Headlines

The owner of a grilled cheese sandwich that bears the image of the Virgin Mary sold it at auction yesterday, bringing in £15,000 (I had to work hard to find that £ symbol). The sandwich is ten years old but the former owner insists it has never produced even a single pore of mold. Apparently she decided that it was now time to share this wonderful culinary icon with the rest of the world. It was purchased by an online casino. Read about it and see a picture here.

By this time you have probably heard that Dan Rather has announced his retirement as anchor at CBS. Naturally we all assumed it was directly related to his shocking attempt to influence the election by using fictional documents related to George W Bush’s National Guard service. Of course the network is denying any connection while those who fought hardest to make sure he atoned for his misdeed are claiming that there is obviously a connection. Perhaps the greatest critique of his career comes from the San Franciso Chronicle which says “As much as Dan Rather prided himself on being a reporter, he sometimes missed one of the craft’s cardinal principles: You are not the story. Too often, he was.” I doubt anyone will miss his presence at the desk.

Could trouble be brewing for Hillary’s long-awaited Presidential campaign? Kathleen Willey, who alleges she was sexually assaulted by Bill Clinton and who testified in the Paula Jones case, warned Hillary, “I have some words of advice for the former first lady. Remember the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.” The Swift Boat Vets played a key role in discrediting John Kerry - could the same fate befall Hillary because of the perversions of her husband?

National Geographic recently asked on the its cover “Was Darwin Wrong?” It then answers with a resounding no, showcasing some terribly biased and poor research and documentation. Thomas Woodward, an expert in Intelligent Design, examines the article in Christianity Today, showing that in this magazine, Creationism never had a chance.

And finally, if you’ve been a Christian for any length of time you have likely heard that some of the greatest hymn-writers of the past, most notably the Wesleys, used bar tunes and drinking song tunes for their hymns. Dean McIntrye studied this and says he has thoroughly debunked it. While the Wesleys did occasionally make use of secular tunes, they never used drinking songs. Even when they chose a secular tune they always ensured it was of “recognizable beauty and excellence.” The author concludes: ” I feel quite comfortable casting my lot with Crueger, Bach and the Wesleys in this matter. I’m happy for us to “redeem” and use secular music in our worship if it is appropriate (and legal) and if the result is something we need not be ashamed of in offering back to God. Use of the music must not put us in association with activities, lifestyles and behaviors that are inconsistent with a life of love in Christ.” You can read the short but thorough article here.