Category: religion
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The Christian Agenda
The 2016 primaries have come to the Bible Belt. Already politicians are competing for the evangelical vote. For too long we progressive Christians have allowed evangelicals to be spokespersons for the Gospel. In fact, in the minds of many outside the Christian faith, “Christian” and “conservative” are synonymous. Evangelicals tend to preach against homosexuality and…
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When religious belief conflicts with the law
Freedom of religion is not under attack. There have always been conflicts between religious values and what the government expects of its citizens. Like resisters of the past, Kim Davis must be willing to accept the consequences.
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The so-called war on Christmas
A manger scene in a town square, the words Merry Christmas on a public building, a card sent by a public official (at the tax payer’s expense) wishing the constituency a Merry Christmas—what effect do these have on those who practice a different faith, whose beliefs are as important to them as mine are to…
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A war against Christmas?
If anything symbolizes the spirit of Christmas these days it’s plastic: plastic toys, appliances, even guns, all paid for with plastic cards. Is that the spirit of Christmas Sarah Palin and friends are defending when they cry out that there’s a war against Christmas?
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Politics—who cares?
I tried to quit caring what happens in government. So what if my neighbors suffer under state and federal budget cuts? So what if long after I’m gone the earth becomes unsuitable for human life? I’m past my child-bearing years. So what if women are denied contraception and abortion?
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A Future with Hope (for survivors of domestic violence)
Our faith should be a source of empowerment and healing. Yet churches have more often than not failed women who live with domestic violence.
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If Jesus Had a Gun
We’ve been talking about guns while we celebrate the Prince of Peace. What if Jesus had been armed?
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God and Campaign 2012
10-0: the number of times Republicans mentioned God in their platform versus Democrats’ references to the Deity—until Fox News noticed the discrepancy. Which means Republicans are faithful to God, while the Democrats are guided by—Satan, I guess.
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God and the right to marry
“The freedom to marry has long been recognized as one of the vital personal rights essential to the orderly pursuit of happiness by free men,” the court opinion stated in 1967.
Nancy Werking Poling 