I often joke that maybe I shouldn’t have written a memoir of my faith journey, because now everyone knows me by the theology I had circa 2012. While still holding to core doctrines, I’ve changed my mind on other things I wouldn’t want to be known for now. Many Christians I know are speeding toward… Continue reading Idols rather than fishers
Category: Social Issues
A time for unifying, a time for dividing
I’m torn between two types of people I want to be: one who shows grace to those with differing opinions, and one who is firm in both conviction and setting healthy emotional boundaries. How can one be both in this era? Yet Another Identity Crisis For me, this is another Jewish-versus-Christian issue, where both sides… Continue reading A time for unifying, a time for dividing
RBG and Spiritual Dysphoria
Every now and then, there is an event or a season in which I hearken back to my Jewish roots. It’s not that I shut down my Christian identity, but rather allow a part of me that normally lies dormant to temporarily take the stage. The High Holy Days in Judaism are one such season.… Continue reading RBG and Spiritual Dysphoria
Racism and the importance of communal repentance
One Jewish concept that carried over into Christianity is that of communal repentance. In ancient times, the sins of a community were atoned for with blood sacrifices. Today, communal repentance takes place one day a year on Yom Kippur, where Jews gather in synagogue to recognize the sins that were committed during the past year.… Continue reading Racism and the importance of communal repentance
How to talk about politics on social media without being annoying
Many people are annoyed by the onslaught of political posts on social media. I can't say I blame them -- because not all political posts are created equal. It would be easy to say "Just don't" in response to the question, Should I post something political? But the truth is, almost everything is political in… Continue reading How to talk about politics on social media without being annoying
A few lifestyle changes for greener living
Instead of specific New Year's resolutions, I try to stick to general, non-specific goals for the year. One such goal that's been on my mind for a while is to make lifestyle changes so I produce less waste, and consume less as a whole, while making choices that are better for the health of the… Continue reading A few lifestyle changes for greener living
When to end a friendship over politics
Would your family have hidden mine from the Nazis? I kid you not, I asked this question of my friends when I was a child. It was the ultimate gauge to see if they were truly good people (thankfully, they all said yes, they would have hidden me, but many of them didn't even know… Continue reading When to end a friendship over politics
Yom Kippur and #MeToo
I never liked Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, growing up. Jewish holidays can best be summarized as “They tried to kill us, we survived, let’s eat,” and thus tend to be joyful occasions, but not this one. It’s a somber day of reflecting on our sins and making amends with the people we’ve hurt.… Continue reading Yom Kippur and #MeToo
How my Jewish background opened my eyes to racism
I often wonder what my life would be like if I had been raised in a Christian home. Would I be the same person I am today? Would I still prioritize understanding different viewpoints – even those (or especially those) I disagree with? It’s easy for me to resent my Jewish background sometimes. It’s the… Continue reading How my Jewish background opened my eyes to racism
Surviving the latest schism
In November 2016, my faith took a hard nose dive. It was going that direction already, after a difficult season at a conservative seminary and acknowledging hard questions I couldn’t find sensible answers to. But if there’s one thing that really threatened to destroy it all, it was seeing a group of people, supposedly united… Continue reading Surviving the latest schism