11/2/16 Highlights

Right now, I have more than 15 tabs open in Firefox, with lots of articles I don't want to "lose."

Yes, I can bookmark them, but my bookmark list is so big, I have trouble finding things stored there. I could do the very "yesterday" thing of saving the content into a Word file, but that too has become the online version of a file drawer that is never accessed once things are stashed there.

So I'm going to keep going with these blog entries, trying to put a little annotation in with the links that right now have "meaning" to me in some way. I'm not sure this is much of an improvement over those other two approaches, but I have to do something to unclog my screens right now.

The Isolated, Arrogant World of "Progressives"

First, two interesting and disturbing entries on the "elitist" isolation of so many progressives/liberals who just don't get it when it comes to understanding how "the other half" lives and thinks.

Wow--empathy for Trump voters? Interesting, especially considering that the source isn't Fox or Glen Beck.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/inspired-life/wp/2016/11/02/what-is-this-election-missing-empathy-for-trump-voters/?tid=sm_fb

This one is most disturbing, showing how separate are the world views and lives of a small group of "leaders"  who are shaping our world more than we know:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/oct/31/the-podesta-emails-show-who-runs-america-and-how-they-do-it

More on the LGBT Issue

So Jen Hatmaker, an evangelical blogger of some import, has come out in favor of gay marriage? Here is a post with links to four good essays on the topic.

https://blogs.thegospelcoalition.org/justintaylor/2016/11/02/the-only-four-things-you-need-to-read-in-response-to-the-hatmakers/

"American Folk Religion" 

Perhaps the thoughts in the following article help explain a bit of the Hatmaker's changed views. Trying to hard to fit into our culture by fitting our "god" into that culture seems to be a real challenge for us in the 21st century. The "American folk religion" explained:

http://www.mbird.com/2016/11/god-as-a-magnifying-mirror-of-me-on-american-folk-religion/


Rochester, the "Dumpy Little Town,"  and Javon Bea 

Nice editorial here on this latest issue roiling our fair city:

http://www.themedcitybeat.com/opinion/2016/response-to-javon-bea-heart-of-city-comments


Hard Passages in the Bible Explicated

This is a nice compendium of podcasts on tough passages in the Bible; good to keep as a reference.

https://blogs.thegospelcoalition.org/trevinwax/2016/10/24/24-tough-bible-passages-and-how-to-understand-and-teach-them/

Do "Purity" Campaigns Help Christians?

Interesting commentary regarding the potential harm from some of the "true love waits" kind of campaigns within the church.

http://rickthomas.net/staying-pure-make-pure/

Trump's "devil's bargain" for Christians

http://www.christianpost.com/news/trumps-offer-to-christians-is-same-offer-devil-made-christ-168993/




Christians and the Election

Finally (I hope!) a few "election advice for Christians" posts:

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/being-on-gods-side-a-dozen-recommendations-for-the-religious-right

http://inallthings.org/on-voting-and-civic-participation/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+in-all-things+%28in+all+things%29

http://www.christianpost.com/news/evangelicals-now-homeless-in-election-what-to-do-next-opinion-171023/



 A Video to Watch Again and Again

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/president-obama-executive-order-faith-based-initiative-church/story?id=12180146