Category Archives: Culture

Chasing Fads

Posted on January 30, 2013 by

The prophet Ezekiel had to act out many of his prophesies. Think performance art. This ranged from being stuck lying on one side for months at a time (Ezekiel 4:4-8), to laying siege to a brick (4:1-3), to God making … Continue reading →

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Implications

Posted on December 16, 2012 by

The number of confirmed planets circling stars other than our sun is now above 800. Seven of those planets are somewhat similar in size to Earth and swing about their stars in what’s called the “habitable zone”–meaning that water would … Continue reading →

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Christmas Yet to Come

Posted on December 3, 2012 by

Forty-four years ago this Christmas three men became the first human beings to travel to the moon. The astronauts of Apollo 8—James Lovell, Frank Borman, and Bill Anders—did not land on the moon: they merely orbited it ten times. But … Continue reading →

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Biblical Family Values

Posted on November 14, 2012 by

When I hear talk about “biblical” family values, the words from the movie Princess Bride roll through my mind: “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.” Biblical family values? The Bible … Continue reading →

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Universals

Posted on October 24, 2012 by

Some commentators have suggested that since our ideas of human rights are strictly western concepts, it is an example of both ethnocentrism and cultural imperialism for us to insist that eastern nations — for instance China — be bound by … Continue reading →

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The Ten Commandments

Posted on September 28, 2012 by

Some Christians believe it would be a good idea to hang copies of the Ten Commandments up in schools, courtrooms and other public places. I’m not sure why they would want to do this. Perhaps they believe if they can … Continue reading →

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Is This World Entirely Awful?

Posted on September 17, 2012 by

If God exists, and he is good and all powerful, then why is there so much evil? If you were good and all powerful, is this the world you would create? The eighteenth century philosopher Voltaire wrote a story called … Continue reading →

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What Freedom Is

Posted on September 12, 2012 by

Every so often I read the oddest comments. Some people are convinced that there has been an erosion of freedom in the United States. Desmond Tutu is recorded in a Newsweek web interview (this was about seven years ago now), … Continue reading →

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Leadership

Posted on September 9, 2012 by

In facing the question of the place of women in the Church and the relationship of men and women, one text that has rarely been used in the issue perhaps would clarify and eliminate the problems fairly simply. Jesus called … Continue reading →

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The Importance of Separation

Posted on September 3, 2012 by

If you accept government money, sooner or later you’re going to have to do what you’re told—no matter what—in order to keep getting the cash. There is a reason the Apostle Paul wrote that the love of money is the … Continue reading →

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