The last widely recognized public execution in the United States took place on Aug. 14, 1936, in Owensboro, Ky. Rainey Bethea, a 22-year-old Black man, was hanged before an estimated crowd of 20,000 people. Bethea had been accused of raping…
Marco Rubio’s incomplete view of Western Civilization
On Wednesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio gave a speech while standing in front of the Acropolis in Athens, Greece. His address was a call for America and its European allies to unite in the renewal and defense of a…
Here’s why oil and religion mix in the Texas Senate race
In Texas, the 2026 midterm election is a fight between two poorly understood brands of religion filtered through the oil business. Texas is a solidly red state. In 2024, Donald Trump won the state by 13.7 points. In 2022, Republican Gov….
Elon Musk’s Grok sues Minnesota for right to keep ‘nudifying’ images
xAI, owner of the Grok chatbot and image generator, is suing the state of Minnesota to defend its right to produce and host nonconsensual AI-generated nudified images. Of course, that’s not exactly how xAI words it. Instead, they present themselves…
As midterms approach, Fox News is focused on heaven and hell
One of the biggest ironies among conservatives today is that they complain so much about “fake news” while watching Fox News. As Donald Trump lashes out against the media, white evangelicals claim the mainstream media is attempting to indoctrinate Americans….
These people would all be alive if it weren’t for ICE
I’ve written before about my involvement with an interfaith clergy coalition in Dallas. Since May 2025, we’ve held constant vigil with people of faith outside the Dallas ICE Field Office. Last week, we held a special vigil. Sept. 24 marked…
A sober analysis of the 2026 midterms
I write often about how politics is not the only thing to care about if you are a Christian. However, it is indeed one thing to care about, one very important thing. I have found Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s guidance very helpful…
Whatever happened to fiscal conservatism?
Fiscal conservatism has died, replaced by an open season of corruption in the Trump administration. For example, on her last day as director of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem signed a multi-million dollar agreement to buy five aircraft from a company…
Let’s look more closely at the claim 2,300 trans athletes have ‘stolen’ gold medals
“Trans athletes have ‘stolen’ nearly 2,300 gold medals from women and girls in the US” blared the New York Post headline. The official social media accounts for the U.S. Department of Education picked up the story, sharing a screenshot of…
Devils of Democracy explores America’s ‘demon problem’
“Either we surrender to the demonic forces … or we defeat them in a landslide,” said Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump during a 2024 rally in Waco. Texas. Such partisan “conspiratorial demonology” contributes to Americans’ perennial “demon problem,” says a…
Understanding Methodists and the ‘trust clause’
The following article is republished here through BNG’s partnership with UMInsight, where it originally appeared. The “trust clause” became a familiar, if sometimes confusing, concept for many during the period when disaffiliation was possible for United Methodist churches for…
Dead or alive is the wrong question about Mitch McConnell
Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky sits in a wheelchair strapped into an accessible van, flanked by staff members, absently staring straight ahead. Reporter Desiree Townsend calls out to him, “Sen. McConnell, do you want to go to work?” McConnell slowly…