Climategate

And just when I was starting to really warm up to those adorably preachy kiddies, I read about this. And I weep, and I feel so cold. Because I just can't be skeptical of scientists, right? I mean, that would be sacrilege.

UPDATE: It's not a scandal if we ignore it, right?

that movie offended me!

There are two different lists (here and here) floating around, both featuring films that people have found offensive and worthy of protest. Have you seen any of these? Were you as offended as you planned to be, or did you think that the film actually offered something constructive to say? (And, yes, I believe that all films have a specific point of view, even tasteless comedies and horror flicks)

the new SBC president

The Southern Baptist Convention was in town a couple days ago, and among the things they did was to elect a new president. They decided upon Johnny Hunt, pastor of First Baptist Church in Woodstock, Georgia. As with many decisions that they've made in the past (like demanding total abstinence from alcohol), the SBC has picked a controversial choice.

Madonna on the cross (?)

The pop singer can't seem to stray very far from it, can she? Controversy, I mean. Her latest foray into controversial territory is her decision to perform her song "Live to Tell" (which is actually one of her best tunes) while suspended from a cross formed by giant mirrors - she does this on her current world tour, which is called Confessions (I admit it has a Christian ring to it, but it's actually taken from her recent album Confessions on a Dance Floor).

Madonna has a long history of actions that raised eyebrows: she performed "Like A Virgin" at the first MTV Music Awards while writhing on the floor and wearing what appeared to be a wedding dress; she had romances with Sean Penn (a marriage, even), JFK Jr., and Dennis Rodman; she wrote a sexually explicit book that was titled, cleverly enough, Sex; she was the title character of the psychodramatic film Evita; she wrote children's books that were filled with Kabbalah teachings; she kissed both Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera during a performance.... I could go on and on if I had the time.

The question is, is she doing this as open mockery, and not just to Christianity as a religion but to Jesus Christ as a Person? I'm questioning her intentions behind her actions here. Or, is this just another stunt in her very long list of controversial behaviors, done just so that people would talk about her? Either way, it's putting it mildly to say that it's in very poor taste.

(H/T: Drudge Report)