Around The Block

In an effort to post a little more frequently, and to also share my thoughts on some interesting items without having to write essay-length posts about them, I've decided that every now and then I'll just compile whatever I've found interesting into an "around the block" blog post. Discussions on any or all of the items are encouraged, of course. So here's what I've been looking at over the past few days:

>> Reformed blogger Frank Turk has some very well-reasoned thoughts about the ridiculousness of the whole Miss California affair. Warren Throckmorton also reports on Carrie Prejean's troubles. There's an interesting discussion after that one, which also brings up the current scandal at Throckmorton's own Grove City College. Throckmorton obviously cannot comment about students or faculty at his institution, but a fascinating discussion has sprung up among the commenters.

>> Speaking of Warren Throckmorton, here he notes a great article about the growing awareness of the inadequacy of reparative drive theory. Peter Ould also has some thoughts about it. Like I said recently, for same-sex attracted folks, our world isn't going to turn upside down if it is revealed that most of us are born this way. I'm not saying we are, but we need not be afraid of science that says we could be. Nor do we need to cling to things like reparative drive theory as they become more and more discredited. Dealing with emotional wounds is one thing; expecting that to change one's SSA is another.

>> Blogger Micah Tarter has an interesting perspective on abstinence. This quote was particularly striking: "I love you so much that I am willing to never touch you. My love for you is so great that if I could never kiss you, I would still love you." Obviously, he's not saying that he's looking for an asexual relationship. He's saying that if you could never touch someone, and yet loved them just the same, then that's real love. Sadly, I don't think it's a love most people ever experience. I certainly have yet to. (Hat tip: Frank Turk).

>> Justin Taylor summarizes this excellent, excellent talk by Russell Moore about the spiritual dangers of the intersection of politics and Christ (and why many put more hope in the former than the latter).

>> Ex-Gay Watch notices the distinction between orientation and paraphilia, which is often lost on conservatives. Even if one believes homosexual behavior to be a sin, these are important things to keep in mind when reaching out to SSA folks. Proper scientific terminology is not an enemy, here.

>> Karen Keen of Pursue God is leading a series of "book club" discussions about Andrew Marin's recent book Love is an Orientation. The first two chapters are currently being discussed. I have yet to get my hands on the book, but I hope to over the summer.

>> Frequent commenter A. Friend (Christian SSA struggler from Trinidad) notes a recent commercial featuring a gay male character and the changing attitudes towards homosexuals in the Caribbean. It is fascinating to hear about how people deal with this issue in other cultures.

>> Rik Fleming has a rather poignant post about the ways in which SSA folks can become overly fixated on this particular struggle. I'll be honest; it hits home.

>> Pianist Jon Schmidt arranges a great mash-up of two unlikely songs. Being a fan of both pop music and more classical arrangements, I really like this.

And that's it for me. Hope life's going well for everyone! If any links bring a discussion to mind, by all means, go for it!