The other day, as I was catching up on news from the NFL combine, I came across a headline that caught my attention, "Transgender child banned from girls' bathroom". "Coy Mathis, 6, was born a male but has presented as a female since she was 18-months-old, her mother Kathryn Mathis told talk show host Katie Couric." I was confused and it was not about who used what bathrooms. … [Read more...]
Emergent Christianity in Memphis, Part 2
Emergents are Tolerant, Uncertain, and Relativistic, Except When They are Not In Part 1, I introduced a gathering of Emergent Christians in Memphis to honor Phyllis Tickle, Memphis' resident Emergent, and the forerunner in Emergent thinking. While the first post focused on Tickle's opening talk, and the claims she made in it, this post will focus on her controversial closing … [Read more...]
Emergent Christianity in Memphis, Part 1
2 Timothy 4.3-4 Earlier this month a meeting of Emergent Christians happened at St. Mary's Episcopal Cathedral in Memphis, Tennessee. The meeting was an event honoring Phyllis Tickle, a forerunner in Emergent thinking. Among the over 400 attendees were such emergent luminaries as Brian McLauren, Doug Pagitt, and Tony Jones. … [Read more...]
The Great Generation or the Deluded Generation
Are we wiser than other generations? Has our secular education equipped us to better deal with life and relationships? Well, as a recent article in the Daily Mail reported, it has helped us to become more self-infatuated: Young people's unprecedented level of self-infatuation was revealed in a new analysis of the American Freshman Survey, which has been asking students to … [Read more...]
Virginity, prostitution and backyard cricket!
As this is my first post here, I would like to thank you all for welcoming me to this community. I am excited to be able to interact with you all in this way. Let's get to it ... A Brazilian woman has sold her virginity for $780,000 in an online auction organised by a Melbourne filmmaker. Catarina Migliorini, a 20-year-old physical exercise student, had volunteered to sell her … [Read more...]
Why the “Born This Way” Argument Fails
I doubt there’s much disagreement that it’s the number one argument in play today. In debating the issue of same-sex marriage, and homosexual behavior in general, a very common line of reasoning used by our culture to defend homosexuality is that people are born with their sexual orientation. In Christianity, those espousing a pro-gay theology oftentimes declare, “God made me … [Read more...]
A Prayer for Connecticut
Father God, at times like these we are at a loss for words in our grief. Every fiber of our being cries out against the evil, violence, and pain we see. Our hearts are broken and we weep deeply as we hear about the anguish the victims in Connecticut are experiencing. … [Read more...]
New Kids' Website For Atheism Evangelism
The American Humanist Association has launched a website called "Kids Without God" aimed at promoting and glorifying atheism. It abounds in the usual fallacies (seriously, haven't these folks ever taken Logic 101?) and is blatantly evangelistic. The slogan across the bottom of the home page reads: "Welcome to Kids Without God, a site for the millions of young people around … [Read more...]
A Reponse to Phil Snider: Highlighting A Secular Response
When something goes "viral", it's a good idea to pay attention. Here's the newest viral sensation: a Missouri pastor, speaking at a city council meeting, opens up his speech by taking a stance against gay marriage - or so everyone thought. In a stunning turn of events, he closes the speech by saying that his speech up until that point consisted of quotes from preachers gone by … [Read more...]
The Rev. Phil Snider in Missouri: Argument or Theatre?
It's truly viral: the Rev. Dr. Phil Snider's message to the Springfield City Council on gay rights. Unfortunately it's a great example of truth tanked by theatrics, reason steamrolled by emotion. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-u4Z3n2Fnyc It leaves a powerful impression, but what's his argument? How would you fill in the following blanks to express his point in rational, … [Read more...]