Inappropriate Conversations

We may have very solid, and seriously unfortunate, reasons why many men do not successfully maintain contact with friends throughout our lives. Women seem to hold onto relationships more naturally. Those (often false) perceptions about what is and isn't natural may be the explanation.

Different Drummer: Mark Greene

Why Do We Murder the Beautiful Friendships of Boys?

My Sunday School teacher when I was in high school worked for the local newspaper where he was, among other things, the music critic. A good guy, he wasn't the type to denounce rock 'n' roll as "the devil's music" or anything like that. On the other hand, he did tell me that I would one day grow out of my interest in early Black Sabbath and no longer have any use for their albums. Well, I have since bought the original eight "Ozzy years" albums on CD, so that prediction completely missed the mark. No, I still love many aspects of early Black Sabbath and never hesitate to share that love. I have some friends who have made the most of the phrase, "mix tapes mean 'I love you.'" That came to mind when I stitched together this last (for this year anyway) Halloween tribute on Inappropriate Conversations.

Different Drummer: Rory Guy

"Tricks" refers to more spooky, scary, traditional elements of Halloween in music, movies, and performance art. Less from childhood and more from college on, this reminds me of candles, incense, and very strange sounds coming from either my television or stereo.

Different Drummer: Molly Harvey

The Weatherman

Life Would Be Wonderful 2

I don't want to talk about gun control. It's a topic I have generally avoided, partly because the conversation usually misses the point. It isn't about controlling ownership -- the confiscation hysteria -- and it should be all about maintaining a "control" over our standards for usage. Only the fully qualified (law enforcement, hunters, National Guard) and properly trained (a standard that will eliminate even some of the legally qualified) should be using weapons in public. My subconscious called this obvious requirement to my mind this week, while I was trying not to dream about the latest in a long series of deadly school shootings.

Different Drummer: William Hamby

What If Gun Laws Were Like Abortion Laws?

Redrawing the Responsibility Line: A "Radically Moderate" Take on Gun Control

Strident Christian views about homosexuality have compromised any defense of infallibility, causing some to question the existence of God. Certainly there is justification for denying the validity of their anti-LGBTQ worldview. After all, in less than a decade “religious right” speakers presuming to represent Christianity have moved from there is no such thing as sexual orientation to homosexuality is just a choice to maybe it isn’t a choice but there can’t be anything inherent to it to if it is inherent in some way it still cannot possibly by “natural” to either way it’s just a behavior that represents a rebellion against God to those people can attend church but they can never be members of our congregation to perhaps they can join us in Christian fellowship but only if they take a vow of involuntary celibacy to perhaps it is inevitable that some of them will live together but we don’t want to know what that intimacy entails to God can forgive all sins but not the sin of those people wanting to get married. Frankly, it is dizzying how many times a perfect and never-changing God has put a completely different idea, or strategy, into the mouths of those who purport to speak on behalf of deity. This Inappropriate Conversation is going to give the soapbox to a totally different group, gay Christians. "Why worship a God of love if doing so means denying the possibility of experiencing love?" (N.T., Australia). What do we do if some Christians don’t want LGBTQ people worshiping God in the first place? Where do we find either the Great Commission or the Great Commandments in that Christian worldview? Perhaps, the Spirit of the living God is pointing us in a different direction. We should listen.

Different Drummer: John Shore

On June 22, 1633,  Galileo was sentenced by the Roman Inquisition for being "vehemently suspect of heresy." He had told the truth, that the earth revolved around the sun according to astronomical evidence, but he was forced to recant that truth. There is a great deal of scientific knowledge we either would not have today, or would have obtained in very different ways, if Galileo had chosen a different course, if he had been "silenced" by more violent means. Speaking truth to power, as the saying goes, is rarely as clear as it sounds. Sometimes it doesn't require formal speech at all. A simple smartphone video can have the same impact today.

Different Drummer: Galileo Galilei

Life tends to end either suddenly (too short) are through debilitation. There are exceptions, of course. Some deaths may not even qualify as tragic. It seems that debilitating illness has become more common as people live longer. The reminder this provides, though, is how crucial it is to not wait until a metaphorical tomorrow to say what needs to be said, create what our hearts long to create, stand up and be counted. Allowing our ability to fade before our desire truly is tragic.

Different Drummer: Linda Ronstadt

NPR Fresh Air: Linda Ronstadt with Terry Gross