Category Archives: Faith

There are no ordinary people

Posted on September 13, 2014 by salooper57

It is common now – among intellectuals and even among government agencies – to deny humans a nature and regard the characteristics once attributed to human nature as merely “social constructs.” Gender, for example, is now viewed by many as … Continue reading →

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Use the “show-then-tell” approach

Posted on September 6, 2014 by salooper57

If there is a rule in writing fiction, it is this: Show, don’t tell. John Updike impressed that principle on me many years ago in an essay on writing short stories. More recently, I ran across the same principle at … Continue reading →

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Making alterations: Resizing virtue to fit

Posted on August 30, 2014 by salooper57

Everyone wants to be virtuous. It’s part of our DNA. We are born pursuing a standard. We long to fit, or at least fit in. This is just as true of the felon as it is of the lawyer, of … Continue reading →

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You are worth more than you think

Posted on August 23, 2014 by salooper57

How much are you worth? That depends on who is paying the bill. A chemist could get about 50 dollars out of your body (though the cost of extracting the chemicals would be prohibitive). Airlines value a person at about … Continue reading →

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Can we forgive when we are still angry?

Posted on August 16, 2014 by salooper57

One of the great examples of forgiveness in our time comes from Corrie ten Boom, the Dutch Christian woman who, during the Second World War, was arrested by the Nazis for harboring Jews. She was imprisoned, along with her sister, … Continue reading →

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Clearing away the confusion surrounding forgiveness

Posted on August 9, 2014 by salooper57

In what is arguably the most oft-recited Scripture text in history, Jesus teaches his apprentices how to pray. We call this, “The Lord’s Prayer,” or the “Our Father Prayer,” but it might be more accurate to call it, “The Disciple’s … Continue reading →

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The refusal to forgive chains a person to the past

Posted on August 2, 2014 by salooper57

A relationship with God is like a Baroque music composition: there is a point (what God must do) and a counterpoint (what we do in response). The point/counterpoint structure provides the soundtrack to a life of faith. Point: “He first … Continue reading →

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Are we hardwired to believe in God?

Posted on July 26, 2014 by salooper57

There have been repeated studies over recent years that have suggested that humans are hard-wired for religion, including Dean Hamer’s book-length treatment, “The God Gene: How Faith Is Hardwired Into Our Genes.” Scientists have linked structures within the limbic system … Continue reading →

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There is no substitute for understanding

Posted on July 19, 2014 by salooper57

Most drivers have no idea what happens when they turn the key in their car’s ignition. They don’t know how turning the key makes the car move. They don’t understand the battery’s role in the process, or the operation of … Continue reading →

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And We Thought We’d Ordered Prime Rib

Posted on July 12, 2014 by salooper57

When we would sit down for our evening meal, my dad, who was an old Leatherneck, would often say, “Well, you see what you fought yourself to.” His combat metaphor was meant, I think, to impress on us the idea … Continue reading →

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