January 2007 Archives

Many thanks to Rick Phillips for his helpful comments on slavery, servitude, and manstealing.  The topic seems especially appropriate in 2007, which is the bicentennial of the abolition of the slave trade in the British Empire.  In support of what Rick has already... continue

You can't choose your family . . . or can you? Last week ABC News reported that 40-year old Jenna MacFarlane has adopted new parents.  Feeling estranged from her own family, MacFarlane took out a personal ad that began "Single... continue

The shinanigins of that twonk, Baudrillard-Jones over the past week have been a bit, well, al dente, as they in Spain. Know w'at I mean? I was telling this geezer from Portugal, Miguel, that 'e must 'ave some Freudian neurosomething that makes... continue

In a recent post, taxi driver Keith Moon was quoted as saying that entertainer and post-Wittgensteinian linguistic philosopher, Charo, claimed in the back of his cab that Del-Boy was converted at a Stryper concert.  It has since emerged that this... continue

It is always nice to receive constructive comments and questions from readers of ref21.  A question I received with reference to the sin of slavery (from my reply to Susan Wise Bauer) reads as follows: "Could someone kindly show me how this... continue

Thanks, Phil, for your helpful comments regarding feminism.  In light of this, I would like to say that I am sympathetic to the reasons why women are drawn in a feminist direction.  While I do not believe that patriarchy (biblically... continue

Once again, I put aside joking around just for a minute to ask blog readers to pray for my colleague, Alan Groves, and his family, as he struggles with cancer.  See http://www.algroves.info/... continue

From Dave Shiflett, Exodus: Why Americans are Fleeing Liberal Churches for Conservative Christianity (New York: Sentinel, 2005).Shiflett wonders what accounts for the diverging growth rates of liberal (on the decline) and conservative (on the rise) churches in America.  He quotes... continue

I see that Rick Phillips has already written a full-length response to Susan Wise Bauer's Books & Culture review of Finally Feminist, a new book by John Stackhouse.  I have not read the Stackhouse book, but based on the summary in... continue

Taking some exception to my recent theological slur on his beloved sport of cricket, an English friend has written to correct my athletics and my theology:"I feel moved to defend cricket against the charge of pelagianism recently made on the Ref21... continue