One of them, an expert in the law, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with…
Love God and fart around, the gospel according to Vonnegut
Diana is a tattooed heavy metal headbanger. She and I bonded instantly over our mutual fondness for Iron Maiden. She’s somewhat of an agnostic with strong Buddhist leanings so, naturally, she is a beloved member of the Baptist church I…
When love does not conquer all
As a teen, I dreamed of marrying someone who would be my best friend and confidante. I dreamed of someone who would make me laugh and share my joy. I dreamed of lifelong companionship, shared goals and happily ever after….
Franklin Graham says he’s not a preacher of hate, so let’s roll the tape and see
I have a couple of questions for Franklin Graham. For years I have granted him a sort of “don’t criticize” card because of my respect for his father, Billy Graham. But as Franklin has become more and more political and…
Rights, responsibilities and the two-fold commandment of love: A reflection on gun violence in America
“I did not want to weep for Martin; tears seemed futile. But I may also have been afraid, and could not have been the only one, that if I began to weep, I would not be able to stop.” James…
The rich tapestry of ubuntu love
Love is in the air this month, a sweet occasion enjoyed around the world. Valentine’s Day began in Medieval times and now is a romantic event to exchange endearing words, flowers and cards with those who mean the most to…
Stop threatening HBCUs
This week, as Black History Month began, numerous Historically Black Colleges and Universities were terrorized with bomb threats. This infuriates me. Black people are creations of God and loved by God. That should mean something to people of faith. This…
What to do when the neighbors are loud
Imagine the opening scene of Love Actually in Hugh Grant’s voice: “Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport. General opinion’s starting to make out that we live in…
The birth of Abba’s Jesus
As we kneel at the manger to worship the infant who would be Savior of the world, let’s turn our minds to the God Jesus called Abba, the One whom theologian John Cobb called “Jesus’ Abba.” Abba was the Aramaic…
How 29 syllables changed my heart about God and gay people
“For the last 20 years, I thought if there was a God, he probably hated me for making me the way I am.” I can’t communicate the destructive power those words had on me. Back then, I was a conservative,…
A chat with Mickey at Bubba-Doo’s about whether I preach the gospel or not
I stop in occasionally at a store called Bubba-Doo’s. It’s about 10 miles outside the interstate on the main highway that rolls through a series of towns. They are supposedly “world famous” for their hamburgers, according to the big sign…
As humans, we are wired for love
There is a growing list of unacceptable people created by church folks who claim to speak for God. The list includes people who are queer, who are marginalized because of their race/ethnicity/gender, who lack political, social, economic power, who are…