indicates that the parents or guardians of one third of British children never read them a bedtime story. In the United States, only 53% of children aged 3 to 5 were read to daily by a family member.

The lowering of literacy levels cannot help but have a detrimental effect on a clear understanding of doctrinal issues and the ability to learn Biblical truth from reading.

The Decline of Reading

The New Yorker has a thought-provoking article about the "Twilight of Books" that is worth reading.

Tech Savvy Tots

It appears that parents will be buying lots of batteries this Christmas if they follow the latest toy trends for preschoolers. The NY Times has a fascinating article about whiz bang gadgets for children.

Another thing we won't be buying for our three-year-old is a toothbrush that plays "I Want to Rock and Roll All Night" for 2 minutes while brushing. To encourage dental hygiene, the sounds of the songs are transmitted through one's teeth. One can only imagine how KISS gets royalties on this.

The Irony of Old Pop

The very basis of pop art, according to Richard Hamilton, the British visual pop artist, includes attributes of transience, gimmicks, orientation towards youth, and being disposable. In a recent article in the Telegraph, the author discuses the divide between the industry of pop music and the audience's clamor for reunion tours. The author writes, "Much of rock continues to pay lip service to the concept of rebellion, while adhering to musical formulas, fashions and attitudes established by people old enough to be grandparents."

Irony exists in the absurdity of rebellion financed by corporate interests, but it is equally interesting that older musicians are still reaping the rewards of a system based on the foundation that young and sexy are preferable. If a musician is able to transcend the disposable system which made him, one shouldn't expect that same system to offer continued support.

From the Christian perspective, all of this begs the question of the suitability of transient, gimmicky, disposable musical styles as a bearer of profound, permanent, and absolute truth.

The Future of Philip K. Dick

Geoff Boucher wrote an interesting article about the future films based on stories by Philip K. Dick in this twenty-fifth anniversary year of Blade Runner. His writings continue to be fodder for much creative exploration from what was a difficult, yet fertile, mind.

The Further Degradation of TV

Gloria Goodale has a new article reviewing the line-up of new sludge on fall TV schedule. Just when you think things can't get worse on the networks, they decide to push the line yet again.

English Lit Up in Smoke?

In a recent article in the Telegraph, A.N. Wilson writes a remarkable article about personal freedom, literature, pubs, history, political correctness, and smoking that manages to offend almost everyone. That takes talent!

The Legend of the Poe Visitor

Every January 19, a shrouded visitor lays three roses and a bottle of cognac on the grave of Edgar Allan Poe. After worldwide publicity, someone has finally come forward to explain the mystery, or have they?

Signs on the Times

Here's a fascinating article on the process in changing the fonts of highway signs. Who knew the history of such things? Could this be the end of Highway Gothic?

Arts Articles

This year marks the 150 anniversary of Edward Elgar’s birth. An assessment of the English composer’s life and legacy appear in the New York Times.


Anglican Church officials announced that the new Anglican church hymnals in Jamaica will include reggae songs by Bob Marley and Peter Tosh⎯despite the fact that they were Rastafarians who vocally opposed Christianity.

While Elton John may go a bit far (with a lot of things), his comments about the dangers of the self indulgent art produced by individuals and computers is right on target. There is indeed a much needed component of community within artistic endeavors.

The Loss of Cultural History

Richard Pells wrote a fascinating article about the lack of cultural studies and cultural ignorance in college American History courses. “History Descending a Staircase: American Historians and American Culture” makes a compelling case for integrated subjects as well as exposing the current trends and thoughts in academia about American Studies. While I don’t agree with all his thoughts, Pells makes a strong case for examining the past through multiple interrelated perspectives.

Modern Art Meets Its Match

In July, Ms. Sam Rindy, an artist, who was “so overcome with passion” for an immaculate white canvas on display at a French museum, that she kissed it⎯leaving a red, lipstick smudge. The painting is by artist Cy Twombly and is valued at more than $2 million.

Rindy made a statement saying that “this red stain is a testimony to this moment, to the power of art.” She said later that she was attracted to the canvas and had wanted to make it more beautiful. She was arrested and is awaiting a court date in August.

In the modern art world where gesture and audacity are everything, one would think that she would be applauded rather than vilified. However, it is also a reminder than despite foundationless aesthetics, the art establishment still values the work of some over others. They can’t have their cake and eat it too. Hats off to Ms. Rindy for reminding us that the Emperor of Art is wearing no clothes.

Even Jane Austen is No Jane Austen

In a recent article in The Guardian, Steven Morris tells about his experiment with eighteen publishers and literary agents in Great Britain to see if they would consider Jane Austen’s work publishable. He slightly modified the opening chapters of three different novels and sent them to various publishers as unsolicited manuscripts.

Not only were none of the publishers or agents interested, but only one of the eighteen actually recognized the work as Austen’s! One publisher (Penguin) went so far as to say, “Thank you for your recent letter and chapters from your book First Impressions. It seems like a really original and interesting read.” Morris had even used Austen’s original title for Pride and Prejudice in his experiment.

It does make one wonder what the criteria is for publishable works and if the transient, gimmicky, disposable aesthetic of modernity has supplanted the place of timeless classics. Of course, it could just be that serious readers are harder to come by.

More Harry Potter Discussion

As a follow-up to last month's literature discussion, here are the next two installments discussing Books 4-6. These are non-edited files that contain extraneous comments and details (such as what books we will read next and when we'll discuss them).

These are a continuation of the exploration of the spiritual and medieval symbolism inherent in these books and how J.K. Rowling uses the elements of alchemy as a structure for the stories.

Part One
Part Two

Current Listening and Viewing

Heart v. Mind

There often exists a false dichotomy between the emotional and intellectual appeal of the arts. Because we are heirs of the Enlightenment, we tend to gravitate towards the emotional as apparent in the movies we watch, the books we read, and our Sunday morning worship. Our disdain for the intellectual further reflects our dependence on our own subjective experience as the rule for life. However, the intellectual approach tends to be coldly analytical and distant from actual life. As Christians, we should understand the concept of the best art engaging both the intellect and the emotions for God has created us with heart, soul, and mind.

The composers, artists, authors, and filmmakers with the greatest appeal and the most excellent ability are those who connect with both the heart and the mind. Why is Mozart a better composer than Haydn, Rembrandt more engaging than Thomas Kincaid, Jane Austen more romantic than Harlequin romances? The former all work on multiple levels to satisfy the artistic desire of both the emotions and intellect while the latter examples err by emphasizing one of those elements over the other.

What God has joined together by the breath of life, man should not try to put asunder. To do so minimizes our understanding of our own status as creatures and our ability as sub-creators. Our theology and our lives will suffer as well.

Bed and Board Redux

More quotes from Robert Capon's Bed and Board

“The reason the headship of the husband is so violently objected to is that it is misunderstood…the Bible does not day that men and women are unequal. Neither does the Church. There are no second-class citizens in the New Jerusalem. It is husbands and wives that are unequal. It is precisely in marriage…that they enter into a relationship of superior to inferior—of head to body. And the difference there is not one of worth, ability or intelligence, but of role. It is functional, not organic. It is based on the exigencies of the Dance, not on a judgment as to talent. In the ballet, in any intricate dance, one dancer leads, the other follows. Not because one is better (he may or may not be), but because that is his part. Our mistake, here as elsewhere, is to think the equality and diversity are unreconcilable. The common notion of equality is based on the image of the march. In a parade, really unequal beings are dressed alike, given guns of identical length, trained to hold them at the same angle, and ordered to keep step with a fixed beat. But it is not the parade that is true to life; it is the dance. There you have real equals assigned unequal roles in order that each may achieve his individual perfection in the whole. Nothing is less personal than a parade; nothing more so than a dance. It is the choice image of fulfillment through function, and it comes very close to the heart of the Trinity. Marriage is a hierarchical game played by co-equal persons. Keep that paradox and you move in the freedom of the Dance; alter it, and you grow weary with marching (53-54).”

To be a Mother is to be the sacrament—the effective symbol—of place. Mothers do not make homes, they are our home: in the simple sense that we begin our days by a long sojourn within the body of a woman; in the extended sense that she remains our center of gravity through the years. She is the very diagram of belonging, the where in whose vacinty we are fed and watered, and have our wounds bound up and our noses wiped. She is geography incarnate, with her breasts and her womb, her relative immobility, and her hands reaching up to us the fruitfulness of the earth (62).”

“The world is indeed full of a number of things…The amateur. The lover who sees that play matters. When God made the world it is unlikely that he found it hard work. All the pictures of drudges slaving over watchmaking are not nearly as good a likeness of the Creator as one little boy blowing soap bubbles through his thumb and forefinger. He doesn’t do it because he has to—only because he likes to (121).”

Londonstan?

The name “Muhammad” is now the second most popular name for new baby boys in Britain, The Times of London reported. Taking into account the fourteen various spellings of the name, Muhammad rose 12% on the list and is expected to take the top spot away from “Jack” by the end of the year. The name first entered the top 30 in 2000. Muslims make up only 3% of the population of England, about 1.5 million people, but Muslim birth rates are three times that of other Britons.

The top ten names are: Jack, Muhammad, Thomas, Joshua, Oliver, Harry, James, William, Samuel, and Daniel.

A reader commenting about The Times article wrote, “The thin edge of the wedge is getting thicker.”

Quotes from Bed and Board: Plain Talk about Marriage

Robert Farrar Capon wrote this book in 1965, and some of his observations about family, home life, and roles were prophetic. He is perhaps best known for The Supper of the Lamb—a wonderful Chestertonian look at cooking and theology.

“We have drowned [children] in commercial bilge, stuffed them with TV dinners and surrounded them with the racket of four appliances running at once; we have bequeathed them insoluble problems, and precious little discipline with which to handle them. But if, on some distant day, the smell of fresh bread can still break their hearts, I do not think that all will have been too hopelessly lost. (29)”

“The Christian mind has lo, these many years been pretty well switched off as far as ordinary life is concerned. It has taken what was available without asking any questions. Of course, in religion and morals it tried to do its own cooking; but across the rest of life—schooling, housing, marrying; working, playing, spending—it has been content to buy whatever packaged mixes were available on the shelves of the secular idea market. The result is that Christians, who would like to think they were different, have only succeeded in making themselves indistinguishable. They who would like to hope they had the answers, have only the same questions as the rest of the world. And so they sit on the sidelines, capable of an occasional pious comment…(33)”

“We live in an age that, for all its multiplication of red-hot aids to living, is characterized increasingly by a singular lack of concern about how to live. Excellence has a hard time meeting competition in any age, but in ours we have made a real specialty of shoddiness and shallowness. We float with the tide. Our idea of the right direction is keeping our backs to the wind. Worse yet, our ability to mass-produce our specialties has surrounded us with more to hear, more to read, more to watch, and more to taste than even kings ever dreamed. We have arranged matters so that a man can go from kindergarten to the old-age home so surrounded by things to do that he need never decide what he is. The one question he must not ask is: Who am I? If he should happen to wonder, somebody quickly gets him a lollipop, or a new car, or another wife or a stronger tranquilizer. And the worst part of it is that the somebody, more often than not, is himself. (41)”

Annual Cheese Rolling

Yesterday was the annual Cooper's Hill Cheese Rolling in Gloucester, England. In the five races (one for ladies only), competitors hurl themselves down the hill after a wheel of Double Gloucester cheese. The hill that is so steep that the cheese can reach speeds of 70 mph (the wheel of cheese knocked over and injured a spectator in 1997). The first person to fall over the finish line wins the cheese and the 2nd and 3rd place finishers receive a small cash prize.

The tradition is at least 200 years old and may date back to the Roman time. Because of the steepness of the hill and its uneven surface, injuries are not uncommon but generally not too serious. In 2005, the race was delayed while waiting for the available ambulances to return from the hospital after transporting casualties from previous races.

At the end of the races, sweets are scattered on the hill for children.

Living Faith in Community

Rod Dreher, author of Crunchy Cons, has a blog post about the difficulty that parents have raising children in an increasingly urban and suburban society. The difficulties of maintaining, or often creating, a culture that nurtures Christian faith and community are daunting. You can find his thoughts here.

Toddlers and Television

Several news agencies are reporting new statistics concerning the use of television in the home. Perhaps the most startling finding is that 40% of three month olds regularly watch TV as well as 90% of 2 year olds. You can find fleshed out versions of the story and why parents think this is a good idea at MSNBC and on CBS affiliate KPIX.

Music for Zimmerman's

J.S. Bach understood the unique character and content of corporate worship. Although Bach wrote of all his music to the glory of God and in a manner of biblical beauty, he also understood the difference between what was liturgically appropriate and what was better left for Zimmerman’s—the local coffee house and pub. There should be a separation between what is acceptable in a Christian concert versus what we sing in corporate worship. The intent is different; therefore, the lyric content, manner of playing and singing, musical arrangements, and delivery should be different as well. Because we have forfeited suitable venues to express art in the culture from a biblical perspective, we have pulled into worship forms and content that ought not be part of corporate worship. There is an appropriate and needed place for songs about personal spiritual journeys, the joys and sorrows of the Christian life, and the communal fellowship of the saints in covenantal life; however, the truth of these artistic expressions does not necessarily commend them to corporate worship where the emphasis is Almighty God and His nature and character.

The beauty of Zimmerman’s Coffee House in Leipzig was that it created a venue for people from the town to gather in community and to enjoy the culture of their city. Bach worked diligently to create works of beauty for the coffee house, and that venue enabled him to explore musical, lyrical, and thematic elements that expressed the glories of the Christian life but in a manner that would not have been acceptable in church. Bach wrote musical satire, songs about coffee (a suspect beverage at the time) and domestic life, and instrumental music of great virtuosity—including works for four harpsichords and orchestra. While we seek the integrity of corporate worship, we should also encourage the opportunity for expression of artistic gifts in the covenantal community outside of worship.

Culture War?

The concept that we Christians are in a culture war actually implies that we have a distinctive culture. Unfortunately, much of what we consider to be evangelical culture is actually derived from the world around us—not just in the imitation of the world but also in the very foundations of how we think about the world.

It’s relatively easy to poke at the culture presented in a Christian bookstore and see many cheap knock-offs of the world. From Bibleman to Thomas Kinkade, from romance novels to pop cantatas and Christian Rap, we have cleverly adapted and marketed a more “acceptable” notion of worldly products. However, we are still operating within the same categories and pre-printed shelf labels of a secular bookstore. They have literature, self-help, and biographies—so do we. They have jazz, pop, alternative, and country—so do we. What we don’t have is an attempt to defy the categories and customs of the world and to think differently, more biblically, about developing a Christian worldview. Christian worldview is not replacing disposable romanticized secular stories with disposable romanticized Christian stories.

Biblical worldview requires the re-examination of all of life with Christ as the integration point of all things. From mowing the grass to watching t.v. to dressing in the morning to worship, how does the lordship of Christ influence and direct our steps in all areas of life?

Until we more clearly grasp the undergirding of Christ’s authority and integration of all things, all of our efforts will be faint replicas of various ungodly philosophies with little to do with authentic Christian culture. We are all called to be theologians—to study doctrine—and then to put it in practice, to the glory of God and for the changing of culture. That’s when we’ll really see a culture war.

Lack of Community

On Friday, an unemployed twenty-year-old posted a message on YouTube offering to “be there” for anyone who needed to talk. “I never met you, but I do care,” he said in his video offer. As of this morning, he has received more than 5,000 calls and text message from people he has never met. He said, “Some people’s own mothers won’t take time to sit down and talk with them and have a conversation, but some stranger on YouTube will. After six seconds, you’re not a stranger anymore, you’re a new kid I just met.”

It is a sad and frightening indictment that kids are so starved for a sense of community that they would turn to a stranger rather than parents or a pastor. The anonymity and individualism that exists in an “on-line community” is no substitute for being known in the context of real relationships—warts and all. The culture of secret relationships wars against the biblical call for covenantal life, but the lack of authentic community drives children, and adults, to find a worldly substitute elsewhere.

Missing the Point about Lent

The Church of England in the West Midlands is opening a comedy club for Lent—The Laughing Sole. The posters sport a fish in uproarious laughter. This is part of the “Love Life Live Lent2” campaign which includes daily text messages of fifty positive “actions to encourage kindness and generosity.”

This kind and gentle approach to Lent turns the focus away from spiritual disciplines to a feel-good attitude towards the community of humankind. The true locus of Lent and spiritual disciplines is God and His grace. Do good actions appeal to human vanity. You can read the full story from the BBC.

On this side of the world, apparently the Today Show is doing a twist on Lent with the “Could You Do Without?” segment. One family lived without modern appliances for a week. This was, of course, completely devoid of any spiritual purpose and more of a sociology experiment. However, it is fascinating that the idea of a fast translates into secular humanist religion.

Barbeque Thursday

Today is known as Fat Thursday—the last Thursday before Ash Wednesday. This holiday is primarily celebrated in Poland and Germany. It is similar to Fat Tuesday, but involves the eating of large quantities of sweets, cakes, and other confections—including berliners which are large donuts with rose marmalade filling.

Perhaps more important is the Italian celebration of Giovedi Grasso that is more similar to the Greek custom of Tsiknopempti—Barbecue Thursday. Yes, today is the official day to consume copious amounts of barbeque. Strouds or Mickey Roos, anyone???

The Future of Literature?

The last post reminded me of this post from November 2005. In my effort to re-post relevant blogs, here it is again:

A British mobile phone company is rolling out their plan to make classic works of literature accessible and accessible by turning them into text messages. The complete works of Shakespeare will be available by April. However, the works lose a little something in their adjustment to modern technology.

Shakespeare thus becomes:
“Romeo, Romeo – wher4 Rt thou Romeo?”
and
“2b? Nt2? ???” (that’s from Hamlet in case you missed it)

Milton’s Paradise Lost becomes:
"devl kikd outa hevn coz jelus of jesus&strts war."
("The devil is kicked out of heaven because he is jealous of Jesus and starts a war.")

Austen does not fare much better with Mr. Darcy described as “fit&loadd” for “handsome and wealthy.”

A University College London English professor consulted on the project and said that “The educational opportunities it offers are immense,” and that the compressed format of text messages allowed them to “fillet out the important elements of plot.” “Take for example the ending to Jane Eyre—‘MadwyfSetsFyr2Haus.’ (Mad wife sets fire to house.) Was ever a climax better compressed?”

What is sadly missed, of course, is that great literature is much more than a compressed set of plot points. The purpose of literature is to read it, not to summarize the narrative. As Flannery O’Connor explains, the way a story is told with its unique choice of syntax, imagery, and use of language IS part of the theme and the purpose for the story. One could also sadly lament the loss of grammar and spelling skills. Art and beauty are not meant to be pragmatic.

The stated idea for this text messaging project is that this will be a valuable tool for studying for exams and a useful memory aid. I never realized that we would actually find ourselves in a situation in which students looking for a short-cut would find Cliff Notes or Spark Notes too much to read.

The Future of Writing

CNN.com has reported the rise in usage of “IM” language in formal writing. Predictably, there are some educators who support the student’s creation of new language. I’m just reminded that subduing the earth and taking dominion often has nothing to do with being efficient or pragmatic.

You can read the full article here.

I Don't Think So...

Merck and Co. is spending big bucks in an effort to get state legislatures to pass mandatory vaccination laws for their HPV vaccine. HPV is a cervical-cancer virus that is only transmitted sexually. The desire is to require the series of shots for 11 and 12 year old girls—prior to becoming sexually active. Texas Republican governor, Rick Perry, stated, “I look at this no different than vaccinating our children for polio. If there are diseases in our society that are going to cost us large amounts of money, it just makes good economic sense, not to mention the health and well being of these individuals to have those vaccines available.” Sales of the vaccine could be in the billions of dollars. Click here for the full story.

Modern Culture Strikes Again

My three year-old daughter went to the eye doctor this past week. I was curious as to how they can test the sight of a child (“better or worse”) or on what they have them focus. As a child, I remember the “E” that went right or left or up and down. In this generation, they now use Barbie, Sponge Bob, Nemo, or other such big business characters. Her apprehension at being at the doctor’s office was exacerbated by the scary scene of a movie that was playing in the examination room. Unfortunately for the examiners, she did not recognize any of the characters. When they said, “Look at Dora,” she didn’t know what they meant. While waiting for her eyes to dilate, they put her in a room with another video running and some books. The video agitated her further until my wife turned off the TV, and they started looking through books.

A friend of ours had a similar experience at the mall this week. As if the culture of the mall did not create over-stimulation enough, the children’s clothing store in which she was shopping had a Sesame Street video running. It’s somewhat telling that we as a culture do not even stop to think that a video (regardless of content) might be offensive to some parents—whether at the mall, doctor’s office, or nursery room.

I have no doubt that my daughter could quickly become infatuated with an ubiquitous character or begin to choose a TV show over books. I just don’t want to give her that option until she develops more discernment with age and wisdom. For now, we’ll just enjoy the imagination that flourishes through reading and interactive play. It may be more time consuming and time intensive, but we already see the long-term benefits.