Tips from neuroscience, psychology, and being a jerk — Richard rolled his eyes and scoffed while I spoke. “What?” I demanded. Without waiting for an answer, I stood up from the table and said I was leaving the meeting. “Eric,” Richard said in his soft, aged voice. “You can’t get upset and leave whenever you disagree.” His eyes conveyed…

A different perspective on pain, suffering, and evil — It’s popular among Christians to attribute pain, suffering, and even genuine evil to God’s Will. “God gives us free will, and we use it to cause bad things.” “God uses pain and suffering to draw us closer to Him.” “Pain and suffering make us stronger and more Christ-like.” “God is…

Stedfast Baptist’s Pastor wants to kill gays, but their own “statement of faith” dismantles anti-LGBTQ Christianity — On June 12, 2022, Pastor Dillon Awes at Stedfast Baptist Church in Hurst, Texas, proclaimed from the pulpit that LGBTQ people ought to be lined up and “shot in the back of the head.” Why? Because God commands it in the Bible. According to Dillon Awes, if you don’t like…

I never thought I’d feel this way about TBP — The Bible Project makes very popular explainer videos about the bible and theology, but their most valuable resource is The Bible Project Podcast. I credit The Bible Project Podcast with helping save my faith. I never, ever thought I would come to dislike any part of it. So, when I…

Reflections on my conversation with Jared Byas — Jared Byas co-hosts the popular podcast, The Bible for Normal People, with Pete Enns. He published Love Matters More: How Fighting to be Right Keeps Us from Loving like Jesus in September 2020. Byas advocates a more nuanced understanding of “truth.” It can be objective fact (1+1=2), “meaning-truth” (symbols and…

A plausible scenario with theological implications — Exodus 34:6–7 is the most quoted description of God’s character within the Old Testament. The Biblical authors refer to these verses over and over. In these verses, God describes Himself: “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to…

A January 6th insurrectionist explains the rhetoric that drove him — Danny Rodriguez thought he was helping Donald Trump save American democracy when he tased police officer Michael Fanone at the U.S. Capitol Building on January 6th, 2021. “I thought we were saving the country …. I thought we were saving the democracy and the election.” (Rodriguez, FBI transcript, p. 154–55) …

A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing — If you’re wondering why I used a picture of vegetables with a headline about a podcast, then you don’t know about Phil Vischer. Vischer created the enormously popular Veggie Tales media company, which used animated talking vegetables to tell Christian children’s stories with humor and catchy songs. I know, I…

A leaked opinion brief suggests that the Supreme Court may overturn Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey — A leaked opinion brief suggests that the Supreme Court may overturn Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey. The document suggests that women should not have any fear, worries, or concern about carrying a baby to full term because so many Americans want to adopt. Furthermore, America needs a…