The best argument against the existence of God that I have ever heard makes a mistake you see more often in "young earth" creationism. It's the belief that time has a permanence, an importance, even a "reality" that we frankly should not trust. Ironically, tracing the philosophy of religion through an argument that has led me to question this faith in time ... well, it requires a greater number of minutes than usual. Different Drummer: Norman Kretzmann
6) America could not provide adoptive homes for more than a million children per year over limitless successive years. 7) After agreeing to pay a clinic several hundred dollars, a woman does not need an extra day of waiting to decide if she is doing the right thing. 8 ) Most Americans do not know the names and telephone numbers of more than 30,000 women, and certainly none can name that many new acquaintances for each calendar year. 9) If doctors never study or practice the abortion procedure, t...
1) Abortion is not murder. 2) Abortion is a bad thing. 3) Human beings are a species in no danger of extinction. 4) You can stop abortion only by eliminating the demand, not the supply. 5) The immorality of abortion will not be reduced by making the practice stringently illegal. Different Drummer: Tony Kaye
There is an old adage that says you'll be happy and successful if you "do what you love" for a living. Don't believe what you hear. That saying is only almost right. "Love what you do for a living" is better advice, and the difference is not mere subtlety. We should hold the things we truly love as intimate and not fully invest them in the pursuit of trade or commerce. On the other hand, the things we do professionally must have some underlying passion if we are going to be successful. Different...
Even the deepest, most meaningful relationships can suffer if we forget how they started. This is true in the Bible, where the Hebrew people seemed forget about everything in the book of Exodus before they even stepped into the land of Canaan. It's also true in our human relationships, where sacred ground needs to be respected and protected. I remember what I was doing 30 years ago this week ... and I pray that I never forget. Different Drummer: Tracy Pollan
The word "perversion" carries a more negative connotation than the word "diversion" despite the similarities in the concepts. In both cases, something is turning away from an original or predicted course. I would recommend caution rather than condemnation, though, when we either cannot explain the cause of the deviation or there is very little we can do about it in hindsight. Different Drummer: David Allan Coe
Most debate you hear today is about winning/losing and not about resolving questions and finding answers that will move society forward. All of us lose when arguments are presented in this manner. Instead, we need to listen better, speak more clearly and often at greater length, and live up to higher standards. Guidelines include: granting opponents as much ground as possible, holding ourselves and others to the integrity of stated positions, and striving to find "the rest of the argument." Diff...
"Gospel" means "good news." Easter is all about hope and new life. Why, then, would any church devote this particular Sunday to a message about hopelessness and despair? The worst Easter Sunday sermon I've ever heard did precisely that. I think the reason has a lot to do with many Christians having no clue that Jesus came to save the world rather than condemn it. If you have read John 3:16 (and didn't stop there), you should know this. It is written. Different Drummer: Johnny Cash...
When the Psalmist speaks of the Lord's name being declared throughout creation, that includes popular culture and secular music. I reject the idea that some sort of "culture war" makes any sense. As a Christian, I believe that all of creation declares God's glory -- all of it. If we listen, we will hear. Different Drummer: Ed Ames
Did you hear the one about " V8 ® Nate"? No doubt, it's offensive. Have a happy April Fool's Day! Different Drummer: John S. Hall
A common stereotype is that athletes and coaches are reactionary "dumb jocks" who only stir up trouble in a school environment. I have personally experienced the exact opposite, which is not to say that either stereotype is true. I openly wonder how racism functions within those assumptions and what it says about us if we don't even notice. Different Drummer: Jim Valvano
Over the past hundred years, film is by far the most significant form of art. As a new medium, this probably goes without saying. It is also true when considering artistic achievement within the realm of commerce or entertainment. Movies re-established a balance that hasn't been true in music since what we call "classical" today was actually "pop" for its time. Like music, films of all kinds have created a language of cinema that we rely upon more than we really know. Different Drummer: Stanley ...
When I first heard The Electrics' song "Party Goin' On Upstairs" on a bargain bin CD, the expression "RSVP" kept running through my head. Some Christians, and some non-Christians, imply that Jesus places a large blockade in front of heaven's gate. For them, the concept of a narrow way means that the path is hidden and the savior's calling is cryptic. Actually, Jesus is quite clear about the obvious response he expects to his invitation. Different Drummer: The Electrics
In order to understand everything we experience as humans, I believe there are four distinct types of knowledge. Two are obvious, and perhaps the other two are controversial. The fact is that one of the most common questions of all -- "do I exist?" -- is among the most difficult to prove. This is particularly true if you only give yourself half a chance. Different Drummer: Joan Girardi
I try not to be hypocritical about hypocrisy. My feelings are too intense, though, to let some stuff go. The more responsibility you have, whether an elected government official or a lead cashier in a retail store, the more important it is to manage intensity properly while avoiding short-sighted double standards. For Christians, it has a lot to do with focusing on relationships and understanding what Jesus means by "neighbor." Different Drummer: John Wesley
Monogamy is not just a good idea in the sense we often hear about democracy or capitalism, with it being the "best system among many flawed choices." From a purely sexual perspective, a deeply committed relationship is the best way to explore all that human sexuality has to offer. The opposite approach is to merely skim the surface, and changing the topography might seem like a reasonable way to overcome familiarity. It's much better, though, to truly dive in. Different Drummer: Don Ellis
Almost everything wrong with masculinity today can be described by the fear of being "found out." Sexual aggression is often a front for homophobia. Bullying is often an attempt to use a seeming boldness and bluntness to cover for the fear of weakness. This blunt-force macho nonsense does not reveal men at their best; it reveals our very worst. Different Drummer: John Eldredge
Friendship is not limited or dictated by gender. Factors far more important than sexual organs should determine whether two people consider themselves to be in a platonic partnership. Decades of experiences have shown me that keeping inter-sexual friendships sacred provides a much deeper connection than any of the "with benefits" or "more than a friend" concepts that we frankly ought to reject. Different Drummer: Carl G. Jung
Perhaps we have too much of a black-and-white perspective on what Martin Luther King, Jr. was saying when he urged us to elevate "content of character" above "color of skin" in his 1963 speech. No doubt, he was talking about racial injustice, but our insensitivity is much broader than that. It isn't any better to judge people based on other select things we disagree with or disapprove of -- like sexual behavior or political affiliation. We must look deeper than that to find the content of someon...
Films made for television between 1967-1976: Run a Crooked Mile, The Longest Hundred Miles, Shadow Over Elveron, Probe (Search), The Stranger, City Beneath the Sea, Vanished, Hunter, Duel, Brian's Song, A Cold Night's Death (Chill Factor), Trilogy of Terror, A Short Walk to Daylight, Go Ask Alice, The Man Without a Country, Death Race, Trapped, The Morning After. Different Drummer: Dan Carlin Common Sense & Hardcore History
Should auld acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind? No, and the same applies to family. For me, the cryptic lyrics to a song so often sung on New Year's Eve has extra meaning because the day itself recalls loved ones who have gone too soon and left us behind. Sorry, but it is a struggle for me to look at this time of year without wrestling with regrets. Different Drummer: Tony Pucci Tony Pucci & Songs For Jenny
The impeachment of Bill Clinton near the end of his presidency was one of the most embarrassing moments in the history of the United States government. The president virtually declared that he couldn't define the word "is." More than 200 representatives in Congress demonstrated a weak grasp of the word "other." Millions of dollars were wasted on an assumption that a majority of American voters didn't know what they were doing when Clinton was elected, not once but twice! Embarrassing, indeed. Di...
It's ironic, but some of the same people who believe in confession and accountability reject any notion of a right to privacy. Without some sense of privacy, though, you cannot have true intimacy. And without intimacy, all relationships suffer - among family members, between friends, and with God. Different Drummer: Drew Pinsky
Holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas often generate family traditions. At its best, the nostalgia of childhood forms a bond of memories that lasts a lifetime. For me, a sheet of paper folded like a triangle has spun across four decades now, resting on nothing less than the edge of brotherhood. Different Drummer: Keith Jackson Yes, the tabletop looks like a basketball court rather than a football field.
Plenty of evidence suggests that those who argue the loudest about homosexuality are not able to explain what it is. Perhaps it is human nature to lash out in fear against things we don't understand, but that is certainly not a proper Christian response. Bullying and marginalizing people is not what Jesus would do. Knowing how that fact conflicts with the actions of many Christians does not make me happy. Different Drummer: Ethan and Joel Coen
It's interesting to see how pro-choice friends react when I define abortion as the killing of an unborn child. It is also interesting to observe the reaction of pro-life friends when I suggest that such a killing isn't necessarily or always "unjust." Obviously, we have to clear up a few things before we can even define the word abortion, much less deal with the issue. Different Drummer: Judith Jarvis Thomson
Arguments against the Electoral College assign too much importance to the "popular vote" and too little importance to the "state" part of the United States of America. In a landslide led by the most populous parts of the country, as few as a dozen states could sway an election within the Electoral College. How few states would it be in a system based solely on popular vote? Before you answer, remember how important it is to avoid any voter being disenfranchised. Different Drummer: George C. Scot...
Halloween has always been about kids dressing in costumes and collecting candy, right? As I got older, the holiday was more about listening to the music of departed musicians and sharing stories with a close group of friends. Is something inherently evil about October 31st? Or does the conservative backlash against Halloween actually do the devil's bidding by publicizing Satanism more than any Harry Potter lookalike asking for candy ever could? Different Drummer: Edgar Allan Poe
Time to respond to feedback for the first time, and certainly not the last. The P's and Q's are your points and questions: excellent ideas for me to consider ... hopefully with adequate answers. Thanks! Different Drummer: Hank Hanegraaff
Memory separates me from many of my friends and peers. It's not just that I have strong recollections of past events. I also remember at great detail some events that others do not recall at all, except perhaps with a vague sense of satisfaction or regret. Well, if I've told you that I would remember you, I meant it. Always. Different Drummer: Alain Resnais
