~ WWGGD? ~ “I see you got yourself a gorilla,” you say. “It’s not my gorilla,” says your friend. “It’s God’s gorilla.” “God’s gorilla?” you echo, astounded. “God’s gorilla,” he affirms. “God chooses unlikely creatures to do his work here on earth.” As your friend keeps a loose hand on a leash, the careless beast knocks you into a brick wall. “Hey!” you exclaim. “He nearly killed me!” “He’s not well behaved,” your friend says, pulling back on the brute’s... Read more
~ Have you been the victim of moral fraud (i.e., “bait and switch”)? ~ You are playing a supporting role in a Western drama. It’s the classic good guys versus bad guys storyline, with bank robberies, bandits, shootouts and Native uprisings. Gazing down the dusty main street, you see a crowd of folk gathering outside the town hall. “What’s that about?” you ask Jed, the mercantile owner. “Doc called a town gathering,” he says with a beckoning gesture. “Come along.”... Read more
~ What if this pious proclamation was – in fact – a bloody crusade against oppressed people? ~ You are the pastor of a small church in Appalachia. It’s a pretty little white, clapboard chapel in a Smoky Mountain holler with green fields and forested hillsides. One weekday, you pull into the church parking lot, admiring the church marquee. “We Stand with Israel,” it reads. Anxious to prepare Sunday’s sermon on that topic, you step into your office. Opening... Read more
~ Is it possible that the demons of slavery still roam among us? ~ 1865 “We lost the war so we can’t own slaves no more,” say Confederate Generals, “even though the courts say they’re only three-fifths human.” “Then we’ll segregate them,” say White Folk. “Let ‘em know they ain’t welcome here.” “Keep them separate,” say White Town Councils. “Don’t let them drink our water, eat our food or share our space.” “Keep them from voting,” say White Mayors. “Keep... Read more
~ Might our spending choices really matter to someone? ~ You’re filling your tank at the local Shell station when you recall the advice of a fair-trade podcaster. Know where your dollars go. Your spending can enslave people … or it can set them free from exploitation. “I wonder who produced this gasoline,” you say. “Who are the actual people involved?” You blink, and … Snap! You are sitting beside a black woman in a village in the Niger Delta,... Read more
~ What might happen if “unconditional” were applied to love? ~ Jesus Christ is hosting a Q&A session in your church’s fellowship hall. A woman in the back of the room raises her hand. “Yes,” Jesus says, pointing to the woman. “Do you think the government is obligated to give public assistance to anyone who asks for it?” she says. “By public assistance,” Jesus says, “do you mean help with healthcare and food and housing?” “That’s right,” the woman says.... Read more
~What if the “good guys” are not so good as we once believed? ~ You are strolling through the perfect little town of Mayberry when you see your neighbor, Dopie, sitting on a park bench. By the look on his face, you know he’s in a funk. “Gee, Dopie,” you say, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. “You’re not looking so swell today. What’s wrong?” “Golly, I’ve been in a funk ever since our teacher told us they opened... Read more
~ Is it okay that “the best country in the world” claims no responsibility in a fiasco like this? ~ You live across the pond from your enemy Ivan. Anticipating war, you test new weapons in your backyard. When the fallout from your bombs makes the neighbors sick, you look for a testing site further from home. So you visit Tiare, the Polynesian girl who lives on an island in the middle of the pond. “I need to bomb your... Read more
~ What if Christians valued truth more than politics and theology? ~ You are rolling over in bed when your fingertips brush something under the pillow. What is it? you wordlessly wonder. You pull out a small note and sit up in bed. Out of curiosity, you turn on the lamp and read. It’s only a few words, a simple imperative. “SAY MY NAME” is written in bold, block letters. “Hmm.” You gaze at it a moment before reading —... Read more
~ What if we’re tragically wrong about the good old days? ~ “Those good old days were really something,” says Grandpa. “It was safe to walk the streets at night. Everybody did their fair share of the work. People weren’t confused like they are today.” “Folk knew who they were and what was expected of them,” says Grandma. “Loved God and country,” says Grandpa. “America was great back then. Best darn country in the whole world. Folk took care of... Read more
Allegories - Here and Now
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