June was LGBTQ+ Pride Month. This is and isn’t about that in particular, but about all the signals around it. Virtue Signaling In more “conservative” (but perhaps more accurate, reactionary) circles, virtue signaling is a pejoritive phrase regarding what people in such circles see as “liberal” or “progressive” iconography or wording that supports non-conservative/reactionary ideologies/practices.… Continue reading Send and Receive
Category: politics
Against Institutions
I’m trying to read outside my silo, which looks at me and my belief structures a lot. I finally downloaded the substack app the other day, and Robert Reich was proposed to follow. So, I read his article The Dangerous Anti-Democracy Coalition. Reich brings up a lot of concerning issues. Thiel, Musk, and so on… Continue reading Against Institutions
#Purple for Royalty
Not #Red. Not #Blue. #Purple for royalty. I, like much of the country, am grieving. However, it is not about the election result that I am grieving, but people’s responses to it. I am particularly saddened by people of the church, and truly devastated by the people who provide spiritual leadership in the church…the pastors.… Continue reading #Purple for Royalty
Definitions Impact Understanding
The horrible killing of Nazimuddin Samad is a crime in and of itself. As I read the reporting of it, however, I saw that there were definitely different pictures of the incident, of Nazimuddin Samad himself, and the world. Aljazeera described his comments as pro-atheist, while also calling him a secularist. Aljazeera quoted Imran Sarker… Continue reading Definitions Impact Understanding
Slandering & Evangelism
And when the town clerk had quieted the crowd, he said, “Men of Ephesus, who is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple keeper of the great Artemis, and of the sacred stone that fell from the sky? Seeing then that these things cannot be denied, you ought to… Continue reading Slandering & Evangelism
The Pursuit of Happiness
I’ve been annoyed lately (not always a good thing before writing a post). Probably centered around the Fourth of July (the formal U.S.A. Independence Day), there is always a spate of articles about the U.S.A. being founded on Christian principles, which is somewhat true. Then there is the argument over whether Thomas Jefferson was a… Continue reading The Pursuit of Happiness
The Key is the Response to Community, part 2
(Please read part 1 first) So, what light can this shine on our lives? Many things bind us together, some are voluntary, some are not. In the case of religion (or faith if the word “religion” bothers you), we do things together to (re)affirm our community. Circumcision was the earliest (and physically experienced) Jewish rite… Continue reading The Key is the Response to Community, part 2
Did You Know (Version 4.0)
This was released in Fall 2009, and if feels out of date already! Since I posted Version 3.0 in December 2008, I figured that getting this out there wouldn’t be a bad idea.
Next Sermon: Save the Planet?
At Preaching.com, Jonathan Merritt wrote about the neglect of Creation Care in sermons. In his article, Preaching Gone Green: Why Pastors Should Address Creation Care, he makes some valid points about Creation Care. The biggest point is that right now there is a big disconnect between Christians and the environment. One can (and I do)… Continue reading Next Sermon: Save the Planet?
In Defense of Deficits…Or Not
James K. Galbraith wrote, In Defense of Deficits, that there is too much overreaction to the deficit the U.S. Government is running up. To his defense, Galbraith makes some very good points, some I wonder if even foreigners have thought of (or maybe they have). In many regards, I agree with Galbraith that the hyper-concern… Continue reading In Defense of Deficits…Or Not