ISSUE: Talking about religion can be uncomfortable for people, and hearing others talk about their religion can be downright off-putting. In this week’s Grey Matters, we look at the issue of faith and the professional athlete. In particular, should an Olympic runner for Team USA give praise to Allah for his gold medal? This story […]
Grey Matters: Should a doctor be forced to choose between her faith and her profession?
ISSUE: This week in Grey Matters, we look at the First Amendment and the free exercise of religion, and how far should this be protected. In particular, should a doctor be forced to choose between following her faith and practicing medicine. Let’s examine this topic with a fictional story about Dr. Evelyn Wright, a pediatrician in […]
Grey Matters: When is it ok to share your faith in the workplace?
ISSUE: More than half of Americans say that faith is important to them, but it’s not something that many people talk about. In this week’s Grey Matters, we look at the issue of sharing your faith at work. Specifically, should Gayle be able to invite her co-worker Amanda to a church event or does her […]
Is it ok for religious-affiliated hospitals to limit treatment options for patients?
ISSUE: This week in Grey Matters, we look at a trend in the healthcare industry where religious-affiliated groups are taking over public hospitals and applying their ethics and values. Specifically, is it ok for religious-affiliated hospitals to limit treatment options for patients ? Let’s examine this topic with a fictional story about Carol and Dr. […]
Grey Matters: In the new “sharing economy,” is it ok for people to pick with whom they choose to share?
ISSUE: This week in Grey Matters, we look at discrimination and the sharing economy. Specifically, should a person have the right to refuse to rent a room in her home to a gay couple? Let’s examine this topic with a fictional story about Dot and Austin, lifelong residents of Nashville, TN. BACKGROUND: For more than […]
Mississippi decides that being gay is a “super sin”
This is the first blog in my “All the Words in Red” series where we take a look at what Jesus said and apply that to 21st century problems. When I was a kid growing up in rural South Carolina, we had a saying, “Thank God for Mississippi.” The reason we said this: even […]
Ellen reminds us that we’re more alike than we are different
Please check out this public service announcement from the non-political Ellen Degeneres. I love her comment that she could buy the governor’s mansion, redo it, flip it and make $7 million.
Advice for Same-Sex Couples on How to Navigate Anti-Gay Discriminatory Laws
This November, Missouri voters will be able to pass an amendment that will enshrine in the Missouri Constitution the right to discriminate against same sex couples on the grounds of a sincere religious belief. With a change in their procedural rules, Missouri Republican Senators stopped a thirty-nine-hour filibuster of the anti-gay bill, sending it to […]
Finding my way back to Church with the guiding light of Sarah Bessey
On Friday night, my husband and I went to the First Church of the Nazarene to hear Sarah Bessey, a Christian blogger from western Canada. From the moment we arrived in the gym where chairs and a mock living room stage had been set up for the conversation, I was touched by the energy in […]
Pope Francis tells Trump he’s not a Christian. Trump calls himself humble.
The New York Times reported today that Pope Francis suggested that Donald Trump is not a Christian. Returning home to Rome after a six day trip to Mexico, the Pope told a reporter, “A person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not Christian.” Earlier that day, Pope […]