1.20.2007

book recommendation...

The Politics of Jesus by Obery M. Hendricks, Jr. I picked this book up while at my parents' house in Arkansas for Christmas. We had a week of nothing but sitting on the couch, so I thought a book might be just the thing both in aiding my own relaxation and in making sure my brain did not rot due to viewing National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation multiple times - although, if you're going to do some brain rotting, you can't beat the yuletide version of Clark and Cousin Eddy (just make sure your shi**er isn't full...). Anyway, this turned out to be a good book. I'm not going to spill all the beans here - if you can read this, you can the book - but Hendricks did a knockout job at evaluating the teachings of Jesus. His basic premise is that these teachings have been softened over time, and it's his intention to show just how revolutionary, subversive, and plain contra-empire Jesus really was. As if that much was not enough for one book, Hendricks goes on to evaluate governmental policies in light of the criteria he establishes based upon the ethic he pulls from Jesus. Included in the critiques are none other than Reagan and Dubya, two presidents who spoke/speak from a "Christian" platform but whose policies reflect anything but the concerns of Jesus. I read in one review that this is just the latest Bush-basher, but that is a total misconception, especially given Hendricks' overall scope for the book, not to mention all the sleezy, negative political chatter out there that has nothing positive to say (this book does NOT fit that category...). Basically, this book would be a great read for people coming from many different backgrounds. My advice: go pick it up.

initiating countdown sequence...

I've had this blank blog template sitting around for a while now. I should probably use it ;) This post is really just a generic "welcome one and all to my blog" type of thing, devoid of any real meaning or consequence, but it is my blog and I can do as I please around here. Figuratively speaking, I am the man of this house. I can remove my shoes in the living room without putting them in the closet. I can leave my damp towel on the bathroom floor. I can pick my nose and flick boogers across the room to land on who knows what. I can even leave the seat up. In short, welcome to my blog. Have a nice stay.