Religion

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

Oct
14
2010

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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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The Comfort of the Cross

Oct
12
2010

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Here are six truths about suffering—and four steps to relieve it—that should prove comforting to any Christian in pain: God didn’t cause our suffering. God never, ever wants us to suffer. He hates it when we hurt. But we must sometimes hurt, because pain is an unavoidable part of the human legacy, period. God could [...]

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Should I Feel Remorse Over My Pre-Christian Sinning?

Sep
08
2010

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Lately I’ve been getting some advice to the effect that I should condemn and repent of the sinning that I did before I was a Christian. That’s never before occurred to me as something about which I should be even vaguely concerned. In my teenage-to-early-adulthood years, I smoked a lot of weed, had sex with [...]

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Speaking of Depression and Prayer (on the Radio…)

Sep
01
2010

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Today at 5:10 EST I’ll be on The John and Kathy Show, on 101.5 FM Pittsburgh. (You can listen to it live online.) We’ll be discussing what I touched on a bit with my post, “Praying When You Have Low Self-Esteem.” I’m looking forward to this chat, because … well, here’s what I just wrote [...]

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Sarah Palin and Lady Gaga: What They Have in Common, and Why (Hallelujah!) They’re Both Right

Aug
31
2010

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[Update: Just to be clear---because there seems to be some misunderstanding about this, for which I'm happy to take full responsibility---this piece is in no way meant as a commentary on either the political message of Sarah Palin, or the music of Lady Gaga. It's simply a look at what I believe to be the [...]

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Praying When You Have Low Self-Esteem

Aug
30
2010

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A thoughtful commenter to my post What Is Prayer? expressed his concern that he’s essentially not good enough to come to God with his problems and prayers. “God’s focus is deserved so much more by the millions with bigger issues [than mine],” he wrote. “Can anyone recommend a good book on the topic of prayer [...]

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Posts by Theme

Christian Issues

The Best Case For the Bible NOT Condemning Homosexuality

Apr
02
2012

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No Christian has to choose between their compassion and their faith in the Bible.

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Relationships

Joseph to Mary: “Who could believe such a thing?”

Dec
16
2011

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A conversation between Mary and Joseph the night before Jesus was born.

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Christian Spirituality

What Jesus Left Out of The Great Commandment

Oct
31
2011

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Here’s what Jesus left out of the Great Commandment—and why.

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Humor

Worst Trucking Slogan EVER

Oct
08
2010

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Truck drivers are so weird.

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Pastor Bob's Corner

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

Sep
30
2011

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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

When Etta James had her way with me

Jan
23
2012

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Right there, in front of all sixteen of us, Etta James became Etta James.

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