But instead a stance taken against girls going to college. Here is the “logic” of the article. Men prefer debt free virgins without tattoos. College is where debt, sex and tattoos happen. Therefore girls shouldn’t go to college. This logic is obviously filled with error. Even if some men prefer these traits, and even if…Continue reading Response to Men Prefer Debt Free Virgins – Part 2
Category: Personal
Political Issues and Christians and the Johnson Amendment Part II
Many on the other side of this case make the argument that the amendment limits their freedom of speech. They say that it means that they cannot “speak their piece” in support of or in condemnation of a political candidate or party. I would respond that of course they can, and legally. At any point…Continue reading Political Issues and Christians and the Johnson Amendment Part II
Political Issues and Christians and the Johnson Amendment
Political issues In general, I am a big fan of Christians being motivated by our faith to be involved in protecting the liberty via the political system. I think it is vital that we understand how and why things work – even if they are not directly connected to scriptural issues – like raising or…Continue reading Political Issues and Christians and the Johnson Amendment
Confederate Monuments, School Names, and more… REL Tyler, Texas
Here in Tyler, Texas, we have a school named “Robert E. Lee Highschool”. It is really a pretty good public high school. Like all public High Schools, it has its share of kids from all kinds of backgrounds, issues, ethnicities, social levels, etc. Like most public High Schools, this is one of its great strengths.…Continue reading Confederate Monuments, School Names, and more… REL Tyler, Texas
Rites of Passages, The Basics
As a counselor and a pastor… and as man, rites of passages are very important to me. Throughout history and across people groups, rites of passages have been culturally vital ways to communicate to members of the community that they are taking on a new role within that community – boy to man, worker to…Continue reading Rites of Passages, The Basics
The Uncommon Life – Part 2
I am sorry that this two part article got broken up. You might go back and refresh yourself with the first part again. This level of “oddity” is so “common” that it inspired Tom Clancy to say that “the difference between fiction and reality is that fiction has to make sense.” Mark Twain is given…Continue reading The Uncommon Life – Part 2
What to do when someone threatens suicide
This is an era of when suicide is a part of the cultural conversation again, we need to be prepared to engage with it in a serious way. The article I linked to above is for parents who kids are watching or who have watched the popular show “13 Reasons” – but in general, I…Continue reading What to do when someone threatens suicide
Confederate Monument Controversy – Part 5
Crisis Culture In our crisis-based nation (we seem to have almost no culture except for the culture of crisis… which, by the way, I assume is the unavoidable consequence of the culture of media that we developed in the last few decades. To paraphrase Frank Peretti , “TV does not reflect the culture nor affect…Continue reading Confederate Monument Controversy – Part 5
Confederate Monument Controversy – Part 4
Christian Ethic #2 for this conversation: So, what about in 2017? Should we be removing monuments to Confederate Leaders? Well, there certainly is wisdom in doing so… and then a Christian ethic for doing so. First, the wisdom – and from what you might consider an unlikely source: Lexington, VA., August 5, 1869. Dear Sir–Absence…Continue reading Confederate Monument Controversy – Part 4
Confederate Monument Controversy – Part 3
Here is a historical and human truth: Essentially every human being has aspects of their lives that are noble (did you know that Hitler was an aspiring artist?) and aspects of their lives that were distressing (Did you know that George Washington was a slave owner?). This is according to the Christian understanding that though…Continue reading Confederate Monument Controversy – Part 3
Confederate Monument Controversy – Part 2
… (read part 1 if you haven’t yet) And, in the continued research, I discovered that there are dozens of various statues and monuments to the man, especially in South Carolina. Schools, streets, and a city are named for him. Because of his military prowess, a ship was named after him in WWII. I want…Continue reading Confederate Monument Controversy – Part 2
Thoughts on NFL Kneeling (and other) Protests
I think that it might seem strange for me to publish the articles series that I started yesterday about Confederate Monuments without commenting on the protests. Those were scheduled a few weeks ago to publish at this time, and I was concerned that something new would be at the forefront by the time they posted(welcome…Continue reading Thoughts on NFL Kneeling (and other) Protests
Confederate Monuments Controversy – Part I
Taking/tearing down Confederate Monuments “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all… Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” The Apostle Paul, Romans 12:18 & 21 Hopefully the verse above makes it clear that I am writing this to Bible – believing Christians. If you have…Continue reading Confederate Monuments Controversy – Part I
Suicide in the Bible
Does the Bible deal with the tough issues? It does. Christianity is neither merely a religion nor outdated. People despair. People struggle with mental illness. People get trapped in the belief that there are only two choices – a long tortuous death or a quick release… but the problem is that there are almost always…Continue reading Suicide in the Bible
My Theology of Race – Part 4
Intermarriage There were multiple commands from God to the Jews not to intermarry with the Canaanites and other tribes they were conquering in the Promised Land. “You shall not intermarry with them, giving your daughters to their sons or taking their daughters for your sons, 4 for they would turn away your sons from following me,…Continue reading My Theology of Race – Part 4
My Theology of Race – Part 3
Tower of Babel The Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-8,9) “Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth. And from there the Lord dispersed them over the face of all the earth.” This passage, which is among the shortest and most obscure in the entire Bible to…Continue reading My Theology of Race – Part 3
My Theology of Race – Part 2
Shem, Ham, Japheth A common Jewish tradition is that the three “races” were the progeny of Noah’s three sons, Shem, Japheth and Ham. Gen 9:18-19 “The sons of Noah who went forth from the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. (Ham was the father of Canaan.) 19 These three were the sons of Noah, and from…Continue reading My Theology of Race – Part 2
My Theology of Race – Part I
Throughout Christian history, people have made great use, and sometimes great abuse, of the Holy Bible to seek to explain the diversity of human beings. Obviously, in various ways, people are different from one another, and sometimes those differences are obvious – like skin tone. For years, people have used those skin tone differences to…Continue reading My Theology of Race – Part I
Talking to Kids about Death Video Series
Hello everyone – a few years ago, I was invited to speak at a church about talking to kids about death. Recently, a child had died in their community, and they wanted tools to talk to their children about it. Recently, in our community a child was kidnapped and apparently killed. As Alethia scrambles to…Continue reading Talking to Kids about Death Video Series
How Much Time Do Husbands and Wives Need to Spend Together? Part I
Part 1 Happy Valentine’s Day! I was recently asked to comment on the question of how much time a husband and wife should spend together, and most often this actually takes the form of “how much time is it reasonable to for me to ask my spouse to spend with me? (since I have asked…Continue reading How Much Time Do Husbands and Wives Need to Spend Together? Part I