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Christians & Russia

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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Protest=Love

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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Invested in Fear

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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Macy’s 1924 War on Thanksgiving

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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Will God Pour Out Judgment on America for Affirming Gay Marriage?

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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Will the Pope Change Our Minds About the Environment?

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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Christians, Please Stop Embracing War

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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Who is My Enemy?

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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God Became Weak

This Christmas season I am reminded of the profound truth about God that is revealed to us through the incarnation of Jesus. When God enters into the weakness and filth of humanity, He demonstrates that power and goodness and victory over evil are not accomplished through demonstration of strength, violence, sovereignty, and wrath. Victory is […]

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Superstition vs True Religion

Superstition is not simply fears of black cats, breaking mirrors or walking under ladders. Superstition is applying supernatural power to something other than God. God has the power to create, to heal, and to give life. Nothing else has that power. During this time of year, leading up to Halloween, it is valuable to reflect […]

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Another Excerpt from Persecution Complex

The American Christian Persecution Narrative: A Definition The film Back to the Future is a prime example of the dominant cultural script of the 1980s. In the film, Michael J. Fox plays Marty McFly, who accidentally travels back in time to 1955. In the process, he accidentally causes the teenage version of his mother to […]

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Pleasing God

We often view the teachings of Jesus as a broad set of rules and commands. This is the wrong way to understand Jesus. When the distill down the essence of Jesus’ message we see that he is imploring his followers to leave behind their old way of thinking and living and enter into a new […]

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Persecution in America part 2

The second part of the survey results are very interesting. While some people believe that Christians experience legitimate discrimination, the majority see the issue quite differently. Also, check out part 1 and part 3 of the survey results. My book Persecution Complex examines this issue in some detail. Learn more about the book here.

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Does Christianity Justify Bad Behavior?

It seems that every few years there is a spate of scandal surrounding a handful of influential Christian leaders. These controversies are rarely handled with the grace and respect for the victim that I believe Jesus would exhibit.

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