Busted Halo named my response to Jefferson Bethke’s viral video “Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus” one of their “Best of 2012.” The conversation continues.
My response to “Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus” named one of Busted Halo’s Best of 2012
December 27, 2012 By 3 Comments
For Boxing Day — how about a caption contest for this great polar bear photo
December 26, 2012 By 4 Comments
What’s your caption for this wonderful polar bear photo?
Claudio Monteverdi’s Christe Redemptor
December 25, 2012 By Leave a Comment
My favorite recording of my favorite piece of music: Claudio Monteverdi’s Christe Redemptor.
A Christmas sermon: Bright Blooms Dark Night
December 24, 2012 By Leave a Comment
What is the radical truth that pulls us back to the Christmas story again and again? The Christmas sermon from my pastor, Emily Scott, at St. Lydia’s.
Merry Christmas, Baby — from Christina Aguilera and me [VIDEO]
December 24, 2012 By 3 Comments
Here’s an early Christmas gift for you: the best voice in popular music, Christina Aguilera, with the most amazing vocal of her career, and it’s a Christmas song! Whether you like pop or not, you will love this. [VIDEO]
Happy Festivus! Now about that Airing of Grievances…
December 23, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Festivus, celebrated on December 23, is the ultimate postmodern holiday. It’s ironic not only in how it’s executed but in its very inception. It’s a sarcastic spoof of family holidays, with a bitter slant — making a joke out of how unpleasant they can often be.
A beautiful rendition of Ave Maria sung by Jewel
December 22, 2012 By 2 Comments
A beautiful rendition of Ave Maria sung by Jewel — not a Christmas carol but widely adopted into the holiday sacred music repertoire.
Santa and God Don’t Keep Naughty Lists
December 20, 2012 By 3 Comments
One of the things that has always bothered me about Santa as a childish God archetype is the naughty list. A god that keeps a naughty list and withholds love and gifts based on it is a model of God that I reject utterly.
6 tips for making it through Christmas family gatherings
December 19, 2012 By 6 Comments
If you are heading into an uncomfortable family situation fueled by alcohol this weekend or next week, here are 6 simple tips to help you make it through. I learned them from hard-fought experience. I hope they’re helpful.
The difference between Santa, God, Spiderman and the Spanish Inquisition
December 18, 2012 By Leave a Comment
This Venn diagram explains the difference between Santa, God, Spiderman and the Spanish Inquisition. 
Joe Scarborough: “Let Newtown be the hour after which, in the words of the New Testament, we did all we could do to make all things new.”
December 17, 2012 By 1 Comment
This morning conservative Republican Joe Scarborough — for whom I have always had great respect — made news when he offered his thoughts on the political issues related to the Sandy Hook tragedy, and for the moment, I can’t improve on them. Please watch the video and read excerpts here.
Home for the holidays when a parent is an alcoholic or addict
December 17, 2012 By
Are you going home or having family over for Christmas with trepidation because it means dealing with an alcoholic parent? Are you not going home for Christmas because, after years of discomfort, you’re not willing to put up with it anymore?
Gaudete Sunday after the Sandy Hook school shooting
December 16, 2012 By 7 Comments
How do we celebrate Gaudete Sunday, which means Rejoice Sunday, after the Sandy Hook shooting? By following the counsel of today’s reading and looking to what’s true and honorable, like teacher Victoria Soto who gave her life to protect her students.
Will we finally have a national conversation about guns because of the the Newtown school shooting?
December 14, 2012 By 10 Comments
Spiritual leaders can offer a distinct perspective on the Newtown shootings, free from the political framing. To start, we can say, simply: This is not OK. We cannot dismiss incidents like this as a cost of freedom. The human suffering is not acceptable.
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