Analyzing Christianity
The Religious Right has not ‘distorted the faith,’ but revealed it for what it is
In 2006, Randall Balmer accused evangelicals in the Religious Right of wrecking evangelicalism. But they didn’t. Christianity itself did.
Analyzing Christianity
Anatomy of a false persecution claim: THE EVER-LURKING THREAT (of love and kindness)
Authoritarians hate a lot of people. But they hate apostates far more than anybody else. An apostate is a threat and a danger, one which must be eliminated immediately and with as much force as can be mustered.
Analyzing Christianity
A ‘ministry’ is just a Jesus-flavored business
While exploring my new hometown, I caught sight of a sign for a churchy-sounding financial-planning ministry. Its name was so vague that I had to get my phone out right then and there to figure out what it really was. And I soon did. They’re a financial ministry, you see, Read more
Analyzing Christianity
Workplace evangelism: fishing off the company’s dock
In the military, with its huge, life-altering penalties for insubordination and disobedience, it’s more important for military leaders to firmly and decisively rein in these overreaching authoritarians.
Analyzing Christianity
Just Jesus harder: Advice that always fails, for a reason
Jesus-ing harder doesn’t fix anything. It just keeps Christians chasing a dragon they can never actually catch, then blaming themselves for never catching it.
Analyzing Christianity
Discernment: A deep dive into Christians’ substitute for critical thinking
Today, let me show you what discernment is, and why Christian leaders must teach their followers to use discernment instead of real critical thinking skills.
Analyzing Christianity
Spreading pious frauds in Christianity, then and now
The world is vastly different today from when I was young. For one thing, selling pious frauds has changed dramatically. In some ways, it’s a lot harder to sell these lies-for-Jesus to the gullible. But in many others, it’s gotten even easier. Today, let me show you some popular pious Read more
Analyzing Christianity
Cosmic Reversi: Inverted expectations and sudden reversals in Low Christian folklore
Christians love callings that represent a complete reversal of expectations. They enjoy stories about unexpected, inverted expectations. However, these stories must end the correct way.
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.
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.