Dear Friend, I know you think you’re doing the right thing. I know you’re guilt ridden if you don’t at least try and influence my children into attending your church’s vacation bible school. You may feel like it is your responsibility to ensure their salvation. I am sorry that your religion has placed that upon your shoulders. It isn’t fair to you. However, it isn’t fair to me to disregard the ways I am raising my children. One of the... Read more
Saturday, April 29, 2017, Jerry Falwell Jr., an influential evangelical leader and president of Liberty University, spoke with Fox News celebrating Donald Trump’s first 100 days of being president of the United States of America. In the interview Falwell said: “I think evangelicals have found their dream president.” Watch the interview here. This almost leaves me speechless. Who are these so-called evangelicals? Donald Trump is the embodiment of total immorality. His words, actions, policies, and lifestyle are completely unlike Jesus... Read more
The U.S. presidential election of 2016 will be one that the world will never forget. It will forever live in our history as the moment we became aware of the human condition that either we pretended didn't exist, or we truly didn't realize the severity of the present darkness. Read more
This has been a rough winter for those of us in the resistance. A lot of us have had no choice but to remove barriers of self preservation and become who we really are at any cost. We have risked professional, familial, church and other relationships by speaking out, for standing up for what is right. The anger that has swelled in the last year has not let up, nor should it. We are facing serious consequences for every action... Read more
Ten years ago, when I was at the height of my Christianity, I prayed a very earnest and sincere prayer to the Lord. I prayed that I would be used and I asked God to break my heart for what breaks His. God listened and willingly I followed a path paved for me. A winding road full of interesting people, eye-opening books, and personal situations of crisis that cracked my heart wide open. I surrendered everything, even my religion. As... Read more
Growing up in Fundamental Christianity gave me many beautiful roots to grow from. Seeds were planted within my heart and while some withered away, others flourished with new space to bloom. The web of sprouts that died that has been most significant to me is religious elitism, or the “us vs. them” mentality. I used to view people as conversion projects. I can remember giving my friend a hard time on the bus in the fourth grade for doing her... Read more
In his book, Thy Kingdom Come: How the Religious Right Distorts Faith and Threatens America, Randall Balmer cites Billy Graham’s concern about a marriage between the political right and religious fundamentalism. Billy Graham warned, “I don’t want to see religious bigotry in any form. It would disturb me if there was a wedding between the religious fundamentalists and the political right. The hard right has no interest in religion except to manipulate it.” Parade Magazine, 1981. His profound warning is exactly... Read more
Like millions of human beings around the world, I am struggling to understand the political and spiritual climate in the United States and globally. The world seems to be very polarized and divided. We can pretend that the divide doesn’t exist. We can blame it on politics, religion, or the media, but it’s pretty clear that there are two sides right now. The divide has become more apparent in this historic 2016 election, and continues to deepen with everyday. However,... Read more
I was taught at a very young age, as long as I can remember, what the “good news” was. In fundamental Christianity, it is a central concept in which all others branch from. This “good news” is indoctrinated in us, and we are told to go out into the world and preach the good news. It is our reason for existence, our life purpose, and where we find hope to make life worth living. So, what is this “good news”... Read more
As we approach the end of week one of the Trump presidency, yesterday was the most unsettling yet. The silencing or “gag order” of several agencies from communicating with the public, the executive orders to progress with the Keystone and Dakota pipelines, and then the day ended with a tweet from Mr. Trump, “Big day planned on NATIONAL SECURITY tomorrow. Among many other things, we will build the wall!” This tweet coming at the end of such a heartbreaking day... Read more
Kimberly Stover
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