When asked about my stance on abortion as a Progressive Christian, my general response is that I’m an anti-abortion/pro-choicer. Perhaps that’s cheating a little, but I think it’s a crucial distinction that too often gets disregarded in the heated political arguments about the subject. I hate abortion. I don’t know anyone who likes abortion. I think we all wish nobody ever had to face that decision. But we can’t change the real world. The matter comes down to whether we... Read more
I think I’ve finally reached a tipping point. I’ve been trying to find ways to reconcile my convictions about what it means to be a Christian with the kinds of political policies I’ve seen my more conservative Christian friends supporting for the last three years and I’m growing quite weary of it. It is an exercise in frustration and a pathway to depression. How could we have drifted so far apart in our understanding of the example Christ left for... Read more
Two Little Boys By: Shane Phipps Two little boys were born one day Back in June of ‘98 One in Iran, one in Utah Proudest dads you ever saw When John was born you’d never know Oh, the places he would go And Reza’s mom could not foresee Just what he’d turn out to be They grew up half a world away But could not keep their fates at bay Their paths should have never crossed But now... Read more
It’s starting to become clear. The seemingly bewildering nature of the continued support of the Evangelical Right for the loony Trump administration is starting to make sense. They are hastening the End Times and spoiling for a fight. It doesn’t make it any less frightening, but at least I can understand it now. I didn’t jump right on the pile when the news broke about the Trump ordered assassination of General Soleimani. I remained silent for a few days because... Read more
It’s been amazing to watch President Trump the last couple weeks. He is going deep into the playbook of damage control and pulling out all the stops. He is clearly bothered and embarrassed that he has been impeached. He was clearly hurt by the editorial from Christianity Today which said that he deserves to be removed from office. He can barely contain his paranoia-driven rage. He’s been busier on Twitter than ever. Just the other day, Trump tweeted so many... Read more
Some of my left-leaning friends took to social media last night and posted joyous, celebratory messages about the historic impeachment vote against President Trump in the House of Representatives. I wish I could have shared in their enthusiasm, but I was immediately awash under a wave of doom and gloom. I actually went to bed in a state of depression. I’ve seen the writing on the wall for the last 4 or 5 years. In my nightmares, I have seen... Read more
“May you have a beautiful, wonderful holiday. Your debt has been forgiven.” How wonderful would it be to receive that message? This holiday season, thousands of poor families in the Chicago area got this message in their mailbox. A coalition of churches decided to band together to make it a mission to pay off the medical debts of as many poverty-stricken families as they could before the holiday season arrived. Families who are mired in poverty normally dread a trip... Read more
Dear friends and family that I’ve unfollowed recently, You won’t be reading this directly off of my social media pages, but perhaps it will show up on mutual friends’ feeds and you’ll see it there. You may have wondered where I’ve gone. Well, I haven’t gone anywhere, we just won’t be crossing paths on the web anymore because I’ve unfollowed you. I didn’t want to unfollow you. Many of you go way back in my life, some to childhood. Some... Read more
Our nation lies stripped and beaten. We’ve been left for dead, lying in a roadside ditch. Things look bleak. It’s going to take the help of some conservative Christian Good Samaritans to save us. That may scare the hell out of my progressive readers who wouldn’t count on a conservative Christian to spit on them if they were on fire, but I’m afraid it’s the truth. I don’t think there is any way that PresidentTrump will be convicted and removed... Read more
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Appalling Silence
A good friend of mine shared a Martin Luther King Jr. quote on his Facebook page today. It’s one of my favorites and it perfectly dovetails with what’s been on my mind the last couple days. Here is that quote: “History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people.” -Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. King made that... Read more