WHY DO YOU PRAY? HOW DO YOU PRAY? WHAT DO YOU PRAY? These questions have occupied a lot of my thinking time recently. A few months ago, I embarked on a personal quest to reclaim Christianity from so-called “Christians.” I realize that I’ve let them hijack one of the most important tools of my religious […]
We Must Re-Horrify the Sin of Homosexuality
Linda Harvey is a woman on a mission.Through her organization Mission: America, she takes up the standard torch of the far right, bashing the triumvirate of evil: gays, Planned Parenthood and Muslims. On her weekly talk show, she recently lamented that acceptance of gay people seems to be widespread despite her efforts to paint us […]
How to Discuss Politics at the Thanksgiving Table
If you really want to discuss difficult issues at the Thanksgiving table, the best approach is to start by listening. And avoid the eye roll! And don’t read my instructions on how to give the perfect eye roll. Seriously. Don’t learn how to roll your eyes like an expert.
Judge Claims “Religious Liberty” Means Her Beliefs First, Laws Second.
The so-called Alliance Defending Freedom (i.e., discrimination) has struck again with another frivolous appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. This time, they’ve picked a terrible case. They’re arguing that judges should have the right to express their religious views publicly. In October 2014, the Wyoming Supreme Court declared that Wyoming had to issue a marriage […]
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 […]
What’s in a name?
ISSUE: This week in Grey Matters, we look at a dilemma facing every married couple, gay or straight. What do you do about the social convention where the wife takes the husband’s last name? Let’s examine this topic with a fictional story about Juan Gomez, an attorney, and Billy White, a personal trainer. The couple has […]
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 […]
Grey Matters* – Should the CEO of Big Bass Sports come out of the closet?
The characters and events in Grey Matters are fictitious. ISSUE: This week in Grey Matters – We look at the issue of “coming out” relative to the consequences. Specifically, does the CEO of a company have the right to publicly announce that he is gay even if it might affect his employees, corporate earnings and […]
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 […]
One-third of Americans still uncomfortable to see two guys holding hands.
I had dinner with a friend in downtown San Diego last night. My friend walked me to my car, and we saw a gay couple walking in front of us with arms around each other. “That’s rare,” he said. I asked him why, and he said, “Outside of Hillcrest, you don’t see two guys affectionate […]