Category Archives: Musings

Mysteries Of The Bible: How Was David Conceived In Sin?

Posted on September 23, 2019 by

Earlier today I received a text message from a friend of mine who had a question about something that David had said in Psalm 51:5, which says:  “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived … Continue reading →

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Speak No Ill Of The Dead

Posted on September 22, 2019 by

Since before the time I have blogged about it, or blogged about anything at all, I have been fascinated by the role of death in reputation, and yesterday provided two very distinct occasions where I had cause to ponder about … Continue reading →

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A Poverty Of Language

Posted on September 21, 2019 by

One of the most profound ways that a language can be impoverished is to be unable to express or describe something.  There are, of course, various ways this issue can be overcome.  One can have languages like Hebrew, for example, … Continue reading →

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On The Neglected Ironies Of Coercion Culture

Posted on September 20, 2019 by

For some time, I have found myself to be deeply troubled by the implications of the contemporary hostility towards coercion that has made itself plain in language and culture.  Few people would doubt, for example, that rape is a horrible … Continue reading →

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What Do People Want From Pop Music: A Case Study In Creativity

Posted on September 19, 2019 by

Although I don’t listen to normal radio very often, I have always cared a great deal about pop music, whether it meant going to the occasional concert, being a DJ on college radio (where my tastes were considerably more populist … Continue reading →

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Accidents Of Survival

Posted on September 18, 2019 by

When I was an undergraduate in college, I took a course that required me to read a diary written by a Napoleonic soldier who had ended up later in life as a German immigrant to Kansas, where his edited diary … Continue reading →

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Don’t Call Me Angel: A Case Study In Giving The Lie

Posted on September 17, 2019 by

One of the more fascinating aspects of antebellum Southern culture to me is the widespread phenomenon of “giving the lie.”  This particular expression refers to the exercise of one’s social power so that one affirms what is contrary to objective … Continue reading →

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Mysteries Of The Bible: Who Are The Nethinim?

Posted on September 16, 2019 by

Earlier today, as I write this, I received a message with a question from a loyal reader of mine:  “Hi, any chance you might be interested in doing a post on the Nathanim … I mean the Nethinim (Ezra 8:20)? … Continue reading →

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Why Aren’t They In The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame: Todd Rundgren

Posted on September 16, 2019 by

Earlier today (as I write this), I found myself greeted by a series of requests for me to write about the case for induction for Todd Rundgren, expressed with a sense of frustration and irritation that he had not been … Continue reading →

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What Is Human Nature?

Posted on September 15, 2019 by

What is human nature?  At first, this question would seem to be rather simple, in that it refers to the nature that human beings possess.  But like most questions, the answer to this question is more complicated, not least when … Continue reading →

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