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On Teaching Human Precepts as Doctrine
I’ve been reading through the gospel of Mark, chapter 7, and I came upon this passage (verses 6-8): He said to them, “Isaiah prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written, ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching human precepts…
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Why I Will Never Own a Gun
I have never owned a firearm. I have never fired a weapon. I don’t think I’ve ever even touched a gun. Alright, I think I may have fired a BB-rifle when I was in cub scouts. But that’s about it. Probably the initial reason why I’ve never owned a gun is simply because I grew up…
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Does Christmas Have a Meaning Anymore?
It’s mid-morning on December 25. My kids have opened their presents, and they’re happily playing with new toys. We’re expecting extended family to arrive in a little while. It’s a lull in the excitement and the busyness of this queen of all holidays. And I’m thinking about the “true meaning of Christmas.” I’ve been inspired…
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Don’t Call Me Selfish
Don’t call me selfish. Now, I know that I am selfish sometimes. I can certainly be self-absorbed and self-centered. I can certainly be worried more about my own stuff some days than anybody else’s. I can certainly fail to love my neighbor. But there’s one piece of me that is so often vilified as selfish.…
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Why I’m Not Saying Anything
You know, I keep hearing about how now is the time to stand up and be heard. I keep reading guilt-inducing posts on Facebook written to clergy saying that if you’re not talking about Charlottesville from the pulpit, you’re not doing your job. But you know what? Here’s how I feel right now: What is…
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Memorial Day: Apology and Dream
I am sorry. To the brave men and women who have given their lives in service of this country I call home, I am sorry. You sacrificed for the ideals of this nation, for the ideals of freedom and liberty and justice. You gave your lives with those ideals in mind, sometimes defending the freedoms…
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Battle of the Grown-Ups
I will own this: I am politically left of center. I’m not sure I’d call myself a liberal, but maybe. I am definitely sad and scared about the election results, and the candidates I voted for for president and senator were not elected. I am definitely not happy about federal legislation I expect to see…
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Scared of this election
Is it normal to feel frightened, actually scared, by all the campaign signs this election? Is it normal to feel frightened of going to work on election day, because my workplace is a polling place? Because I am scared. I’m scared of talking about whom I’m supporting, unless the other person brings it up first. I’m…
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Sentences on Which I Would Like to Declare a Moratorium
“We sure could use it.” Every single time someone says, “Looks like rain this week,” the response is always “We sure could use it.” And it’s not just when the grass is brown like right now. It seems to be a kneejerk reaction, like “How are you?” “Fine.” “How are you?” There’s no point in asking…
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O Political Correctness, Where Art Thou?
I am frightened. I am honestly frightened for America right now, frightened for our collective soul. Frightened for what we’re becoming. I have been listening to a podcast called Trumpcast, and I should probably stop. On this podcast, the hosts look at Donald Trump’s candidacy as a phenomenon, what this phenomenon says about Mr. Trump…
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