Tag: culture

Originalism

Don Shrumm

In regards to The US Constitution an “Originalist” tries to apply the law as it was intended when it was written. This as opposed to catering to contemporary concerns and applications. This latter, more typically liberal view is sometimes referred to as the “Living Constitution” approach. There are entire philosophical schools of thought between these two extremes. How we read texts is a vast and fascinating study of Hermeneutics. As always there are shades in between the two sides to be drawn! Click here for a Wikipedia article of far…

A Painful, Beautiful, Whiplash

Don Shrumm

It is indeed, as a poster claims, a “groove,” a “duel” and a “revelation” and certainly one of the best movies I saw from 2014. “Whiplash” is a tense and surprising “overcoming obstacles” story that provides enough twists to keep you eager for more. The world of jazz students in their 20s attending a demanding academy feels claustrophobic; there is little else to occupy the story. But it is this focus and intimacy in the film that makes it work so well. I love it when storytellers know when to stop…

Jonah Is (Is) Swallowed Up One Last Time

Don Shrumm

Religion is remembering; calling back something we didn’t know we knew that grounds us and lends continuity and meaning to our days. (re-“again” legere – “to read”) Violence is forgetting, denying, making discontinuous, or annihilating the past and stripping away identity and the security of the present. By stealing backstory we take away identity and belonging as well as livelihood and safety. What is left is the frighteningly transient quality of the Now,