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Some expressions in the vernacular, that is “words used on the street,” express an idea in a way that more formal expressions just can’t match. Such an expression is “on Easy Street.” Someone who has just received a great windfall that transforms their economic circumstances from being meager to being set for life might use the expression, “I’m on Easy Street...
In the recent movie Arrival, enormous spaceships settle in the atmosphere above twelve locations around the world. There is a purpose for the coming of the visitors from an extraterrestrial place—but that purpose remains unknown! The authorities obtain the services of a linguistics specialist in order to communicate and find that purpose.
“And they lived happily ever after. The end" is the way many children’s stories conclude. Other books, some movies, plays and narrated stories announce the end with just those words—“The end.” All physical things have a beginning and an end.
You and I had a beginning. We were conceived and born. The rest of creation that we see—all of the plants and trees and...
Does it frustrate you that so many things are made with “planned obsolescence” built in? You know, the product falls apart or quits working soon after the warranty expires? As you walk the aisles of your favorite store, are you appalled at the flood of cheaply made merchandise that becomes worthless soon after being put to use? Then, there are activities that...
In modern, Western society, heavy-laden with materialism and secularism, the sense of deep trust in the accuracy of the Bible and its prophecies has become dull. Have deep, personal beliefs in God and willingness to trust the Bible become obscure and old-fashioned? Where will a downward tumble of morals and the rise of liberal skepticism and agnosticism lead us?
Like most boys born in the last few decades, my sons love Star Wars. Each new movie is greeted with enthusiasm, and Rogue One is no exception. As a fan of the movies myself, I usually look forward to sharing this cultural experience with them. Nevertheless, Rogue One gave me some pause as the reviews described it being a darker story and more focused on war than...
On September 21, 1897, the New York Sun published an editorial which began with: “Dear Editor—I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, ‘If you see it in The Sun, it’s so.’ Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?” The letter was from a little girl named Virginia O’Hanlon. What was the response?
Anyone who has watched cowboy movies set in the old American West is familiar with the “Wanted—Dead or Alive” poster, showing the outlaw’s picture and a healthy bounty for his capture—or for his killing. The awful crime could have been anything from robbery to murder. The poster conveyed the notion that the criminal was such a confirmed threat to decency and...
Many wonderful quotations are attributed to Sir Winston Churchill, the great British Prime Minister who had such a profound effect on the 20th century. His irrepressible sense of humor, his tenacity in the face of great danger, his oratory and his writing ability set him apart as an influential historical figure. One quote he is noted for is, “Most people...
In movies and songs, and as advice from actors, singers, and celebrities, we often hear the messages: “Follow your heart” and “Trust your feelings.” Some extol the supposed virtues of listening to their “sixth sense” or their “psychic intuition.” Does the fact that we feel something make it so? Is it generally a good idea to trust our feelings? Or, could doing...