I watched Jesus Camp...

So, I finally watched the documentary Jesus Camp tonight. I had many mental notes for a blog post as I was watching, but I must admit that most of my thoughts were clearly articulated by the radio commentator featured in the film. So, I'll just post a few brief thoughts and reactions.

1. I don't talk about "God" very often. Although I neither preach nor testify, I do live my life according to a set of values (Christian-based) and hope [have faith] that "God" would approve.
2. If humans were created by God, then God blessed humans with intellectual capacity. Indoctrinating children to a particular viewpoint--and one that is human and thus fallible--is in contrast to the capacity with which we are blessed. I believe that children should be raised both with a set of values and with a willingness to seek truth and understanding. How can a person truly "find God" if "God" is something forced upon a developing mind?
3. Jesus did not make war with religious enemies--he preached a message of love and lead by example. He died for his conviction rather than giving into hatred and conflict.
4. There is actually much to admire in the conviction and value-driven behaviors of many religious conservatives. If I make a pros and cons list, I think my list of cons would still outweigh the pros, but it still leaves room for appreciation.
5. I am fairly certain I could fall in love with a woman who experienced this kind of upbringing, but then discovered spiritual consciousness through the abandonment of religious doctrine. I'm pretty sure I'd get along well with her.

Those are my reactions. I highly recommend this film. I believe it was tastefully produced and would appeal (for different reasons) to a wide range of religious and political perspectives.

Nipples in the media

Before I get into this quick post, let me say that home ownership is going much better (for now) and things are in good shape. It looks like I may not have a lawn to speak of this year, but still better than the house falling apart.

So, after more than 2 months without a post, it's time for something random: nipples on TV.

The commercial posted here (until the link goes missing) is from T-Mobile and shows a man without a shirt, and the ad plays off of the adage "gave the shirt off my back." Anyway, the very apparent and well defined (CGI? makeup?) nipples on this guy got me to thinking. Men can be pictured unrestricted in US media completely topless, but women cannot. The limit for females seems to be nipples, at least that's what I've noticed in print media. I'm not going to get into specific laws and regulations here, especially since it gets a little complicated between laws (over-the-air broadcast vs. cable/satellite) and network expectations relative to advertisers. Regardless of the specifics, I think it is interesting that male nipples can be seen shown freely while female nipples are restricted. Should we cover or blur men's nipples, too? Should we say that women's breasts should be completely obscured? Can a flat-chested women be shown topless, or should a large-breasted man have his man-boobs covered?

My opinion...I'm generally liberal when it comes to this stuff, so I don't see why women's breasts should be covered at all. If we are going to obscure them, though, it seems like the nipple is not the starting point. Heck, if male nipples can be shown, perhaps female breasts should be covered but their nipples could be exposed.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not really attempting a political statement or encouraging action here. I just find the whole thing odd, and seeing this guy's nipples on TV every day just brought it all to the forefront for me.

Until next time...