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The Prosperity Gospel can’t protect Joel Osteen from Harvey
When shallow Christianity drowns in a mighty flood, the prosperity gospel is no life preserver. Joel Osteen had a terrible week. But that’s only because his devotion to the prosperity gospel put him there. It wasn’t God. I suppose this really is a kind of “reap what you sow” kind of moment. It was the…
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Wrestling with the ethics of violence
Antifa, punching Nazis, accepting violence, and forcing greatness upon us As a lifelong pacifist, I abhor violence. All of it. But a long time ago, I gave my friends one exception: vampires. At the time, the movie Blade had come out and I found a way to make an exception for my pacifism. If I…
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Confederate Monuments aren’t people
We talk about confederate monuments as if they aren’t symbols of anxiety, racism, and a legacy of hate. I shouldn’t have to say it. It’s pretty evident. But we’re at a time in which truths are intentionally obscured. And this is one of those statements which is both literally and metaphorically true. Confederate monuments and…
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What We Always Leave Out Of Our Conversations About Free Speech
Free Speech. We all love it. None of us claim we want to restrict it. So what are we really fighting about when we fight about free speech? What isn’t there. I’ve started feeling like something’s missing. In our lives and conversations. Years ago, Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert said it was civility. That we…
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11 Things I Will No Longer Tolerate
Wrestling with what we’re willing to tolerate is healthy. And necessary. Tolerance has come up a lot lately. We test the limits of what we’re willing to tolerate and what it means to be tolerant. It’s the sort of idea that comes and goes with the rise and fall of tragedies and terror. And I…
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Nazis Prove the Problem with Bothsidesism
Bothsidesism undermines truth and civil discourse. We need to take a moment to acknowledge the strangest reality of our lifetimes. White supremacists somehow went through a successful rebranding effort like they’re Reebok or Wal-Mart. And we watched it happen in real time. White supremacists and honest to goodness Nazis cast themselves as a new kind…
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Why we misunderstand the real problem with corruption
The original standard for corruption isn’t proof beyond a shadow of a doubt that he did it. It’s based entirely on opportunity. We’ve all been told to walk a mile in another person’s shoes. The reason, of course is that we can be selfish jerks and need to think about other people. No question. But…
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Centrism’s Flaw
How centrism is often a morally dubious position to hold. You argue with a friend and it’s getting heated. You’re feeling confident and they’re getting stubborn and you feel your throat tighten. You go outside of yourself and say wait a second. Your impulse is to chill out the conversation for the sake of the relationship.…