The stains run down the front of the garbage can, suggesting a stench. Next to the can sits an untouchable carafe, while on the television, a bear dismembers a salmon.
The "free" wifi doesn't work, and the extension cord is covered in paint.
But the tires smell wonderful. And the marketing images evoke a sense of confidence.
At an auto-body shop we wouldn't have it any other way.
April 17, 2016
April 10, 2016
Truth Like Water
put away old things
then rediscover and take
back what was before
chase truth like water.
poet comedians before
liars for hire
March 26, 2016
Holy Saturday
holy Saturday
dawns with indifference for most
myself included
we sit in the cold
next to a fire warmed
freezing and burned
our back to the one
our face to the other one
unsure which is which
we long for the holy
and profanity in spades
unsure which is which
God from Nazareth
have mercy me a sinner
lost and searching here
dawns with indifference for most
myself included
we sit in the cold
next to a fire warmed
freezing and burned
our back to the one
our face to the other one
unsure which is which
we long for the holy
and profanity in spades
unsure which is which
God from Nazareth
have mercy me a sinner
lost and searching here
March 03, 2016
Why some of us Evangelicals will be voting for a Democrat come fall
In many circles it goes without saying that Evangelical Christians can vote for any reasonable candidate on either side of the aisle, and that this is a large and diverse group of people. However that truth is not understood everywhere. There are those both in the movement and outside of it who think of this branch of Christianity as a singular monolith. Because of that I want to put into writing an alternative perspective, an explanation as to why some Christians with Evangelical religious beliefs vote for Democrats.
In addition, I think this explanation is in order because, while there has been a necessary outcry about Donald Trump, others have reasonably pushed back and said, but what about the Democratic candidates and their support of abortion? Aren't they just as immoral as Donald Trump if not more so? That is a fare question, assuming abortion is immoral.
Here is our answer.
We have become disillusioned with the notion of a Christian candidate. We no longer believe what we have come to see as amoral conservative propaganda, peddled in and around church.
We are not under the illusion that a vote for Secretary Clinton or Senator Sanders is a vote for God's candidate, but we are concerned about those that think a vote for any candidate that calls himself a Christian or an Evangelical is, even if they are authentically evangelical. Effective public policy is not directly tied to ones beliefs about God.
Because like all evangelicals, we read Scripture, understand Christ's value for life, and refuse to check our values at the door, we value all policies that tend to create life, and disagree with all policies that tend to cause death. Because of this we are pro-creation, anti-death penalty, anti-war, pro-criminal justice reform, and in favor of a strong social safety net including access to healthcare that tends to reduce abortion.
We don't think "pro-life" rhetoric is enough. We think that Christ's parable about the brother who said he would not, and then did, vs the brother who said he would, and then did not, matters.
If a vote for a Republican directly caused all abortion to cease, we might vote for a Republican, but it does not.
In short, those of us who were raised steeped in an evangelical culture that wraps the cross with the flag no longer believe that narrative. However having seen that failure, we are not about to bless the DNC.
We may vote for a Democrat. We may not. But we are fundamentally opposed to the unholy alliance between the Evangelical church and the state as defined by the GOP.
As someone who continues to hold on to my faith in Christ, I mourn for my friends who have jettisoned the faith all together because they see the church's support of a singular party as deeply immoral.
We believe the church should stand apart from the state, while holding her accountable. (This is different than individual Christians who of course may be involved in politics, and may have a unique calling there.) We believe that good Christians can disagree, but that no one party is synonymous with an Evangelical perspective.
It may be that in some cases a more conservative market oriented approach to solving a specific problem proves to be the most effective approach. But we don't believe that such a position is fundamentally Biblical or inherently right in all circumstances. We don't believe that less government causes people to flourish, in fact, we think it is often the opposite. We believe there are a host of a priori assumptions that go into being conservative that are not necessarily true, and certainly not Biblical. For this reason, we won't be voting for a conservative candidate, and we might be voting for a Democrat.
My apologies that this comes across a little strong. I say this respectfully but forcefully to counter a level of certainty we have come to expect from conservative evangelicals.
To be clear, who one votes for is not the most important thing to me. Statistically, one's vote is irrelevant, so I don't think who one votes for is a pressing moral issue. I think a number of policies are pressing issues, I just don't see the act of voting as pressing. But I wanted to take a few minutes to defend my fellow evangelicals who are openly (or secretly) voting for a Democratic candidate and who in some circles, may be getting peppered with questions as to why.
In addition, I think this explanation is in order because, while there has been a necessary outcry about Donald Trump, others have reasonably pushed back and said, but what about the Democratic candidates and their support of abortion? Aren't they just as immoral as Donald Trump if not more so? That is a fare question, assuming abortion is immoral.
Here is our answer.
We have become disillusioned with the notion of a Christian candidate. We no longer believe what we have come to see as amoral conservative propaganda, peddled in and around church.
We are not under the illusion that a vote for Secretary Clinton or Senator Sanders is a vote for God's candidate, but we are concerned about those that think a vote for any candidate that calls himself a Christian or an Evangelical is, even if they are authentically evangelical. Effective public policy is not directly tied to ones beliefs about God.
Because like all evangelicals, we read Scripture, understand Christ's value for life, and refuse to check our values at the door, we value all policies that tend to create life, and disagree with all policies that tend to cause death. Because of this we are pro-creation, anti-death penalty, anti-war, pro-criminal justice reform, and in favor of a strong social safety net including access to healthcare that tends to reduce abortion.
We don't think "pro-life" rhetoric is enough. We think that Christ's parable about the brother who said he would not, and then did, vs the brother who said he would, and then did not, matters.
If a vote for a Republican directly caused all abortion to cease, we might vote for a Republican, but it does not.
In short, those of us who were raised steeped in an evangelical culture that wraps the cross with the flag no longer believe that narrative. However having seen that failure, we are not about to bless the DNC.
We may vote for a Democrat. We may not. But we are fundamentally opposed to the unholy alliance between the Evangelical church and the state as defined by the GOP.
As someone who continues to hold on to my faith in Christ, I mourn for my friends who have jettisoned the faith all together because they see the church's support of a singular party as deeply immoral.
We believe the church should stand apart from the state, while holding her accountable. (This is different than individual Christians who of course may be involved in politics, and may have a unique calling there.) We believe that good Christians can disagree, but that no one party is synonymous with an Evangelical perspective.
It may be that in some cases a more conservative market oriented approach to solving a specific problem proves to be the most effective approach. But we don't believe that such a position is fundamentally Biblical or inherently right in all circumstances. We don't believe that less government causes people to flourish, in fact, we think it is often the opposite. We believe there are a host of a priori assumptions that go into being conservative that are not necessarily true, and certainly not Biblical. For this reason, we won't be voting for a conservative candidate, and we might be voting for a Democrat.
My apologies that this comes across a little strong. I say this respectfully but forcefully to counter a level of certainty we have come to expect from conservative evangelicals.
To be clear, who one votes for is not the most important thing to me. Statistically, one's vote is irrelevant, so I don't think who one votes for is a pressing moral issue. I think a number of policies are pressing issues, I just don't see the act of voting as pressing. But I wanted to take a few minutes to defend my fellow evangelicals who are openly (or secretly) voting for a Democratic candidate and who in some circles, may be getting peppered with questions as to why.
April 13, 2015
Homecoming
Men, women come home.
Filled with pain, regret, and hope.
Pretending forget.
Filled with pain, regret, and hope.
Pretending forget.
But better and wise,
for their time in disguises.
Volunteered defense.
for their time in disguises.
Volunteered defense.
At the behest
of a nation torn apart.
They too, torn apart.
of a nation torn apart.
They too, torn apart.
Reflections on watching the conclusion of The Pacific, and our own long decade and a half of war.
April 10, 2015
La Crosse
La Crosse Wisconsin,
sits between river and bluffs.
People have gathered
for five hundred years;
playing games, and war, and peace.
French pale skins arrived.
Noted game with sticks
that resembled a bishops
crozier or la crosse.
sits between river and bluffs.
People have gathered
for five hundred years;
playing games, and war, and peace.
French pale skins arrived.
Noted game with sticks
that resembled a bishops
crozier or la crosse.
March 22, 2015
Thoughts on Integrating Faith, Politics, and Public Policy
There are two things one does not talk about in polite
company, religion and politics. I happen
to have a passion for both, and to various degrees, my professional life has
moved in both circles. Integrating these
passions well then, is something I care about, and that leads to the question
of how that should be done.
My goal here is not to set out a treatise for all people at
all times. Rather, I just want to share
some thoughts based on my journey.
On the one hand, I do not think there should be a separation
of church and state that extends to one’s own soul. Nor do I see the state as the primary vehicle
for extending Christ’s reign on earth. How then should a Christian live an
integrated life when it comes to religion and politics? And if I don’t see the state as the primary
vehicle for extending Christ’s reign on earth, why care about it all? I think the prophet Jeremiah gave a beautiful
answer to this question, when he addressed the Jews who had been carried away
into exile. He said, “seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have
carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you
too will prosper.”
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