the most unbelievable news

Quotation from an interview about the new Rambo film "I can only imagine Rambo sneaking into Burma to free Christian missionaries who are being held by militants. And as the invincible one-man army looks into the eyes of the ordinary folks from Oklahoma and South Carolina who are risking their lives for the Gospel, he is swept up by their commitment. Oh, wait. I'm. Not. Kidding."

Stallone says: "It rekindles something in him. He doesn't believe at first, he's seen too much. He's bitter. But when he meets these people and looks into their eyes, he's swept up in it, and literally he's just taken on this journey," Stallone said. "He's a Christian warrior! Can you believe it?"

unfortunately i can. perhaps never has so much artistic talent been put at the service of the myth of redemptive violence.

ancient/future 2007

well friends, happy new year to you all. it's 2am and i'm just back from a party with some splendid people. i want to thank you for the time we've shared together this year, and for the interest you show in this blog by reading it - we've been underway for a few months now, and i'm planning (hoping) to make more regular contributions in 2007 (the paving of good intentions etc. will be borne in mind).

as for my hopes for the year, of course i have some personal thoughts about transitions in my own life, questions of purpose and the context in which i live, but beyond that i would hope that 2007 will see more visionary people being freed to say what they really think about the violence and power dynamics in our world; that our creative impulses will be nurtured, for the act of creation reveals to us something unique about being human; and that we will respond to the desperate need to slow down and resist the consumerist idol, which, after all, encourages us to become consumers of each other.