Category: Social Action
The Importance of Black History Month
The best thing you can do this month may also be the most painful… remember. Since 1976, as a nation, we have officially recognized the month of February as Black History Month. Educate yourself. Feel. Think. Remember. Read the Facts Thankfully (and sadly) there is no shortage of information about the atrocities of the black […]
Read More The Importance of Black History MonthThe Gospel According to Phil
Duck Dynasty has become a hard-to-explain American phenomenon. Plus nothing. People who have never even shot a gun or hunted anything find themselves glued to the television to listen in on the raw antics of the Robertson family… 14 million of us. That’s right, I said us. Before we downgraded our cable package I was […]
Read More The Gospel According to PhilPolitics and Religion: A Few Suggestions
In a day of political polarization, Christians should be among those who are calling for and living out a spirit of kindness. Angry Democrats, arrogant Republicans, and mean-spirited Independents… none of these represent Jesus well. Is it possible to hold different political opinions and still get along? I can tell you that it is not […]
Read More Politics and Religion: A Few SuggestionsA Christian View of War
“War does not determine who is right… only who is left.” – Bertrand Russell It may seem strange to open a piece entitled A Christian View of War by a quote from a noted atheist. I too find it strange, but likely for a different reason. I find it strange that there are too few […]
Read More A Christian View of WarLGBT: It’s All or Nothing
I’ve started and re-started this post a dozen times. Not a big deal? Maybe not to you, but I usually write a post from start to finish and then do minor edits (usually punctuation and grammar-types). Why the hesitation? The same reason that most Christians are gravitating toward one of two polar positions: either total […]
Read More LGBT: It’s All or NothingInterracial Relationships
When a friend recently asked me to share my thoughts on interracial relationships I was actually quite surprised. It is an “issue” that I have long ago come to terms with. I think I had just chosen to suppress that part of my upbringing. Mine and the asker’s growing up years likely shared some of […]
Read More Interracial RelationshipsYou’ve Got A Friend In Me
The thing that I am most proud (actually humbled) to have passed on to our kids is that all three of them get the heart behind my oft-repeated phrase that to have good friends you must be a good friend. I’m not saying I have always been the best friend. I’m definitely not saying I […]
Read More You’ve Got A Friend In MeCoexist? Or Something Else?
For years now I have been seeing this awful bumper sticker going around. Have you? I’m certain you’ve seen at least one version of it somewhere. Let me just go on the record (from a Christian perspective) that this cannot possibly be more wrong… but it may not be why you’re thinking. I’m a word […]
Read More Coexist? Or Something Else?To Whom Do Our Children Belong?
MSNBC Host Melissa Harris-Perry recently stirred an accidental (or, intentional, depending on your perspective) firestorm. Before I answer this post’s question from my own perspective, these are perhaps the most controversial of Ms. Harris-Perry’s words… …we’ve always had a private notion of children, your kid is yours and totally your responsibility. We haven’t had a […]
Read More To Whom Do Our Children Belong?Christians As Environmentalists
I am of the opinion that people who say they follow Jesus… and (perhaps, especially) those who want to make one of the tests of faith a belief that God created the earth (more about that later)… should be leading the charge in terms of being environmentally-friendly. The reality seems to be that people of […]
Read More Christians As EnvironmentalistsThe Right to Die
This is a difficult (and personal) discussion. I have experienced firsthand the complexities of this topic. Three times in the last several years I have had to deal with this issue on a personal level. First, with my best friend from college, who almost twenty years ago was hit by a truck and until his […]
Read More The Right to Die
re:THINK 