‘Ex-gay ministry’ Exodus International apologizes, says it will close and stop hurting people
Saying that “ex-gay” ministries are “imprisoned in a worldview that’s neither honoring toward our fellow human beings, nor biblical,” Exodus International president Alan Chambers apologizes for the pain he has caused and announces that Exodus is closing its doors.
‘There isn’t a lot you can say about anything consequential in 300 words’
Leonard Wieseltier, literary editor of The New Republic, explains why he doesn’t read blogs — and consequently explains why I don’t enjoy reading Leonard Wieseltier.
Seven things at 1 o’clock
Ye cannot serve God and Mammon. Persecuted hegemons. The Lunachicks! “But if you’re not doing anything wrong, what are you worried about?” New Jersey dodges a bullet. Personal testimonies in Grand Rapids. The Pledge of Allegiance is creepy.
Charisma magazine’s spirit of hate and lies
I don’t claim to have any special gifts of spiritual discernment, but I can hear what these Charisma writers are shouting at the top of their lungs. This is hate. And lies. And lies in the service of hate. Whatever spirit is at work in this, it cannot be a holy one.
Seven things at 1 o’clock
You may approach the bench. Evangelism is hospitality. “Sousveillance” and school lunch. Stupid questions. An unjust law. Wolf Blitzer’s teachable moment. Taking God’s name in vain.
Dear Churches: This is how to talk about clergy sex abuse
Lt. Gen. David Morrison, chief of the Australian army, demonstrates how a leader ought to respond to allegations of sexual abuse by trusted officers within the organization that leader is responsible to lead. Morrison is blunt, unequivocal and clear. And he is angry. No excuses, no exceptions. The tone and substance of this message conveys everything that leaders of the various Christian churches have failed to convey.
5 years ago: Contact
But don’t worry, LaHaye and Hagee believe they have this covered. They believe that after all the real, true Christians are snatched off the earth — which could happen at any moment — the RTC gospel will then be preached to every tribe and nation by an army of singing Jewish virgins.
More on conscience vs. ‘obedience’ — with music
It took quite a while for me to realize that queasy feeling in my stomach had nothing to do with nerves or fear or a lack of faith or being “ashamed of the gospel of Christ.” That queasy feeling was my conscience reminding me of Rule No. 1 and pleading with me not to be a jerk. That was why I didn’t want to knock on doors or walk up to strangers on the sidewalk or distribute tracts to wary passers-by — because those things made me feel like a jerk. Why? Because acting like a jerk tends to make one feel like a jerk.
When conscience and ‘obedience’ pull in opposite directions
Peter Wehner is clearly aware of the discomfort and anxiety that comes from the kind of faith Danny Coleman described and Tim Keller endorsed — a form of faith in which conscience and obedience are at odds, pulling in opposite directions. It’s like being stretched on a rack. And, one way or the other, such faith will always entail being racked with guilt.
The execution of Achan, son of Carmi, rescuer of children
And Achan answered Joshua, “It is true; I am the one who sinned against the Lord God of Israel. This is what I did: when I saw what it meant to devote to destruction by the edge of the sword all in the city, both men and women, young and old, oxen, sheep, and donkeys, my conscience cried out within me. I saw among the spoil the children of Jericho who do not know their right hand from their left, and I hid them. They now wait hidden in a cave outside our camp, and their mothers with them.”
NRA: A lesson for the ladies
But then it hit me. Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins haven’t forgotten about their women readers. This passage is intended for those readers. It’s directed toward them. This whole survey and summary of Hattie Durham’s history is meant to be a lesson for the ladies.
4 years ago: Tony Perkins’ genital politics
Tony Perkins opposes gender integration and women’s empowerment. He opposes protecting the rights of women and he opposes women having any right to reproductive health care. He claims that he opposes all of these things based on his opposition to abortion, but that train won’t get him there. He got there all on his own. Concern for the rights of the unborn had nothing to do with it.
GOT: Guaranteed Overnight Theater
Here, roughly, is how it sometimes worked: Everybody meets at the theater on Friday night at 9. Nothing has yet been written, cast or rehearsed, but 24 hours later — on Saturday night at 9 — you’ll be staging a series of short plays as a full production for a paying audience.
Tune That Name: P
It’s the Friday music game — I’ll show you mine, you show me yours. This week, songs whose titles include names starting with the letter P. Hi there Pam, Pancho, Peggy, Peter, Polly, Porgy and Prudence.
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