~ A parody about the modern, untenable notion of a flawless scripture. ~ My dear Wormword, I acknowledge your concerns about your client’s growing interest in what he calls the “inerrant and literal word of God.” But I assure you that you need not fear, as your patient’s fondness for inerrancy is idolatrous at best; nonsensical at least. We encourage our clients to elevate the Bible (with its contradictions and lingual inadequacies) above the “Word made flesh” (as they... Read more
~ Might our acts of devotion and piety display a controlling and patriarchal view of God? ~ Your oldest brother Credence is standing in the hallway with one foot raised, poised mid-step. “What in the world are you doing?” you ask. “I’m waiting to hear from dad.” “Waiting to hear from dad?” you say in disbelief. “My pastor said that in order to make dad happy, I need to be obedient, even in the little things. So I’m waiting to hear... Read more
~ How can we become “better” not by ignoring our past crimes, but by owning them? ~ (Part 3 of a 3 part article.) You are still seated in a New Jersey diner with your friend Marty McFry, the time traveler. “Why do you keep dragging America in the dirt,” you ask, “reminding people about all the bad stuff they did in the past? How long do we need to grovel?” “You’re asking the wrong question,” says McFry. “Ask yourself... Read more
~ What healing might occur if we stopped ignoring our genocidal past? ~ (Part 2 of a 3 part article.) You’re having lunch at a New Jersey diner with your friend Marty McFry, who as explained earlier, is a time traveler. “Tell me about the first time America was great,” says McFry, pushing his strawberry shake aside. “Because you can’t make America great again if your idea of greatest is wrong.” “Everybody knows that Manifest Destiny was a disaster,” you... Read more
~ How do we separate fact from fiction in America’s “great” history? ~ (Part 1 of a 3 part article.) You’re sipping a cool drink in a steamy New Jersey diner when your friend Marty McFry raises his chin and flashes a sassy grin across the table. “So you wanna make America great again,” says McFry. As the jukebox spins tales about fast cars and slow kisses, you squint an eye and tip your head. “You got a problem with... Read more
~ Would a good Father murder his son and send half his children to eternal torture? ~ You are attending a church class called Fundamentals of the Faith, taught by your pastor. “All children are born in sin and deserve eternal damnation,” says Pastor. “In love, God sacrificed his son on the cross to pay for our sins. Jesus took the punishment that we deserve. Those who acknowledge him as their Lord and Savior will go to heaven while those... Read more
~ How do our product choices help or harm people? ~ You are in the produce department, reaching for a plump, green avocado when you notice the sign. Fairtrade, it reads. Scanning the bins, you see the conventional avocados not far away. Slightly cheaper, you note, and a little bigger. You grab your cart and head across the aisle. “Best quality at the cheapest price,” you recite, mimicking the inflection of your mother’s voice that you remember so well. All... Read more
~ Is it “okay” for those who have profited so much from racism to be silent on the issue? ~ A conversation between Jenny and Joe. Joe: Me? A racist? It’s unthinkable. I used to have a good friend who was black. Jenny: Of course you did. Most racists say that to justify their bad attitudes. Your racism shows in more subtle ways, like in how you vote and spend your money … in your attitudes toward public policy... Read more
~ What if we did something completely different and actually loved all people? ~ Max is steering his car through the church parking lot when a pedestrian catches his eye. “What is that?” he gasps. “Oh my gawd,” murmurs Mimi. “Is it a he or a she?” “It’s an it,” blurts Max. The sturdy pedestrian sports orange hair, a stubbled chin, a tight pink dress, hairy legs and chunky, white sandals. Max scowls as the pedestrian waves to catch his... Read more
~ What if “pro-life” votes actually do more harm than good? ~ It’s Election Day. You are standing at the ballet box with your list of pro-life candidates, ready to vote for the first one when someone says “Wait!” It’s a woman’s voice with a middle-eastern accent. “Don’t vote for him,” she says. You scan the room but nobody is nearby. Your attention returns to your ballet when you receive the shock of your life: The grainy hologram of an... Read more
Allegories - Here and Now
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