compassion

Bonhoeffer’s Warning About Christian Nationalism

/ Apostasy, Christianity, Politics

Sylvia and I went to see “Bonhoeffer”, a recommended movie. I cried twice. Modern America and Nazi Germany share unsettling similarities. Hitler exploited Christian Nationalism to convert followers, convincing them to commit horrific atrocities that ultimately led to World War II. Bonhoeffer, a German Protestant pastor, recognized this deception and its devastating consequences. Exploiting Christian […]

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Unconditional?

/ Bible, Christianity, Sermons

We Christians often talk about God’s unconditional love. However, using a word search tool in the ESV, KJV, NKJV, NASB, and NRSV translations reveals “unconditional” never appears once in scripture. “Love”, in contrast, appears 773 times in its various forms in the ESV. So does God love us unconditionally? Yes – and No. God absolutely

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Christmas Wish 2017

/ Christianity, Holidays, Parables

As a small child, Christmas held a special magic I’ve often wished I could experience once again. Mesmerized by the tinseled tree whose outstretched arms protected rewards for a good little boy’s year-long behavior, I anticipated for two weeks what marvelous treasures lay concealed by colored wrapping paper bound with glittering ribbons and bows. I

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Jack-in-the-US

/ Observation, Politics

I craved a milkshake thanks to a post shared by my friend Dana Phillips on how chocolate improves your intelligence. So I went to Jack-in-the-Box to seek out a higher IQ. And I found it. A friendly and sweet chunky Latina lady waited on me as we engaged in pleasant conversation about the Chicken Fajita

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The Two Americas

/ Politics

To my Liberal Friends after the Election (and yes, you are my Friends)… “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light,

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Sir Percival

/ Christianity

I killed my dog today. You can sugarcoat the words by saying he was put to sleep, euthanized, or that his suffering was ended mercifully, but it doesn’t change that even if not by my hand that by my decision a life given by God to one of His creatures ended away today at 12:10

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The Waiting Room

/ Christianity

At the Stanford Eye Clinic in Palo Alto, CA on August 29, 2011, a sight I will likely never forget passed through my eyes and into my heart. A lovely Asian family – father, mother, and daughter – slowly crossed the waiting room floor, the aged father maneuvering one small, weak step at a time, his quivering

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