You told me non-Christians were the problem. You told me Christians were always better. You taught me to look for the fish on the sign to know a business wouldn’t cheat me. You bought me Christian music and books and movies. You sent me to Christian schools and did Christian work and did all theContinue reading “You are that man”
Author Archives: Holly F
Thoughts on Death
How’s that for a cheery title? I was going to write about the report on the cover up of sexual abuse in the Southern Baptist Convention, but I thought death would be more of a pick-me-up on a Monday morning…. I’ll have more to say later about the SBC report, which is absolutely unsurprising andContinue reading “Thoughts on Death”
They Know Not What They Do
Easter has come and gone since the last time I posted, and like Christmas/Advent, my Easters are often tinged with disappointment and discomfort, as I struggle to believe and to feel the joy and certainty of so many Christians I see around me. “HE IS RISEN!” they say and post on social media, in everyContinue reading “They Know Not What They Do”
Learning to be curious, not judgmental
If you’re not watching Ted Lasso, you need to get on it. Every episode (except for that weird dream-like sequence involving Coach Beard–just skip that one) is like a meditation on leadership, vulnerability, character, and relationship. This is the only show I’ve ever watched that will literally make you a better person. Not even kidding.Continue reading “Learning to be curious, not judgmental”
Zelensky’s children
I, like the rest of the civilized world, have found a new hero, Ukrainian President Voldomeyer Zelensky. How can you not be inspired by a leader who refuses to abandon his people, at great risk to his own life, who perfectly frames the moral stakes of a great conflict, who so powerfully articulates a loveContinue reading “Zelensky’s children”
The Cost of Myths
March 6 was apparently the anniversary of the Alamo, which I know only because a Texan Facebook friend posted, “Remember the Alamo!” on his page. The story of the Alamo, in Texas lore, is one of a scrappy band of freedom fighters who fought to the last man against Mexican invaders, buying time for SamContinue reading “The Cost of Myths”
My international upbringing didn’t immunize me against bigotry
This is one of Mark Twain’s more famous quotes, and in general, I think he was right. Certainly interacting with different peoples and cultures is almost always enlightening and enriching. That’s what missionaries and MKs, like myself, often argue. We like to think of ourselves as worldly in this way, exposed to an exquisite varietyContinue reading “My international upbringing didn’t immunize me against bigotry”
Christian-splaining
We’ve all heard the term “mansplain.” Dictionary.com defines “mansplain” like this: To explain something to a woman in a condescending, overconfident, and often inaccurate or oversimplified manner, typically to a woman already knowledgeable about the topic. To be honest about myself, I mansplain things to people, men and women, all the time even though IContinue reading “Christian-splaining”
Kingdom Come
It’s easy to get discouraged about the state of the world when one looks out and about. Just in the last week or so–Russia is about to invade Ukraine, there was yet another coup in West Africa, the GOP censured literally the two best current members of the party, there’s a full-fledged famine in SomaliaContinue reading “Kingdom Come”
Collaborators, Resisters, and Everyone in Between
My husband and I have gone deep, deep into a marginally unhealthy, time-consuming, and rather obsessive relationship with a French show called Un Village Francais (A French Village) on Amazon Prime. It’s about, well, a French village during and immediately after World War II. And, OMG, it’s so good. It has me rethinking my generalContinue reading “Collaborators, Resisters, and Everyone in Between”
A Zebra Without Stripes 