Josh Benner

Category: Commentary

  • The American Gospel and the meaning of Easter

    Photo Courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons

    Statistically, we know that the vast majority of Americans believe in some form of a higher power. There are relatively few who are atheists. Since people do believe that there is something, and since it’s so easy to think of the majority of Americans as Christians, many simply attach themselves to Christianity.

    But what does it mean? Christianity?

    For so many, we call ourselves Christians but then never pray, or read the Bible, or go to church, or experience fellowship with other believers, or show any actual desire to have a relationship with Jesus. Without these, how can a person be Christian?

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  • My 2013 NCAA Tournament bracket

    2013 bracket
    (click photo to enlarge)

    For my bracket this season, I’ve decided to go conservative with my picks. Given history and how brackets typically pan out, I feel that’s the best way to insure accuracy. While every year seems to have its own Cinderella, I feel those teams are difficult to predict and unless someone really has a hunch (such as when I picked number one overall seed Kansas to lose in the second round in 2010), I think it’s better to go with the favorites?

    Where’s the fun in that?

    Where’s the fun in watching elite 8 games with a bunch of teams you didn’t correctly pick?!

    Unlike last year, I don’t feel that there is an obvious favorite to win the entire tournament. I’ll stick with Louisville.

    Of the number one seeds, I have three of them making it to the Final Four. For me, for tournament picks, coaches matter. Some coaches have been historically successful in the tournament. With Gonzaga, I feel that they have not been particularly impressive in the tournament in the past decade and I just can’t put them in my Final Four. I think Ohio State is as hot as any team in the country. It’s funny because I feel that Thad Matta has arguably had four or five teams better than this current squad but the Bucks are tough and play great defense. I think that the region breaks down with favorable match ups and I can definitely see them winning their region.

    Florida and Georgetown are also both teams who worry me because I feel that they’re both good enough to make it to the Final Four but I also feel that they have had years in which they’ve laid eggs in the tournament. Ultimately, I feel Kansas is the safe bet in that region.

    Indiana is as talented as any team in the country but I also feel that they’ve not been impressive over the last couple weeks. Part of that is the fact that they played in a monster Big Ten this year. I feel that they have a pretty clear road to the elite eight.

    With Louisville as the number one overall seed, they play in a region which has some stout competition. St. Louis is a Cinderella type pick for some people to win the whole region. I just couldn’t go with a pick that daring considering the teams (and great coaches) who are in that region. I’m not going to be surprised if Michigan State or Duke ends up winning the Midwest but I still think that Louisville is the better overall team. I’ve seen Michigan State as a more popular pick over Duke (than vice versa). I don’t think it’s so cut and dry and I gave Duke the edge because I feel that they’re a better team overall.

    I think that there are a lot of very solid teams this year so I’m excited to see how this year’s tournament pans out.

    jrb

  • Is the entire Bible too epic for one miniseries?

    Last night, the History Channel premiered a new series entitled “The Bible” which is a five part series which will be airing on Sunday nights until Easter. The series covers the Biblical narrative.

    Regardless of a person’s religious sensibilities, the Bible is the most influential book in the history of humanity. Its impacts on ethics, culture, literature, art, and a host of other areas of life cannot be overstated. For that reason, to be a well rounded person, I think its positive to be more familiar with that book. And I wouldn’t discourage anyone from watching.

    That being said, I do feel that there are a number of significant detractions from this series. Let me try to illustrate this point. What are some of the great, epic “Christian” movies of all time?

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  • 1 year later: BGSU sorority tragedy

    I said it a year ago, and I still believe it’s true today. The news of last year’s tragic car accident that resulted in the deaths of three sorority sisters from Bowling Green was the “you remember where you were when” moment for the Greek community and alumni. As someone who’s loved to write for as long as I’ve been able to spell words, I’m sometimes compelled to jot down my thoughts. I don’t always write because I want to. Sometimes I write because I have to. Not because I have any false sense of self-importance but because I have to express my feelings. Really, I guess when I feel that I need to write, I write for myself. But if the stars align, maybe the things I say can help someone else. When I wrote down what I was feeling about last March’s accident, I assumed my friends (and perhaps a few strangers) would read. What I did not expect were 8,000 views in the first two days.

    In the last year, I’ve reread that essay a few times. I don’t think that there was anything inherently great about that particular piece of writing. I don’t think that’s why people read. I think it resonated with people because what I felt was how so many others felt. Sometimes we listen to a certain song because it might resonate with how we feel at a certain time. I think that my post echoed a lot of the things that people who love Bowling Green and the BG Greek community were already feeling. I think that the second reason why it was so widely viewed was the fact that there were countless articles around the nation and around the world. But my essay wasn’t news. It was just one man’s opinion, and while my opinion matters no more than someone else’s, it was a different genre than simply reading the news.

    In my own way, I pay tribute today to what happened a year ago. As I post this, it’s surreal to me that the tragedy which awaited was a few minutes away at this moment a year ago. (more…)

  • Pope Benedict XVI makes modern history with resignation

    Pope Benedict XVI makes modern history with resignation

    Courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons
    Courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons

    For the first time since 1415, there will be a living ex-Pope, as Benedict XVI announced today that he will be resigning from the Papacy on February 28.

    In leading a church with a billion members and being one of the most influential people in the world, I feel that the fact that he is resigning is a remarkable show of humility and something which should be applauded. I’m not sure how conservative Catholics will receive this. But for those outside the church (and for more nominal Catholics), I think that the pope’s recognition of his failing health and his inability to execute the job to the necessary degree of aplomb is in the best interest of the Church. (more…)