Category Archives: human rights
The Not-So-Strange Case of Obama’s Jekyll and Hyde Presidency
Photo credit: 2008 Wally Gobetz/flickr. Use does not represent endorsement by the photographer.
Barack Obama’s presidency suffers from something of a split personality. It is a confounding cocktail of genuine progress and draconian policy. So what does that mean for concerned citizens, thoughtful activists, and people of faith?
Dare to be Multifaceted. Love Will Surely Lead You Into Rough Terrain
Photo credit: 2010 Kyknoord/flickr. Use does not represent endorsement by the photographer.
Loudmouth pastors and politicians land in the headlines for spewing bigoted drivel. This is nothing new. Having spent three decades so far in the church and a few years now in the Christian blogging community, I have observed a response to this which looks something like a pressure Christians feel to over-correct by being stoic, neutral, and balanced above all. It is a virtue that makes partial sense. Many Christians are dedicated to becoming slower to speak, more patient, and to moving with discernment, distinguishing one kingdom from another. God bless them for doing so. But this too can become a crutch.
In this conundrum, only those who strike first get away with it, while the charge of slander and that dreaded label of divisiveness is so often falsely assigned by some Christians to others who only point out the ignorance. Turning to attack checks and balances while tolerating the hate of a public few is a cultish maneuver, and an unfair disadvantage for the compassionate and concerned among us. Â Perhaps these are reasons why Christians at times choose to moderate the national debate rather than taking a stand. But public ignorance and bigotry matter, because they are the primary drivers of the broken status quo.
No Separation of Church and State, Say Conservatives (Except on Health Care, Food, and Other Jesusy Things Like Peace)
Photo credit: 2007 Marc Nozell/flickr. Use does not represent endorsement by the photographer.
In my experience, conservatives are the ones who insist there should be no separation of church and state. While on the campaign trail, Rick Santorum told America that the idea of such a separation makes him want to vomit. So I guess he’s against it. Conservatives respond to the culture war by asserting that we’re a Christian nation with the can’t-miss implication that our government (when not highjacked by liberals) is godly, founded by Christian men, with laws and freedoms based on Judeo-Christian principle. I know these positions well, having grown up in conservative circles.
But when it comes time for the government to act in ways congruent with Christianity, like feeding the hungry (food stamps) or caring for the sick (health care), conservatives grimace, play the small government and personal responsibility card, and argue that we can’t have government in the role of the church. So which is it?
The Death Penalty is My Biggest Spiritual Struggle
A lethal injection chamber. Photo credit: 2009 T Woodard/flickr. Usage does not represent endorsement by the photographer.
“An eye for an eye.” It is one of the earliest forms of justice we know of. You hurt someone? You, in turn, get hurt back. A kill for a kill. It seems fair, right? But then Jesus makes his entrance into this world. We no longer have to pay for our sins with our own lives. Now the “He who is without sin, cast the first stone” line of thinking comes into play. Forgiveness enters our world and with that I find myself engulfed in the biggest intellectual struggle.
As Christians, are we to be for or against the death penalty? Here is where my battle begins.
Horror and Hope in Syria
Protesters mourn in Damascus. Photo credit: flickr/Syriana2011. Usage does not represent endorsement by the photographer.
As the Arab Spring continues to flourish in other countries, Syria is descending into civil war. Pro-democracy protests have led to a ruthless backlash from the Assad government. The death toll is in the thousands, with estimates from activists inside the country claiming as many as 40,000 casualties due to the unrest. The most conservative death toll estimates include hundreds of children. Civilian neighborhoods are under attack, the target of rockets and tank shells from government forces, while their snipers aim for anything that moves. Even in the face of these unspeakable atrocities, there are glimmers of hope.
When the Occupy Movement Makes You Late for Dinner
Photo credit: flickr/kosmosxipo
I stood alone on the street corner of Fourth and Cedar in downtown Seattle after a day at work, waiting for my bus to arrive. Like most nights this week, it was blustery and cold outside. But unlike most nights this week, Fourth Avenue was eerily quiet. I paced impatiently, knowing there was a hot dinner waiting for me and bills needing to be paid at home.
Later on the bus, I overheard two others in a conversation. The Occupy Movement had tied up the downtown intersections and traffic heading in my direction was stalled. I would be late to dinner because of this nation-wide gathering. The Occupy Movement directly impacted my life, and that has troubled me in unexpected ways.
It is Time for the American Christian Church to Surrender the Gay Marriage Fight, Apologize, and Share Love
Photo credit: 2010 Andreanna Moya Photography/flickr. Usage does not represent endorsement by the photographer.
I need to clarify right out of the gate that this post will not focus on the “choice vs. birth vs. childhood” arguments related to the origin of homosexuality in an individual. We must start from the reality that acknowledges the American Christian church as divided on that issue, and will be for some time. Many on the Right view homosexuality as sin, a growing number on the Left view homosexuality as God-authored and inherently beautiful, and those in the middle have varying views and distinctions to offer. For Christians across the political and denominational spectrum, it is often a struggle to find one’s footing in this complicated issue. After all, the GLBT community includes family members, friends and neighbors.
Instead, this post will focus on making a case from a Christian perspective that gay marriage should be allowed legally in this country, and will attempt to explain why the church will become more like it was intended to be when it concedes this legislative battle. Here’s why.
[TELEGRAM] Mr. Candidate Wants to Make Us Smile and Cheer
“If ever a time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in Government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin.” -Samuel Adams
The U.S. Assassination of a U.S. Citizen and the Nobility of Asking Tough Questions
A U.S. predator drone. Photo Credit: flickr/CliffStreetPhotography. Usage does not represent endorsement by the photographer.
ABC News Senior White House Correspondent Jake Tapper is a hero as far as I’m concerned. Tapper bothered to ask White House Press Secretary Jay Carney a few critically important questions about the U.S. government’s assassination of U.S. citizen Anwar al-Awlaki, after Awlaki was decimated in Yemen late last week by a missile fired from a U.S. predator drone. When given the political run around, Tapper didn’t shrink into his chair. Thankfully, he persisted.
Poverty Tourism is Bad. Idle Opinions Are Worse.
Photo Credit: Lauren Ebright | The Broken Telegraph
A discussion has erupted on the internet about the dangers of poverty tourism. The critics argue that we really only make ourselves feel better about America’s disproportionate privilege while glossing over the complex issues of global poverty by visiting struggling countries for a bit of brief outreach. All of this broader talk is happening as my wife Lauren, her boss Matthew and I prepare to travel to Cambodia next week for 10 days in an effort to offer some support in that country.
There is definitely something legitimate to the concerns that have been raised about poverty tourism, but I would argue that focusing on such concerns is far more damaging than any misguided altruism. Here’s why.
Ian Ebright on When Christian Blogging is a Popularity Contest (and Other Snares to...
Ken Hagerman on When Christian Blogging is a Popularity Contest (and Other Snares to...
Jim Fisher on The Conclusion of the Heartbreak Series: Saying Goodbye
Yoga Rani on Why, as a Christian, I’m Not Joining the Fight Against Gay...
Beth on [TELEGRAM] When Temptation Taps You On The Shoulder
Tiffany Lucus on The Conclusion of the Heartbreak Series: Saying Goodbye