Tom O’Boyle spent 40 years in the news business, at The Wall Street Journal and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, before trading it for “good news” in 2018. O’Bservations is his column: the month’s news read through the lens of Christian faith, written for the members and friends of Beverly Heights. It began in March 2020 as a weekly report on the coronavirus and has run, more or less monthly, ever since.
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Summer of the Dueling Fourths
Identity in Christ versus the world, Mamdani’s July Fourth speech, the EPC Side B controversy, the Smithsonian, Tom’s GE book.
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Faith and freedom on the march
Faith and freedom before America’s 250th, lessons from Germany, the Trump assassination attempt, Douglas Wilson, Nick Freitas, Neil Gorsuch.
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The news you consume defines your beliefs
How news sources shape beliefs, the Iran war, Lewis on Men without Chests, Clarence Thomas, the airman rescue, Artemis II.
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It’s a new year of observing the news
Character in public life, via Glenn Beck’s AI George Washington, the Minnesota Somali fraud scandal, Ben Sasse, and Bari Weiss.
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The murder of Charlie Kirk
Assassination of Charlie Kirk, celebrations of his death, the alleged killer’s motive, youth acceptance of political violence, hopes for revival.
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The restoration of common sense
Return from summer break, America’s 250th and gratitude over guilt, Annunciation Church shooting and nihilism, tariffs, NPR defunding.
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Need a laugh? Read this column
The death of humor: comedy then and now, Biden’s cancer and Original Sin, media hysteria, Judge Dugan, CNN cartel report.
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Slaying the EPC Leviathan
The title of my report last month was, “Slaying the federal Leviathan.” And, as promised, this month I am tackling the sequel in my Leviathan series, this one on our…
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Judge Rules on Lebo Pride and Prejudice
O’Bservations: Monday, October 7, 2024 Good evening. There are times when writing this report that I actually feel like I’m back in the news business. This is one of them. I…
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Defending Western civilization
Flag Day and D-Day remembrance, covert taping of Justice Alito, and Murray, Gaines and Loconte speeches defending the West.
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How the news media lost America’s trust
How the news media lost trust: a Post-Gazette column on Mt. Lebanon, Tom’s rebuttal, Uri Berliner’s NPR critique.
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All the light we cannot see
Chasing the total solar eclipse in Ohio, the precision of creation, and a funeral homily on the shadow of death.
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Lebo Pride and Prejudice
Recently, Columbia Journalism Review reported that when 2,529 people were offered free subscriptions to their local newspaper (the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and the Philadelphia Inquirer), only 44 accepted the offer. This item was under…
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Biden’s cognitive decline
Hur report on Biden’s memory, Trump’s legal cases, Tom’s GE book fight, Navalny, the presbytery lawsuit and postponed EPC vote.
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O’Bservations, January 26, 2024
Good morning. This past month has been my “Groundhog Day” while reading the news. You’ll no doubt recall the movie of that same name (one of my favorites), when actor Bill…
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We live in unstable times, even in our church
Hamas attack on Israel and media errors, Pastor Nate’s resignation, the Administrative Commission report, Session’s move to leave the EPC.
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Reality is pretty strange these days, isn’t it?
Trump documents indictment, Musk and Zuckerberg feud, post-Covid behavior, turmoil at Beverly Heights and charges filed with the presbytery.
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Pushing on, in a fallen and utterly confused world
Three questions of the moment: what is a woman, a vaccine, a recession, with faithfulness as the church’s response.
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The end of Roe v. Wade
Dobbs overturns Roe, progressive Fourth of July reactions, culture of life, threats to justices, Franklin’s warning about keeping the republic.
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The trans movement and Roe v. Wade
Gender instruction in local schools, Trueman’s Strange New World, leaked Dobbs draft opinion, Yale Law protest against Kristen Waggoner.
Tom also co-hosts The Scattered Seeds Podcast with Nate. More about Tom.