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Tough issues
Some of the questions we ask can be addressed with short answers. Others require a longer conversation. Subjects such as homosexuality, euthanasia, suicide, evil and suffering, and the like are tough but relevant. Here are essays designed to address some of the hardest issues of life.
Unlocking The DaVinci Code
Nearly three years ago, I picked up Dan Brown's The DaVinci Code on the new fiction table at a local bookstore. Its cover and title led me to believe it would be a work of art history. Given my interest in the general subject, and in Leonardo in particular, I began thumbing through the volume. It was quickly obvious that the writer intended something far different.
click for more... | Tsunamis, tragedy, and God: Where is our Father when his children hurt?
Why does a good God allow bad things to happen to good people? The tragedy of December 26, 2004 is only the most recent event to call into question God's love, his power, or both. September 11, 2001, and the Holocaust of the previous generation, are equally problematic for those who believe God is all-powerful and all-loving. And each of us bears our own burdens, faces our own suffering and pain. A college professor said to me, "Son, be kind to everyone, because everyone's having a hard time."
click for more... | The separation of church and state: what it means and why it matters
On January 20, 2005, George W. Bush took the oath of office as President of the United States, the 55th time this event has occurred in our nation's history. On Thursday, April 30, 1789, General George Washington was present for the first. As the General walked to the balcony of Federal Hall in New York City, thousands of people jammed into the street below gave him a thunderous ovation. Suddenly the crowd became quiet as General Washington turned toward Judge Robert R. Livingston and placed his left hand on an opened Bible sitting upon a table beside him. He raised his right hand, and swore to "faithfully execute the office of the President of the United States."
click for more... | Suicide, scripture, and the grace of God
More people die from suicide than from homicide in America. Suicide is the third leading cause of death for those aged 15-24, and is most common among those aged 65 years and older. Suicide rates among the elderly are highest for those who are divorced or widowed. In the last half-century, the suicide rate among adolescents and young adults has nearly tripled.
click for more... | Islam, the war on terror, and the Muslim world
What picture came to your mind for the word "Islam" on September 10, 2001? Men bowing in prayer toward Mecca? The Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem? A mosque? After September 11, what pictures are vivid for you? For many Americans, the images of nineteen terrorists are the faces of Islam. Radicals shouting victoriously in the streets of Palestinian territories, Pakistan, and Afghanistan offended us all. Now more than ever before in our history, we want to know what Islam is and what it means to us.
click for more... | Homosexuality and the Scriptures
This may be the most controversial and emotional issue this website will address. We can find scholars who support any of the variety of positions which are advocated on the subject. It is not my intention to treat fully the multitude of interpretive comments which deal with the biblical texts on the subject. My goal is simply to review what the Bible says about homosexuality, as clearly, succinctly, and practically as possible.
click for more... | Euthanasia
Most of us who watched the Terri Schiavo tragedy unfold wondered what to think. The legal issues involved in her medical care and death were enormous. When should society guarantee a person's right to refuse life support? What kind of statements and/or documents are necessary? Absent these, is the decision best left to the spouse or other immediate family? What role should health care providers play?
click for more... | Divorce and the word of God
When is divorce permissible biblically? When is it not? What does the Lord say about such a difficult subject?
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