As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did... Read more
Welcome to Sameville, USA. If you’re one of us, you’re going to like it here. It really doesn’t matter what state you’re from, as long as you live in the Red parts of it. That’s the key. If you’re one of us, we’re not going to have any trouble. There is so much we have to offer you here in Sameville. Once you’re in, you’ll never want to leave. Now, understand, we don’t go in for a lot of showy,... Read more
When I started writing as a part of my living a few years ago, I learned quickly that, if you want your words to have an impact on people, you must tell your truth–sometimes that means being brutally honest–sometimes that means being vulnerable enough to reveal parts of your soul that you’d just as soon keep hidden. This is one of those times. I am an 18-year-veteran public school teacher. I am a vocal proponent of public education. I write... Read more
I wrote an article earlier this week called The First Stone. In that introspective piece, I admitted that, at times, I can be guilty of being too aggressive in my writing when I call out Trump supporters–particularly Christian ones. My justification for calling them out, I believe, is sound. When I see Christians using their support of the president in such a way that it repulses non-Christians (or more progressive Christians), I feel called to speak out about it. But, admittedly, sometimes... Read more
I haven’t delved too far into the details of the Green New Deal, a plan for a more sustainable future being championed by Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, but one part of that plan has me extremely excited and hopeful. The U.S. land transportation system has been largely unchanged since the 1950’s. Our vast interstate system was once the envy of the world, but now it’s a decrepit laughing stock. By the time they get one stretch of road fixed, it’s time... Read more
In the past month, I’ve written a couple of articles that were very widely read. They also stirred up a lot of debate in comment sections, so much so that I couldn’t possibly keep up with it to read all of them. But I read enough to get the gist of the kinds of things being said. Many people agreed with my take, others took great issue with me. A couple folks in particular were quite “colorful” in voicing their... Read more
There is a pattern here, a disgusting and wretched pattern. People who commit horrendous acts of violence and hate keep citing Donald Trump as an inspiration. That’s bad enough, but far right Christians still sing Trump’s praises, too. The New Zealand Mosque white supremacist terrorist’s manifesto praised Trump as “a symbol of renewed white identity and common purpose.” The New Zealand Mosque white supremacist terrorist’s manifesto praised Trump as “a symbol of renewed white identity and common purpose.” (I bolded the... Read more
Episode 1 is posted below. This episode hits on the mission of the Empathy Mining blog and podcast and tells the story that brought me to them. This should add a nice layer of context to many of the articles I write. If you enjoy, please subscribe to the podcast and feel free to share with friends. Read more
Big news from the Empathy Mine…we’re starting a podcast! Look for the first episodes to be available in the next day or two. Read more
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Conservative Christian, Please Provide us with a Handy Flow Chart of Sins
I’ve just come from a debate thread on my last article about Pete Buttigieg. In that article, I point out a lot of qualities and qualifications possessed by this new and rising star on the Democratic roster of candidates for President. Among them were that Buttigieg is a Christian and he is gay. The first comment out of the box set off a rather lengthy debate. That debate led me to write this article. The commenter started by taking me... Read more