Muddling Toward Maturity Blog

The MEMRI Blog Is Up and Running

Western media fails to provide a full picture of developments in Arabic speaking lands.  That's where MEMRI comes in.  Here's the way MEMRI (Middle East Media Research Institute) describes their new blog: 

At this crucial time, as the war on terror continues, with the escalation of conflicts in the Middle East, and with reformists in the region needing help to make their voices heard, we are

We Live in a Vulgar Age

Mona Charen, a columnist and commentator I greatly respect, recently appeared as a guest on C-Span.  These are her reflections:

I did one of my bi-annual visits to C-SPAN Friday morning. The callers were, as usual, a mix. But the emails that greeted me when I got back to my computer were just foul. I’ve been doing these shows (and others) for almost 15 years and have come in for my share of abuse. But the tone of these letters has taken a definite turn toward nasty and stupid. . . .     The notion of good manners has been trampled almost to death.  All we have in its place is sniveling political correctness. What a vulgar age we live in!

Michelle Malkin wrote a book - Unhinged - about the bile and viciousness from liberals and leftists in America.

Turkey's Repression of Christianity

Richard John Neuhaus writes  about the Pope's recent visit to Turkey and his conversations with the Orthodox Church's Ecumenical Patriarch, Bartholomew I. 

Since Bartholomew actually lives in Turkey, one might think that he would be a logical interlocutor with Islam. But his position is severely constricted. Again and again during

Confusions and Rationalizations Within The Gay Subculture

In reading the December, 2006 hard copy edition of First Things magazine, I browsed Richard Neuhaus' monthly contribution, "The Public Square," a section of several pages within which Neuhaus offers short comments on this and that.  Arresting was his substantial quotation from an article by Miles Douglas printed in the March 12th, Spectator (UK) . The article offers unusually candid reflections on gay culture.

A few months ago I persuaded one of my oldest and best gay friends to invite his lively, articulate heterosexual neighbours to dinner. The meal was, as I had expected, a great success. Conversation was amusing, flowed naturally

The Associated Press (AP) Makes Up Iraqi Atrocity Stories

Update: 12/4/06 - Michelle Malkin again updates the story.  It remains very much alive, in fact more alive than ever, as the AP and New York Times continue to keep their heads in the sand.  The longer the failure to provide appropriate documentation for the story, the greater the AP's loss of credibility.  - Further update - Fox news' interview with Jules Crittenden can be found here.

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Jules Crittenden, the Boston Herald City Editor, reports

. . .  The Associated Press is embroiled in a scandal. Conservative bloggers, the new media watchdogs, lifted a rock at the AP.   Curt at Floppingaces, www.floppingaces2.blogspot.com, led the charge. He  thought there was something strange about an AP report, and took a second look at it, then a third look. He and others blew the lid off it. The AP is making up war crimes. But the resulting stink

GREAT MOVIE: "THE NATIVITY STORY"

Update: 12/5/06  - Dr. Mark D. Roberts reflects positively on the historical aspect of "The Nativity Story" plus Mary's extraordinary experience here.  Theologian Scot McKnight says the movie lived up to his expectations and beyond.  He thinks, however, that Mary could have been less pensive and a more robust character if the Magnificat had been more up front instead of at the end.  - I find that an interesting thought.

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This afternoon I went with others to see the newly-released movie, The Nativity Story.    I am so glad I went.    It's a great movie.  The movie attempts to be as authentic as possible (the little stone homes of Nazareth had never properly entered my consciousness).  It also excels in