Skip to main content

Cultural Observation - DALLAS, TX



My co-worker Ryan makes a poignant observation:

“I saw a billboard for Celebrate Freedom the other day and the thought crossed my mind, “What freedom are they celebrating? Freedom from Sin? Freedom of religion? Freedom from Britain? Ah, yes, freedom as in Independence Day. Duh.

Based on the chapter summaries you’ve been posting on your blog, the following thought just occurred to me…

No indictments here, just observations…Celebrate Freedom = 2 days. 3 stages. 40+ musicians and speakers. It is the largest Christian Music festival in North Texas which typically occurs on the weekend before Independence Day. Is it ironic that one of the largest Christian gatherings in the metro-plex occurs around the same time that our Country celebrates itself? No irony here. What is ironic is the sponsor list, which includes the likes of the following: Interstate Batteries, Verizon, Capital One, CBS Channel 11, Gospel Music Channel, Dr Pepper, Texas Power, David McDavid Auto Group, DBU, Nationwide, Toyota, Chick-fil-A, Hyatt, Geico, State Farm, The National Guard, U.S. Army, Dallas Mavericks, Just Brakes, Holiday Inn, Blue Bell Ice Cream, etc.”


Ah, yes... Jesus, Patriotism, and Capitalism. Texas, the greatest country in America.

Popular posts from this blog

These are lines from Goethe's Faust : (A young moldable student approached Dr. Faust to learn to speak well) Wagner: Forgive me, But I thought you were declaiming. Been reciting some Greek tragedy, no doubt; I wish to improve myself in this same art; 'Tis a most useful one. I've heard it said, An actor might give lessons to a priest. Faust: Yes! when your priest's an actor, as may happen. Wagner: Oh! if a man shuts himself up forever in his dull study; if one sees the world never, unless on some chance holyday, looks at it from a distance, through a telescope, how can we learn to sway the minds of men by eloquence? to rule them, or persuade? Faust: If feeling does not prompt, in vain you strive, If from the soul the language does not come, but its own impulse, to impel the hearts of hearers, with communicated power, in vain you strive -- in vain you study earnestly. Toil on forever; piece together fragments; Cook up your broken scraps of sentences, and blow, with ...

The Intolerance of Presbyterian Creeds

The bind between American political allegiance and Protestant evangelical conservatism is a key which unlocks the door of much early American civil history especially during the antebellum era through the early 20th century. To be conservative and American meant that you must regard a Protestant form of Christianity, namely the revivalistic, moral gospel which declared a morally conservative view of the socio-political system as king. In fact, not to be Protestant and politically conservative was in line with defaming the stars and stripes. Hart describes a situation in the early 20th century where the state of Utah elected and appointed a Mormon Apostle, Reed Smoot, to the U.S. Senate. Smoot underwent serious investigation from a Senate appointed committee to deliberate upon the ability of a Mormon to function in the place of a Senator given his religious views. The conservative Protestant ethos of the age was skeptical of any other religious conviction in its ability to be “American”...

8/15/2016

  Kevin,                                                               At this time I believe it is necessary that I inform you of what is going on internally. As a high school boys soccer coach I learned that you want team captains who are fully dedicated to the team’s success. If they aren’t, the entire team struggles to reach its goals.  While I am part of the FBBC team, I believe I am lacking in this desired leadership quality myself.  After seven full months in my current position, I do not believe my passions are managing money for the church. As a result I do not have internal peace about the longevity of my current position. I believe there are better people for this role. I believe FBBC would be a stronger organization if a person more suited for this role were here. I c...