Category: Challenges
A Knife-Point Mugging Proves We Don’t Need Rules
Do you remember seeing this story from NPR? A teenager stuck up Julio Diaz at knife-point, demanding his wallet. Apparently not in the mood for heroics, Diaz acquiesced. He didn’t deem the c... Read More
Apologies, Not Apologetics
Something keeps creeping up in my mind, almost as a mantra, as I hear and see and experience much of our world’s news. From within the OccupyWallStreet movement and other protests national and globa... Read More
Looking Beyond “All-American Muslim”
A few weeks have gone by since the November 11 premier of the TLC reality show “All-American Muslim.” I have only just found some time to sit down and watch the first two episodes of the show. Hav... Read More
Transforming Fear into Action
The three boys walked up the road, smiling, sometimes laughing, maybe on their way home, maybe on their way to buy groceries on the other side of the checkpoint. They must have been 10 or 11. A bit ... Read More
Church of Depression: Negative Cognitions and a Fundamentalist Theology of Sin
While modern mental health care has recognized the incredibly dangerous and often paralyzing effects of depression characterized by low self-esteem, feeling worthless, and feeling as if one is being r... Read More
‘Tis the Season to Consume
‘Tis the season to spend money we don’t have on things we don’t need. The twelve days of debt are upon us and the annual festival of fights has begun. Apparently pepper spray will be... Read More
Touring the Ironbound: Environmental Justice Made Real
I was on a chartered bus with about 40 other people—Christians, Jews, Muslims, Unitarian Universalists, one Buddhist, and one Wiccan priest. We were united in being people of faith, in being mostly ... Read More
Seven Types of Scholarship
What are scholars for? I offer for your consideration seven types of religious scholarship: priest, scribe, gnostic, revolutionary, rabbi, scientist, and contemplative.... Read More