Inappropriate Conversations

Elie Wiesel once said: "I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented." I believe I've received similar direction in answered prayer. Too often, though, Christians are silent in the face of bullying and marginalization of those on the other side of privilege. More often than we'd like to admit, Christians join the oppressors. All of this is sinful, the log in our eyes that stops us from clearly seeing others, must less serving them as Jesus taught and demonstrated.

Different Drummer: Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Whether membership at a local church is as eternal as being part of the body of Christ?

Treating some in our midst as expendable is, sadly, a very human condition. Taking it as a challenge, though, I've realized that it's nearly impossible to find "pro-life" advocates who are capable of reducing our society's reliance upon abortion. Most seem more devoted to creating unwanted pregnancy than curtailing it. Worse, the focus is less about making a difference in the lives of women and their children and more about self-righteously proclaiming disapproval. It is heartbreaking for those of us who care about unborn children and also women who feel they cannot bear them. "Both" is a choice we are rarely asked to consider. Different Drummer: Nanci Griffith

Next up on Inappropriate Conversations: human sacrifice. Take Him With You #208 has valuable background material.

Prior to 2009, documentaries about sports were not that easy to find. I had seen a couple, both related to Olympic years, where the politics were as much in focus as the events or athletes. With its "30 For 30" series, ESPN has changed everything. For the most part, these aren't just good "sports" documentaries; they are great features. Now, in depth and behind the scenes explorations of great sporting events are not just common, they are uncommonly good. I also offer some too quick and too short thoughts on George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin. Different Drummer: Bo Jackson

It is possible, from recent shows, that my tastes in music seem a bit soft. I've spoken about easy listening (The Ink Spots) and Christian music (Chris Rice) at some length lately. Truth is, my tastes vary wildly. Most people think they have a broad taste in music; typically, that means broadly within a genre. I cut both across and deep, with examples here that don't include any jazz (Anthony Braxton, for example), and at a length that had to skip things as obvious as Sepultura or Metallica and as niche as JFA (Jodie Foster's Army) and Laurie Anderson. Speaking of Anderson, here is her perspective: "So, sit bold, upright, in that straight-back chair. Button that top button. And get set for some difficult music ... ooh la ..." indeed. Different Drummer: Henry Rollins

The first time I heard "This Is Worth Fighting For" from the World War II era, I remembered a story from a motivational speaker at a seminar. It was about a man struggling to return from an attempt to reach the summit of Mount Everest, and which voice among many ultimately talked him off the mountain. He didn't respond to reminders about his duty and obligation. He didn't react to the fear of friends and family that he might die. If his response was an indication of what was most worth fighting for, it proved to be the simplest things, not unlike a log cabin in a little valley with rows of corn planted nearby. Sometimes, the most impressive thing a state legislator can do is stand up. I believe the most important decision we can make on questions of marriage rights is to support people who love each other and ignore people who hate. Like the mountain climber, we often need to set aside anger and fear, choosing instead to respond to love. Different Drummer: Jamie Clarke