You’d think that evangelicals would have learned a decade ago just what awful optics it is for anyone to vociferously defend slavery. BUT NO. Here we are yet again, staring down at the abyss of atrocity apologetics. In recent months, I’ve seen a serious uptick in hardline evangelicals defending what Read more…
In a lot of ways, this chapter really exemplifies evangelicals’ inability to engage meaningfully with the dealbreaking flaws in their flavor of Christianity—like the Bible’s amazing ability to twist and contort to fully support any opinion that any Christian could ever possibly have.
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.
Quite a few non-Christians think that the Bible a thoroughly evil book. I’m one of them. And even Christians know that quite a bit of it is not suitable for children. But they keep trying to make it so. Someone’s just tried that again, and it’s reminded me of what Read more…
Hi and welcome back! Yesterday, we talked about a romance novel by Karen Witemeyer, At Love’s Command. In it, a genocidal war criminal finds peace, healing, and redemption thanks to Jesus Power and the love of a good woman. Many Christians loved this story, but a lot of other folks Read more…
Way too many Christians talk a very big game about having a monopoly on morality. They even frequently claim that non-Christians either lack the capacity for morality or are aping Christianity’s monopoly on it. But they’re wrong. The worst moral failings aren’t found in the Bible. No, for that dubious honor we must look to the people who use the Bible to excuse their own moral failings.
Seriously, folks, we’re going to have to be really careful about how we present atrocities to Christians. We thought bringing up slavery would get them to see that the Bible isn’t an eternally-valid prescription for human societies. We were wrong.
If you’ve ever had a friend who was dating an extraordinarily bad person, you know how your friend kept trying to show you how his or her mate was really very awesome and just totally misunderstood? How your friend kept trying to explain away all the dick moves the nasty Read more…