| Home | Links | Audio | Podcasts | ||||||
|
|
LINKS |
ENTRIES
The Great Relearning
AD or ADD? 2008 years from what? Most people still know (I hope) what event initiates our calendar. Few people know why. That’s because we have, long ago, stopped paying attention to history. One of the reasons that it’s so hard to read and understand ancient history books is that they lack a unified chronology. Herodotus, Plutarch, etc., never say ‘this happened in the year X’. Instead they give you a lot of ‘in the tenth year of the reign of emperor such and such’, ‘or in the year of the 50th Olympiad’ etc. Modern readers scratch their heads and ask, ‘Why?’ They should be asking, ‘Why not?’ We’re so used to the idea of a collective, universal and non-resetting dating system that we take it for granted. The citizens of the rest of history would be as confused by us as we are by them. What, after all, is the point of knowing the timing of the events of other civilizations in relation to our own? Who cares? We’re human, and they barely are. We have gods who we love and they have gods who we hate. We have nothing to learn from them. They are a threat to us and our society. The only dates in their history that we care about are the dates of the wars they have had with us, and we already know those dates. They are either dates of our glory, in the battles we’ve won, or dates of their shame and treachery, depicting the battles they stole from us. There is, ancient man would say, no such thing as history. Everywhere there is chaos, except where our emperor/king/sheikh/chief/president-for-life reigns, and when he dies, the clock must be re-set. The King is dead, we shout, long live the king, and the calendar goes back to year one of the new reign. That started to change with a birth. Eastern, probably Babylonian, scholars noted the signs of a birth of a great king, not their own, nor even Rome’s. They traveled across the known world daring many dangers and passing through the fiefdoms of many gods and kings to find him. They brought him gifts of imperial tribute, gold and spices, even though they already had a king back in their homeland and the world already had an emperor. They did this under the nose of a usurper who reacted with such rage that he unleashed a genocidal rage against all of the boys in that town. The boy-king became a refugee. When he came home, he took up residence in a town known for its mix of races and languages. He worked with Latin speaking foreman, Greek speaking architects and learned the Hebrew of his fathers from rabbis. At home he spoke the Aramaic that his ancestors had picked up after their forced march into Babylon. Later he became a teacher. He taught Torah to a Samaritan woman, breaking religious, ethnic, and gender barriers at the same time. He reasoned with rabbis, debated priests, instructed Roman centurions. When he died, he died with a sign above his head in three languages: IESUS NAZARENUS REX IVDAEORUM It’s abbreviated as INRI. Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jews. Of course, Pilate sold him short. When Jesus rose from the dead, he defeated Rome. They assassinated Him, but he came back. He won. He became, in Caesar’s stead, emperor, not just King. Lord of the world, not just of Judea. It would take centuries before the world learned of the existence of it’s new emperor, but eventually the ambassadors reached the known world. It met it’s new Lord, and it knew what to do. A new calendar was needed. When a new emperor comes, the clock is reset: It is year one. On it goes until the emperor dies and his reign ends. Then a new emperor and a new calendar. But what if we had an emperor who will never (again) die? Then each generation will share the same calendar. We won’t date events by ‘the 10th year of the emperor Augustus’ or the 8th year of the reign of President Bush, or the 50th year of the glorious leader Fidel. We’ll calculate them by the 2008th year of the reign of our lord and savior, Jesus Christ. We’ll abbreviate them with AD (anno domini) using the Latin of the alleged city of eternal conquest, which remains now, only as a linguistic artifact preserved only by the kingdom that replaced it.
Posted by Jerry @ Jan-02, 1:56 pm
Obsession: The New Documentary About Radical Islam's War Against the West From the creators of Relentless, comes a new film that will challenge the way you look at the world. Almost 70 years ago, Europe found itself at war with one of the most sinister figures in modern history: Adolf Hitler. When the last bullet of World War II was fired, over 50 million people were dead, and countless countries were both physically and economically devastated. Hitler’s bloody struggle sought to forge the world anew, in the crucible of Nazi values. How could such a disaster occur? How could the West have overlooked the evil staring it in the face, for so long, before standing forcefully against it? Today, we find ourselves confronted by a new enemy, also engaged in a violent struggle to transform our world. As we sleep in the comfort of our homes, a new evil rises against us. A new menace is threatening, with all the means at its disposal, to bow Western Civilization under the yoke of its values. That enemy is Radical Islam. Using images from Arab TV, rarely seen in the West, Obsession reveals an ‘insider's view' of the hatred the Radicals are teaching, their incitement of global jihad, and their goal of world domination. With the help of experts, including first-hand accounts from a former PLO terrorist, a Nazi youth commander, and the daughter of a martyred guerilla leader, the film shows, clearly, that the threat is real. A peaceful religion is being hijacked by a dangerous foe, who seeks to destroy the shared values we stand for. The world should be very concerned. To view the poster, click here. To go Obsession's website, click here.
Posted by Jerry @ Aug-29, 11:29 am
Unedited version of Jerry's Immigration article on Patriot News To read the unedited version of Jerry's immigration article, click here.
Posted by Jerry @ Jul-03, 11:29 am
Can Christianity and Hollywood Co-Exist? Jerry talks with Dr. Ted Baehr of MovieGuide.org about how Christians need to strive for excellence if they expect to positively influence Hollywood. To recieve this Podcast, click here.
Posted by Jerry @ Feb-21, 2:06 pm
The Importance of Understanding God Jerry interviews Les Fairfield, a professor at Trinity School for Ministry, who talks about how our concept of God changes the way we see ourselves, our church and society. To recieve this Podcast, click here.
Posted by Jerry @ Feb-20, 3:02 pm
The Cube and the Cathedral Jerry and co-host Glen Meakem interviewed George Weigel, author of "The Cube and the Cathedral," last Saturday, February 18th, on Leadership Radio. Click here to take a look at "The Cube and the Cathedral" on Amazon.com. Watch for a podcast of that interview on Leadership Radio's website.
Posted by Jerry @ Feb-20, 12:01 pm
Jerry Bowyer and Pat Buchanan Debate Race and Immigration Jerry made mention today, February 17, 2006, of an interview he had with Pat Buchanan about race and immigration. Click here to hear the interview.
Posted by Jerry @ Feb-17, 5:21 pm
The Pittsburgh Darfur Emergency Coalition Jerry interviewed Sally Kalson about the genocide in Darfur on today's program, February 16, 2006. For more information, visit The Pittsburgh Darfur Emergency Coalition.
Posted by Jerry @ Feb-16, 4:28 pm
Franklin's Non-Quote About Security and Liberty Dear Jerry, I have a suggestion for the Statesmen Quote of the Day: "Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary Safety deserve neither liberty, nor safety." It's disputed, but the general agreement is that this was coined by Benjamin Franklin. Regards, Jim To ready Jerry's response, click here.
Posted by Jerry @ Feb-13, 5:10 pm
The Catholic Church and the Democratic Party Jerry interviews Father Richard John Neuhaus, editor-in-chief of First Things, about the long-standing relationship between the Catholic Church and the Democratic Party, and where they will go from here. To recieve this Podcast, click here.
Posted by Jerry @ Feb-13, 5:02 pm
Rabbi Warns Against Anti-Christian Bigotry Today, Jerry interviewed Rabbi Daniel Lapin from Toward Tradition about a recent article of his in The American Enterprise Magazine, about anti-Chrstian bigotry. To recieve this Podcast, click here.
Posted by Jerry @ Feb-07, 3:37 pm
N.T. Wright and New Insights on Paul What did the phrase 'Son of God' mean to a first century Jew? What did it mean to a first century Roman? Bishop N.T. Wright, the most inflential New Testament scholar in the English-speaking world, talks with Jerry about his new book, "Paul." To recieve this Podcast, click here. To buy the book, click here.
Posted by Jerry @ Feb-07, 3:36 pm
Benedict XVI Encyclical--"God is Love" Click here to read Pope Benedict XVI's encyclical "Deus Caritas Est."
Posted by Jerry @ Feb-03, 5:57 pm
How the Scopes Trial Crippled American Evangelicalism Jerry interviews John Perry, co-author of "Monkey Business: The True Story Of The Scopes Trial", about how that trial, and H.L. Menken's slanted reporting of the it, robbed American evangelicals of their confidence, and created anti-Christian stereotypes that have lasted for nearly a century. To recieve this Podcast, click here. To buy the book, click here.
Posted by Jerry @ Jan-31, 1:40 pm
Rabbi Lapin's Article on the Holocaust Today, Jerry interviewed Rabbi Daniel Lapin from Toward Tradition about a recent article of his in The American Enterprise Magazine. You can click here to see that article.
Posted by Jerry @ Jan-27, 3:55 pm
Did Catholics Collaborate in the Holocaust? Jerry interviews Ronald Rychlak, author of "Righteous Gentiles: How Pious XII and the Catholic Church Saved Half a Million Jews From the Nazis", about the tremendous sacrifice European Catholics made to resist Hitler and save Jews, and dispels the myths that Hitler was Christian and that Christians turned a blind eye to the Holocaust. To recieve this Podcast, click here. To buy the book, click here.
Posted by Jerry @ Jan-11, 1:14 pm
Understanding The Creed Jerry interviews Ray Pritchard, author of "Credo: Believing in Something to Die For", about the Apostles Creed, and the doctrines behind each of its truths. To recieve this Podcast, click here.
Posted by Jerry @ Jan-11, 1:13 pm
Remembering the True Meaning of Christmas Jerry interview columnist Raymond Keating, about his recent commentary on orthodoxytoday.org about who and why to keep the true meaning in Christmas. To recieve this Podcast, click here.
Posted by Jerry @ Jan-09, 5:00 pm
How Was C.S. Lewis Made? Jerry interviews James Como, author of "Branches to Heaven: The Geniuses of C. S. Lewis" about Lewis as a man, convert, scholar and friend, and they explore the qualities of character and circumstances of his life that led him to become the inspired author and theologian that he was. To recieve this Podcast, click here. To buy the book, click here
Posted by Jerry @ Jan-09, 5:00 pm
Seeing the Bible in the Chronicles of Narnia Robert Velarde, author of "The Lion, the Witch, and the Bible: Good and Evil in the Classic Tales of C.S. Lewis" talks with Jerry about the pervasive Biblical symbolism in the Chronicles of Narnia. To recieve this Podcast, click here. To buy the book, click here
Posted by Jerry @ Jan-09, 5:00 pm
What Would C.S. Lewis Say? Jerry interviews Will Vaus, author of "Mere Theology: A Guide To The Thought Of C.S. Lewis", a topic-by-topic guide to C.S. Lewis's thought on many issues. To recieve this Podcast, click here. To buy the book, click here.
Posted by Jerry @ Jan-05, 4:45 pm
Five Theses About Post-Modernism, JKR and the Inklings I was asked by John Granger about JK Rowling, the Inklings and post-modernism. This is my reply. 1. Post-modernism shares with Pre-modernism an opposition to autonomous human reason as the key to human happiness. Therefore writers with a medievalist outlook (the Inklings, including JKR) will have more affinity with post-modern readers then writers with a modernist outlook. To both, the unbridled confidence in science and social reform come off as naïve or fake. 2. Post-modernism plays a useful role: It tests the foundations of things. It shakes the world so that the things which cannot be shaken will remain. 3. The scam of post-modernism is that it does not subject itself and its institutions to the same intense scrutiny. It asks tough questions of church, state, and corporation, but not of university, newspaper, or its own political parties. 4. Part of the conservative resurgence, politically and culturally, consists in doing to the post-modernists, what they’ve been doing to everyone else. Where Marx’s motives, were they economic? Freud? DeMan? Media is an institution which feeds off of the act of destroying the credibility of other institutions. 60 minute has stood, with a camera, in front of many business offices, but what happened when Bloggers did the same to them? Rita Skeeter feeds off (hence her name) the blood of other institutions. 5. Post-modernism was born out of a Christian impulse to search all things. To not place confidence in princes. Like many virtues, it ran amuck in the 20th Century. The Inklings, JKR included, are bringing it back into the fold.
Posted by Jerry @ Dec-27, 6:10 pm
Witherspoon and American Revolution of Ideas Jerry interviews Jeffrey H. Morrison, author of "John Witherspoon And The Founding Of The American Republic" about the teachings of John Witherspoon, and the religious ideas that laid the foundation for America's independence. To recieve this Podcast, click here. TO buy the book, click here.
Posted by Jerry @ Dec-15, 2:14 pm
From Vampires to the Messiah Jerry talks to Anne Rice, author of "Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt," about her conversion and how she has pledged it will change her writing. To recieve this Podcast, click here. To buy the book, click here.
Posted by Jerry @ Dec-12, 11:07 am
Did Christmas Come from Paganism? Critics of Christmas often say that Christians stole this holiday from the pagans. It looks like this is the opposite of the truth. Jerry read an article on the air on this subject titled "Calculating Christmas" by William J. Tighe. To read it, click here.
Posted by Jerry @ Dec-08, 11:51 am
|