Category Archives: Politics

“Profoundly Disturbed on the Fourth of July.”

Posted on July 4, 2009 by Stephen

At this point, it’s become a tradition. Almost every year since I first read this essay by Bob Hyatt back in 2003, I’ve posted it on my blog. As much as I’ve changed my views on different things in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, Politics | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

“Thar’s “gobs of ‘em’”

Posted on March 26, 2009 by Stephen

You know how you do dumb things when you’re a kid? Here’s one stupid thing I did: had a congressman sign my Bible. Actually, he wasn’t a congressman yet, he was running his first campaign (on the promise he would … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

“It’s an easy question.”

Posted on February 5, 2009 by Stephen

As a general rule, I prefer watching Jay Leno over David Letterman. On a normal day, the only times I turn on my TV are to watch The Simpsons and Leno’s monologue at the beginning of his show. But, I … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, Random stuff | Leave a comment

Naïve idealism / bitter realism

Posted on January 20, 2009 by Stephen

As we enter a new era, I think it is worth noting our new President’s concise summary of the writings of American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr. As I’ve mentioned here before, I read Niebuhr’s Leaves from the Notebook of a Tamed … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | 1 Comment

Quote of the Week: Never Safe against Temptation

Posted on January 11, 2009 by Stephen

“Americans are never safe against the temptation of claiming God too simply as the sanctifier of whatever we most fervently desire. This is vanity. To be effective in the world, we need a sense of modesty about the virtue, wisdom, … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, Politics, Quote of the Week | Leave a comment

Profoundly Disturbed on the Fourth of July

Posted on July 4, 2008 by Stephen

Back in 2003, I came across an essay by Bob Hyatt, Profoundly Disturbed on the Fourth of July: God, the Flag and the End of America. Every year since then, I’ve looked it up and posted it on my blog … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, Politics | 4 Comments

What hope is there for democracy?

Posted on June 26, 2008 by Stephen

After reading James Dobson’s comments on a speech Barak Obama gave back in 2006, I read Scot McKight’s blog post addressing a few of the ways in which Dobson distorted what Obama actually said. I hope you can listen to … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, Politics | 3 Comments

How to hate a stranger

Posted on December 17, 2006 by Stephen

One of the best songs I’ve heard recently on the radio is the Dixie Chicks Not Ready to Make Nice (which just received Grammy nominations for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Country Performance By a … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies, Music, Politics | 2 Comments

Morality = Holiness?

Posted on November 7, 2006 by Stephen

One of the many books I’m currently working my way through is Walter Brueggemann’s Hopeful Imagination: Prophetic Voices in Exile. After blogging recently about Christianity vs. Morality, Brueggemann’s caution against reducing God’s Holiness to mere moral categories caught my attention. … Continue reading →

Posted in Philosophy, Politics | 1 Comment

Violence vs. Peace

Posted on October 4, 2006 by Stephen

Shaun Groves wrote a post today comparing Martin Luther King’s philosphy during the civil rights movement to that of Huey Newton, founder of the Black Panthers, and then asks how those differing philosophies should affect our thinking today about peace … Continue reading →

Posted in Better Blogs, Philosophy, Politics | 4 Comments