But obviously you clicked anyway. Of course that is what I wanted you to do. I wanted you to click on this link and read this blog. Why would I want to do that? Well that is pretty obvious. Clicks mean attention and in this age of internet advertising that means money. So how can a blogger get clicks? Well you can play a little trick like I just did. Maybe that works, but the most certain way to get... Read more
I still see open borders as problematic to our economy. But what if the right thing to do is accept that our economy will suffer and accept them anyway? Would that be the Christian thing to do? Read more
I want to engage in a bit of speculation. But before I do, let me set it up with some things that are true. President Donald Trump lies. Politicians in general lie. Trump lies more than most politicians. Does anyone disagree with any of those three sentences? Good, now we are off. Okay so reasonable people agree that Trump lies like a dead fish. But, is there a group Trump has largely not lied to? Yeah there is. Evangelical Christians... Read more
I am pro-life. I bet that quite a few of my long time readers figured I was pro-life anyway, so I decided to come out of the closet on that issue. I could say I am going to Baylor anyway so it is not like they can fire me from my state university job now. But that is not why I have not talked about abortion until now. In reality I have tended to focus on issues other than abortion... Read more
This has been an interesting season as it concerns abortion politics. Some states have passed very lenient laws (ex. Illinois, New York) while others have passed very harsh laws (ex. Georgia, Louisiana). The passions on this topic are undoubtedly triggered by the confirmation of Justice Brett Kavanahagh. The expectation, or fear, depending on your point of view, is that he will be that fifth vote that overturns Roe. Whether he is or not remains to be seen but until we... Read more
This year I was honored to be asked to speak during a panel at the 2019 Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). Thus I had a front row seat to all of the festivities. Moreso I was made a messenger for my church. That meant that I was able to vote for the resolutions and offices. Here are some of my observations about that event in no particular order. 1) About 75 to 80 percent of the convention was about the sexual... Read more
I had a talk with a graduate student the other day that got me to thinking. And of course when I get to thinking, I can get into all sorts of trouble. So let me see how much trouble I get into when I write out my thoughts. We were talking about how some of the campus protests had religious elements to them. There was a distinct morality that individuals have to abide. There are rituals such as the ritualistic... Read more
When I was in graduate school I began to read the works of Martin Luther King. Of course I knew who he was. What black man could not know the work of King? But it was not until I read his work, that I truly appreciated his genius. His discussion of nonviolence resonated with me. That he cared not just for the fate of blacks but the souls of whites is inspirational. I am not sure if reading King transformed... Read more
The warning in Vice President Mike Pence’s graduation speech about the potential shunning of Christians has been making the rounds on my facebook page. That speech also came up in a recent radio interview that I did. My answer to these issues is the same I have had for a few years now. Yes Christians will face discrimination in certain segments of our society. But we do not need to state we are being persecuted. In light of the harassment... Read more
I did a podcast last week and had a conversation with a graduate student on religious freedom. It got me thinking about why I value religious freedom so much. Indeed I think of it as a basic human right. And as I think about it, it is so important that when it is taken away, then we establish the grounds for a lot more abuses of our human rights. As a Christian it is tempting to think that my interest... Read more
Shattering Paradigms
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