Religion

Agnosticism: The Perfect Answer That Never Delivers

As a rational response to the question of God, agnosticism is unassailable stance. So then why are there so few agnostics?

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If Your Family Has Attitudes This Time of Year, Use the Beatitudes to Stay in Good Cheer

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Dreading upcoming family gatherings for the holidays? This reading of the Beatitudes just might quell your attitudes.

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Accosted by a Christian

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Shame on this Christian—and on any Christian who does what he did.

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What Non-Christians Want Christians To Hear

Here’s a small sampling of the responses I got when I asked non-Christians about being on the receiving end of the efforts of Christian evangelicals to convert them.

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Why God Allows Evil to Exist (in 300 Words)

One of the primary arguments atheists use in their case against the existence of God is that a compassionate, all-powerful God wouldn’t allow evil to exist in the world. The answer to that problem is simple: it’s people who do evil, not God. What people most often mean by the question, “Why does God allow [...]

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Constantly Living the Great Commandment is Impossible — And That’s Okay

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We simply cannot love God all of the time in the kind of all-consuming way prescribed by the Great Commandment. And God doesn’t expect us to.

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Posts by Theme

Christian Issues

Evangelicals and Muslims: Both Love Jesus

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Today at lunch I asked Pastor Bob, “If you could say any one thing about Islam or Muslims to American Christians, or to Americans generally, what would it be?” As he started talking, I started taking notes. This is what he said.

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Relationships

When Your Heart Leaves Home

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The reflections of a good man upon the occasion of his daughter leaving home for college.

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Christian Spirituality

What Jesus Left Out of The Great Commandment

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“Why would Jesus leave something important out of the Great Commandment? I believe it was so that we could discover that thing for ourselves.”

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Humor

Why Aren’t Fundamentalists Telepathic Comedians?

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I knew I’d end up in hell! There’s such a dangblangit fine line between “Funny!” and “Meet Snikky and Snarky, the two fanged minions who throughout eternity will be jabbing at you with searing tridents. Have fun, funny boy!”

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Pastor Bob's Corner

A Primer on Islam: The Basics (Lesson 1 of 6)

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Hi. I’m Pastor Bob. This is the first lesson of a multi-week class on Islam I taught for a large gathering of folks from multiple congregations: Lutherans, Presbyterians, Methodists, Catholics, recovering agnostics, etc.

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Personal

My Five Reasons For Not Having Children

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When young my wife and I decided not to have children. Here’s why.

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