When Does God Nap? (Hope for the man whose faith is weak)
Mark 9:14-29 tells the story of a boy with an evil spirit. His father brings him before Jesus, hoping that there may be deliverance from this awful affliction which has been torturing his son so long. Jesus tells the man, “Everything is possible for him who believes.” (Mark 9:23b, NIV) His response is a very human one: “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (verse 24b) I identify with the flawed faith of this desperate man. There are a thousand reasons (rational and irrational) why I believe; still, I sometimes wonder if everything I believe is, in fact, the …
Folk-Rock's Prodigal Son: Chicago's Michael McDermott
What do you do if you’re only twenty when the gates to a glittering utopia of self-indulgence open up before you? Unless you’re a prince of restraint, you probably swagger in, all smiles, fearless and cocky as an undefeated boxer. That’s what singer/songwriter Michael McDermott did in 1991 when his future in the music world was looking like a shiny promise just on the horizon. His debut album, 620 W. Surf, was getting positive reviews and the single “A Wall I Must Climb” was spinning him a reputation as having the potential to be the next Springsteen or Dylan. On …
A Look at "The God Delusion" by Richard Dawkins
Caution: This book is not for the spiritually wavering. If your belief cannot withstand a full-on assault—stay away from it!* Richard Dawkins’ book, The God Delusion, spent many, many weeks in the top ten on the New York Times Best Sellers list and it sits at number 33 as I post this. It is unapologetically anti-religion, anti-Christian and anti-God. Dawkins calls the God of the Old Testament a “sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully,” among other things, none of them nice. Dawkins carefully, thoroughly, argues against all the reasons people believe there is—or even might be—a God. He encourages atheists who are …
Live Interview With Recording Artist Rosie Thomas
I meet up with Rosie Thomas on an unusually cool summer day in Bushnell, Illinois, June 2007. We search for a spot far enough away from sound checks, seminars and live music for us to record a brief interview without background noise. There is no such place. We’re at Cornerstone Festival—if there’s an open space someone’s making noise on it. We end up on a grassy hillside near a small tent where the music is reasonably subdued. Rosie suggests we sit on the grass. She’s wearing a white sweater over a pink dress with a muted pattern. Her look may …
Looking for Signs of Rock Band Dust For Life
The music industry is a harsh mistress. Narrow is the way to lasting success and very few artists find it. Founding member of Dust For Life, Jason Hughes, has hiked that precarious path and made it farther than most. In the summer of 2000, DFL was opening up for Creed. That fall they were on tour with 3 Doors Down, Nickelback and Cold. They went on to do shows with Linkin Park, Lifehouse, Fuel, Stone Temple Pilots and Tenacious D. The band performed before as many as 30,000 and their debut CD ultimately sold nearly 150,000 copies. To put that …
