Blog
New 53X Online Reader and Other 53X News
I have added a new viewer which will allow you to read 53X just like you would read a normal book. This should be a lot easier to read than the previous viewer.
Also, I have some other news on the 53X book front:
- Hard copies of 53X will be coming in the next month or so. You will finally be able to get the book in a hard copy fashion. I will still keep the online version available for free because I want as many people as possible to read it and spread it around.
- Several people have asked me about a discussion guide for the book. I am happy to say that I have finished writing it and am working on getting it edited and reviewed right now. I hope to get that done in time for the hard copies to be released.
- I have a prayer request for you: I had a conversation with some friends about organizing a workshop for 53X. They were pretty excited about it and so it looks like at this early stage it is possible that I will be able to pull off a one-day workshop on the book. Please keep praying.
Thank you guys for your support of 53X and please keep reading is and telling others about it. I think this book really presents some interesting ways of looking at the topic of sex. And it’s sure to spark some serious debate about some of my conclusions in the book!
Read the online version of 53X here!
The 3 Nails Starts This Sunday
I hope you will join me this Monday as we start Holy Week. I have asked some friends of mine to contribute some articles about the significance of the death addn resurrection of Christ on our lives. I am looking forward to sharing these with you. There is some great stuff! The focus of this site next week will be on Christ so the home page will change significantly. But I will make sure you will still be able to get to the old stuff. After Holy Week, things will somewhat return to normal. See you Sunday!!
Something You Will NOT See at The Next Church Social
Update: I removed this video because it is probably not the most appropriate thing to show. When I originally saw it, I saw it for its humor and did not see the inappropriate nature of it. – Robert
This Ain’t Right
Last week the Republican National Committee Chairman, Michael Steele was quoted in an interview with GQ magazine’s Lisa DePaulo saying that he believes abortion is an “individual’s choice”. Here is the excerpt from the interview:
L: How much of your pro-life stance, for you, is informed not just by your catholic faith, but by the fact that you were adopted?
M: Oh, a lot. Absolutely. I see the power of life in that. I mean, and the power of choice! The thing to keep in mind about it, uh, you know, I think as a country we get off on these misguided conversations that throw around terms that really misrepresent truth.
L: Explain that.
M: The choice issue cuts two ways. You can choose life or you can choose abortion. You know, my mother chose life. So, you know, I think the power of the argument of choice boils down to stating a case for one or the other.
L: Are you saying you think women have the right to choose abortion?
M: Yeah. I mean, again, I think that’s an individual choice.
L: You do?
M: Yeah. Absolutely.
L: Are you saying you don’t want to overturn Roe v. Wade?
M: I think Roe v. Wade–as a legal matter, Roe v. Wade was a wrongly decided matter.
L: Okay, but if you overturn Roe v. Wade, how do women have the choice you just said they should have?
M: The states should make that choice: that’s what the choice is. The individual choice rests in the states. Let them decide.
Michael Steele is set to speak at a pro-life banquet event with Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. An Indiana Bishop, Gerald Andrew Gettlefinger of Evansville, has stated that he will boycott the event if Steele speaks. This event is expected to attract 4500 close to people. The Catholic Charities director of Evansville also said he plans to boycott the event as well. I have a problem with this and I would like you to tell me if you think I’m being unreasonable here or not.
Michael Steele has since clarified his position stating “I am pro-life, always have been, always will be.” But apparently this was not enough for the Catholic Bishop who intends to continue his boycott.
What I do not understand is that Steele has made his position on abortion abundantly clear yet the Bishop completely ignores it all. Now I see what so many people get so frustrated with the religious right.
Do you think the Bishop should stand his ground or accept Steele’s response?
The 3 Nails
What do the sufferings of Christ teach us about how we should live? What would the world be like if Christians were actually infatuated with suffering?
This is the focus of a new article series I am working on for Holy Week called The Three Nails. I hope you will join me and the guest pastors and other professionals who will help us think through and hopefully answer these questions.
This is the season of Lent. Many are taking this time to fast from certain things such as food or entertainment. This season is to some a sort of a spring cleaning. My old church used to progressively reduce the number of instruments on the stage during worship from week to week and minimize lighting and other visuals as a visual expression of what it means to get to the heart of what worship is really all about.
So, during the next couple of weeks, you will see this website slowly become increasingly minimal. Think of it as a digital way to practice lent (“digital lent”). Some of it has already taken place (the background is gone). During Holy Week, the focus will be solely on the articles related to The 3 Nails series.
I hope you will join me during Holy Week as we discover what it means to live the Christian life.
Homosexual Christians???
Is that an oxymoron? Is it possible for someone to be gay and still be a Christian? Some say yes and others say no. What do you say? I’ll share my thoughts later.