(no subject)

Catholic group feels Wal-Mart doesn't think the world goes around Christ, so it calls for a boycott. (thanks to arisbe for the link)

Why on earth should any Christian care what respect Wal-Mart (or any other worldly institution) does or does not have for Christian observance? I am consistently disappointed in expecting people to understand that there can be no compulsion in faith. With compulsion it ceases to be faith. But that matters little to those who want to see Christianity as a political force. It was, firstly, not a political movement but a radical movement, that is, a movement that sought to change society by focusing on bettering each individual from within. The Christian Testament is full of language expressing mistrust for becoming entangled in the political process. Using the message of Christ to promote a political agenda misappropriates and de-radicalizes Jesus' concern for the compassionate and dignified treatment of all people.

Which brings me to my second point: why should anyone, much less someone calling themselves Christian, have no objection to the role Wal-Mart plays in world poverty, but care instead whether Wal-Mart bows down before their god? Wal-Mart's business model directly impoverishes people and therefore contributes to their misery. This is directly counter to everything Jesus and the other prophets said. Why is that not a more compelling reason for Christians to avoid Wal-Mart? (The only answer i can think of is selfishness.)

The commercialization and commodification of Christmas is another way in which the Christian message has been misappropriated and de-radicalized. If you pay too much attention to the worldly thing which Christmas has become, you lessen the impact in your life of observing the birthday of your god.

(no subject)

Harvard researchers set out to test the idea that a lot of coffee isn't good for your circulation. They followed 155,000 female nurses for 12 years, questioning them regularly about their caffeine-drinking habits and their blood pressure. No connection was found between their coffee intake and a risky rise in blood pressure.

In fact, results went the other way. Women who drank the most coffee seemed to develop some protection against the problem. The investigators continue to look into this possibility.

Caffeine may not be the reason, however. The researchers found that things went the other way when women drank copious amount of caffeine-containing colas. Sugared or diet, the soft drinks increased their risk of high blood pressure by as much as 44 percent, compared with those who drank very little soda.

Tea drinking produced mixed results. That beverage increased hypertension risk in younger but not older women. The study did not collect information on that warming winter favorite - hot chocolate.

from Coffee doesn't raise risk of high blood pressure