Tag Landing

Spring Break Re-Post 1: How God Judges the Nations

I’m taking a little spring break from blogging this week and reposting some oldies. This post, from August of 2008, is especially appropriate in light of last week’s discussion about Glenn Beck’s controversial comments. (See also Scot McKnight’s fantastic post on the subject.) James, the brother of Jesus, wrote the following in an open letter to the early church: “…Weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you…[Your sin] w... read more

Do you go to a “communist” church?

Comments

“He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8) "When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint.When I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a Communist." - Helder Camara *** Glenn Beck: "I beg you, look for the words ’social justice’ or &l... read more

We already failed Haiti

Comments

As images from Haitian earthquake continue to flood our TV screens, and as calls for aid grow louder and louder, it’s only natural that we pause and ask ourselves, Why did this happen? Where was God in all of this? Couldn’t He have done something? For years, questions like these threatened to unravel my faith. In the aftermath of the Asian tsunami of 2004 and the Pakistani earthquake of 2005, I found myself struggling to believe that God was good, present, and real. When well-meani... read more

Are we "blessed" or "lucky"?

Comments

It’s sort of an unspoken rule that good Christians refrain from using the word “luck” when describing happy circumstances. By far the more spiritual word is “blessed,” for it connotes divine intervention by God as opposed to mere chance. So when you reflect on ten years of happy marriage, you are supposed to say that you are “blessed” to have a loving and supportive spouse. When you eat a particularly delicious homemade meal, you are supposed to ... read more

Restoring Respect for Journalists

Comments

With the expected trial of reporters Laura Ling and Euna Lee in North Korea this week, I was once again reminded of the incredible sacrifices that journalists make to bring us stories from around the world. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reported 125 cases of imprisonment in 2008, and has confirmed the deaths of 14 journalists from eight countries in 2009. Ling and Lee were reporting on female refugees abducted by human traffickers when the two were said to have crossed the border ... read more

Torture and Lies

Comments

Last week, President Obama’s Justice Department published previously classified memos that outlined the Bush administration’s legal justification for torturing detainees. According to the memos, techniques included waterboarding, walling (hitting a detainee repeatedly against a wall), facial holds and slaps, stress positions, sleep deprivation, and releasing insects into a confinement box. All of this was going on while President Bush defiantly declared in a press conference that &l... read more

Wealth, Part 2: A Blessing or a Curse?

Comments

As I write this, I’m sitting in the cluttered office of my three-bedroom, two-bathroom home, typing away on a nice laptop and enjoying a high-speed Internet connection that I claim I could not live without. Having just gotten home from church, I’m wearing a dressy navy-blue outfit, which I’m convinced would look better with a matching pair of navy-blue shoes. My house is equipped with running water, central heat and air, and Satellite TV. We’ve got more than enough food s... read more

Wealth, Part 1: How God Judges the Nations

Comments

James, the brother of Jesus, wrote the following in an open letter to the early church: “…Weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you…[Your sin] will be a witness against you and will consumer your flesh like fire.” Was he referring to a) homosexuality, b) abortion, or c) excessive wealth? The answer is c. When the Prophet Ezekiel describes why God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, does he cite the cities’ a) sexual promiscuity, b) abortion... read more

Finish-the-Sentence Friday: Olympics

Comments

Finish the following sentence: President Bush was right/wrong to attend the opening ceremonies for the Olympic Games in China because I’ll start: My opinion is that President Bush was wrong to attend the opening ceremonies for the Olympic Games in China because his absence would have shown unity with other world leaders who are fed up with China’s continued human rights abuses. From its support of the Sudanese government (which is perpetrating the genocide in Darfur), to its ... read more

10 Reasons to Read "Jesus for President"

Comments

1. It’s our book club selection for the month of August! 2. The book’s design is unique and aesthetically pleasing - lots of color and art on every page. I’ve never seen anything quite like it. 3. It will make you uncomfortable….It may even offend you.* 4. Jesus for President will inspire you to sell all of your belongings, run your car on vegetable oil, and live among the poor….at least for a few minutes. Long term, it will inspire you to more faithfully apply... read more

"Socialist" propaganda (with biblical support!)

Comments

The other day, a colleague called me a socialist when he found out I plan on voting for a democrat this year. “So you’re okay with your hard-earned money turning into handouts?” he asked incredulously. “You don’t think you have a right to keep what you earn?” Several others in the room piped in, ranting about the evils of universal healthcare and the welfare system. I was doing some design work for a conservative evangelical organization, and I was surprised b... read more

Join my email list