Category Archives: Arts and Culture

Once It Was the Young Men’s *Christian* Association

“The organization previously known as the Y.M.C.A. is henceforth to be called ‘the Y.’” [From Following a Trend, YMCA to Become Simply ‘the Y’ - NYTimes.com]

July 12, 2010 – 12:27 pm | By Tom Gilson | Posted in Arts and Culture | Comments (2)

The Dearborn Four and the Rule of Law

This entry is part 3 of 4 in the series The Dearborn Four

The “Dearborn Four” are to be arraigned this morning. Here’s a local news report on their situation (via answeringmuslims.com). What shall we say about this, especially the mayor’s remarks? I don’t recall it being illegal to talk about one’s faith outside a “designated free speech area.” I wonder what name you give to public places …

July 12, 2010 – 7:38 am | By Tom Gilson | Posted in Arts and Culture, Religions | Comments (9)

The New James

Here’s a brand new magazine for southern Virginia, available online for everybody: The New James. Check out my piece on intelligent design! (If you’ve been reading here a while it may look familiar.)

July 9, 2010 – 2:58 pm | By Tom Gilson | Posted in Arts and Culture, Thinking Christianly | Comments Off

The Authentic Musician: Book Review

Book Review As a freshman music major at Michigan State University I played trombone in the Spartan Marching Band and in the Symphonic Band. A sophomore named John Haddix played trumpet in the same two bands. He lived down the hall from me in Mary Mayo Hall, a dorm that attracted a lot music majors, …

June 2, 2010 – 2:02 pm | By Tom Gilson | Posted in Arts and Culture | Tagged , , | Comments Off

What Does the NY Times Think About…

What does the picture here represent? An attitude toward the President? An attitude toward the Cross? Or (could it be?) simple ignorance of the central symbol of our country’s largest and most enduring organic institutions? Update at 3:20 pm: The image has been removed from the NY Times web page (see comment 4). It’s still …

March 16, 2010 – 11:13 am | By Tom Gilson | Posted in Arts and Culture | Comments (15)

An Open Letter to 3union

3union is a band of three teenaged brothers I ran sound for in concert last Wednesday and again last night.* (They had an 18-year-old bass player with them temporarily on this tour, too). Here is an open letter to the band. It’s not just for them, though. If you are a believer in Christ who …

March 14, 2010 – 7:01 pm | By Tom Gilson | Posted in Arts and Culture, Service | Tagged | Comments (2)

BJ Harris and “Illusions of Freedom”

My son is an amateur magician, and last night he clued me in to Harris III, an illusionist who has a completely different take on “Illusions of Freedom.” It’s not the same philosophical question we’ve been talking about here, but it’s good stuff.

November 18, 2009 – 7:17 am | By Tom Gilson | Posted in Arts and Culture, Life and Choices | Comments Off