DaVinci Code, Gospel of Judas, Budget Earmarks, etc.

It has been a while since my last blog. We were in Seattle for a friend's wedding, which was great fun. My son has decided his goal now is to marry a beautiful Italian woman who can cook! Saw our friends Bob and Martha Savage in Spokane as well. He works for Partners International, she works for Gonzaga University. The folks around Gonzaga were in deep mourning over the Zags' unexpected loss to UCLA in the Elite Eight. I assume they took some small comfort in Florida's demolition of UCLA for the national championship.

Some recent articles that caught my eye:

• Nine Art Bloopers in the DaVinci Code
I re-read "The DaVinci Code" on the plane ride back from Seattle. I am preparing a class on it at church, so was struck by this. My favorite is this from #5: Speaking of the movie, the letters of Madonna of the Rocks can be re-arranged to whisper the cryptic message, TOM HANKS FED RACCOON!!! A word to the wise is sufficient…


• A great web site for information and discussion of the Davinci Code is here. I am especially behind Dr. Mouw's reasons for why Christians should read "The Davinci Code." If the culture is going to be discussing Jesus, we want in on that conversation.
  
  
• I also noticed this this morning, that the lawsuit against Daniel Brown has been dismissed. I guess the movie is a go!
  
  
• As a charter member of the Concord Coalition, which purports for fiscal restraint in government spending, there was this. A bus tour to several of the largest and most egregious earmarks in the country.
  

  The number of earmarks has skyrocketed from 958 in 1996 to 15,877 last year, tallying up to $47.4 billion in the 2005 budget, according to the Congressional Research Service. The Americans for Prosperity Foundation’s goal is to educate taxpayers about the problem of earmarks and mobilize them in support of more transparency and accountability in the appropriations process. Phillips said these reforms would also build momentum for the group’s larger goal of reining in all forms of wasteful spending in the federal budget.

  
  One of the best/worst ones is this: a $500,000 earmark for a program at the University of Akron, in which students study ways for the federal government to spend less! (HT: MKH)
  
  
• The National Geographic has produced a TV special on "The Gospel of Judas." Just in time for Palm Sunday and Easter! Another swipe at traditional Christian beliefs. I am shocked at the timing! Actually, there are several good critiques of the Gospel of Judas, here. This is really much ado about nothing, but for a biblically illiterate culture, this may cause some to be upset.
  
  Update: Mark D. Roberts just posted a fine critique of the Gospel of Judas. Check it out. Mark does first rate work, for a Harvard guy! A Harvard guy who knows his stuff, unlike the imaginary Robert Langdon.
  
  Update: John Mark Reynolds, also has an interesting look at the Gospel of Judas. His conclusion is that there really is nothing to see here of any consequence.

That's about it for today. Lot's of good stuff.