Set Up to Fail

I’ve had some thoughts rattling around my mind for the last week or two, and then I saw this great post from Michael Clark.  He provides insight into a problem I’ve faced and which I think many Christians face, and I figured I’d add some reinforcement. I get the impression that many Christians have it in …

Is God Just?

I do not think that God is just.  I always thought He was, and the consensus certainly is that God is just; but now I’m not so sure that’s the case. I was taught that justice and mercy were both virtues which God possessed and which we were to strive to uphold.  I used to …

Sinners!

Christians are frequently accused of being judgmental.  The typical rebuttal is that that is absolutely false!  “We love everybody, and want everyone to find Jesus.  In fact, anyone is welcome to come worship with us.” Now that may be true for the most part, but there’s always a caveat:  they (the sinners) must be willing …

Jesus Was Not a Christian

Our culture is unquestionably trending toward a lack of restraint in the area of sexuality.  I’m reasonably certain that human sexuality is the most drama-inducing and conflict-producing facet of humanity.  And despite strident claims to the contrary, personal sexuality does, in fact, impact society.  Ironically, those that pretend otherwise are the most vocal and ostentatious …

A Distorted Concept of Prayer

“Daddy, I just want to tell you what a great daddy you are!  You are just so special!  I love you so much.” “Thank you.  That’s very kind of you to say.  I love you, too.” “I’m sorry I didn’t clean my room this morning.  I’ll do it tomorrow for sure.” “Ok.  Please don’t forget.” …

Religion is a Cruel Master

Several conversations I’ve had recently have reminded me what a cruel master religion is.  When discussing theological issues with religious folks, rather than having an open dialogue with an intent to learn, the conversation invariably devolves to a repetition of “Well, we believe…” or “My denomination teaches…” or the ever-popular “Well The Bible says…” or …

What’s the Point of it All?

What’s the point of life? What is our purpose here on earth? What is the reason for our existence? These questions are pondered by every human as they come of age.  Philosophers pontificate on the subject.  Religious professionals offer pithy platitudes to their congregations to keep the parishioners placated and the questions quelled.  Most often, …

Silencing Dissent to Protect You From Dissent

Although I think that pursuing spirituality is a critical part of life, it is no secret that I have no love for religion.  I do not hate religious people, but I do hate the hierarchical systems that keep the masses from asking questions, that constrain spiritual growth and critical thought, that put every ounce of …

A Tribute to Moms

Since the dawn of humanity, mothers have been nurturing and sustaining life.  By working to strengthen their families, they have collectively formed the greatest force for peace this world has known.  They are a critical variable in the family equation.  It doesn’t matter how you rearrange the other numbers—without them, the formula just doesn’t work. …

What Christians Can Learn From Business

I frequently lament the fact that Western Christianity looks more like a corporation than a family.  But occasionally, Christians can learn some valuable lessons from the corporate world.  A colleague recently pointed me to this New York Times article  by Charles Duhigg from about a year ago that documented Google’s research on team building.  Apparently, …