This morning I sent out a link to what I called an edifying food rant, which you can read here. Having done so, I thought it might be good for me to summarize a few basic observations about food and the modern Christian. This is by no means exhaustive, but it should give the lay …
Allergic to Other People
The church is capable of including any number of subcultural groups within her pale, and can do so without great difficulty. Ham radio operators, rodeo riders, surfers, and rock climbers are all welcome. And what they all do the Saturday before worship does not disrupt the reality of their worship together. But food subcultures are …
The Need to Cross-Check
How do we know things? How do we confirm things? With regard to any claim that matters enough that we need to check it, the Bible teaches that we look for external corroboration, internal consistency, and a clear willingness for the claim to be falsified. “In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every …
That Magnificent JuJu Bean
One of the larger pastoral problems in the church today is the trend to ever-increasing fruitiness, coupled with the cowardice of those who see what is happening, and yet say nothing. Whenever someone proposes any particular pursuit in a singularly fruity way — and I am speaking of weird diets, oils with superpowers, medicinal oddballery, …
All Hipster Mortifications
“Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, (Touch not; taste not; handle not; Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in …
Phevered Phood Pharisaism
What do you think of when you think of someone with a seared conscience? The natural thing that might come to mind is the image of a sociopath, someone who has no compunction about doing anything whatever. “Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron . . .” (1 Tim. 4:2). …
Reusable Crud
So recently some pesky researchers decided to investigate reusable shopping bags. They offered new reusables to shoppers leaving a grocery store, asked them a few questions about their treatment of the bags, and sent them on their way. Then they toted the bags off to the lab to test them. Turns out the warm, dark, …
Covered in Hot Gravy
The faithful Christian looks around the table, sees who is sitting with him, and he loves them. The fellowship and thanksgiving sanctify whatever is on the table — and pretty much anything can be on the table. If we can get it down, there is not much that gratitude can’t sanctify (1 Tim. 4:4). The …
Underlying Assumptions About God’s Grouchiness
Let me simply note that the American people have a deep faith in certain things that actual science cannot touch. We can measure this faith by looking at the areas in which our politicians and regulators are allowed to hassle us, and the areas where we will not allow them to speak reassurance to us. …
Sex Doll Android Upgrades
Let us imagine a particular woman, residing in Beverly Hills, and she is quite attractive in that prefab way that some women have. But her remarkable tan is fake bake, and her hair is a species of blonde not found in nature. Thirty percent of her chest area comes to us courtesy of chemical researchers …