Some helpful techniques and guidance about how to listen when people tell you something about themselves. It’s called empathy: When…
For Brian Crooks and His Supporters
I posted this on Facebook in Brian Crooks’s feed but I wanted to bring it forward. It is for Brian,…
Choosing Among Kaepernick, Sherman, Wilson, Newton, Marshall, and Others
Recently Colin Kaepernick has made a visible attempt to express his own evaluation of his person and his place in…
Respect–Given and Earned, Not Demanded and Taken
To say to a bank “I expect you to keep my money safe and not just throw it willy-nilly into…
Being John Lewis. And Andrew Aydin and Nate Powell. And Even Myself.
Today, August 19, 2016, I had the great pleasure and extreme privilege to meet the honorable Congressional Representative John Lewis,…
The American Church and American Racism: A Safe Place to Talk
Stay tuned for our open community discussion about race in America, specifically on the American church and how we have…
Are White People Still Racist?
Recently an apparently sincere white guy in the PNW made the statement along the lines of “white people aren’t that…
To Be Enough: Rest and Restoration
As allies of our brothers and sisters, we might not always be on the front lines. It is not a…
A Jury of One’s Peers
You may (or may have not) seen video circulating recently showing the last moments of black American men shot by…
Muhammad Ali 1942-2016
Ali was incomprehensible to me at the time. I was alive and aware when he changed his name and religion,…
Memorial Day 2016
Memorial Day is the official start of summer. Typically there’s a family and friends get-together, a barbecue, a game on…
A Review of "Trouble I’ve Seen: Changing the Way the Church Views Racism"
So this book is several things. One, it is a book of theology of the kingdom of the Messiah. Dr.…
The Christian Response to Public Restroom Access
In his blog post on April 27, 2016 (https://theboeskool.com/2016/04/27/boycotting-target-is-about-the-least-christian-thing-you-could-do/), Mr. Boeskool makes the case that boycotting Target over its public…
Structural Racism—It Doesn’t Exist
One of the things about American culture and society is our racism. It’s not the only thing, or the most…
A Setback and a Resurrection
I am celebrating Easter today, which is a reminder to Christians that death is not the final answer. We celebrate…
Forgiveness—What Is Possible? What Is Demanded?
I heard a story on NPR the other day. Seems that in Maryland there’s a push to review the sentences…
Remarks to the Muslim Association of Snoqualmie Ridge
Back in November of 2015, Washington State Representative Jay Rodne (R-05) made some inflammatory remarks about Muslims and Sharia law,…
He Was Twelve
When I was twelve I discovered in an old box of books a novel by Booth Tarkington. “Penrod” was the…
Between the World and Me: a Review
Between the World and Me Ta-Nehisi Coates 163 pages Spiegel & Grau, July 14, 2015 So this is a beautiful,…
We Americans and Our Violence
Someone posted recently that “we Americans” demanded that Muslims in America speak out against violence because “we Americans” were terrified…
Who Are the Good Guys and Who Are the Bad Guys
Are all Muslims terrorists? Are any Christians terrorists? There are somewheres around 2B Christians in the world, and 1.2B Muslims.…
Paris, Beirut, Japan, Kenya,…
It’s been a world of hurt lately, and yet it always is. It is always true that the poor are…
Do I Have Privilege?
The short answer is “Yes.” The longer answer is more nuanced, because of course I don’t see or experience my…
Christ-follower in All Things
http://www.nytimes.com/video/opinion/100000004005499/would-jesus-wear-a-sidearm.html?smid=nytcore-iphone-share&smprod=nytcore-iphone I don’t get it that Christians claim they need guns to “protect” themselves in America. We aren’t in Somalia…
Snoqualmie’s Bad Hire Puts North Bend at Risk
Officer Nicholas Hogan of the Snoqualmie Police Department was hired by Snoqualmie after being fired by the City of Tukwila…
Be the Church
Protect the environment. Care for the poor. Forgive often. Reject racism. Fight for the powerless. Share earthly and spiritual resources.…
What About ‘Those People’? Why Don’t They Fix Their Own Lives?
“Why don’t ‘those people’ fix their own lives and culture instead of rioting all the time?” I hear this question…