New Covenant

The Mainstream Media, truth, and hoaxes

From HotAir, French court rejects Al-Dura hoax,

French broadcaster France2 lost its case and a large portion of its credibility yesterday when its appeals court called their Al-Dura story a hoax and reversed a lower-court ruling on a defamation case. Philippe Karsenty was vindicated in his criticism of France2 when he called their video of a supposed murder of a Palestinian child [Muhammad al Durah] by Israeli soldiers staged for propaganda purposes.

Don't recall the Muhammad al Durah story? From Wikipedia,

Muhammad Jamal al-Durrah (1988–2000 (aged 11–12); Arabic: محمد جمال الدرة‎), was a Palestinian boy who became an icon of the Second Intifada when he was filmed crouched behind his father during a violent clash between Palestinians and Israeli security forces in the Gaza Strip.

The father and son were filmed sheltering during a crossfire between troops at an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) outpost and Palestinian police and gunmen shooting from a number of locations. After a burst of gunfire, the two slumped into prone positions. Al-Durrah was reported to have been killed and his father severely injured by Israeli gunfire. The footage, which was filmed by the French television station France 2, was re-broadcast around the world and produced international outrage against the Israeli army and the government. Images from the footage became an iconic symbol of the Palestinian cause and al-Durrah himself was portrayed as an emblem of martyrdom; the footage was shown repeatedly on Arabic television channels and al-Durrah was publicly commemorated in a number of Arab countries.

Here is the iconic image.


The truth, it would appear, is that the entire incident was staged (video below, or link here).



How gullible is a liberally biased mainstream media? And how does that gullibility result in blatantly false reporting?

America Alone (v. 6)

Mark Steyn's book, America Alone, isn't a call for more war, more bombing, or more killing, but for more will. Herein follows a series of posts either highlight Steyn quotes, or listing current events which, indeed, indicate that America is alone in her fight against Islamic terror.

Re: the continued assault on Europe - has it begun to wane?

Waging the incompetent jihad in London

The attack serves as a reminder that London remains a high-priority target of the radical Islamists. However, their resources appear to get thinner and thinner, which shows that radical and violent jihad may have lost its luster as much in Europe as it has in Iraq.

Terrorism on the decline and the surge is working: UN

Global terrorism has declined over the last several years despite gloomier analyses by think tanks, the UN stated yesterday, because of the inclusion of data from Iraq. Calling the consensus “misleading”, the elimination of data from Iraq shows a steady decline in attacks and deaths. And when Iraq does get included, the data show that the surge is, well … working...

Feminization story continues

at Intellectuelle. Bonnie gives us an example of a work that is, at one point, dead-on in its detachment from culture while, at another point, reattaches itself. I wonder, though, how detached or attached are those who make the judgments of detachment and attachment?

What if we win? (v. 13)

Michael Yon is interviewed about our successes in Iraq, and why the mainstream media is so reluctant to report on this (video here).

Narnia, Aslan's timing, and God's Plan

My family and I went to see Prince Caspian, this morning. It was a delightful experience, despite the fact that the storyline deviates significantly from that of the book (justifiably so, considering the manner in which the story is presented in print). Two divergent (re)views can be found by Joe Carter (pro) and Amy Hall (con). I tend to agree with Joe's take on the nobleness portrayed in the movie, although I do agree with Amy in that I think Aslan should have had more screen time.

Apart from the contentions of differing movie critics, however, I'm still taken by Lewis' excellent portrayal, throughout the Narnia series, of the phenomenon of God's timing and the part we play within God's plan. In our existence, as in fictional Narnia, we must always be about coming to grips with the timing of God. Despite our impatience, however, God is fully aware of what He is doing, and when He is going to do it. And, despite the fact that we are obliged to act, the battle has been, and always will be, His.

Those "socialists" (aka liberals) want to "take over"

Rep. Maxine Waters (big bold D), speaks what she's thinking (vs. what she had wanted to say) at the House hearing with big oil execs. (HT: HotAir)

And guess what this liberal would be all about? This liberal would be all about socializing — uh...uh... [awkward moment of silence] ...would be about… [another awkward moment of silence] …basically - taking over, and the government running all of your companies.

Yes, Maxine, we believe you would. And that's one reason conservatives don't want liberals taking over.

Watch the amusing video, here.

Michelle Obama: the gift that keeps on giving (v. 6)

From the Tennessee GOP,

Why evolution can't win (v. 3)

From the Thumb,

The title gets the principal objection of any creationist out of the way: yes, this population of Podarcis sicula is still made up of lizards, but they're a different kind of lizard now. Evolution works. (emphasis in original)

So, the thinking must go, if we see the evolution of one kind of lizard into a different kind of lizard (in only 30 years), then imagine what can occur over the course of millions of years? Unwarranted extrapolation at work, once again.

The reference, from the Thumb, is to a National Geographic article titled, Lizards Rapidly Evolve After Introduction to Island. From the article,

Italian wall lizards introduced to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia are evolving in ways that would normally take millions of years to play out, new research shows.

Yet, if the changes seen normally take millions of years to occur, shouldn't one be skeptical of either the evolution documented or the claim that it normally takes millions of years? And, if the changes were the same as one would expect over millions of years, aren't we now in a position to perform experiments in much the same manner as animal breeders? Indeed, the next step we should take, from these different kind of lizards, is to attempt to force speciation. Regardless, there would seem to be a lot of questions that need answering.

Or, maybe not.

Also reference Reasons to Believe's Science News Flash podcast for April 25, which covered this article. Dr. Fuz Rana notes that the evolved lizard is genetically identical to the original lizard. He argues that the changes seen are micro-evolutionary in nature (with a special footnote regarding the emergence of a new valve in the evolved lizard).

Introverts, marketing, and evangelism

From the Introverted Church, a link to the top 10 ways to market to introverts. Some of my favorites (with my comments in [brackets] as applied to church evangelistic efforts,

• Introverts are territorial. This includes their personal space. [Are we ever! Imagine how I feel when a pastor asks me to turn around and hug a complete stranger?]
• Introverts are not impressed by personality. [Why do you try and reach me with a stand-up routine?]
• Introverts hate being rushed. [What if I still have questions?]
• Introverts say what they mean. [If I say I'm still thinking about it, it means I'm still thinking about it.]

On teaching a life of virtue

From HotAir, a reminder that we live in a new age,

Bare midriffs and piercings apparently haven’t made teenagers provocative enough to compete with celebrities for local attention. According to the University of Minnesota, teenage girls have begun using personal-networking technology to send nude pictures of themselves to their friends, emulating the sexualization they see in the national media.

...

Gee, I wonder where teenage girls get the idea that they have to shed their clothes for attention? It didn’t start with Miley Cyrus; Brooke Shields made an unforgettable commercial almost 30 years ago at the age of 15, saying, “You want to know what comes between me and my Calvins? Nothing.” The sexualization of teens and pre-teens continues today with the execrable Bratz Girls dolls and a national media that cannot let children have a childhood.

Several weeks ago I commented on a post at Virtue Alert, a blog maintained by author Vicki Courtney, which had to do with another case similar to that referenced above. While the post rightly addressed the issue of inappropriate photos being sent via cellphones, I thought the attitude Courtney expressed regarding teenage indiscretions was a bit too flippant. Reference the following excerpt from her post,

Now, take a minute to think back to your own days of youth... Maybe you were in the .00000001 percent of the population that made it to your 18th birthday without being exposed to a game or two of "Truth or Dare" or participating in a skinny-dipping session in your best friend's pool. Hats off to you if that's the case. Now, for the rest of us,...

In my comment I wrote,

Do you really believe that essentially 100% of the people out there, as teenagers, went skinny-dipping in their friend's pool? Maybe some research on how different personality types respond to peer pressure is in order. As for myself, I was (and still am) never the type to blindly follow whatever the crowd was doing, much less do whatever was "truth or dared" of me (and, no, I have never participated in that game, or skinny-dipped in a friend's pool).

Courtney responded, evidently thinking I was simply questioning the numerical value she had listed. Courtney's attitude was reiterated by another commenter who stated,

...I had to get a little kick out of Rusty's comment, bless his heart. I knew you were being tongue and cheek in saying things, however many of us (be honest girls...did the truth or dare or skinny dipping things when we were young, (Sorry Rusty.)... (emphasis added)

I wrote and submitted a response which, for reasons unknown, did not get published at Courtney's blog. Unfortunately, I did not copy the text I submitted, but the following is an approximation of my comment,

I wasn't picking nits with the actual decimal point value you stated - I realize that you were being tongue in cheek. What I take issue with is the notion, which I infer from your tongue in cheek remark, that most, if not all of us, have engaged in the types of acts exemplified by the playing of "truth or dare", or of skinny-dipping in a friend's pool. What I gather is that you're implying, "let's be real - we've all engaged in this behavior", and that seems to be further reinforced by Anonymous' comment, "Let's be honest, girls". So, if I'm to follow Anonymous' logic, were one of the "girls" out there to disagree with her, then said girl would be... dishonest? In other words, if any adult claims to not have engaged in the abovementioned activities, then said adult is being dishonest (i.e., lying). This is, in fact, the type of response I've sometimes received when I mention that I never got drunk in college (or in my life, for that matter - sorry Anonymous) despite the fact that I lived 200+ miles away from home while at university (thereby providing me with ample opportunity to "sow my oats" if I so desired). 

I think that rather than approach the topic of this post with a "we've all been there" so "let's be honest" mindset, perhaps it would be more prudent to teach humility, self-respect, dignity of action, abstinence (in multiple areas), integrity, self-control, and independence, to name just a few virtues. What type of impact do you think that would have on the next generation, and their children? Imagine the impact it would have on a child, upon asking her parents, to find out that they did not engage in foolish acts when young. Imagine actually taking the book of Proverbs seriously for what it is - a guidebook from God on how to live life.

While Courtney is to be commended for bringing such issues to light, I think we've really got to get beyond the Nobody's Perfect mentality, where we're all being honest and not being judgmental. How about being truly honest and righteously judgmental? Let's not only teach that virtuous actions are morally right and attainable, but that non-virtuous actions are... wrong.

The continuing feminization story

Bonnie has posted another installment in her feminization and the church series.

Why evolution can't win (v. 2)

Attempt to expel Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed from movie theaters because it used two lines from John Lennon's song Imagine.

Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too

Imagine.

Homeschool ignorance

Over at Phat Phree, this ignorantly imbecilic attempt at humor,

I cannot believe Harvard rejected my application! What does a home-schooled guy have to do? Show me another application so full of blessings from Jesus and I will show you lucky man. My mom tells me not to let it get me down, but I can't help but feel that this is somehow the fault of the homosexuals.

Dana effortlessly performs a smackdown.

Respect: earned, and obliged

A few nights ago our Senior Pastor had a meeting at church with the parents of teenage children, as well as those others interested, regarding the direction the youth ministry would be going. It seems that the current youth pastor, for various reasons, has decided to leave the church.

During a Q&A time, at the end of the meeting, the Senior Pastor fielded several comments from individuals who, evidently, were not pleased with the direction the church is going. One comment, in particular, struck me as odd. A twenty-something male stated, with regards to any individual intending to guide the youth,

You have to earn their respect!

The comment was echoed by at least one other person during the meeting.

Now, I don't disagree that anyone teaching and guiding a group of people, regardless of whether or not they are in an age-specific category, has the responsibility to extend respect to the group they are shepherding. But I was intrigued by the fact that no one offered up just what responsibilities the youth have with regards to those placed in leadership of them.

Respect is not a one-way street, and the fact that one is a teenager young-adult does not excuse them from having responsibilities of their own.

Man of Peace

He's a great humanitarian,
he's a great philanthropist,
He knows just where to touch you, honey,
and how you like to be kissed.

He'll put both his arms around you, You can feel the tender touch of the beast.
You know that sometimes Satan comes as a man of peace.

- Man of Peace, Bob Dylan

Cool Space Gallery Site

A cool space gallery site from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, CA.

Quick-Book-Review: State of Fear, by Michael Crichton

After writing essays and giving speeches on the reasons he disagrees with the "consensus" that human-induced global warming is a direct threat to our planet, Michael Crichton, evidently, decided to write the techno-thriller State of Fear (2004).

In State of Fear he essentially presents the same arguments he's made in his speeches, albeit in the context of a fictional story. The book follows the exploits of a lawyer, government security agent, and company, as they criss-cross the globe on the trail of eco-terrorists intent on causing massive catastrophes, all to further their cause (that being the universal acknowledgment of human-induced global warming of the doomsday variety). Unlike some of his other thrillers, Crichton notes that all references to real people, institutions, charts, and data, are documented (through his use of footnotes). Besides including a bibliography (for a work of fiction), he also includes a section titled Author's Message, as well as two appendices.

In the Author's Message, he clarifies his position on the topic of global warming, basically stating that we know very little about the complex process of climate change, that there is a variety of data on the subject, and that we do not have the knowledge or the ability to effectively manage the environment. Some have criticized Crichton for writing, in State of Fear, nothing more than a long op-ed piece. Yet, it's his book, so why shouldn't he write about what he wants?

In the first appendix, Crichton provides prose on why he considers politicized science to be dangerous. He gives an interesting history lesson on how a previous scientific theory predicting impending crisis, and was accepted as valid by the authorities of the time. The theory? Eugenics.

I found State of Fear to be an exciting page-turner of an adventure. There were a few slow points, mid-way through the book, as well as a few personality caricatures I thought to be too extreme. Note: There was also a fair bit of unnecessary sex, and quite a bit of R-rated language.

Recommendation:  I'd recommend reading the book if, for no other reason, than to get a glimpse of the data that is typically not found in the general media. Save your money though, and look for it at a used bookstore or at your local library bookstore (I picked up the hardback for $1.00 at our library bookstore).

The "Who cares?" award for the week

You can pick:

Barbara Walters: I had affair with U.S. senator

- or -

Did Mariah Carey get married?

Michelle Obama: the gift that keeps on giving (v. 5)

A "2-for...Friday" lineup:

Michelle Obama's noblesse oblige: "I'm willing to make the sacrifices"

- and -

The Michelle Obama-patented subject-changer

Role Model, Suckers

Read about it, here, here and here (if you've got absolutely nothing else to do today).