Here I don't want to wade into that constitutional debate. Or into some abstract, meta-level theological debate. Here I want to just highlight a couple of bold posts from yesterday that remind the rest of us that this is not primarily about a "debate" -- it's about people. And it is wrong to treat people as something other than people. It is wrong to reduce people to "controversial issues." Read more
Those reciting and appealing to the narrative about ever-increasing violence and "things getting more worse" don't really care much whether or not this narrative is technically true. The point of the narrative is to sell you a solution to the supposed crisis — and it matters little to them whether the crisis is actual or fictional, as long as you perceive the idea of the crisis you will be receptive to the solution they're selling. Read more
I think the Apostle Paul would be surprised -- and rather angry -- to learn that later Christians were attempting to twist Romans 5 into a statement about biology, but that is what John Piper is saying we must do. Piper is saying that Romans teaches that nothing died before humans sinned. Every mayfly, every fruit fly, every microscopic organism, every creature and every cell of every creature, he says, was immortal until humankind sinned. Biology does not work that way. Read more
"Residents of the Greenbriar Village development say owner Equity LifeStyle Properties has been unjustly increasing their land rents, and there’s nothing they can do about it. Equity is the largest manufactured home community company in the United States and in some cases has increased land rents more than 100 percent in a year, said Randy Schaffer, the president of the Greenbriar homeowners association." Read more
"A roster of leading psychologists and related experts from around the world last week signed on to a pair of letters in support of an appeal filed on behalf of Frances Keller, who was convicted of sexual assault and who has spent the last two decades behind bars for a crime that almost certainly never happened." Read more
Jean Ann Esselink on the anti-abortion protesters who picket a clinic that provides prenatal care, not abortions; Libby Anne meets the protesters; Jeff Dunn on looking for love from all the wrong Christians; Rob Tsinai reassures a young girl that she doesn't need to fear the scary stories of anti-gay demagogues; and Kristen Rosser says it's better to "admit that we just might be wrong," than to harm others with a dangerous certainty. Read more
The pattern of PIB will be familiar if you've ever discussed marriage equality with relatives, co-workers or fellow parishioners who oppose it, but can't quite explain why. It's not so much an argument as a defense of not having one: "Oh yeah? Well just because I can't give a good reason why something should be prohibited doesn't mean it should be allowed! After all, I can't explain why polygamy, incest and bestiality should be prohibited either -- so does that mean those should all be made legal too?" Read more
Columnist Brahm Resnik worries that this bill would, in effect, require all transgendered persons in Arizona to carry their birth certificate with them at all times. But it wouldn't do that. It would, instead, require everyone to carry their birth certificate with them at all times. Read more
Johnny Cash often related his respect for Billy Graham, but the evangelist's admiration for — and emulation of — Cash isn't always noted. Billy Graham had Johnny Cash hair. Read more
She flipped through the bulletin to find the church calendar for the week. The Prayer Warriors sidewalk vigil was scheduled for Wednesday, so she could call first thing tomorrow and schedule an appointment for Tuesday. Inconvenient to make the same trip two days in a row, but safer than risking running into anyone the day of her visit. Read more
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