Do thinking people make a "leap of faith"? Steven Waldman and Slate.

Steven Waldman, editor in chief of beliefnet, writing in an article on Slate (All Ye Faithful - Is George Bush the Christians' Christian? By Steven�Waldman) insinuates that Bush makes evangelicals look bad with his anti-intellectualism and that thinking people don't reach their faith by way of a "leap".

Do thinking people make a"leap of faith"?

Waldman's comment that, "Many Americans did not "leap" into their faith but developed it through experience" is interesting. If he is saying that thinking people don't make such a leap or that one can have faith without such a leap, he is wrong.Depending upon your perspective, faith is ultimately contrarational (Kierkegaard) or suprarational (Aquinas), but either way the leap is necessary. Thomists would say that faith goes hand in hand with reason but ultimately we see through a glass darkly so reason expires. The other approach is that at the limits of reason faith actually contradicts reason. Either way there is a leap involved but that does not mean the leap is anti-intellectual.

RealClearPolitics vs. Slate's Election Scorecard

RealClearPolitics is an excellent site for following the Presidential election. It includes market indicators (political futures markets and bookies) and national averages of polls as well as an electoral college count. I turned to it after I was disgusted with Slate's Scorecard which quite improbably has Kerry winning the race currently. This despite the fact that the averages of national polls favor Bush, RCP's electoral count favors Bush, political futures markets favor a Bush win by about 58% and that all the bookies find the odds in favor of a Bush win.

RealClearPolitics

See the film Therese.

This film shows a life devoted to Jesus and that to imitate Jesus we need not do great things but only do small things with great love. The subject of the film, Therese Martin of Liseux, France, was the inspiration for Mother Theresa taking that name. She is known as the little flower of Jesus.

Therese took seriously Christ's instruction in Matthew 18:1-4 to "become like children" and to "humble" ourselves "like a child". Therese is played by Lindsay Younce, who does a fine job in this portrait of a soul. Nonetheless, the cast is a bit uneven and the small budget sometimes shows. Despite those small limitations, that the film is a work of love is apparent, and it is at times quite moving.

I would recommend the film to Christians and non-Christians alike. It would be of particular interest to Buddhists, or Jews and Muslims (or any one else) who are interested in a contemplative approach to life. It shows us how life can be meaningful and happy not only in spite of, but also through, suffering. The film is fortunately devoid of any of the political charge which surrounded The Passion. Unfortunately, it is an independant production in very limited release, but you can find theaters screening the film at its website. Therese - Official Site