Gay Marriage Vs. the First Amendment
Alas, according to the constitution, established government doctrines about “good” celebrations can be enforced, but freely exercised religious beliefs must also be protected. The Founders didn’t imagine that our cultural divisions could get so deep that the First Amendment contained the seeds of its own contradiction.
So, the ball is in our court. The more blindly we hate discrimination, and the more blindly we love celebration, the more we will be tempted to accept equality in servitude to enforced ideologies—and simply hope that the “right” people maintain power forever. America may be able to survive that collective indignity, but the First Amendment is not.
Is Your Church Donald Sterling’s Instagram Dream?
Christians have known for a long time that Sunday morning at 10:00am is the most segregated hour of the week, but curiously, we do, or care, little about it. In part, we don’t know what to do about race. There is a soothing lie, which we either collectively believe or have fallen under the mass delusion of. That lie? Culture and cultural differences are greater forces than the gospel.
I began to realize that inside the church, the territory between Augustine of Hippo and Jerry Falwell seems vast, and miles lie between Ron Sider and Pat Robertson. But in the eyes of the university (and much of the press), subscribers to broad Christian orthodoxy occupy the same square foot of cultural space.
The line between good and evil was drawn by two issues: creedal belief and sexual expression. If religious groups required set truths or limited sexual autonomy, they were bad—not just wrong but evil, narrow-minded, and too dangerous to be tolerated on campus.
The same dynamic takes place in churches. Where grace and law are taught academically but law is “felt” as the operating system of the church, you will likely have a stifling, gossipy, burdensome environment. Where grace and law are taught theologically but grace is felt as the operating system of the church, you will see people begin to flourish, breathe. (You’ll also attract more sinners, which is where religious people start getting a little antsy.)
Creating A Hospice Ministry For Churches
I would give people hope that their church could die with dignity in a way that advanced the cause of Christ. As it is, the only thing they see is that door shutting and that padlock coming to mothball the place where they got married, and built an education wing, and gave for the parking lot, and had late night prayer revivals. But if you can show dying churches another way, if you can point to another future, you can give them an opportunity to honor their past.
Texting While Driving = Stupidity
I have a blogger friend that I feel especially close to.
God has been gracious and kind in blessing us to be friends.
She encourages me and gives me advice and has a heart like mine.
I know that the reason we are good friends is that we both love Jesus.
Funny, I have never met her in person but I love her.
Yesterday I found out that her sister and brother-in-law were in a tragic car accident.
He died and her sister was hurt but is physically going to be ok.
Heartbreaking. Painful and senseless.
You see- they were hit by a girl that was texting while driving.
Again- senseless.
I am praying for my friend and her sister and family.
Please, please, let’s all STOP TEXTING WHILE DRIVING!
Mysterious Fake Cellphone Towers Are Intercepting Calls All Over The US
Seventeen fake cellphone towers were discovered across the U.S. last week, according to a report in Popular Science.
Rather than offering you cellphone service, the towers appear to be connecting to nearby phones, bypassing their encryption, and either tapping calls or reading texts.
Overzealous high school grounds crew mows artificial turf
A grounds crew got a bit overzealous recently and gave a Maryland high school artificial turf field a trim with a lawnmower.
Caliendo: Morgan Freeman Talkin’ About Practice
[Apparently I can’t embed this video from ESPN. But it’s hilarious.