You’ve probably seen by now all the pictures of children being taken away from their parents. You’ve also probably seen the detention centers, the TIME magazine cover, the blog posts, the tweets, AG Jeff Sessions defending the practice by quoting Romans 13, President Trump saying that he couldn’t do anything about it, blaming Democrats, doing something about it, and then turning the issue into illegal immigrant crime. No hyperlinks needed; We’ve all seen them. We’ve...
I began writing this blog post over week ago, and I had no idea that it would be appearing after yet another school shooting. Once again, we hear the refrain of Christian political inaction: “Thoughts and Prayers.” The repetition of it all lulls us back to sleep. “This is America.” And in America, complacency is King. Shortly after the Parkland shooting, I wrote a post about how empty and trite the phrase “Thoughts and Prayers”...
In an age of increasing tension we, as a people, seem to have lost the art of dialoguing with one another in a fruitful manner. Neither side is able to hear the others and every discussion seems to reach an impasse that is insurmountable. After reading various online comment sections such as YouTube, Fox News, CNN, and Facebook, the problem: people are simply too charitable and sympathetic towards other views in order to make any...
There may be some hope for political unity between liberals and conservatives. In this day and age, it seems that more than ever, America is divided. It feels like a constant tug-o-war and with every article and counter-article, both sides only seem to dig their heels in a little deeper. Each blog or video causes this very un-fun game to grind to a halt, with neither side at a clear advantage – everyone is angry...
Picture Cassandra: a black woman of low income working three jobs to make ends meet. Her supervisor has a negative disposition toward black women of a lower financial caste, believing them lazy and entitled—“welfare Queens,” if you will—with poor attitudes. In accordance with this disposition, he assigns her more work than other associates to supposedly build her character and discipline her poor attitude. Obviously this should be illegal. However, presently, our legal system has no...
I follow Paul, I follow Peter, I follow Apollos, I follow Christ. So Paul famously describes the leader-based factions developing in the Corinthian church. Like many of you, I like to think that if I were there, I would be in that Group 4 that says, “I follow Christ.” Maybe Group 4 was earnest, maybe they were being snarky, or maybe they were peacemakers trying to center the factions around what was important (if they...
O come! O come! Emmanuel! And ransom captive Israel; That mourns in lonely exile here, Until the Son of God appear. Advent is a time of mournful waiting. Participants in this season undergo a theatrical embodiment of the struggles of the people of God. In this drama, the Church relives, in a sense, a time in history in which the Messiah had not yet visited his people. We participate in such a drama in order...
There is a peculiar myth that is cherished by Americans. Dating back prior to the founding of the country, this myth has engrained itself into the very ethos of society. It has been the driving force of the American economy, its judicial system, and as of lately, it can readily be observed in its political system. This myth – and I call it a myth because it is untrue and phantasmal – is so contagious...
SPOILERS AHEAD! RUN FOR THE HILLS! Darren Aronofsky’s new film, mother!, is absolutely stunning. I was mesmerized and blown away. Let me say at the outset that one’s enjoyment of this movie is almost entirely based upon two factors: (a) knowing as little about the film as possible before seeing it, and (b) actually figuring out what you’re watching to some extent. If you know what it’s about beforehand, you may find it predictable. If you...
Where to begin… Charlottesville The world knows of the American embarrassment that is the recent happenings in Charlottesville, Virginia. Neo-Nazis and white supremacists incited violence surrounding the profanely displayed statue of Confederate General and beater of freed slaves, Robert E. Lee. Gen. Lee’s brutality should be condemned along with the then-institution of chattel slavery. However, certain southerners (and unfortunately, many southern Christians) have insisted on the statue remaining and continue to venerate Gen. Lee as a...
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