Tag: cultural

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Cultural Misappropriations

fresh sunrise at mountain I sometimes find myself musing over what I am allowed to do nowadays. How do I avoid violating the new tenants of politically correct purity? I love Lasagna but ahime’ (alas), I am not Italian, I enjoy certain rap music, but I’m not from the hood. I do have a lot of Irish in me, but I don’t dance a jig, play the bagpipes or drink. Before you even suggest it, nobody wants to see my legs in a kilt.

One of the many great offenders of the modern politically righteous is Cultural Appropriation. For those who may not know, Cultural Appropriation occurs when someone from one culture says, does, or wears something that was originated by a different culture. Continue reading “Cultural Misappropriations”

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What Islam is Teaching Me about Christianity

knowledge-1052010_640I have undertaken a serious study of Islam. There are so many messages in our culture today about what it is and what it is not, that I wanted to know the truth. One historian said that when he started researching Islam, he felt as if he had been sucked in a black hole. I can relate to that. Although it is getting a little better now, moving beyond the platitudes and myths was quite overwhelming at first.

There are many things that this study is teaching me about my own faith journey and people in general, but I will focus on one particular area today. After cutting through the surface rhetoric, I found that there are at least three kinds of Muslims:

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Is Repentance Passe’?

repentanceI recently read a well-worded article written by a pastor about why he didn’t preach repentance. He pontificated eloquently about how such sermons place our focus in the wrong place and how thoughts concerning our failures diminish God’s marvelous work of grace.

I don’t know if this particular reasoning is the consensus of everyone in the modern grace camp, but there certainly appears to be a large number of Pastors and teachers who are avoiding the topic of repentance. I understand how appealing it can be to take our eyes off our short-comings and focus instead on the wonderful mercy and grace of God. Indeed, we should all spend more time reflecting and demonstrating our thankfulness for what the old song calls, “grace that is greater than all our sins.”

Continue reading “Is Repentance Passe’?”

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Five Responders to the Culture War

Cultural WarI have been astonished and saddened by the level of unadulterated vitriol and hate that is being spewed group against group in our country. As I have watched the decline of civil society over the past several decades, I have been increasingly concerned about a coming civil war.

No, I’m not referring to another North against South, nor do I believe it will necessarily end up as a conventional conflict. I am more concerned with clashes between races, religious groups and political ideologies. I am concerned that warfare might be gang and gorilla style, with riots, murders, rapes, theft and the like. More than physical bombs, I have been concerned about the destruction of personal economies, freedom of speech and the inviolability of our personal thoughts and moral convictions.

Continue reading “Five Responders to the Culture War”