Epic Christian Fails: The Stepford Second Lady

In honor of Halloween, I've decided to make October's #EpicChristianFails entry more horror than humor. That being said, the occasion that inspired this month's blog post did elicit a dark chuckle and a smirk from me, while providing a heaping helping of disgust as well. It's definitely not a knee-slapper, but it does involve knees. … Continue reading Epic Christian Fails: The Stepford Second Lady

Epic Christian Fails: Pastor Robert Jeffress and the Greta Thunberg Contingency

Robert Jeffress, toxic Christian Zionist, pastor of the 13,000-strong megachurch First Baptist Dallas, and Trump toady extraordinaire, has a solid record when it comes to taking the Bible literally. The prominent Southern Baptist leader has never shied away from such straight-shooting statements as, "We know from the Bible that in fact, we do have a common … Continue reading Epic Christian Fails: Pastor Robert Jeffress and the Greta Thunberg Contingency

Empowerment against Evangelization: Countering Conversion Attempts by Asserting Moral Autonomy

Some Confessions of a Past Proselytizer I remember how stressful it was for me, as a child and young adult, to believe I "had to" attempt to convert others to Christianity--specifically the evangelical variety I grew up in, which those in my community took to be most authentic expression of the faith. As a result … Continue reading Empowerment against Evangelization: Countering Conversion Attempts by Asserting Moral Autonomy

Ex-Evangelical Conversations: Author Linda Kay Klein

As the author of Pure: Inside the Evangelical Movement that Shamed a Generation of Young Women and How I Broke Free (Atria Books, 2018), Linda Kay Klein is a woman who needs little introduction in exvangelical and adjacent circles. Linda and I were both featured in the 2018 CBS Religion documentary special Deconstructing My Religion, and and she … Continue reading Ex-Evangelical Conversations: Author Linda Kay Klein

On the Conservative Movement and Evangelical Spin Doctoring: A Response to A. J. Nolte

The Big Picture: The Power of Denial in the Conservative Movement If there's one consistent thing that many #NeverTrump conservatives have tried to get the American public to believe, it's that the only problem in the conservative movement and the current iteration of the Republican Party is Donald J. Trump. If we could just get … Continue reading On the Conservative Movement and Evangelical Spin Doctoring: A Response to A. J. Nolte

#EvangelicalIntoEnglish, Missionary Edition: Unpacking Ed Stetzer’s Spin on the Death of Radical Missionary John Chau

In my latest for Playboy, "On the Death of John Chau and the Madness of Missionaries," I wrote: That John Chau was a product of the radical apocalyptic evangelical milieu I grew up in, and driven by its approach to missions, thus seems undeniable. Why, then, is the commentary from the most prominent evangelical outlets relatively sparse? … Continue reading #EvangelicalIntoEnglish, Missionary Edition: Unpacking Ed Stetzer’s Spin on the Death of Radical Missionary John Chau

Ex-Evangelical Conversations: Christian Abuse Survivor, College Student, and Future Journalist Elizabeth Hunter, Part I

Be warned that today's installment of Ex-Evangelical Conversations is a very disturbing read. Currently a senior at a Christian college, Elizabeth Hunter's path has been a harrowing one of survival involving parental negligence, re-homing, sexual abuse, gaslighting, manipulation, humiliation, and starvation, mostly from the adults in her environment who were supposed to be nurturing and … Continue reading Ex-Evangelical Conversations: Christian Abuse Survivor, College Student, and Future Journalist Elizabeth Hunter, Part I

#EvangelicalContributions? I Can Think of a Few

Donald Trump is reportedly hosting a dinner at the White House tonight in which he, as Christian Broadcasting Network David Brody phrased it on Twitter, "will honor contributions Evangelicals are making to american [sic.] life." Some 80% of white evangelicals voted for Trump in the 2016 presidential election, and, with 75% giving the so-called president … Continue reading #EvangelicalContributions? I Can Think of a Few