Vatican, Air Strikes, Jesus

That is why I disagree with the Vatican. Jesus never ever said, “Kill the wicked to protect the innocent.” Never. Not once. He did say, however, to love the enemy and pray for him. He did say that He would be back, with the only justice that can be truly just. We are living between Pentecost and Parousia. God’s reign has been established on the cross. If Christ is our sovereign, really, then we may live among a world still in rebellion, with their war planes and bombs and assault rifles and their hatred, with the ability to inflict suffering, terrible suffering; but we are called to trust (radically!) in His promises, even to eschewing self-defense, and embody that holy reign for all to see.

The Only Way I Know How To Save the World

Yes, social media and Internet activism are wonderful things. Tweet and blog away my brothers and sisters.
But for my part, the only way I know how to save the world is by going to church.

Five Principles of the New Sexual Morality

Until we understand this new morality on its own terms, we’ll be unable to offer effective responses to it.
The following are some of the core principles of the new sexual and relational morality:

• First, sexual acts don’t have intrinsic meanings or purposes.
• Second, our sexuality is a subjective sense and intrinsic to our self-identity.
• Third, sexual agents are autonomous, rights-bearing individuals.
• Fourth, freely given consent is the watchword for sexual relations.
• Fifth, beyond the prevention of harm, sexual relations should be freed from social policing and constraint, from norms and from stigmas.

Wait for the doctor who has Ebola to tell his own story

When Kent is well and has the strength, I am sure he and his wife will tell their story. Then we can all know exactly why they went to Liberia, why they stayed when Ebola turned their world upside down, how they felt as Kent’s condition deteriorated and how they have responded to becoming international celebrities, a status they never sought or wanted. There will be a time and a place to discuss their decisions; a time and a place to discuss the ethics of experimental serums and emergency evacuations and bringing home Americans infected with frightening viruses. Kent will, I believe, have a contribution to make to that debate.

Stop Being a Mouthpiece for Satan

The more clearly you grasp your identity in Christ, the more clearly you will see the destructive power of the tongue diminished as your words begin to align with your true self. And the more you come to see every person around you as a person created in the image of God, the harder and harder it will be to use your words to destroy what God has made.

15 Things We Did At School That Future Students Will Never Understand

1. Copy notes from an overhead projector…
2. …and secretly pass other handwritten notes in class.
3. Write on a chalkboard with real live chalk.
4. Make textbook covers out of paper grocery bags.
5. Tear off the edges of dot matrix paper.
6. Check out library books with the due date stamped in the back.
7. Watch educational programming supported by viewers like us.
8. Sharpen pencils the old-fashioned way — by hand.
9. Carry around giant five-subject notebooks and binders.
10. Sell magazines door to door for the annual school fundraiser.
11. Beg Mom to buy Goosebumps and Animorphs at the book fair.
12. Save our work onto 1.44 MB floppy disks.
13. Learn to type from memorizing nonsensical mnemonics.
14. Look up words on an electronic spell checker.
15. And, finally, lose an ox while fording the river.