Legalism, and Why I Eventually Ate Witchcraft Granola
Photo credit: 2007 Matthew Venn/flickr. Usage does not represent endorsement by the photographer.
If you are anything like me you grew up with a Christianity that involved a strict set of rules. The Bible, starring as the rule book, never seemed at the time to be much more than a list of legalities one had to follow to be apart of the Christian club. One area that I found particularly terrifying was the possibility of ending up in hell. It seemed like there were so many ways to land down there. Without daily diligence it could almost happen by surprise.
My Own Religious Frailty, and Common Ground with Atheists and Agnostics
Photo credit: 2005 Maura Johnston/flickr.
If someone asked me to describe my faith, like giving a State of the Union for the soul, I’d say “don’t call it a State of the Union for the soul because that sounds like you’re elevating the government to a god-like position,” and when the person realized that I was making a dumb joke on purpose, I’d finally answer. Sorry, I’m a little wary to get into this post when it’s all about my own religious doubts. But I’m going to share them because I have a feeling that many of these doubts are universal.
Limbaugh, Letterman, Maher, and the Cruelty of Selective Outrage
Limbaugh speaks to CPAC. Photo credit: 2010 Gage Skidmore/flickr. Usage does not represent endorsement by the photographer.
By now we all know the two words Rush Limbaugh used to describe Georgetown Law student Sandra Fluke (although the tirade was actually three days in length). Rachel Held Evans penned a terrific post about the alarming support that Limbaugh receives from some evangelicals, writing: ”it’s hard to believe that any Christian would support a man who leveled such a crass and hateful rant against someone created in the image of God.” Bingo. But that’s easy for me to say, because I already think Limbaugh’s contribution to the national discourse is particularly vile. So why am I indifferent when David Letterman and Bill Maher make comments of a similar nature?
We’re Giving Away Tickets to a ‘Blue Like Jazz’ Screening in Your City!
Just like the title says, we’re giving away tickets to advanced screenings of the film adapted for the screen by Donald Miller, from his New York Times Bestseller ‘Blue Like Jazz.’ Miller and director Steve Taylor are currently traveling with the film on a nationwide tour before it opens in theaters April 13th. I’ll be interviewing Miller and Taylor for this site when they arrive for the Seattle screening, but enough about that! Here’s how the giveaway works, and entering to win is easy (we promise).
When Heartbreak Ruins Friendships, and My Letter of Apology
Photo Credit: Flickr/chicagophotogirl . Usage does not represent endorsement by the photographer.
Over the last few months I’ve written about heartbreak: my initial heartbreak in Heartbreak and Hope, and I’ve also talked about how that heartbreak actually strengthened the relationship between my husband and I in Marriage and Tragedy: How Heartbreak Brought us Closer Together. But today I’m here to talk about a side of heartbreak that does not really have a silver lining. I’m here to tell you how heartbreak has hurt some of my closest friendships. Perhaps you can relate.
Religious Doubt is Imminent, But It Can Be Navigated
Photo credit: flickr/racineur. Usage does not represent endorsement by the photographer.
It begins at a young age. We are trained to hide our doubts. As we grow, this is reinforced by the adoption of labels- Christian, agnostic, atheist, for example. Comfort can be found on both sides of the religious fence. We’re told to keep things simple for ourselves. We’re told to not peek through the hole in the fence at our neighbor’s party, lest we catch a glimpse of his opposing views and be overcome like the incredible melting Nazis in Raiders of the Lost Ark. But doubts persist. Whether as the result of cruelty that crashes into life changing everything in unwelcome ways, questions and desires unanswered, the wear and tear of painful relationships, or consequences from personal mistakes, we doubt ourselves, we doubt God, or spend years trying to figure out who is to blame; questions that float on the rising tide of resentment. While religious doubt varies by the individual, it is a transformative and often grueling process that cannot be solved with a formula, but all is not lost. There is a way through it; a path that can even be nourishing.
[TELEGRAM] Notes from a Blizzard
Why, as a Christian, I’m Not Joining the Fight Against Gay Marriage
Photo credit: flickr/sushiesque. Usage does not represent an endorsement by the photographer.
We have a hot one in the news right now. Washington State has legalized same sex marriage and there is no doubt that Christians are often fired up about this issue. We are rallying, we are petitioning; flat out, we are against this. “This should not happen. This is an abomination. God would not approve. They are sinning. It says right in the Bible that what they are doing is wrong. Have they not read Leviticus? What about Romans? It is our job to FIX them, not give them the right to marry. It is the end times and they are surely all going to hell.”
Except, I don’t believe that, and I am a Christian. In fact, I support gay marriage.
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.
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