Analyzing Christianity
Ray Comfort and the Cruel Dilemma
It’s a collision that doesn’t need to happen, and one that no longer gives the results Christian leaders want.
Analyzing Christianity
The Predators in Plain Sight (in a Broken System)
It seems like there is a never-ending litany of miserable stories about abusers, predators, and scam artists lurking around Christian churches. If I wanted to write one of those blogs that concerned itself chiefly with exposing and discussing these people, I’d have to seriously step up my schedule–because there are that many stories, and each is more nauseating and horrifying than the last. But for some strange reason, Christian churches rarely engage with the problem they’ve created for themselves and perpetuate through their cultural practices and beliefs, and today I’ll touch on why that might be.
Analyzing Christianity
The message is not perfect (in a broken system)
Today we’re going to look at Christianity as a social system to see why people might be unable to get the results from following it that its adherents promise they should get.
Analyzing Christianity
The Handbook: The ‘original Greek and Hebrew’ (is still nonsense).
Back in my Pentecostal days, there was a phrase I heard non-stop: “the original Greek and Hebrew,” used to describe my denomination’s doctrines and creed. The idea was that our denomination, unlike those of all those other inferior Christians doing everything wrong, had gotten our ideas from “the original Greek and Hebrew” and therefore were closer to what our god wanted out of his followers than all those other Christians were. I notice that Christians still love that phrase, so I want to talk about it today.
Analyzing Christianity
Jordan Root and Yet Another Child Abuse Scandal Erupting in Christianity Right Now.
We’re still reeling from the Duggar sex abuse scandal, but on the heels of it comes another involving Christian leaders totally misreading a child-abuse situation and handling it in the poorest, most insensitive way possible. Another day, another fundagelical scandal involving sex abuse. Say hi to Jordan Root!
Analyzing Christianity
The Christian’s Guide to Ex-Christians: You’ve Got to Quit This Tone Trolling.
Today I saw an article about Kevin Sorbo, who has clearly ridden the short bus past his stop and ended up going all the way to Crazytown, talking about Bill Maher and dismissing him entirely because he sounds “angry” and “hateful.” Now, back in the day, Kevin Sorbo was famous Read more
Analyzing Christianity
Bill Gothard: To catch a (Christian) predator
I want to introduce you to Christian leader Bill Gothard. He’s got a folksy good-ole-boy crooked smile. He’s at just the right age where an old white dude gets a lot of cachet in certain fundagelical circles, and he’s a rock star in the homeschooling/”purity culture” crowd. And he’s also Read more
Analyzing Christianity
The cloud has moved: How I almost joined a cult
Communities get these ideas sometimes to live together and re-enact their ideals. It’s part of being human. But things can go hideously wrong in authoritarian groups, and I’ll show you how today.
Analyzing Christianity
How my boyfriend got exorcised
Now that I wasn’t involved in weird evangelical churches anymore, I blossomed at last in the late 80s. I discovered the Drama Club at school, slowly made normal friends, and tried to fit in. I got involved with a historical re-enactment group called the Society for Creative Anachronism and found Read more