They always travel in groups, men only. One hardly ever sees their faces, only their eyes, unless they’re wearing sunglasses. Their heads are covered with skullcaps or baseball caps, and they wear casual clothing. They are heavily armed with guns and other weapons. They move quickly in gangs, pushing people to the ground, manhandling children, … Read more
I was listening to a friend preach a powerful sermon in which he told the story of a conservative woman who no longer felt welcome in her UCC church. My friend sympathized with her concerns. I had another reaction: “Can a conservative person be a follower of Jesus, a first-century radical nonviolent revolutionary who shook … Read more
(This is the fourth in my series of Bil’s ideas about ten misconceptions in Christianity today. This post suggests that the institutional church thinks the trinity makes sense. It doesn’t!) As a child preparing for confirmation, I learned about the Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. I knew the Father was God, … Read more
I was raised in the 1930s in a “Puritanical Morality.” Sunday was church day; we attended morning and evening. Everything other than church was closed or forbidden, and we didn’t have television. People prayed before each meal. Kissing was barely allowed on screen or in public. Everyone was fully dressed. Wearing a skirt above the … Read more
It depends. Unloading in church during prayers or the sermon would be a total disaster, really bad. However, when tripping while running alone, a burst of lalochezia might be helpful and therapeutic. I was a PK (preacher’s kid), which can carry stigmas. My biggest stigma was being fat (they called me “Crisco Kid”). To avoid … Read more
(I refuse to capitalize or use bold print when referring to these impostors.) The phrase christian nationalism (cn) is not a new phenomenon that began with DT. He simply endorsed it, and it endorsed him. Unfortunately, cn is not just an American concept. It has an international history. An astute historian could probably trace it … Read more
(This is the third in my series of Bil’s ideas about ten misconceptions in Christianity today. This post suggests that the institutional church thinks the Bible is inerrant. It’s not!) Over and over, I hear the claim, “God wrote the Bible!” I always have to ask “Which god? The Old Testament (OT) one, the New … Read more
Someone recently asked why I think so differently about Christianity than other pastors. I responded that “I attended a progressive Episcopal seminary in Berkeley, California, whose basic teaching philosophy was religious literacy.” “What do you mean by religious literacy?” Let’s start with the word literal. It can be confusing. A literal person is someone who … Read more
One of the most depressing images in my ninety-four years of life is watching the illegal, immoral, and uncontrollable goon squads of ICE, masked and armed to the teeth, chase and take down people they consider immigrants, primarily because of the color of their skin or the place where they work. Every time I see … Read more
The lectionary for the fourth Sunday after Advent (December 21, 2025) included reading the story of King Herod ordering the death of two thousand male Jewish babies aged two and under in retaliation for the Wise Men not telling him where Jesus, “the newborn King of the Jews,” was living (Matthew 2:1–22). I have heard … Read more