Christians & Russia

March 22, 2017 by JasonWiedel 0 Comments

The United States has continually tied religion to nationalism in an effort to bolster the patriotic support of its citizens. This was especially true in the Cold War era. Throughout the 1940s, ’50s, and ’60s, it was widely recognized that the Soviets sought to remove religion from society. The term “godless communist” became commonplace in […]

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General, In the News, Theology
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Protest=Love

January 21, 2017 by JasonWiedel 0 Comments

I am both encouraged and quite frustrated by what I am seeing on social media today. I have many friends who (along with millions of others) are attending protests and rallies in both Washington, DC, and in other cities across this country. I am seeing their photos and comments of excitement and encouragement. I also […]

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In the News, Theology
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Being Thankful Improves Your Life

November 26, 2016 by JasonWiedel 1 Comment

Expressing gratefulness makes those around us feel good, but it also improves our own well-being. Here are a few ways being thankful can make your life better. Being Thankful makes your happier (2005 Positive Psychology Progress) Being Thankful improves your physical health (2012 study published in Personality and Individual Differences) Being Thankful improves psychological health […]

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General
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News Feeds and Itching Ears

November 16, 2016 by JasonWiedel 0 Comments

In recent days there has been a fair amount of attention given to “fake news” and its distribution of the internet. Here are a few examples of the stories which have been circulating lately: The FBI Agent Who Leaked Hillary’s Emails was Found Dead The Pope Endorsed Donald Trump You Can Vote By Text Hillary […]

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General, In the News
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Invested in Fear

June 15, 2016 by JasonWiedel 1 Comment

I have noticed that there is always something for Christians to fear. At least that is what they tell us. When I was a kid it was Satanism, Dungeons & Dragons, heavy metal music and anything with a whiff of the occult. The teenagers of the 80s who ignored the warnings eventually got jobs, had […]

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General, Theology
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Macy’s 1924 War on Thanksgiving

November 22, 2015 by JasonWiedel 0 Comments

My Thanksgiving usually begins by preparing the turkey first thing in the morning. In recent years my family has enjoyed a different method of cooking: roasting, frying, smoking . . . Once the Turkey is in the oven (or the smoker, or the fryer), we plop down on the couch to look through the Black […]

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General, Theology
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Is It Time To Stand Against the Christmas Warriors?

November 8, 2015 by JasonWiedel 2 Comments

This year Starbucks, which acknowledges Christmas with elaborate store decorations, special edition tree ornaments, holiday music in its stores, and a seasonal coffee called “Christmas Blend,” is drawing the fire of the defenders of Christmas by unveiling it’s red 2015 holiday cup which features the green Starbucks logo, but no other Christmas imagery. The culture […]

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General, In the Media, In the News
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Be a Thinking Person, Not an Ideologue

September 9, 2015 by JasonWiedel 0 Comments

As the presidential election approaches we will likely hear more and more political grandstanding that simplifies complex issues and attempts to force us into ideological categories. We are never encouraged to take complicated, nuanced positions, but simply to make decisions based on flat, black-and-white thinking that requires very little of us or of our political […]

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General, In the News
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Will God Pour Out Judgment on America for Affirming Gay Marriage?

June 26, 2015 by JasonWiedel 11 Comments

No. Oh, did you want more than that? Let’s talk about the character of God. But first, let’s talk about the amazing events of June 26, 2015. A crowd waited in front of the Supreme Court hoping for a ruling on the gay marriage issue which the justices had been debating for some time. News […]

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General, In the News, Theology
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Will the Pope Change Our Minds About the Environment?

June 2, 2015 by JasonWiedel 0 Comments

The first time I heard the hymn All Creatures of Our God and King was at a small Southern Baptist church when I was fairly young. I do not remember my first time hearing most songs, but this one struck me because of its focus on nature and especially its verse that addresses “Mother Earth.” Dear […]

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General, In the News, Theology
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“Religious Persecution” is all about Political Power

May 20, 2015 by JasonWiedel 0 Comments

George Smathers was a US senator who represented Florida from 1951 to 1969. During the 1950 election, Time magazine reported that Smathers attempted to disparage his opponent during a speech by saying, “Are you aware that Claude Pepper is known all over Washington as a shameless extrovert? Not only that, but this man is reliably reported […]

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General
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Why Earth Day Should Be Important To Christians

April 22, 2015 by JasonWiedel 2 Comments

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General, Theology
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Getting Rob Bell-ed

February 24, 2015 by JasonWiedel 2 Comments

You may have seen the news this week that evangelical author and activist Brandon Robertson was dropped by his publisher, Destiny Image. It seems that Robertson’s activity as an advocate for marriage equality within the evangelical church made it very difficult for Destiny Image to sell the book (which is not yet published) to Christian […]

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General, In the News
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Audio Presentations

February 9, 2015 by JasonWiedel 0 Comments

Below are two downloadable presentation about Persecution Complex. Enjoy. Presentation at Williamburg Mennonite Chruch MP3 Presentation at Surry United Methodist Church MP3

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Uncategorized
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Christians, Please Stop Embracing War

January 29, 2015 by JasonWiedel 0 Comments

Part of American Christianity has planted its flag in the issue of war. Defending America’s use of violence, and subsequently all actions carried out by the American military, has become a matter of patriotism as well as devotion to God. This past week Fox News’ commentator, Todd Starnes, in response to criticism of the film American […]

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General, In the Media, In the News, Theology
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Who is My Enemy?

January 9, 2015 by JasonWiedel 0 Comments

A neighbor recently shared with me his philosophy for dealing with bad behavior. “Like the Bible says, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.” It is surprising to me the number of people who will quote this verse as a defense of retribution, violence, and vengeance believing they are taking a biblical […]

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General, Theology
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Killed by the Church, Resurrected by Christ

January 7, 2015 by JasonWiedel 0 Comments

I have recently had the pleasure of catching up with Rick Apperson. I attended a ministry school with Rick and his wife Sarah twenty years ago. Rick has recently published a book that recounts much of his life since that time. Killed by the Church, Resurrected by Christ is a memoir of Rick’s journey through the struggles […]

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General

25 Christian Blogs You Should Be Reading (2014 Readers’ Choice)

January 2, 2015 by JasonWiedel 0 Comments

I am pleased to be among this great group of bloggers. Click the link below to read the whole list at Patheos.com. 25 Christian Blogs You Should Be Reading (2014 Readers’ Choice).

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General

Review of 2014

December 31, 2014 by JasonWiedel 0 Comments

Here are a few things that many of us took in in 2014. These items are things that I thought were significant, impacting, or just fun. Serial Early this year many people were predicting that podcasts were on the decline. Then at the beginning of October Serial appeared, and changed the world. Serial was a weekly […]

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General, In the Media
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