The Story of God’s Son

Most Western Christians, at least those of the Evangelical strain, anchor their faith on the presumption that the books of the Protestant canon are the verbatim words of God.  They point to old testament prophecies about the Messiah, compare them to the life of Jesus, and regard them as proof that the bible is, in …

Thoughts on Eternal Punishment

The question of eternal punishment for the “unsaved” seems to keep popping up these days.  I’ve read several well-reasoned (as opposed to strictly emotional) articles over the last few days on this topic, one of which was Jim Gordon’s post on hell over at Done With Religion.  It was a thought-provoking article, and I really …

Of Such is the Kingdom of Heaven

Jesus’ message is often rejected—not just by non-Christians, many of whom aren’t actually familiar with His true message, but by many Christians—the self-proclaimed religious elite of our day.  Jesus brought a message of freedom, forgiveness, kindness, reconciliation, and hope.  It sounds good, and if we all followed His simple principles of loving God to the …

A Million Soda Straws

Imagine a gigantic mural that is beautiful beyond description.  Now imagine looking at this mural through a soda straw.  You might see a small portion pretty clearly, but obviously, your view would be pretty limited, and you would find it impossible to perceive the whole if you were only able to view it through that …

The Transcendent Significance of Human Sexuality

A weirdly self-contradicting fallacy which our culture clutches like a drunk clutches a half-empty bottle of booze is that sexual identity is paramount, yet sexual activity is itself, insignificant.  The popular narrative offers confusing justification for pursuing uninhibited sexuality:  “It’s just entertainment—so it’s ok.”  “You are defined by your chosen sexual identity—so it’s ok.”   …