Dear Thoughtful Pastor: What ARE traditional family values and who decided? Why is it such a buzz word and why is it a red flag to some of us? Who says my values are untraditional? And if they are whose business is it? What is the obsession with uniformity and control? How do these values improve all families lives? Who is really being controlled here and why. How do people who preach these value really live? How about their followers?... Read more
So, Donald, yes that great Republican and ever-so Christian man, is getting ready to be interviewed by the pastor, Bishop Wayne T. Jackson of Great Faith Ministries International, in Detroit, MI, as part of his appeal to get more than 0% of the black vote. Now, the church community wanted Donald to actually speak in the church. However, Donald’s staff, understandably not wanting their candidate to be his usual bombastic, racist self, insisted that on a private interview with all questions submitted... Read more
I almost thought I could stomach a Donald presidency, mainly because I fear he is going to win and am trying to steel myself. Also, for the last couple of weeks, his “handlers” seem to have put him on a tight leash and he came close to sounding like a normal, rational, possibly even decent human being. Then he went to Mexico, followed by his “I hate everyone who is not a white American who thinks like I do and... Read more
Dear Thoughtful Pastor: My question: I have been an active member of the United Methodist church for years. I know that the discipline is supposedly BIBLICALLY BASED but the recent appointment in Arizona of an openly lesbian to a Bishop position is TOTALLY CONTRARY TO WHAT I KNOW THAT THE BIBLE TEACHES! I am considering re-thinking my position of belonging to the United Methodist Church. I even looked up the difference in the United Methodist and Methodist church hoping that... Read more
Dear Thoughtful Pastor: You know how the Jews in the Bible were forbidden to work on the Sabbath? If I want to practice the Sabbath today, what is considered “work?” Would folding laundry be work? What about using appliances? An ongoing tragedy of religious understanding takes place when something that was intended as good and life-affirming transforms into extra burdens and soul dryness. The day of rest, known as the Sabbath, was the keystone of Hebrew distinctiveness. Sabbath declares, “We... Read more
When I was a young, naive Christian, I thought followers of Jesus held the hope of the world. Our current political climate, with many Christians discarding all sense of morality and decency for the sake of power, has proved me wrong. When I was a young, naive Christian . . . I thought Christian people fought for integrity and truth. And then I discovered US politics and that money given to “Christian” organizations buys silence and complicity with evil and... Read more
Dear Thoughtful Pastor: I have been astonished at the Wayne Grudem support of Trump. I am like some who believe part of hatred of Mrs. Clinton and support of Trump derives from the belief of inferiority of women and the “headship” of men which the right wing is so strong about. How can the religious right claim any moral authority when they endorse and support such a candidate? Dr. Wayne Grudem is a Research Professor of Theology and Biblical Studies... Read more
We have a 2 1/2-year-old granddaughter visiting for a while with her parents. Keep in mind that this blended couple claims eleven children and twelve grandchildren, so having relatives visiting is a frequent joy. This morning, the visiting toddler wanted to sit on my lap while I was reading the paper. I welcomed her and told her I would teach her to read. Then I told her what to do when she saw a certain word. I pointed to a... Read more
In a blatant act of plagiarism, I have lifted some words from an extraordinarily popular blog post which was written by an anonymous woman who sees herself as a highly educated, theologically conservative pastor’s wife. The blogger describes herself, before making her biblical case for Trump, as one who “CANNOT, however, allow myself ignore the principles laid out in the Word of God for situations such as the political debacle Americans have unfortunately found themselves in.” One small piece of her extensive, biblically... Read more
I remember how thin I became when one of my sons was very ill. At the time, I was one of the few female students at a large evangelical/fundamentalist seminary. We female students were constantly being stared at–so very different, so many challenges to the spoken/unspoken ethos of male superiority and spiritual leadership. As I agonized internally over this private time of family stress and illness, my weight dropped precipitously. The compliments flowed from both the male and female students,... Read more
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