As Usual, a Complex and Nuanced Topic is Reduced to Brainless Tribal Grunts and Screams — “Truth resists simplicity.” ― John Green No matter what side of the abortion debate you are on, Pro-Choice or Pro-Life, you probably think your stance is good and the other one is evil. It’s the most extreme black-and-white issue in American politics today, and that’s a high bar. It’s also…

Trying to focus our lives around a purpose just closes us off to life itself. — “What’s my purpose in life?” is a question that burdens many, but mostly the young. This is because age brings a varied combination of disillusionment and humility which renders the idea of “purpose” as almost absurd. …

What could we possibly have done to merit such rage? — The gods are angry! Oh, what have we done? Our doom is coming! There’s nowhere to run! We sacrificed every virgin, on an altar so high. Yet the dark clouds are still building, we are going to die. We killed all the outsiders, who wandered into our tribe. …

The 400 Years Between the Old and New Testament Can Put the Entire Story of Jesus in a Fresh Context Religious texts are always an abundant source of contention and debate, but few have been misunderstood and abused more than the Gospels. Over the years I have realized the problem…

We aren’t just experiencing individual mental health issues during COVID-19, we are experiencing grief as a society. The only way through this is together. — It can go without saying that many of us are struggling with mental health during this pandemic crisis. Sadly, too many of us also go without saying something about how we are feeling. …

Authenticity has become a way to make social privilege seem virtuous. — Authenticity has got to be one of the ingenious inventions of 21st-century culture. Here’s how it works: You take a person of high social status and privilege, remove all expectations of responsibility and civility, and then say, "Oh my God! They’re just so real, you know?" Tada! What was once…

The rejection of LGBTQ individuals is a rejection of the nature of God — Those who persecute the LGBTQ community often hide behind a false doctrine that the Bible justifies their behavior. The reality is that the nature of God is very gender-fluid throughout Scripture, and even in the ancient traditions of Judeo/Christian spirituality. From a divine perspective, gender is more about a manifestation…

Less a Rebuttal, More an Alternative — In Nov. 2019, fellow Medium author, Joe Omundson, published the article "Seven Problems in Christianity That Killed My Faith." I didn't see this article till a couple of months later (algorithms and all that), but I found it a wonderfully honest and articulate expression of what bothers lots of people…

Even if you believe Jesus is the real deal, religion has put way too much focus on miracles. — What’s the difference between a magic trick and a miracle? The new Netflix series, Messiah, has done a great job of calling attention to the slippery line between the two. For those who haven’t seen it, Messiah is a show about someone claiming to be the “Second Coming” of Jesus…