Chicago!(Perhaps a little dimmer this week.)

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Speaking of Chicago in grief over Blagojevich, did you see the powerful plea from Chuck Colson?

I go on record here to thank Beliefnet for its policy of advertising. The secret for them is to get the kinds of ads our kind of blog community wants, and yesterday’s experience was frustrating but Beliefnet is working with us us to block the Mormon ads; they took them down yesterday but apparently they are still working on this one … I’ve seen one this morning already.

Pastors, coffee and J.J. Buckfart’s reflections. Tony’s posts on same-sex marriage drew plenty of response, but it is this sort of response that is most needed — a candid, even-handed, rational response by Rob Bowman that deserves to be read alongside Edith Humphrey’s excellent piece in CTHenry Zonio, besides have a snazzy picture, posts some questions and thoughts about where to go with 20-somethings not attending church. I don’t know if you know about Englewood Review of Books, an online book review service, but they now have a Christmas offer going that might interest you. The Pirate Brotherhood and the church. Ed Gilbreath discusses Barbie vs. Bratz. Did you read John Frye’s post on the theology of passing kidney stones, and John knows. Good to see some humor after that event. The gospel, legalism and the iMonk and his responders. Here’s what we have to say about Chicago’s corruptalooza politics.

Paraclete Christmas special.

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Missional vs. Attractional: David Fitch weighs in again. So does Bill Kinnon. As always, Tim Keller speaks some sense in a comment on Fitch’s blog that Kinnon also quotes … and I especially like Keller’s claim that it this isn’t method but getting the gospel right and (what he calls) contextualizing the church. And one could read Tom Smith’s post on “why church?”

My son’s new blog, which some of you with finer tastes either will enjoy or will not enjoy.

Why this way? A nice advent reflection.

Malware and worms and the like … in your computer … read this warning.

And this warning, from the Archbishop of York, about Robert Mugabe, a similar call by SA Archbishop Desmond Tutu … and the established countries of Africa must stand together for the survival and healing of Zimbabwe.

Are you in a book group? Does this piece by Joanne Kaufman tell your story?

This is the only newspaper we’ve known for Chicagoland.

For those who love birds

For those who love books … Mr. Wilson’s Bookshelf.

NAE leader, Cizik, resigns.

Who else would talk about kissing a velvet Elvis Presley paintingbefore each day’s show for luck? Who else could have gotten a listenerto put a cell phone to use by putting it in a dryer and setting it ontumble – while the call was still connected? Who else would honorCollins every year after his death with an on-air toast on hisbirthday, Feb. 28? Spike. We’ll miss ya.

Online segregation … this is worth thinking about seriously. Anyone done anything on this?

1. One of the more interesting characters in the Land of Israel today.
2. I totally agree.
3. Christmas poets.
4. McCafe’s latte? Who’s had one? What do you think?
5. On bailing out Detroit … good, responsible suggestions. Larry Kudlow weighs in too.

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6. David Waters has a good piece “Under God.”
7. Paying it forward, at Christmas, at Starbs.
8. The strongest voice against Islamic terrorism must come from Muslims — so this piece is good news.
9. A plea by a writer for writers.
10. Engineers working for the animal kingdom.

Sports:

Congrats to Michelle Wie; suddenly the LPGA just got much more interesting.

DaBears, DaGould!

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Has to be one of my (or Tim Gombis’) students…

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They call this Zombie Nation:

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