(Credit: Freaktography, Flickr Creative Commons) Sometimes I wish the Bible had never been written. I don’t mean I wish God had never spoken to us or that the gospel was never proclaimed or that we didn’t have any of those amazing stories or important teachings. I just wish there was some way they could have remained what they originally were – an oral tradition, stories passed down from generation to generation that carried just as much weight and meaning as... Read more

  (Credit: Tommy Clark, Flickr Creative Commons) I usually loathe conversations about who’s going to heaven and who’s not. Mostly because it’s never really a conversation about who’s going to heaven. It’s just an opportunity to damn people we don’t like to an eternity in hell, while assuring ourselves of our own place mansion in paradise. But I’ve been watching a show called First Peoples on PBS and it really got me to thinking and that thinking got me to asking questions... Read more

Say what you will about Walmart, but it’s hard not to appreciate being able to find just about everything you could ever need under one roof and at an everyday low price. But did you know that along with bologna, tires, and airbrushed t-shirts you can also find Jesus at Walmart? At least that’s what Eddie Brumley claims. He “found low prices and a brand new heart” at Walmart and he’s got the music video to prove it. Honestly, I don’t... Read more

(Credit: CNN, Twitter) It’s been 5 days since the Supreme Court’s historic decision that struck down same-sex marriage bans across the country and panic levels in conservative Christian circles are still high. On Monday, I joined the chorus of countless others trying to assuage the fears of my conservative neighbors by calling attention to the fact that in states like mine where same-sex marriage has been legal for years, churches haven’t been forced to marry anyone they didn’t want to marry and civilization... Read more

(Credit: Ted Eytan, Flickr Creative Commons) My wife and I got married in Tennessee a little over 9 years ago. At the time, the state had a ban against same-sex marriage. 3 years ago we moved to Connecticut, a state which has been performing same same-sex marriages since 2008. In our 3 years of living in Connecticut, the marriage of our gay and lesbian neighbors has had absolutely no affect on our marriage, the state hasn’t forced any religious institution... Read more

(Credit: CNN Breaking News, Twitter) I can only begin to imagine the pain reverberating through Emanuel AME Church right now. I’ve had friends and loved ones die before, but I’ve never been hunted down like an animal and slaughtered in a holy place because of my race. I’m a white guy. I have no clue what it’s like to be black. I have no clue what it’s like to be so hated by someone I’ve never met just because of the color... Read more

You know you’ve been blogging for a while when you come across blog posts you don’t even writing. Yesterday I got an email alert about a comment left on a post that I have to confess I don’t even remember writing. I mean, my name is on it and after rereading it I have some vague memory of writing something like that, but if that’s not a sign that I’ve been doing this too long, I don’t know what it. Then again, maybe... Read more

(H/T Alison Killilea and Steven Kelley, Flickr Creative Commons) I didn’t blog much last week. In fact, I don’t think I wrote a single post. It wasn’t planned. One unexpected thing led to another and before I knew it, the week was gone. But I have to confess: I enjoyed the break. It was nice to step away from the craziness of the Internet for a few days. I wasn’t completely gone from the online world. I kept up with Facebook... Read more

(Credit: Vanity Fair) News broke last week about terrible things taking place in the ostensibly holy Duggar household. This week, Vanity Fair introduced Caitlyn Jenner to the world. The response of many Christians to these two events – one a crime, the other an act of liberation – couldn’t be more different. Though the sexual abuse itself was condemned, countless Christians quickly and unquestionably came to the defense of the abuser – not the abused – as well as his parents who went... Read more

It’s never too early to start your Christmas shopping. And if you’re looking for something special to get that super judgmental friend or family member, I’ve got just the thing for you. Presenting the Jesus Slingshot for all your stone throwing needs. (Credit: Dangerous Minds and Nerdcore) Now, if you’ve been reading my blog lately, then you know I wrote a post a couple of weeks ago asking Where’s My Pile Of Stones? So, I know you’re wondering and the... Read more