As we know, the world is facing a refugee crisis. We see it on the news daily, to the point where many of us in the West are likely desensitized to the scenes of refugee camps, capsized boats, and bodies of children washing up on the shores of neighboring countries. Globally, there are countless millions of refugees– over 6 million of them are refugees fleeing the war in Syria alone. U.S policy and intervention in the region accomplished what many critics... Read more
Recently the CEO of the website Backpage.com was arrested on charges related to human trafficking, a move that is being celebrated by many in the anti-trafficking world. Once Craigslist stopped publishing classifieds for erotic services, Backpage.com became the go-to website to publish these. As the now predominant publisher of classifieds that include erotic services (though, the ads are veiled), Backpage.com has long since been the victim of gross exaggerations about human trafficking spread by well-meaning people who simply lack cultural competency around issues like... Read more
So listen, America. We, the people of Maine, have some wisdom to share with you. I’m sure some of you are unaware that we even exist– we basically live in Canada even though we’re technically one of the 50 states. We live quiet lives up here, and most of us tend to like it that way. We are home to brilliant fall foliage, the famous Maine lobster, moose crashes (got plenty of those), and a coastline that is among the most beautiful... Read more
It seems like not more than a day or two goes by without hearing it from somewhere: America is growing hostile towards Christians. A growing number of Christians– a shocking amount, actually– are convinced that America’s glory days are over and that Christians are now a marginalized group on the verge of having all of their rights stripped away. I recently saw an advertisement for a nation-wide Christian event prior to the election, and the advertisement boasted they would help Christians... Read more
One of the most frequent and consistent topics I have taught on over the years is the topic of nonviolence. I am firmly of the belief that following Jesus requires a commitment to living a life of nonviolent enemy love– something Jesus claimed was the ultimate evidence that one is a child of God. When we talk about violence we often focus on overt, obvious acts of violence– physical punches, guns and deadly bullets, and other scenarios which we instinctively understand as... Read more
American culture is currently experiencing what some, and now I, am calling New Wave Fundamentalism. The original fundamentalists stem from the early 20th Century, and was rooted largely in fear– fear over this new concept of evolution, fear that culture was growing too liberal, fear that the nation was drifting from God, and fear that it would all come crashing down if they didn’t take culture back. (Swap out evolution for gay marriage, and you’ll get an idea as to where this... Read more
After leaving Christian fundamentalism, I shed off a lot of previously held beliefs– some of them were beliefs quite central to my faith. One of those core beliefs I ended up letting go of was a belief in the traditional version of hell that exists in much of modern Christianity. I have written a great deal on the topic of hell over the past year or so. What started as a short series on hell has turned into an interactive... Read more
The other day I publicly stated that I support the efforts across the country to decriminalize marijuana. Reception was predictably mixed, though I appreciate the fact that more and more Christians are at least willing to have a reasonable discussion on this topic. I would like to continue this discussion in a few more posts, because I think the discussion on decriminalization is a critical one that we as a nation must have. I certainly took some heat for my... Read more
School is back in session, and this year, talk about participating in our national liturgies such as the National Anthem or the Pledge is generating far more attention than in previous years. For whatever one thinks if Colin Kaepernick, he has certainly provoked a national discussion that was long over due. I have already articulated that I do not participate in these national liturgies because they conflict with my Christian faith. The great thing about America is that you have the right and... Read more
If you grew up during the era of big wheels, horrid hair styles, and the Reagan administration, you probably grew up thinking that green plant you see above you was a really dangerous item. This is especially true if you grew up a Christian during that era. I mean, it was the lowest level “drug” on the list of drugs, but it was the gateway drug. This gateway drug was to be especially feared, because it represented the slippery slope to every... Read more
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