Unrighteous Indignation

[Christianity Today, October 23, 2000] Around the big table were ringed representatives of many faiths and many causes, and directly across from me was a man who burned with zeal for his. He held forth confidently on the urgency of his organization's mission, and concluded by repeating the charge he gives his leaders. “I tell them to stay angry,” he said.

RU 486, the Abortion Pill

[Beliefnet, September 28, 2000] Observers of the abortion debate disagree about nearly every topic, but for the last decade, one prediction has won pretty near consensus: when RU 486 arrives, it will change everything. Now that the FDA has approved the “abortion pill,” we'll get our first experience of an all-chemical abortion--what some pro-lifers call a “human pesticide.” Previous methods involved a direct surgical removal of the child, but RU 486 will be an inside job.

Why I Won’t See “The Exorcist”

[Beliefnet, September 25, 2000] With the re-release of the movie “The Exorcist,” talk of scary things like demonic possession and spinning heads is in the air again. Though none of us could avoid having seen some of the film's images over the years, there are a few of us who have never sat through the film, and never intend to.

A Clear and Present Identity

[Christianity Today, September 4, 2000] What was his name again? I'm trying to remember. It was one of those Swiss names. If you draw a blank at the concept of “one of those Swiss names,” you're typical. There are some nationalities that bring to mind richly detailed associations, and Swiss is not one of them.

Born to Live, Left to Die

[Citizen, July 2000] She wrapped her baby boy in a crib bedsheet covered with tiny balls and bats. He wore an angel necklace and a felt diaper. Carefully she laid him where someone was sure to find him, near a parked car, 200 feet from the entrance to the Indianapolis Community Hospital.

Proselytizing in Orthodox Lands

[Beliefnet, July 13, 2000[Is it right to proselytize? Already it’s a loaded question. “Proselytism” has about as many appealing connotations as “root canal.” It’s more pointed than “evangelism,” which means exposition of the Gospel to any and everyone, particularly those of no faith at all. Proselytizing implies undermining an existing faith in order to clear ground for a new one.

Jack Chick Tracts

[Beliefnet, July 2000] What’s 2 3/4 by 5 inches and can scare the hell out of you? Gotta be one of these miniature comic books put out by Chick Publications. You’ve probably seen them before, maybe picked one up in a phone booth or fast-food joint. Each booklet is about twenty pages long, and makes a pitch for the Gospel through a dramatic story told in cartoon format.

Every Day is Casual Friday

[Christianity Today, July 10, 2000] I've been thinking lately about Mary Hartman's husband's hat. You might remember the late-70's TV show, “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman.” This Norman Lear satire of a soap opera showcased the strange citizens of the mythical town of Ferndale. Mary's husband Tom

How to Know Jesus?

[Beliefnet, June 20, 2000] Of the many mysteries about Jesus, this may be the greatest: why we continue to care about him. Brave leaders and wise teachers by the score have passed through these 2,000 years, but none has continued to resonate like he does. From the end of his earthly life Jesus has captured and commanded hearts in every century and every land. (Christianity isn't a “Western religion”; Western ignorance of the ancient Eastern church doesn't mean it doesn't exist.) Jesus has no parallel in human history.