Every Sentence Shines

This is the great difference between some recent developments of Nonconformity and the great Puritanism of the seventeenth century. It was the whole point of the Puritans that they cared nothing for decency. Modern Nonconformist newspapers distinguish themselves by suppressing precisely those nouns and adjectives which the founders of Nonconformity distinguished themselves by flinging at kings and queens.

- Chapter 2 in Chesterton, Heretics

Christmas Songs

Click here for some of the finest renditions of two Christmas classics that you'll ever hear.

Also, I highly recommend the Sacred Sandwich, which is like Lark News but from a bunch of Baptists.

I Almost Cried

Superman Returns contains one of the most racking scenes that I have seen in a while. The movie portrays Superman as strong. While one might expect this from a Superman movie, I have heard that media often portrays Superman as comparatively wimpy. In the beginning of the movie, Superman crashes into the earth from space. Soon after his return, Superman gently lays a crashing Boeing 747 on a baseball field. Later Superman takes a complete round of a chain gun to the chest, grabs a giant, iron advertisement in the air in mid-fall, and lifts a huge boat out of the water, holding it in the air with one hand as he saves Lois and Richard with the other. He is strong. But when he lands on Lex Luthor's kryptonite laced island things change. Lex punches Superman down a staircase. He kicks him around, and then one of Lex's thugs fish hooks Superman under the chin and drags him through the puddles and across the rocks. The three thugs start to beat him heavily, kicking him in the chest and drowning him in puddles. Seeing Superman try to crawl away, then collapse, moan and cry out in pain hurts.

I have read a number of comments on the Christological imagery of the movie. A heavenly being sends down his only son to help men. Jor-El mentions that men are capable of good, but that they need a light for their feet and a lamp for their path. After Lex and his cronies thrash Superman Jor-El says that men are corrupt and have evil hearts but there is still hope for them. The scene of Superman's suffering presents some of the most visceral imagery, and it is reminiscent of the Passion scene in which the Roman soldiers flog Christ (I say scene because I'm comparing movie with movie). There are differences of course: Superman is not almighty; Christ suffered willingly. The Superman scene illustrates the Passion scene in that the contrast between Superman's strength and his weakness is so obvious and so humiliating to us, whereas Christ's strength is not as obvious. As Flannery O'Connor said, when saying something to deaf men you have to speak very loudly. Michael Collender at St. Anne's Pub remarks, however, that all in all Superman was irresponsible with its imagery. I'll let you listen to that on your own.

Procrastination

I am in the Vaughan Memorial library. I've wasted most of the day on pleasant diversions. When I got to school I spent several hours in the Div school study room and talked with fellow students. Wasted time is a bit harsh. It was quite fun. Here in the library I stopped looking for books and just looked around. This is the first time that I've looked around this library. I am sitting on the third floor, looking down on the second. The library is on a hill, so the first and the second floor are on ground level. What look like cow skulls line the wall across from me. The lights cast shadows on the ceiling, which looks like it's made up of aluminum tiles with ventilating holes. The tiles look like army camouflage pants only a lighter green. A purple banner hangs from the ceiling and reads in big white letters "Quiet Study Area." Coughs and the tapping of keys reverberate off the walls, disobeying the sign. Textbook pages are turning, as students study for exams. It is exam week. A guy and a girl just told the girl sitting in front of me that her exam is tomorrow, not Wednesday, and she got so frustrated. She cursed herself, defamed herself, bit, chewed, and tore herself. Her friends felt awkward, almost like it would have been better if they hadn't told her. Below me are the literature books, and far down the stacks of books, on the wall above them, hangs a large painting. Someone has dug a road through a wood. The road is unpaved and about the size for a car to drive on. The sun in shining golden off the upper part of the far window sill and reflecting on the wooden panelled wall. I am scared that I'll miss Jason if I wait any longer, so I have to go now.