Weekly Web Roundup (12/24/16)

Here are some interesting items that I saw across the web over this past week:

Am I a Christian, Pastor Timothy Keller? by Nicholas Kristof (The New York Times)

"But I don’t want to contrast faith with skepticism so sharply that they are seen to be opposites. They aren’t. I think we all base our lives on both reason and faith. For example, my faith is to some degree based on reasoning that the existence of God makes the most sense of what we see in nature, history and experience. Thomas Nagel recently wrote that the thoroughly materialistic view of nature can’t account for human consciousness, cognition and moral values. That’s part of the reasoning behind my faith. So my faith is based on logic and argument."

Why Hillary Clinton Bombed With White Evangelical Voters by Ruth Graham (Slate)

"But she [Clinton] spent little time talking about her own faith on the campaign trail, and even less time speaking explicitly to believers about theirs—the kind of uncomfortable reach that might have peeled away religious voters looking for a reason not to vote for Trump. “It was decidedly different than past campaigns,” said Ed Stetzer, executive director of the Billy Graham Center for Evangelism at Wheaton College in Illinois—and a prominent observer of evangelical culture. She paid little lip service to religious freedom, for example. He pointed out that Clinton’s first campaign rally last year was held at New York’s Four Freedoms Park, named for President Franklin Roosevelt’s “Four Freedoms,” but she managed only to mention three freedoms there—ignoring freedom of worship. “I know a lot of evangelical leaders,” Stetzer said, “and I would say at the end of the day, most who voted for Trump probably voted for Trump begrudgingly, because they felt they had no other choice.”"

Baptist Figure Faces Backlash Over His Criticism of Donald Trump by Ian Lovett (The Wall Street Journal)

"During the presidential race, Russell Moore, the public face of the Southern Baptist denomination, emerged as one of the most persistent and high-profile conservative critics of Donald Trump. He denounced the Republican candidate’s stance on immigration and his moral character, and sharply questioned many of the evangelical Christians who supported him. That message has prompted indignation from prominent figures within the Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant denomination in the U.S., with more than 15 million members. And it has put Mr. Moore in a precarious position, as Baptists argue over the political direction of an organization with a global reach and a powerful impact on American life."

Turkey Is Unraveling by Diego Cupolo (The Atlantic)

"For months, Turkey has been unraveling. Shortly after the attempted coup of July 15, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government announced a state of emergency to remove any lingering threats from supporters of Fethullah Gulen, the exiled religious and political leader who the state blames for orchestrating the failed putsch, as well as people affiliated with the Kurdish movement. Mass purges touched nearly all job sectors, with education and the state judicial system taking the biggest hits. Anyone suspected of a crime could be held for 30 days without charge in detention centers where inmates are reportedly being tortured."

8 Holiday Traditions From Around the World (Mental Floss)

"In the U.S., we set out cookies for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve, eat potato latkes during Hanakkuh, and kiss at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve. Here are eight ways countries around the world celebrate the holiday season."

Silent Night by Chewbacca

Here is a favorite Christmas Carol from everyone's favorite Wookiee, Chewbacca.

Weekly Web Roundup (7/23/16)

Photo Credit: Will Montague

Here are some interesting stories from around the web during this past week:

Are We Distracting Ourselves to Death? by Karen Swallow Prior

"Surely, distractions have been around since shepherds have been taking their eyes off sheep to chase butterflies, but such accidents point to the way technology can help us lose our sense of reality and its inherent dangers. When a reality that exists only inside our head—or our handheld devices—collides with the material, tangible world, we are entering the hyperreal."

Tips on Beginning a First Conversation on Racism in a Church by Christena Cleveland

Noted social psychologist and racial reconciliation leader Christena Cleveland was recently asked by a black pastor on staff at a multi-ethnic church about how to address issues of racism and equity within his church. This is her advice.

Why Democrats and Republicans Literally Speak Different Languages by Derek Thompson

"For several decades now, Republicans and Democrats have become more polarized. There are plenty of reasons for that, including the demise of the Southern Dixiecrats and the geographic sorting of the country into ideologically homogenous neighborhoods. But the two major parties are now divided by a common language: Democrats discuss “comprehensive health reform,” “estate taxes,” “undocumented workers,” and “tax breaks for the wealthy,” while Republicans insist on a “Washington takeover of health care,” “death taxes,” “illegal aliens,” and “tax reform.” When did the two major political parties create their own vocabularies? Around 1990. That’s according to a fascinating new paper by the economists Matthew Gentzkow and Jesse M. Shapiro and Microsoft Research’s Matt Taddy."

The Story of Making a Murderer Isn't Over Yet

Netflix announced they'll be making more episodes of the popular documentary series, Making a Murderer. New episodes will focus on the post-conviction process and its emotional toll on those involved.

Fans Play Star Wars Theme for John Williams Outside His House

This is what happened when two guys with horns made a spontaneous decision to set up and play the Star Wars theme in front of John Williams' house. Watch the video to find out.

Little Known Facts About Star Wars

From Asylum.com:


[Via: Online PhD]

(h/t to Jeff Frank for the link)