The abusive teachings of Michael and Debi Pearl hurt both women and children

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  Today you can catch our dear friend Elizabeth Esther on Anderson Cooper’s daytime show bravely confronting the abusive teachings of Michael and Debi Pearl. (Check  your local listings for times.)  Elizabeth grew up in a cult-like religious environment in which these teachings were implemented, so it was quite an act of courage for her to face this man on TV. But she did so in hopes that speaking out will stop the abusive tactics that have already killed three children, an... read more

Books, Branding, and the Dangers of Building an Empire on One Idea

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"It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends upon his not understanding it."- Upton Sinclair I was really pleased to hear from a representative from Answers in Genesis yesterday who in response to Friday’s post graciously invited me to visit the creation museum in Cincinnati and maybe even speak with Ken Ham himself. I’m not sure if this counts as a truce, but I’m happy that the AIG folks are willing to talk. I plan to take them up on the offe... read more

Living in a Construction Zone

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As you might have noticed, I often compare the adaptive qualities and ever-changing nature of faith to that of evolutionary biology. This is one of my favorite metaphors, in part because it is provocative, controversial, and delightfully ironic given my location, but also because few comparisons are as colorful or as spot-on. I was reminded of the similarities the other day when I happened upon biologist Jerry A. Coyne’s observation that “evolution is like an architect who cannot d... read more

Confessions of the Local Heretic

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I used to care a lot about what people thought of me.  Like, a whole lot. I used to make decisions based on how family and friends would respond. I used to champion causes that I knew were already popular. I used to live with a paralyzing fear of criticism and an addiction to affirmation.  I used to use other people’s eyes as my mirrors. When you live in a small, Southern town, you develop a reputation that likes to follows you around like one of Philip Pullman’s daemon... read more

When God's mystery begins where our curiosity ends

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So I’m reading Tribes by Seth Godin, which is a fantastic book on leadership that I highly recommend to those of you who like to think outside the box, pursue big ideas, or quit your job and stick it to The Man. The book is not specifically religious, so I was a bit surprised to bump into what I thought was a really interesting assessment of religious fundamentalism on page 63, where Godin writes: A fundamentalist is a person who considers whether a fact is acceptable to his religion be... read more

What is Fundamentalism?

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In our book club selection for this month, author and religious expert Phyllis Tickle describes the origins of Christian fundamentalism. On page 65 of The Great Emergence she writes: Within twenty years [of 1874] the threat of evolution and the kind of biblical criticism and liberal theology it and other concomitant trends were seen as empowering had reached such a pitch that a series of Bible Conferences of Conservative Protestants were held at various sites in the United States. In 1895, the ... read more

Fundamentalism, Evangelicalism, and the Palin/Bryan Factor

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A few weeks ago, just when I’d decided I’d had enough of lipstick, pigs, and the feigned outrage of the suddenly feminist Republican Party, I picked up the local newspaper to read: “Dayton invites Sarah Palin to Speak.” “Ahhhh! She’s everywhere!” I screamed. I’d already glanced through two Newsweek cover stories about her, read a lengthy Time piece, suffered through seemingly endless TV news coverage…and now here she was on the front ... read more

No gay jokes please

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The other day, a co-worker told a “joke” about physically hurting gay people. It was his third gay joke of the day, (he’d already cracked two about women), so I decided I ought to let him know it bothered me. No one else in the room objected to his remarks. I’ve found myself in this awkward position several times before, especially when working with my more conservative evangelical clients. It seems that among this group, gays are fair game. Now, I understand that there i... read more

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