Many beer connaisseurs claim that the best beer in the world is made in a small town in western Belgium called Vleteren. This beer is known as Westvleteren. It is brewed by Trappist monks in their monastery and the proceeds support various charities. It is incredibly rare and hard to find in Belgium, let alone other parts of the world. So during my travels across Belgium I had one main prerogative: find Westvleteren. Other Trappist...
This week I’m in Amsterdam for the International Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature. Yes, that’s right, a Bible conference in Amsterdam. I can already say that this city is one of my favorites. It is absolutely wonderful. The canals and architecture are picturesque and make me wish I intended to stay longer. Of course, there are some sketchy bits to Amsterdam as well. The infamous “Coffee Shops” house copious amounts of weed that can...
Some Spoilers Ahead (I’m not really sure what counts as a spoiler these days) It is so hard to live up to the hype. Nolan made us like Batman again with Begins and he showed us what the potential of super hero movies were with The Dark Knight. So much so, that people complained the movie was too good for a “Batman” movie. The Dark Knight Rises starts eight years after Batman catches Joker and...
Last week the Christian rap-metal band P.O.D. (Payable on Death) came out with their eighth album, Murdered Love. When I first heard that P.O.D. was releasing a new album I was quite excited. There was a time when P.O.D. was my all-time favorite band. Indeed, they functioned like a doorway for me into the world of metal (which has since become my favorite musical genre). I can remember the first time I was ever introduced to...
Homosexuality remains a hot topic both in and outside the church. But discussing it at length comes with two inherent dangers: either we see homosexuality as worse than all other sins, or we act as though it’s no sin at all. Last week, I responded to the first danger by reminding readers that Christians who struggle with homosexual desires are just ordinary sinners with the same extraordinary Savior. This week, I’m tackling danger number two....
I’m usually a step behind most pop-culture phenomenons. So true to form I just finished my reading of The Hunger Games series and watched the first movie. Here is my one-sentence synopsis of the series for those who care to know: The first book sucks you in, and the last book, well… sucks. Despite that fact I can still say that I enjoyed the series and would recommend it. Although they are nowhere near as...
Science says we can’t change our sexual orientation. Most people, from experience, would agree. Why then do we have Christians who call themselves ex-gay? Why do people who once considered themselves homosexual renounce their gay lifestyle, get married, have children, and go on worshiping God? Let’s look at two common answers: 1. Ex-gays are a myth, and those who identify as such are just “playing straight.” Religion guilts them into marrying someone they’re not attracted...
To the world, homosexuality is more than an orientation; it’s an identity. Being gay is like being black or vegan or republican. It’s part of your persona. Something to accept, embrace and celebrate. Coming out means becoming part of a community—complete with flags, parades and flashy bumper stickers. To the person who experiences same-sex attraction, the world says you’re gay. Now assume your identity. Be who you are. Jesus says there’s another way. See, Christianity...
A month ago I went to the Museum of Tolerance. If you haven’t been, you should go. It’s fascinating but sobering. As great as I thought it was, I found it strange that the only mention of abortion in the entire museum is concerning George Tiller. For those of you who don’t remember, George Tiller directed a clinic in Wichita that performed abortions past the 21st week of pregnancy. In 2009, he was murdered while...
Turbo Qualls is a Christian, husband, father, illustrator, musician and works hard at his job. His job is the study of Aesthetics, and his chosen medium for exploring beauty is Eastern Orthodox iconography and tattoo art. Turbo has been tattooing people for fourteen years and has just opened up his own shop in Placentia California near Cal State Fullerton called All-Seeing Eye Art and Design Firm. What Turbo is able to do with color is...
Recent Comments