Another Poor Decision by Donald Trump Verbally attacking the spiritual leader of roughly 1.4 billion people is not a good idea, especially if you’re a morally bankrupt felon and alleged pedophile. But Donald Trump cannot seem to help himself. Thus, we come to the story of a pope, a president and a one-sided fight. Trump destroys everything he touches, has alienated nearly every ally the U.S. once had and is rapidly running the U.S. economy into the ground. Then, he... Read more
Christians, Pagans and Easter: Is There a Connection? Christians, pagans and Easter…. Does Christ’s resurrection have anything to do with pagan rituals and celebrations that welcome the arrival of spring? Opinions are divided. Some people find a common thread between the Bible’s profoundly moving story of sacrificial love and eternal salvation, and pagans’ joyful nature-based tales of bonfires, eggs and rabbits. But many Christians insist there is no connection. If you’re curious about a possible connection, as I... Read more
Faith Without Action Is Just Noise The late Rev. Jesse Jackson, who recently died at age 84, spent more than six decades bringing hope and change to millions of marginalized people in the United States and abroad. Numerous pundits have written about Jackson’s legacy in the weeks since the civil rights leader died, but Jackson best described it himself. He said his civil rights and humanitarian work was “living faith out loud.” His interpretation of what faith means was... Read more
Cinnamon’s tiny, limp body lay motionless in my arms. Her heart, which had been failing for several years, had finally stopped. She was gone at age 19, and my heart ached. As I held her, I wondered, Do dogs go to heaven? I had loved and lost a number of dogs over the years: a beloved Chow named Chang; a cocker spaniel and a collie; several Chihuahuas and Australian Shepherds; quite a few Labrador Retrievers; a hound named Sherlock; and... Read more
Would You Give Up, Die for Your Faith or Go Underground? Suppose you live in a future time when Americans have lost their religious freedom. Also, suppose you’re a Christian. What would you do? Christianity is the dominant religion in the U.S., but that may not always be the case. The U.S. is standing on a slippery slope. Many right-wing Christians want to establish a state religion that controls every aspect of American life, and they’re working toward that goal... Read more
And Some Aren’t for the Faint of Heart Halloween looms! Witches, zombies and gruesome ghouls of the night will roam the lands of Ireland, where Halloween began, and Canada, England and the U.S., where it took root. Yet, Halloween is gaining ground in Mexico, Australia, parts of Europe and Asia, and no one is safe. So, beware! Some Christians object to a holiday with pagan origins and a focus on demons, monsters and such. But they may be fighting a... Read more
Long History of Political Violence in U.S. May Surprise You Sadly, Violence Is Who We Are Hatred and violence are pervasive in America. When radical right-wing martyr Charlie Kirk was killed on Sept. 11, some people insisted, “This isn’t American.” “We don’t settle our differences that way.” In truth, political violence is as American as baseball, guns and apple pie. And yes, violence is how many Americans settle their differences. What does it have to do with religion, specifically the... Read more
Project 2025 = Un-American, Un-Christian, Unacceptable Project 2025 is an instruction manual for systemic hatred that needs to be destroyed. The hatred is gaining ground in the U.S., but it isn’t too late for Christians and non-Christians, whites and non-whites, gays and straight people, and everyone else who values freedom to stand up to America’s religious extremism and Project 2025. Americans are fighting a battle that pits true Christianity against right-wing idolatry, with some people wrapping themselves in the... Read more
Married Mothers Most Likely to Be ‘Very Happy,’ Study Says A new study, which Brigham Young University’s Wheatley Institute and the Institute for Family Studies released this week, debunks common myths about women’s happiness. The study – In Pursuit: Marriage, Motherhood, and Women’s Well-Being” – included 3,000 women ages 25 to 55 in the United States. Of the 3,000, 1,551 women have children under age 18. The four co-authors – Jenet Erickson, a fellow at the Wheatley Institute; Jean Twenge,... Read more
Ending Modern America’s “Single Biggest Threat” America’s “single biggest threat” took downturns after the Civil War (1861-1865) and the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, but it is growing stronger again today. It is, of course, white Christian nationalism – aka white supremacy — and supporters are using the ballot box to push their repugnant beliefs into public schools. One expert on religious freedom has said the effort to defeat white Christian nationalism is the Civil Rights Movement of our... Read more
Select your answer to see how you score.
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In