Whatever happened to sin?

Terry Mattingly March 14th, 2008

Tweet

I have no idea if there is a religion ghost somewhere in the sad story of Ashley Youmans Rae Maika DiPietro Alexandra Dupre - the 22-year-old "escort" better known as "Kristen" in the icky story of Gov. Eliot Spitzer of New York.

I do know this. There are times when it is hard to cover the news and avoid the word "sin."

Read the whole New York Times report that pulled her out into the spotlight. Doesn't this leave you asking some quest … (Read More)

Comments (1) | Trackback

Christmas is for Sinners!

Mark Tesreau December 3rd, 2007

Tweet

I love Christmas, and if you love Christmas too and you're like me, each year you set out to make the approaching Christmas season the best one ever. Like me, you're convinced that with careful planning and discipline, you can have the perfect Christmas.

You resolve to get your shopping done early, while at the same time resolving not to focus on the giving and receiving of gifts. You resolve to not overspend, yet you resolve to be generous. You resolve to mak … (Read More)

Comments (0) | Trackback

Truth & Consequences

Erik Guzman November 28th, 2007

Tweet

Check out this edition of [ping] and witness the birth of a new character in the pantheon of podcasting, Erik Solo.

I've never piloted this thing without somebody riding shotgun, so Mark and Jordo called in to keep me company. To stick with the Star Wars imagery, Mark plays the role of Chewbacca and Jordo makes a great C-3PO (fluent in over 6 million forms of communication).

Anyway, it was a good show. We talked about God's non-existence, keeping an open … (Read More)

Comments (7) | Trackback

Guilt and Isolation

Erik Guzman August 13th, 2007

Tweet

When a Christian leader acts as if he or she has a hotline to God and knows all, don't listen to that leader. You'll end up suffering under tremendous guilt. What's more, when you affirm that kind of nonsense in a leader, you subject him or her to a prison where it's impossible to be free.

On this week's Scandalous Freedom Podcast, Steve discusses the plagues of Guilt and Isolation that result from putting people on pedestals.

Listen by clicki … (Read More)

Comments (1) | Trackback

The Punishing Plagues of Putting People on Pedestals

Erik Guzman August 6th, 2007

Tweet

When we worship at the altar of another human being, we chain ourselves (and our idol) to unattainable expectations that destroy our freedom to risk, think, feel, and be who God created us to be. Wars have been fought, churches have been divided and damaged, and Christians have been manipulated, bound, and hurt, all because we worshiped at some imperfect person's pedestal.

Join Steve Brown for a look at the plagues of Irresponsibility and Disservice that result fr … (Read More)

Comments (1) | Trackback

The Good News of Cheap Grace

Erik Guzman July 9th, 2007

Tweet

For years, Steve Brown has been giving away free sins (as an aside, now you can too, click here). As you can imagine, this gets some people's undies in a bunch. To them, it's "cheap grace" and foolishness. But to those who are so bad as to need God's unconditional love and acceptance, it's incredibly good news…even the power of God for salvation.

Now, if you really believed God likes you and that you don't have to worry about … (Read More)

Comments (5) | Trackback