Yesterday, on fan page ala’ moi, one Michael Haberlein posted this: Hey John! I have a question: I have listened to you online on the radio station in Pittsburgh [WORD-FM 101.5] and just read your article in Crosswalk.com. As the websites for both of those things look pretty Christian-conservative, I’m surprised that they let you talk or write under their name? Don’t they think you are a little radical, what with all your writings about the idea that God thinks... Read more
We simply cannot love God all of the time in the kind of all-consuming way prescribed by the Great Commandment. And God doesn't expect us to. Read more
Man loving his best friend? Good. Man going Brokeback Mountain with his best friend? Bad. But how to tell the difference? Read more
Here are six truths about suffering—and four steps to relieve it—that should prove comforting to any Christian in pain: God didn’t cause our suffering. God never, ever wants us to suffer. He hates it when we hurt. But we must sometimes hurt, because pain is an unavoidable part of the human legacy, period. God could of course instantly stop all human suffering. But doing so would involve interfering with our free will, which he loves us to much to do.... Read more
Are you a college student taking either a History of Literature class, or Western Philosophy 101? Great! Because below is all you need to know for those two classes. Don’t forget me later, when you’ve landed a great job due to your sweet, sweet education. History of Literature The Odyssey: A hairy guy who yells a lot floats around in a boat. Oedipus the King: A guy marries a girl a little too much like the girl who married dear... Read more
It’s done! Check out the all-new, all-good commenty wonderfulness! Intense Debate is now in the house. Johnny feel good. It’s been driving me crazy how under served the people who comment here have been. Being able to buff out the comments section is a huge reason I moved to a self-hosted blog. And it worked! Here we have it! Oh, buy yayeth. Read more
I love my blog. We’ve been through a lot together. Confusing license plates. Baby future astronauts from the past. Appliance porn. Me on drugs. Good times all. But, alas, those times have ended. Why? Because I broke up with my blog, man. It wasn’t the blog. It was me. (more…) Read more
As a kid, I couldn’t stand seeing other kids bullied. I was lucky (I see now) because I was an Alpha Boy. (Alpha Boy. How does that not scream Best Cartoon Ever?) I was athletic, handsomishy, and … generally functional. All my friends were Alpha Boys. I loved Alpha Bits, too. But that’s a different story. What I could never believe was how vulnerable were the kids who were most picked on. You give a kid thick glasses, and a... Read more
Just a quick moment to let the people who follow and comment on this blog know that you’re making a difference. Your clarity, passion, and compassion are very definitely being heard. We really are at the start of a second reformation; in personal conversations, I’ve been calling it the dawn of Christianity 3.0. (The Church after Christ; the Church after Luther; and now this. Remember, you heard it here first!) And you guys, in no uncertain terms, are helping usher... Read more
Here’s a work of art entitled “John’s Band,” created by artist Karen Helms. Besides being what I think we can all agree is an astonishingly inspired artist, Ms. Helms is Deputy Tax Collector for Mariposa County, home of Yosemite (and also, according to Ms. Helms, “the Bible belt of the Sierras”). The mega-generous Karen tells me this image is mine to do with as I please. (more…) Read more
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