Bruce's blog

Trump May Be the End of the World As We Know It—But For Some Evangelicals, That's Just Fine

Clarke and his followers talk enthusiastically about events they clearly perceive as eventualities: signs in the heavens, the bloodshed of nations at Armageddon, the final destruction of non-believers in the winepress of God’s wrath.

Below are two objects that are popular in the United States, and require skill and training to use properly. Carelessness operating these objects can lead to serious injury or even death. That's why all 50 states require some form of training, a licensing examination that includes a written test and a hands-on demonstration of skill, and liability insurance to cover accidents before allowing a resident to operate one of these.

Silence and Evolution

Too many people believe God’s only actions are miraculous actions. If there are normal, non-miraculous, or scientific explanations for something, then they think God had nothing to do with it. They want to see a burning bush, or they won’t believe God is speaking. They want to prove special, de novo creation or they don’t think God is creating.

Writing Human Rights and Getting It Wrong

With Donald Trump officially taking the oath of office to become the United States' 45th president, we are living in the age of alternative facts.

Rev. Barber: A “Moral Center,” Not a “Religious Left,” Will Save Us in 2017

Former Obama White House staffer Michael Wear has caused a stir while promoting his recent book Reclaiming Hope. In an interview with Emma Green for the Atlantic, Wear commented on the fact that 81 percent of white evangelicals voted for Donald Trump. Wear lamented that the Democrats, in his view, did not make much of an effort to reach out to people of faith.

A modern retelling of Jesus' parable

An attorney stood and asked Jesus, "Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

Jesus replied, "What is written in the law? How do you read it?"

And he answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind; and love your neighbor as yourself."

Jesus said, "You have answered well. Do this and you shall live."

But wanting to justify himself, the attorney asked, "And who is my neighbor?"

Attributing the DNC Hacks to Russia

If the government is going to take public action against a cyberattack, it needs to make its evidence public. But releasing secret evidence might get people killed, and it would make any future confidentiality assurances we make to human sources completely non-credible. This problem isn't going away; secrecy helps the intelligence community, but it wounds our democracy.