Inappropriate Conversations

"Gospel" means "good news."  Easter is all about hope and new life.  Why, then, would any church devote this particular Sunday to a message about hopelessness and despair?  The worst Easter Sunday sermon I've ever heard did precisely that.  I think the reason has a lot to do with many Christians having no clue that Jesus came to save the world rather than condemn it.  If you have read John 3:16 (and didn't stop there), you should know this.  It is written. Different Drummer: Johnny Cash

When the Psalmist speaks of the Lord's name being declared throughout creation, that includes popular culture and secular music.  I reject the idea that some sort of "culture war" makes any sense.  As a Christian, I believe that all of creation declares God's glory -- all of it.  If we listen, we will hear. Different Drummer: Ed Ames

Did you hear the one about "V8® Nate"?  No doubt, it's offensive.  Have a happy April Fool's Day! Different Drummer: John S. Hall

In order to understand everything we experience as humans, I believe there are four distinct types of knowledge.  Two are obvious, and perhaps the other two are controversial.  The fact is that one of the most common questions of all -- "do I exist?" -- is among the most difficult to prove.  This is particularly true if you only give yourself half a chance. Different Drummer: Joan Girardi

Perhaps we have too much of a black-and-white perspective on what Martin Luther King, Jr. was saying when he urged us to elevate "content of character" above "color of skin" in his 1963 speech.  No doubt, he was talking about racial injustice, but our insensitivity is much broader than that.  It isn't any better to judge people based on other select things we disagree with or disapprove of -- like sexual behavior or political affiliation.  We must look deeper than that to find the content of someone's character. Different Drummer: Sidney Poitier

It's ironic, but some of the same people who believe in confession and accountability reject any notion of a right to privacy.  Without some sense of privacy, though, you cannot have true intimacy. And without intimacy, all relationships suffer - among family members, between friends, and with God. Different Drummer: Drew Pinsky

Arguments against the Electoral College assign too much importance to the "popular vote" and too little importance to the "state" part of the United States of America. In a landslide led by the most populous parts of the country, as few as a dozen states could sway an election within the Electoral College. How few states would it be in a system based solely on popular vote? Before you answer, remember how important it is to avoid any voter being disenfranchised. Different Drummer: George C. Scott