July 26, 2023 Dear Editor: In yesterday’s BNG, Mark Wingfield and Amber Wylde wrote: “The church needs a better story than living in fear” and one of them uses the phrase “the unforced rhythms of living in grace.” “Church” is…
The church needs a better story than living in fear
The following opinion piece is a dialogue between Mark Wingfield and Amber Wylde. Mark I just returned from a dinner conversation with some other minister friends where we talked about how the fear of God’s judgment sneaks up on those…
The right’s zero-tolerance policy on Pride
In case you have any remaining doubt that the Religious Right wants to obliterate all appearance of LGBTQ people — to make them invisible once again — consider the dustup over a single photograph showing a small Pride flag atop…
The other epidemic: Fear
The more I read the news, the more I become convinced there’s another epidemic currently facing the nation. It seems to be particularly acute in churches right now, too. And while it’s an epidemic largely of our own making, it…
When we’re afraid of the dark, God is a Mamaw waiting at home with all the lights on
I was a teenager driving myself home late one night from what we called, “the big city,” Pikeville, Ky. Several of us “juniors going on seniors” had gone to Pikeville that night to watch what I thought was a comedy….
Let’s do the Satanic Panic once again
Sam Smith has poked a very old bear with their performance at the Grammys last Sunday. And I think they knew exactly what they were doing. Sam was leaning into all of the online hatred hurled at LGBTQ and gender…
The gospel of fear as told by Al Mohler and Sarah Huckabee Sanders
Al Mohler wants us to believe there was devil worship at the Grammys last Sunday. Two days later, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders painted a dark and dismal picture of an American democracy being destroyed by Democrats who sound suspiciously…
Halloween reminds me of that time I was called upon to lead a ‘cleansing’ at a family’s home
It starts in late September with the pricking of my skin and spirit; autumn creeps in. Resembling Tom Fury, the lightning rod salesman from Ray Bradbury’s Something Wicked This Way Comes, bringing with it “a storm like a great beast…
Jesus scares or Jesus cares?
After the violent attack on her husband Paul, Nancy Pelosi released a statement saying she and her family are heartbroken and traumatized but are grateful for the prayers and warm wishes they have received. Her husband is improving. Then she…