Tag Archives: race

Cultural Appropriation

I have inexplicably become a late-in-life artist (well, a person who makes what I call art). It started during COVID with a lot of free time and accumulated stacks of African fabric. I remembered the beautiful collage paintings I had seen on a recent trip to Tanzania and arrogantly thought, I’m gonna try that. InContinue reading “Cultural Appropriation”

Yes, And

I just had yet another interaction with an angry, bitter ex-evangelical. In this case, telling those of us who endeavor to remain followers of Christ we are stupid and wrong. And, look, I get it. You know I’ve written extensively about my doubts about this entire faith thing, my lack of faith, my annoyance atContinue reading “Yes, And”

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”

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”

Don’t know much about history

I remember the first time I saw her face. Not the day or the time or the setting, although I was definitely a graduate student at the time, pursuing a Ph.D. in American history. But what I remember most is the turn of my stomach. There were two battered, black bodies hanging in a treeContinue reading “Don’t know much about history”

How is CRT unbiblical?

One thing that was always clear to me in my conservative Christian upbringing is that we preferred to talk about the sins of others more than our own. Even when discussing types of sin common in the church–divorce, fornication for instance–it was framed as an invasion of sorts, with believers captured by the pernicious ideasContinue reading “How is CRT unbiblical?”

You can be absolutely sure you’re right and still be wrong

When I was a kid, my dad repeatedly told me a story about a time he came into conflict wth a co-worker over something and was subsequently proven wrong. “Remember, you can be absolutely sure you’re right and still be wrong,” he said. Wise words. I won’t comment on whether or not he himself learnedContinue reading “You can be absolutely sure you’re right and still be wrong”