If you thought the Mitchell Report on steroids in baseball was bad … have you heard about the parts they left out?

A terrific and thought-provoking essay on the Christianity Today web site notes a medical shift — more people dying from protracted illnesses as opposed to sudden ones — and the way in which we as a society have failed to recognize it or deal with its implications.

Here’s a critique of the people who — whether they admit it or not — try to create their own “designer religions” by ignoring Biblical passages they don’t agree with.

I don’t agree with him, but “Dilbert” creator Scott Adams has a thought-provoking blog post in which he mocks the idea of free will.

There’s a great discussion of Hell in the comment section of this post at The Cartoon Blog. I think my view of Hell is more like the commenter “Tired&Emotional,” who describes it as an eternal separation from God.

What she said.

What he said.

Obviously, there’s a lot that I disagree with in this blog post, but I think it’s a fascinating and frank essay by an individual about the state of his faith, and as such it’s very much worth reading.

Hat tip: The Cartoon Blog.

I was reading Jamey Tucker’s blog at WKRN, and I found a link to this story. A TV journalist from Scotland who is described in the news story as “once a committed Christian” will try to rediscover his faith for a documentary series with a pilgrimage to several historic sites, possibly culminating in his participation in a crucifixion ritual in the Philippines.

The documentary will be called “Crucify Me.”

It’s not for me to judge someone else’s faith journey, and I’m usually reluctant to criticize a movie or TV show I haven’t seen. But from the promotion, and from what we already know about the corrosive nature of reality TV, this seems absurd, exploitative and embarrassing on so many levels. It certainly smells like a stunt: if he were merely “considering” undergoing the ritual, why would they already be announcing “Crucify Me” as the title of the show? And I can’t imagine that this has much to do with trying to “rediscover” his faith. God has used stranger situations and vessels to awaken or re-awaken people’s faith, of course. But in general, so-called reality television represents the polar opposite of spiritual discovery.

You know my feelings on free speech and on the counterproductive nature of boycotts and protests as they relate to TV or film programming. A big stink will only draw attention to this.

I am not judging the actual ritual in which this reporter is thinking of participating. Yes, it’s the type of thing that makes me, coming from my particular national and religious background, uncomfortable. But that’s more about cultural sensitivities than about any Biblical truth. I simply suspect that this TV reporter is using that ritual for its shock value rather than to inform or enlighten himself or his viewers.

Gad(d)about has some good words about common objections to the Christian faith and how he responds to them.

NBC will probably claim the show was just too controversial, but usually controversy makes for good buzz. [The Book of] Daniel was just boring, and for an obvious reason: Hollywood executives seem convinced that dinnertime at any religious home sounds like the 1992 Republican convention, with everyone screaming about gays and sex and other culture war issues.

…

Christians don’t necessarily like to watch shows about other Christians, any more than I want to watch programs about thirtysomething Jewish journalists.

– Hanna Rosin, from an interesting Slate essay about TV’s attempts to promote shows about spirituality, and why those shows so often end up on Friday night.

(Hat tip to Mark J. at the TV Barn 2 message board.)

Here’s a discussion of atheism, charity and benevolence at My Quiet Life.

I remember when Charles Colson’s conversion first came out in the media in the 1970s, and I remember how many people scoffed that it was just an attempt to get sympathy which might help him in his Watergate legal troubles. He has disproven those critics many times over, dedicating his life to the Gospel long past the point where it made any legal difference, and sometimes even standing up to other Christian leaders as a voice of reasonable dissent.

No surprise, then, that this essay from Christianity Today is so good. Colson balances the need for Christians to stand on principle against the risk of becoming addicted to political power and driven by anger instead of love. Our ultimate goal, he reminds us, is not to change laws but to change hearts.

Gaddabout explores the nature of his own faith and wonders what would happen if scientific evidence disproved it.

Chris Oakes, who also has posting privileges here, also has a blog of his own entitled “Tiny Acorns.” I forgot to link to it when I was first setting this blog up. That has now been rectified.