by Bret Capranica | Jul 19, 2005 | Politics
The President has made his choice. I heard while driving home from work: John G. Roberts, Jr. We’ll be watching the reports as they come in. See Justin Taylor’s note regarding Roberts. I’ll be watching to see what Bill Kristol has to say also. UPDATE: Watching Fox News, Bill Kristol suggested, just before the announcement, that the President’s choice is not a safe choice, but a provocative one, suggesting that John Roberts is a strong conservative. Kristol also said that the safe choice was a woman (sticking to his previous revised suggestion). Kristol has also suggested that Roberts is not as conservative as Scalia and Thomas, but more along the lines of the current Chief Justice Rehnquist. WED UPDATE: See Bill Kristol’s comments from today in The Weekly Standard. Charles Schumer has thrown down the gauntlet, noting that Judge Roberts received his negative vote previously for a lower court of appeals appointment. Obviously, the liberal side is amassing against him already. Roberts has already has a wiki as the nominee for the...
by Bret Capranica | Jul 19, 2005 | Politics
The Weekly Standard posts another interesting article on the links between Osama and Saddam. This article particularly notes the mainstream media press reports from the late 1990s on the connection between Osama and...
by Bret Capranica | Jul 19, 2005 | Culture, Ecclesiology, Miscellaneous
In an article posted yesterday in The Weekly Standard, author Mark Tooley reviews the intiguing past of the United Church of Christ (UCC) in American history. The once Israel-supporting Calvinists are now bona-fide Israel-hating liberals. While Tooley chronicles the rapid decline in the denomination’s membership, he does note who is one of their new supporters: the infamous SpongeBob Squarepants! Ah yes, a denomination for the cultural...
by Bret Capranica | Jul 18, 2005 | Culture, General Theology
The L.A. Times prints an interesting article on the new public relations offensive of atheists. They appeal to human reason and naturalism as their source of truth and are seeking celebrity and political status in order to change the existing cultural bias against them. The newest brand of atheism calls itself “The Brights.” Here is their statement of belief: “What is a bright? A bright is a person who has a naturalistic worldview A bright’s worldview is free of supernatural and mystical elements The ethics and actions of a bright are based on a naturalistic worldview.” Furthermore, they state: “The movement’s three major aims are: Promote the civic understanding and acknowledgment of the naturalistic worldview, which is free of supernatural and mystical elements. Gain public recognition that persons who hold such a worldview can bring principled actions to bear on matters of civic importance. Educate society toward accepting the full and equitable civic participation of all such individuals.” This is the new atheism that seeks to be more subtle in its attempts to remove God from the culture. Promote naturalism and reason and people will abandon God is the basis of Bright religion. Obviously, their belief system is hardly new, but makes for interesting reading and, of course,...
by Bret Capranica | Jul 16, 2005 | Politics
Bill Kristol of The Weekly Standard originally touted that Sandra O’Connor, not Rehnquist, would be the first to resign. He was right. He further suggested that Alberto Gonzales would be Bush’s pick. Kristol has changed his mind. Why? Kristol suggests that the First Lady has had something to do with the shift, with her comments this week from Africa. Mrs. Bush wants a Mrs. on the Supreme Court. Mr. Bush may be compliant. Bush gave hints but no names today on what kind of nominee he will choose. Of course, his suggestion that she/he will be “mainstream” is an open definition. Perhaps early this week we will hear the...
