I was sitting in a coffee shop a few months ago, working on a book review for a company I was freelancing for at the time. The book was about whether or not the Apostle Paul was bigoted, misogynistic, and homophobic, given what he wrote about slaves, women, and other groups. The book was lying… Continue reading John Allen Chau and misplaced evangelical zeal
I knew my life would change after I became a Christian -- but I was also surprised by how much remained the same. I thought I was giving up Judaism...but Judaism, the religion, and being Jewish are two different things. Somehow, I never stopped believing that Jewish spaces suddenly ceased to be my spaces. My… Continue reading Why I still consider myself Jewish
When my brother mentioned casually at the dinner table that he was interested in Buddhism, neither of my parents thought it was strange. In fact, in recent years there has been an increase of interest in Eastern religions among the Jewish community, and there's nothing shocking or heretical about it (unless maybe you're Orthodox). My… Continue reading Choosing a religion that persecutes you
For every post I write that encourages Christians to stop targeting Jews with evangelism, someone always comments, But don't you want the Jews to be saved? I understand what the comment is asking -- supposedly it's a Christian's duty to make sure that everyone hears the Gospel, so they can have fire insurance before they… Continue reading Why targeted evangelism is a bad idea
Being misunderstood sucks. I'm not a big people-pleaser by nature, but it does bother me when I'm disliked for the wrong reasons. This doesn't happen too often, but the following scenario has happened to me more than once: New Jewish acquaintance: "So you grew up Reform, but then converted?" Me: "Basically, yeah." Them: "So you're… Continue reading Christians: let the Jews speak
Every now and then, when my doubts start to gang up on me, I skim through Confessions of a Prodigal Daughter to be reminded, Oh, this is why I chose Christianity. These are the reasons I'm still here. I stand by those reasons. My faith is generally strengthened by hardship, because it's when I lean… Continue reading When I can’t believe in the Church
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
This post originally appeared on Tim Fall's blog. Some people have a clear idea of how God will “use” them, especially if they came to faith from a struggle like drinking, drugs, or some kind of abuse. They know exactly who their audience is. The words come naturally and with ease. I follow lots of… Continue reading What is my “ministry”?
The Social Justice Statement, a document composed by prominent white evangelical men, claims that caring for minorities somehow compromises the gospel. It denies any culpability in systemic racism, and any responsibility for how anti-gay and anti-woman rhetoric causes harm. None of this is surprising. In fact, it fits rather well in an era in which… Continue reading The Social Justice Statement is an affront to black, Jewish Jesus
I try not to employ the “No True Scotsman” fallacy very often – it’s not up to me to see into people’s hearts and determine who is a legitimate Christian, and who is not. At the same time, a person born in a Jewish family who later believes in Jesus is, by definition, no longer… Continue reading Who are the “true believers”?
