Chuck Colson announced today a new blog from Prison Fellowship and BreakPoint. Called The Point, it features sixteen different bloggers looking at a variety of issues of culture, politics, and life, from a Christian worldview.
Jeff lays in to Richard Branson for donating billions to “blue-sky research” on alternative fuels, when for a fraction of that, he could be helping people survive by having access to potable water. I’m all for alternative fuels, but I have to agree with Jeff that priorities seem to be a bit skewed, and it’s not just Branson who’s doing the skewing. (Hey, that’s actually a verb. Wow.)
Jeff notes Dean Kamen’s latest venture, which sounds fascinating, and it reminded me of Blood:Water Mission.
Blood:Water Mission was started by Jars of Clay, as a result of a visit Dan Haseltine, the group’s lead singer, made to Africa. Its mission is to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS by providing clean blood and clean water, digging 1,000 wells, and providing medical facilities to treat the sick. All Blood:Water Mission is asking for is a simple, one-dollar donation per person.
The new technology Dean Kamen is working on will help untold thousands, perhaps millions, but it’s not available yet, and won’t be on a massive scale for a while. In the mean time, please consider a donation to Blood:Water Mission or a potable-water charity of your choice.
Joel C. Rosenberg highlights a key difference between Islam and Christianity:
Rosie O’Donnell declared this week that “radical Christians” are as dangerous as “radical Muslims.” The Pope, meanwhile, declared this week that radical Islam is “evil” for trying to force people to follow Mohammed or be killed by the sword. Christians were understandably disappointed by Rosie, yet no violent protests have resulted so far as I know. Radical Muslims, on the other hand, are on a rampage, rioting throughout the Islamic world and even burning the Pope in effigy.
Joel’s best line, however, is this:
That said, I think the world would be best served not by papal pronouncements about Islam but by the Pope — and all followers of Christ — staying focused on the message of the gospel, preaching about how much Jesus loves all the people of the Middle East.
That’s what called “staying on message”, folks.