This 'n' That

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The other day, I was pondering the existence of what has come to be known as the "tablet." It started with the iPad, but now every other company has jumped on the bandwagon with their own version of the device. And I thought to myself, "All of these are evil. What we need is a purely Christian tablet. Otherwise every Christian who touches one of these pagan tablets surely will instantly lose his or her salvation."

Okay, I confess, I never thought that at all. But it does make me wonder what the motivation was behind Family Christian's newly released tablet device: edifi.

Our touch display tablet is much more than an e-reader! It's easy to use and loaded with family-friendly features and FREE apps including Safe Search Wi-Fi web browsing, 27 Bible translations and Christian internet radio. Plus, check email, social network, watch movies, display photos and download ebooks with our Family Christian Reader app preloaded. (Source)

This device is only comparable to, say, the Nook or the Kindle Fire, so if you want to do much beyond what those allow you to, you'll still have to fork over the money for an iPad or its equivalent. Of course, I acknowledge that there's nothing inherently wrong with the edifi. I'm sure it's a perfectly pleasant device. I'm just amazed at how it often seems that Christians feel they must "Christianize" everything just to get their own piece of the pie.

Ah, well, while you search for that 30% off coupon for Family Christian, please enjoy your hopefully edifying week in review (kind of):

• Acts 1:6–7 and the restoration of Israel.

• Tim Challies shares a few thoughts on all of those "I went to Heaven and came back to tell you about it, but I swear I didn't write this book for money" books. He followed up that post with one discussing what the Bible says about these types of books.

• Some thoughts on tracking your internet use, and God's omniscient omnipresence.

• The final Resolved Conference ever is being held this weekend in Palm Springs. I hear there won't be a live stream this year, but there will be same-day downloads available of each session.

• Well, the Emergent Church is off on this year's wild goose chase.

• Rick Warren is redesigning his Purpose Driven Life for its 10th anniversary. He's also adding four more chapters. Great, maybe this time he'll actually include the Gospel. Yeah, I know what you're thinking, but I'm trying to be optimistic.

• You might enjoy these hymns.

• There's a new film coming that claims Jesus was a product of His mother being raped by a Roman soldier.

• Ed Young, Jr. wants you to "sniff out and release" anyone who is disloyal. These guys must be working from some sort of secret Seeker-Driven lectionary. Oh well, at least being released sounds less violent than being catapulted or run over by a bus.

• The Cripplegate has some good thoughts on starting Gospel conversations.

• BACON is the new TULIP. Now I'm conflicted because I like both bacon and tulips, but for different reasons, obviously. I never knew an acronym could cause such a dilemma!

• Some thoughts on entertainment Bibles.

• Pastors rapping to advertise "Back to Church Sunday." *Sigh*.

• Looks like there's another rising generation of snake handlers in town. Has anyone told them that there are other passages in the Bible that aren't disputed?

• The curse of motivational speaking.

• Recently Drs. John MacArthur, Steve Lawson and R.C. Sproul gathered in Seattle for the Ligonier 2012 West Coast Conference. They've now made the audio and video of each session available for free. I haven't had a chance to listen to all of them yet, but don't let that stop you!

• Here's one of the sessions from the Ligionier conference that I have listened to, and highly recommend. Steve Lawson preaches on "Against Our Own Sin":