Join The Rebellion

Tired of mass media lies or Hollywood decadence? Choose your own entertainment instead of yelling at the television set. There's a wide world out there beyond the packages served to us by those who detest Christian values or who promote "alternative lifestyles."

If you're reading blogs, you've already started to think for yourself. Congratulations! Keep it up and encourage the ones that you like best.

If you've been there and done that, here are a few suggestions for free Podcast entertainment I've found since cutting the cable (as in TV) last fall. If you have a MP3 player, you can download the programs and listen while you drive, do the supper dishes, or walk the dog. If not, you can still listen and watch from your computer. Afterwards, you'll feel refreshed instead of tired.

1. Even if you hated science classes in school, you'll love Ian Maxfield's genial wit at The Catholic Lab (also see link at the right). He includes a bit of study, news items, biographies, and jokes with each weekly broadcast. My favorites were the one that explained some of the miracles that take place each time a baby is born and the one explaining the importance of carbon. (Yes, the same carbon the EPA recently designated as a major pollutant.)

2. Peter Kreeft, everyone's favorite philosopher, has a whole list of talks he's given that make philosophy understandable, interesting, and fun. Typing Peter Kreeft in the search box of iTunes will lead you to several selections posted under iTunes U. My absolute favorite, Ecumenical Jihad, is so good that I wish I could get everybody to listen to it and follow his suggestions. You can also go to his website and find at least 39 more favorites to download.

3. ITunes U has university lectures from all over the place on all sorts of topics. I've just begun to explore The Mises Institute's series on political philosophy from Plato to Rothberd, but they also carry many other lectures from both universities and think tanks. Last night I enjoyed Laughing with the Saints and collected about five good jokes making fun of us Catholics.

Of course, if you're willing to spend money, you can also download thousands more books and movies from iTunes, Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and Audible. But, I'm going to enjoy the freebies first.