Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Progressive Christian

Dear John

Select a Category Christian Issues Christian Spirituality Dear John En Espanol Everywhere She's Not Humor Look See Pastor Bob's Corner Personal Portuguese Relationships Russian Short-short story Smith Family Chronicles Uncategorized

Select a Month March 2024 August 2022 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 February 2020 December 2019 June 2019 December 2018 May 2018 May 2017 January 2017 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007

March 2012

March 20, 2012

“Am I crazy to think God saved me from my abusers?”

Hi, John. This is in response to your post, As a Christian, Must She Forgive...

March 14, 2012

“Why shouldn’t I, a queer polyamorous girl, give up on Christianity?”

I don't believe in Christianity; I believe in the particular form of Christianity that I...

March 06, 2012

“Should I, a gay man, choose an excellent Catholic hospital?”

This just in: Dear John, I have a question on which I'd like your thoughts....

February 2012

February 27, 2012

Must I forgive the brother who sexually abused me for seven years?

A woman writes in with an extremely difficult question.

February 17, 2012

Won’t her mom be surprised/confused

Got this in this week: Hello John, God bless you, and thank you so much...

February 09, 2012

When bad pastors happen to good weddings

Got this in: Hi John, I had a friend turn me on to your site...

February 01, 2012

“I reject a God who would let this man into heaven.”

Where was God when my 9-year-old son was drugged and raped? generated a lot of...

January 2012

January 30, 2012

“Where was God when my 9-year-old son was drugged and raped?”

This was sent me last week: Dear John, I am a secular humanist who practices...

January 05, 2012

To a Christian woman who chose abortion

"The house of your grief has four walls: for your unborn child, for your departed...

December 2011

December 15, 2011

“Why would God degrade Mary as he did?”

[UPDATE: The young woman who wrote the letter below has responded to my answer of...

December 12, 2011

Good Friends, Or Socially Maladjusted Cretins?

Here's a letter recently in: Dear John, First of all, your posts on all things...

December 09, 2011

“Please Tell Me This Is A Bad Idea”

Last week a reader sent me this email. Its subject line was "Trying not to...

November 2011

November 26, 2011

How Can God Allow Child Abuse?

Within a letter I recently received a reader asked a question I thought worth answering....

November 06, 2011

She is not responsible for her husband’s suicide

I received this morning the following heartbreaking letter from a woman named Erin: Dear John,...

November 02, 2011

After the Purity Ball, occupy your body

Last week I got in this letter: Dear John, I have a simple-minded question for...

October 2011

October 26, 2011

“My gay Christian cousin committed suicide”

A few days ago I got in this letter: I recently found your website via...

October 19, 2011

“So basically I’m gay. I clearly don’t know how to start this.”

Yesterday I got in a couple of letters from two different people, one right after...

September 2011

September 05, 2011

Secretly Gay-Affirming Pastors: You Are Not Alone

Yesterday I received this email (which I use here by permission): Dear John, Hi. My...

August 2011

August 09, 2011

“What is baptism?”

This is in response to an adult convert to Christianity who wrote to ask about...

July 2011

July 30, 2011

“Should I leave my anti-gay church, or try to change it from within?”

Here's a letter I recently received: Dear John, I just found this blog and I...

June 2011

June 20, 2011

“Am I Seeking the Truth Because I Want to Justify My Sin?”

Here's a letter I got in this weekend: Good day John. I'd like to say...

June 08, 2011

“I Was A Christian Mime. That’s Just F***ed.”

Letter of the day: I've been loosely following you on Facebook posts for awhile now;...

May 2011

May 01, 2011

How to Find the Right Church for You

How to find the right church for you.

April 2011

April 29, 2011

“‘Real Christians’ Keep Telling Me I’m Not a Christian. Are They Right?”

No one should ever tell anyone else whether or not they're a "real" Christian.

November 2010

November 10, 2010

Letter From an Atheist Man Married to a Christian Woman

What's it like being an atheist man married to an atheist woman?

September 2010

September 29, 2010

A married Christian man struggles with homosexual desires

In my inbox this morning, I found the following letter: Hi John, I'm am married...

August 2010

August 28, 2010

What Is Prayer?

The post you are looking for is Religion Quiz! Name the two kinds of prayer!...

August 10, 2010

An Atheist (And Her Atheist Husband) Visit Her Evangelical Family

Dear John [a woman wrote me yesterday], I'm an atheist who was raised in the...

August 06, 2010

Doubting Christ, Young Christian? Have At It!

Yesterday I received from a young man the following email: I was raised in the...

July 2010

July 16, 2010

A Christian Asks: “They’re Doing Yoga At My Job. Should I Join In?”

They've started doing yoga at her job. She's wondering if it's wrong for her, a...