Analyzing Christianity
“Everyone’s a slave to something” — except not really
When I was just a teenager, some evangelical set this over-simplistic equation in front of me: Pick your master, because you’ll always be a slave to something.
Analyzing Christianity
‘There is a payback coming’ as evangelicals dream of revenge and dominance
Let’s check out a recent gathering of authoritarian evangelicals. I’ll show you their plans–and the not-so-hidden desires of their hearts.
Analyzing Christianity
The Jesus Aura: Why this false belief persists
Many Christians have this idea that their faith imbues them with a sort of glowing-but-invisible aura that both attracts and repels non-Christians. It’s their Jesus Aura.
From Patreon
The British Israelism conspiracy theory illustrates the appeal of false beliefs
Today’s story touches on so many topics we like around here: conspiracy theories, Monty Python, weird history, and wacky Christians. But most of all, it speaks to a need so many people have: the desire to feel special.
From Patreon
Sermon plagiarism: why it suddenly matters to some Southern Baptists
The current president of the SBC, Ed Litton, got caught using someone else’s sermon without attributing it. Usually, sermon plagiarism is simply a minor but common sin in evangelical leadership. But this time, Ed Litton’s faction enemies, the Old Guard, began howling for his resignation. Oddly, they didn’t care at all that his predecessor, J.D. Greear, did something considerably worse during his own reign.
From Patreon
Deconversion: When I was the only ex-Christian in the world
It truly is marvelous to consider how far American culture has gotten in just the past 20 or 30 years! When I deconverted, I had to figure everything out for myself. As far as I knew, I was literally the only ex-Christian in the whole wide world. And let me tell you: life felt pretty damned lonely.
From Patreon
Cooperative Program giving is way up—but not because of Baptists’ generosity
Donations to the SBC’s all-important Cooperative Program are a bit higher than expected. I think I know why.
Analyzing Christianity
Simple misfortune, or divine punishment for sin?
Sometimes when I look back at my days as a Christian, I’m thunderstruck by how absolutely exhausting it was in every single way. For a religion promising peace, rest, a light yoke, and vaguely-defined joy to its followers, Christianity brought precious little of any of it to any of us. Not long ago, I ran across a Southern Baptist Bible study about sin that really reminded me of that exhaustion.
From Patreon
The Aquarium: One conspiracy theory to rule them all
If the Aquarium were real, then wouldn’t this Aviary be the perfect smokescreen distraction from it? … Gosh, what to do, what to believe??
From Patreon
Discipling: Yes yes, but what does it look like?
A recent Lifeway survey reveals that many evangelical leaders don’t know what discipling actually looks like in practice, much less how to disciple. Here, we have another active case of yes yes, but what does it look like? And I am here for it because it reveals so much of what’s wrong with Christianity as a whole.