My wife and I lived in Hawaiʻi for twenty years. Below, I’ve included the parable of the prodigal son written in Hawaiian Pidgin, a local lingo spoken by those who were born and raised in Hawaiʻi. It’s spoken quickly and is difficult to understand unless you’re a kamaaina (local). I’ll share the part about the … Read more
I have been a docent at the Mission San Juan Capistrano in California for twenty-five years. This mission is home to the Serra Chapel, which is the oldest church in California and one of the oldest buildings in the state. It’s a beautiful chapel with a world-renowned, 450-year-old retable (a decorative stand behind an altar) … Read more
Here’s a sad story that started with a snowstorm in Big Bear, California, which is a ski resort where Annie and I spend six weeks skiing every year. A young Asian woman was driving up the snow-covered highway on her way to an Airbnb, looking forward to a great ski weekend, when she received a … Read more
For many folks, the recent horrendous weather tragedies are part of their god’s plan to punish people for doing something bad. One never knows exactly who is being punished or why—just that God is mad. The insurance companies call these tragic events “acts of God.” Lately there seems to be one disaster after another. Hurricane … Read more
According to one early gospel, the boy Jesus does not sound like a very nice person. I’m glad he wasn’t my neighbor or playmate when I was a kid! Let me share a couple of stories about this mean-tempered, foul-mouthed Jesus when he was five. Jesus was out playing by himself when a neighbor boy … Read more
These letters stand for two of the most important words in the church today—they should be the cornerstone for the church of the future. We remind congregants at every service that we are an “O & A” church. In my new book, Cramming for the Finals: New Ways of Looking at Old Church Ideas, I … Read more
I suspect that some of you might be surprised at the title as well as the object of my praise. It all started on Saturday, August 19, 2017, when I was on the treadmill at LA Fitness, watching the rally in Boston. Suddenly this idea popped into my head: Donald Trump, in his limited time … Read more
Some folks might find it strange that an A-Theist even bothers to go to church where there is a great deal of talk about an UpThere God who isn’t UpThere—as far as he’s concerned. Wouldn’t it be easier just to stay home and do something more interesting? It seems so hypocritical to waste time hearing … Read more
These days, I am sensing that people have lots of fears. Maybe it’s because so many of the things that Congress is trying to do hurt the average citizen, such as repealing healthcare for millions, barring people from entering the United States because they are from Muslim countries, cutting services for the little guy, and … Read more
The other day a friend sent me a good story that has been around a long time, but it’s still as relevant as it was the first time I heard it. The light turned yellow as he was turning right. He saw pedestrians in the crosswalk, so he stopped. The woman behind him was furious, … Read more