How many people can we truly and intimately know in life? The question becomes even more extreme when we consider the technological trends of the past 100 years or so. Before the implementation of central heating, northern families were more or less forced to spend time together. Better to gather around an old wood stove […]
My guess is that most of us have heard of Joshua and the battle of Jericho. There’s an interesting part of the story, however, that is rarely told. Now it came about when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing opposite him with his […]
This blog series and the ensuing conversations have centered around the relationship between Christianity and homosexuality. We’ve had some interesting dialogue about a lot of issues, but this discussion can in no way be complete without taking into account a Biblical perspective. After all, apart from the Bible, Christianity means almost nothing. I’ve read (and […]
I love the United States of America! I won’t say that we’re the greatest nation in the world—so many people believe that about their native land. As soon as we proclaim one to be the greatest, we automatically infer that all others are somehow inferior; a thought I won’t entertain for even a nanosecond. I […]
I grew up in a small town with a relatively small perspective of the world. Everything began to change in 1978 when I enrolled at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP). Not only did I meet people from all over (Pennsylvania that is), but I had my first real opportunities to meet homosexuals and born […]
This is the third and final guest blog post by my friend Gary Buterbaugh. I find that I am a part of two VERY different communities. One is the church – I became a Christian at an early age and have been very involved in the church since my teen years. I do not endorse […]
This is the second of three guest blog posts by Gary Buterbaugh. Have you ever heard of being plutoed? We’re not talking about Pluto the proper noun, but the verb to pluto—the American Dialect Society’s 2006 word of the year. Many of you probably remember learning about Pluto as the ninth planet in your grade […]
I am pleased to say that for the next 2-3 weeks I will have my first guest blogger! Gary has been a friend for over 20 years and he brings a real and personal perspective to our recent dialogue about homosexuality and the Christian faith. I am a retired college professor. I have always been […]
If you read some of the comments from my previous two blogs, you’ll quickly notice that my perspective of homosexuality in relationship to Christianity puts me at odds with the gay community. You’ll also see that with this hot-button issue discussions can quickly become inflamed arguments, even among friends. And it’s entirely possible we’ll disagree […]
I’ve heard the standard Christian arguments. “Homosexuals hate Christians because darkness hates light.” “We have a righteous anger about immorality.” “We hate the sin but love the sinner.” It’s relatively easy to justify our attitudes, but truthfully speaking, all too many professing Christians do feel contempt toward those in the LGBT community. In essence they […]
