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February 2013

February 27, 2013

The one sin God cannot forgive

Dear John: Is there any sin so bad that God, through Jesus Christ, cannot forgive...

February 22, 2013

My new John’s Prayer for the Week and John’s Monthly Newsletter

This week I launched two newsletters. You can sign up for either/both of them here. John's...

February 03, 2013

“Stop swinging, Samson!”

[This is a traditional tale from American folklore which I've slightly modernized in tone but...

December 2012

December 24, 2012

Merry Christmas, coyotes and all

It's 6:30 in the morning. My wife Catherine's asleep upstairs. Downstairs our Christmas tree gleams...

December 20, 2012

Christmas Lament

Reader Meghan Lin wrote to say, "I don't comment much at all, but I'm a...

December 09, 2012

Joseph and Mary: The Night Before

A conversation between Joseph and Mary on the big night.

December 03, 2012

Like fearless Jesus, I will whip it good

This morning in the Gospel of John I read this: When it was almost time...

November 2012

November 29, 2012

Grace: Everything’s gonna be alright

So this morning I woke up to find in my email this letter: Hello there,...

November 26, 2012

The only language you and God share

You don't have to read too deeply into the Gospels before you realize that much...

November 21, 2012

The Light in Us All: A Prayer for Thanksgiving

A son whose mother is sliding into dementia. A woman whose husband died of cancer,...

November 15, 2012

Thanksgiving 2012 Share a Prayer

Some of you might recall how last Easter we did The Burning of the Resentments....

October 2012

October 24, 2012

Post-posters and proposal post

Hi, guys. Sorry I didn't put up a new post this morning. Pffft. Like that's...

October 22, 2012

I got married to God by a Bad News Bear

So by way of a ceremony that began around 3 p.m. on Saturday in my...

October 19, 2012

Pray for me as I get ordained as a pastor of The Progressive Christian Alliance

So for a couple of years now Roger McClellan, founder of the The Progressive Christian...

October 13, 2012

The entire human experience in 900 words

So to continue with last time's Everybody Self-Harms. One thing: I read in a few...

October 11, 2012

Everyone self-harms—and here’s why

So in yesterday's post I wrote (um ... to quote myself, which I know is...

October 06, 2012

Is Church Necessary?

What role does church play in your spiritual life? Do you feel it's a necessary...

September 2012

September 17, 2012

Right now always

Looking about ourselves right now we dare not believe what God himself wants us dares...

August 2012

August 09, 2012

Love is all we need

I received the email below ... today, I think. Maybe yesterday. (God, how sad is...

August 02, 2012

Getting Past the Hollowness of “Religious Tolerance”

So this is freakish. But ... well, here it is. I woke up this morning...

July 2012

July 26, 2012

Jesus Christ and Your Inner Loser [Podcast]

Sorry it's been a couple of weeks since putting up my last podcast; I've had...

July 20, 2012

The Bible and sex addiction

Occasioned by two comments he left on my blog, we last time discussed Chad Holtz's...

July 18, 2012

Chad Holtz now believes in hell. As to homosexuality . . . ?

Yesterday Chad Holtz left a comment to a post of mine from May 2011, What...

July 01, 2012

Let’s not be afraid today

If you're a fan of this blog, you know that we who populate it with...

May 2012

May 14, 2012

Call me Judy and hand me a gavel

I am often criticized by finger-wagging Christians admonishing me not to judge others. So I...

April 2012

April 28, 2012

Prayer/love requests: A beloved battling cancer; a child, just out, sure to face bigotry

The woman who so graciously volunteered to translate my/our book UNFAIR: Why the "Christian" View...

April 20, 2012

Any leftist pinko hippie gay-lovin’ churches in Brooklyn?

Got this in yesterday. Anyone? Hey John, Longtime reader here. Your blog has helped me...

April 17, 2012

A ray of light, and a new book I’ll be writing on my blog

We've been going through some pretty rough stuff here lately. So I thought I'd share...

April 16, 2012

An unbearably difficult update

[UPDATE: Tim has passed.] This just in from the writer of the letter I answered...

April 11, 2012

Me, a Christian apologist?

The Christianity in which I believe is every bit as intellectually, theologically, and spiritually legitimate...