"New Moon" Movie Poster (credit: Summit Entertainment)

Stuff Christians Like is one of my favorite websites and I genuinely appreciate the humorous look it takes at church culture.

Because if you can’t laugh at yourself sometimes, then I think you’re in trouble.

Today’s post on the site had to do with the Twilight Saga phenomenon and the temptation that Christians might be facing to co-opt the current vampire craze:

Across the country pastors are tempted to do Twilight sermon series. Around the world, Christian authors are thinking about the parallels of the everlasting life of a vampire and the true everlasting life of a Christian. Christian film producers are feeling the siren’s call of Final Cut screenplay software. “Just write a Christian version of Twilight, just write a Christian version of Twilight.”

That made me laugh.

And then I stumbled across these comments from the Vatican’s culture council leader, Monsignor Franco Perazzolo:

The theme of vampires in Twilight combines…

Chard grown at Washington University by Burning Kumquat, a student-run organic gardening collective. Photo courtesy Burning Kumquat.

Nearly three years ago, I started to get serious about applying my spiritual philosophy to my food choices.

I’ve slipped a little lately, and am hoping to get serious again with the help of a movie or two this weekend. Both Fresh: the Movie and Tapped are showing in town. Slow Foods St. Louis and the the Burning Kumquat (Washington University’s student gardening collective) are hosting “Fresh” this Sunday, Nov. 15, at7 p.m., in Brown 118, Danforth Campus, near Forsyth and Skinker. It’s free, but donations will be accepted.

“Tapped,” a documentary about the bottled water industry, is showing Wednesday, Nov. 18, at 7 p.m. and Friday, Nov. 20, 2:30 p.m., at the Frontenac 1 as part of the St. Louis International Film Festival, along with a slate of other environmental documentaries.

I’m hoping to recapture some of the eco-spiritual fervor I…

Julia McKenzie/aka Miss Marple has been entertaining us weekly this

credit: Agathachristiefilms

summer via the PBS station KETC/Channel 9, starring in the latest rendition of Agatha Christie’s murder mysteries.

Somehow it doesn’t matter one whit how often we’ve read or watched the various stories; like little children we want to hear them again.

Perhaps Nick Baldock’s insights posted yesterday at the FIRST THINGS site suggest one reason why.

He writes, 

…..The plain fact is that detective fiction is a distinctively moral genre; indeed, a distinctively theological genre. Questions of guilt and justice are inherent within even the most implausible and incredible whodunit. The world of Agatha Christie was a Christian world. The assumptions, morality, and society are Christian.

…..In 1953, Christie received a letter of appreciation from a Ruth Thomas of Newport, which suggested that “the detective of fiction fills a shrine left vacant by a lost faith.”

…..Christie’s belief that life was sacred and not to be taken lightly was…

Walter Wangerin, Jr.

Last Wednesday, Concordia Seminary hosted the visit of renowned writer and preacher Walter Wangerin, Jr. as part of the Seminary’s annual “Day of Homiletical Reflection.” Among his dozens of books are the National Book Award winner The Book of the Dun Cow, and his bestseller The Book of God. His visit held special meaning for me since I was his writing student as an undergrad at Valparaiso University.

But it was significant for another reason. It was the first viewing of the short film based on Wangerin’s short story/parable, “Ragman,” directed by one of St. Louis’ best indie film-makers, Dale Ward. Since it first gained popularity in the mid-80s, the powerful story of the Ragman has had a “viral” history, even before the Web gave us the term. One can track its circulation in church newsletters, sermons, dramas, discussion groups, and online. But aside from Wangerin’s own book, Ragman and Other…

On Valentine’s Day, my wife and I saw our first movie in an actual theater since our baby was born. We went with the hype: Slumdog Millionaire. We walked out with the same impression: good, not great. Although it’s always hard to see a movie after 10 Oscar nominations and the praise of virtually every person you know. It’s hard not to walk out a little let down.

But, in keeping with the Oscar season that will finally end on Sunday, one theme from Slumdog continues to leap out at me: the connection between experience and knowledge. Absent formal education, how is it that we come to know anything? As the central character Jamal explains to the authorities how an uneducated, impoverished, very young man could know the answers to a myriad of truly trivial questions that nonetheless make him a millionaire, the film explores the connections we make as human beings between…

The classic of Holiday classics It’s a Wonderful Life is ubiquitous this time of year. Like the Christmas Day marathon of A Christmas Story that TBS has made into a new Holiday tradition, it will be hard to miss, if you have your TV on for even a few hours.

Even the St. Louis Rep got into the act this year, with their one-man stage adaptation, This Wonderful Life.

Perhaps appropriate to this Christmas season, though, some are recalling the darker side of George Bailey. The side of him that, as one writer puts it,

is a terrifying, asphyxiating story about growing up and relinquishing your dreams, of seeing your father driven to the grave before his time, of living among bitter, small-minded people. It is a story of being trapped, of compromising, of watching others move ahead and away, of becoming so filled with rage that you verbally abuse your children, their teacher and your…

Sometimes I am at a loss as to what to post about. So what inspires me? Chocolate.

courtesy of www.makingtrouble.com

Last night I attended a fundraiser for a Jewish organization called Nishmah. The event, held at the Sam Fox School of Design at Washington University, was a screening of the documentary “Making Trouble” about Jewish female comedians. Think Molly Picon, Fanny Brice, Sophie Tucker, Joan Rivers, Gilda Radner, and Wendy Wasserstein. Very entertaining.

The evening began with cocktails and “movie style snacks”. Kosher hot dogs, popcorn, and candy galore!  So after indulging in a hot dog, which I do maybe once a year, it was time to fill the cellophane bags they provided with goodies for the movie. Licorice, Mike ‘N Ikes, Hot Tamales, etc. I turned to my friend and asked, “Is there any chocolate?”

Nope. You know why? Because there were hot dogs! Kosher hot dogs are beef. And chocolate is made with…

Since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the weeks leading up to national elections have become fraught for American Muslims.

2008 is no different.

In 2006, a movie called “Obsession: Radical Islam’s War Against The West” made the rounds and made American Muslims nervous. “Obsession” was recently distributed to an estimated 28 million people via 70 American newspapers, primarily in states crucial to next month’s presidential election.

In 2006, we reported that “Obsession”,

…was made by Honest Reporting, “a grass - roots movement dedicated to ensuring that Israel receives fair media coverage,” according to its website. Honest Reporting is an arm of Aish HaTorah, an orthodox Jewish education network based in Jerusalem.

Now, the same company is screening its new movie, “The Third Jihad,” in Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, New York, Texas and Utah. According to its website, the movie includes interviews with:

Rudy Giuliani, Clinton CIA Director Jim Woolsey, NYC Police Commissioner…

So much ink has been spilled over Sarah Palin in the last couple of days — 64 links alone in today’s Morning Edition we sent to Catholic leaders — one could be forgiven for imagining Democrats Obama, Biden and Pelosi heaving a sigh of relief that the reporters are shining the abortion pro-life spotlight on someone else for once.

We now know Sarah Palin is a member of Feminists for Life  and thanks to Mollie over at GetReligion we learn that the Barracuda is a Believer.

Mollie also has complaints — surprise — about reporters being quick to attack Ms. Palin and getting their stories wrong.

And also getting it wrong, lefty bloggers are going after Palin’s daughter….

Ever the gentleman, Joe Biden reacts to his V.P. counterpart by making a sexist remark…. Biden reminds me once again that perhaps the reason leftist women think men are sexists is that the only ones they know are Democrats…..

And,…

I have a small confession to make: I went to see Mamma Mia! last week. Twice.

The film has received deservedly mixed reviews, yet I found myself sucked in by it, almost in spite of myself. The sheer goofy joie de vivre of the “Dancing Queen” scene alone is worth the price of admission. (There’s a hilarious entry here about what how this movie is so bad that it makes the writer want to claw his eyes out. I include it as fair warning for those who might be tempted to run out & see the film after reading this blog. No, I won’t give you your money back if you hate it.)

So what could such a pop culture cream puff of a film have to do with religion? I hope you’ll bear with me, and maybe take my enthusiasm with a grain of salt. From my perspective, the message of the film concerns…

Heads up, ladies. Gentlemen, you’re welcome to eavesdrop.

Maureen Dowd — yes, Maureen Dowd! — introduces us to

“Father Pat Connor, a 79-year-old Catholic priest born in Australia and based in Bordentown, N.J., [who] has spent his celibate life - including nine years as a missionary in India - mulling connubial bliss. His decades of marriage counseling led him to distill some “mostly common sense” advice about how to dodge mates who would maul your happiness…..

Here’s an example of Fr. Connor’s wisdom:

‘Hollywood says you can be deeply in love with someone and then your marriage will work,” the twinkly eyed, white-haired priest says. “But you can be deeply in love with someone to whom you cannot be successfully married.’

If that statement has you nodding your head, read here for more.

Tyree Comment: Excellent article, a must-read, must-print, must-remember and must-give-to-every-single-woman-you-care-about. To Father’s insightful advice I would add, first, be the best person you…

I don’t get to go to the movies much. I have two small children, a husband who hates theaters, and a short attention span. But last night, after an eleven month hiatus from the cinema, I saw Sex and the City. It was worth the nine dollar ticket, the cost of a babysitter, and two and a half hours of sitting still.

So what does Sex in the City have to do with religion? Well, nothing. But seeing this much anticipated movie brought me back to my days as a single girl. It brought back memories (good, bad and ugly) of the dating scene. And by “dating scene” I’m referring to the process of conducting interviews for a potential spouse.

In this blog about religion, we’ve touched on same sex marriage and plural marriage but not interfaith marriage. I am the product of an interfaith marriage. My mom is Jewish and my dad…

Thinking ahead to what is on the calender in the next week, here are some excellent books I’ve discovered in recent months.

May 11: Mother’s Day

The Christian Grandma’s Idea Book: Hundreds of Ideas, Tips, and Activities to Help You be a Good Grandma by Ellen Banks Elwell.

The Christian Mom’s Idea Book: Hundreds of Ideas, Tips, and Activities to Help You be a Great Mom by Ellen Banks Elwell.

* In both of these books, Elwell puts her own encouragement and insight into the mixture along with the words of hundreds of other mothers and grandmothers. These books are short on ivory-tower theory, and long in practical advice, sensible living, and Christian encouragement.

May 14 : The 60th Anniversary of the state of Israel

On the Road to Armageddon: How Evangelicals Became Israel’s Best Friend by Timothy P. Weber.

Future Israel: Why Christian Anti-Judaism Must Be Challenged by Barry E. Horner.

* Sixty years. Given the furor Israel faced in even…

Ben Stein’s movie Expelled comes out on Friday.

Having read a bit about the movie, the gist is to show the intolerance of academia in its’ refusal to allow any discussion of Intelligent Design.

Huh? A wide-release, in-theater movie about academic freedom?

Is it Propaganda? Comedy? Documentary? Depending on who you ask, it is probably considered a little bit of them all.

If you go see the movie, then I’d love to hear what you think.

Beuller?