I’ll always fondly remember Carlin playing Cardinal Glick in Kevin Smith’s movie ‘Dogma.’ Cardinal Glick, of course, was the moving force behind the “Catholicism Wow” campaign, which featured the “Buddy Jesus.”

Kevin Smith, who also directed the movie, said of Carlin:

“His whole world view as it were inspires this movie, and I thought it was important to have Carlin involved because he’s one of the bastard fathers of the whole thing. He really dug on the idea of playing a Cardinal. He knew that it wasn’t just a joke and he wanted to show what’s at the heart of Glick - who is a salesman but is also totally sincere. George turned out to be one of the most professional performers I’ve ever worked with, giving 150% all the way.” - Kevin Smith

R.I.P. George

There’s this anecdote about Gary Gygax’s death — mailing list, Website, I don’t remember. Goes like this: when news of Gygax’s death reached one of the informant’s relatives, she responded with a crowing “NOW HE KNOWS *ALL* ABOUT DEMONS AND HELL!”

And I remember my search results when Stephen Jay Gould died (5/5/2002) and I searched the Web for his obituaries. All the hits I got from Christian sites were rejoicing at/gloating over his death.

Blessings,
Brandon

As I was walking today I was listening to… Tim Keller of course. In his sermon he said people will only substitute their natural idols with something they have a complete and utter passion to follow. Replacing our natural idols is a very hard and lengthy process. As Christians we tend to see irreligious idols and critique them but we seldom see our own religious idols … whatever they may be.

I wrote a BLOG topic titled “The Aroma of the Cookies in Jesus Christ. The idea behind it was that different churches, people, ideologies can be similar but give off completely different aromas. The link to that BLOG is here:

http://spadinofamily.wordpress.com/2008/06/14/the-aroma-of-the-cookies-in-jesus-christ/

I don’t think as Christians we give enough thought to what aroma we give off. As for me and my house, I want to give off the aroma of the Gospel and Jesus Christ and not the aroma of “churchy religious activity and stuff”.

JS

I think my lack of exposure to him was the fact that when Carlin was at his zenith as a performer, I was at my zenith as a closed-minded Evangelical.

Because of you postings, I down-loaded about 2 hours of his work last night (after getting home from Boston) and watched it until I went to bed.

It is hard to describe my first impressions (as a Christian) to the raw Carlin. I think the best way to put it is disturbing . . . but in a positive way. We all need to be disturbed . . . frequently. It’s like when anyone speaks raw truth that makes you feel very uncomfortable (again in a good way). Of course not saying everything he says is truth. But, he does make good observations about life, religion and us. Observations that are not filtered through cultural expectations and taboos.

Saturday I was visiting the campus of Harvard with my daughter. I remember when we use to demonize that school because of the likes of Dr. Stephen Gould. But being on campus and standing beneath a huge banner with their shield (Veritas) on it, man I almost had a “religious experience.”

Like Carlin, they honestly seek truth and that’s tremendous, and godly (in the true sense of the work.) They don’t always get it right . . . but often they do. I would be honored if one of my children when there and I wish I could have.

Rev. John Harvard was a Puritan that I wish I could have known. He was a man that desired truth and didn’t seem to want to hide behind religious dogma.

Mike, if you are ever in the twin cities let me know and we can do coffee (or pop in my case).

JS

I liked Carlin, especially his baseball vs football routine. He was genuinely funny, but I guess he could be offensive. It’s like the reaction I have to actors who say or do something very public and foolish. The next time I see them I can’t help remember it and it can taint their otherwise fine performance. I recently read a quote (I forget from whom) that argued that harboring this kind of minor resentment is a kind of impiety. In other words, since God is the source of Carlin’s great talent we should not restrain our praise for it. Of course God may have intended another use for George’s talent (what a delightful preacher he might have made).

Joe: Most of the current reformed community struggles with this: they tend to see Jesus shaped discipleship being produced by being theologians. So they read a lot of books and learn a lot of theology.

I think Mahaney has more of the right track - though Puritanism looms large in that camp- in saying that humility needs to come right alongside reformed theology to “sweeten” what can get quite stale and flat.

I really like listening to a well known Arminian Pastor on the North side of the twin cities even though I have a much more Christian Reformed/Presbyterian stance. The reason due to this is that he keeps the Gospel and Jesus central to how he sees the world.

Likewise, I tend to dislike (not disagree with) the MO of many of my Calvinistic brethren because of their MO.

Does this make sense to anyone else here?

JS

I just want to say keep up your Jesus shaped interpretation of scripture Michael.

In Christ,

My BLOG: http://spadinofamily.wordpress.com/