Inappropriate Conversations

In American amateur sports, women have been making the biggest impact for a decade now. There are multiple reasons. One of the most interesting, though, is an example of the great things that happen for society as a whole when principles of equality are put into place. It’s more than just a game. Our entire economy may be experiencing the same benefit of full empowerment and participation. Differe...

Whether Jesus is the answer to disarming the violent, largely political divisions in our society?   Dan Carlin Common Sense   Key Teachings of Jesus

Whether people menacing female Christian authors with rape- and death-threats are Christians (if they identified themselves)?  

Environmentalism, conservation, and more.   Different Drummer: Leonard Cohen   Leonard Cohen - "The Future" 10,000 Maniacs - "Poison in the Well" Reverend Moon - "Old Graves" Moonwood - "Drawing Water from a Poisoned Well" Yes - "The Ancient - Giants Under the Sun" Graham Parker - "Green Monkeys" The Fall - "Van Plague?" Wu-Tang Clan - "America" Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - "Same Love" featuring Mary...

Religion. Different Drummer: Larry Kirwan   T Bone Burnett - "I Can Explain Everything" Kenny Rogers & The First Edition - "Tell It All, Brother" Roger Waters - "What God Wants Part 1" Jethro Tull - "My God" Jethro Tull - "Hymn 43" Jethry Tull - "Wind Up" Laurie Anderson - "Beautiful Red Dress" Joni Mitchell - "The Magdelene Laundries" Tori Amos - "Leather" (live) No Doubt - "Just A Girl" Black 47...

Minority experiences and law enforcement. Different Drummer: Claudette Colvin   Jimmy Cliff - "Piece of the Pie" Billie Holiday - "Strange Fruit" The Clash - "Know Your Rights" The Beatles - "Piggies" The Boomtown Rats - "The Elephant's Graveyard" Public Enemy - "Welcome to the Terrordome" Public Enemy - "Fight the Power" Ice T - "Body Count" Steve Reich - "Come Out" 801 - "Law And Order" Michelle...

General, variety. Different Drummer: Lin-Manuel Miranda   Midnight Oil - "Blue Sky Mine" The Jam - "Running on the Spot" The Jam - "Going Underground" David Bynre - "Miss America" Scatterbrain - "Goodbye Freedom, Hello Mom" Wicked (cast) - "Defying Gravity" Hamilton (cast) - "My Shot" Hamilton (cast) - "The Election of 1800" Hamilton (cast) - "Non-Stop" Travis Tritt - "Lord Have Mercy on the Worki...

War. Different Drummer: Neil Young   Jefferson Airplane - "Volunteers" Buffalo Springfield - "For What It's Worth" Guns 'n' Roses - "Civil War" Creedence Clearwater Revival - "Fortunate Son" Dead Kennedys - "Kinky Sex Makes the World go 'Round" Pink Floyd - "Get Your Filthy Hands Off My Desert" Crass - "How Does It Feel" Crass - "Sheep Farming in the Falklands" Morrissey - "Margaret on the Guillot...

Politics.   Different Drummer: Hugo Weaving   The Rainmakers - "Reckoning Day" The Offspring - "Disclaimer" Sepultura - "Politricks" The Roots - "False Media" Queensryche - "Revolution Calling" Ken Hensley - "Proud Words" Living Colour - "Cult of Personality" Megadeth - "Symphony of Destruction" Dead Kennedys - "California Uber Alles" Dead Kennedys - "We've Got a Bigger Problem Now" XTC - "The Ugl...

Inappropriate Conversations podcast, long promo

Inappropriate Conversations podcast, short promo

When you don't know the rest of the story, it can be challenging to tell the part that you do know.   "Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal."   The Ungame.   Different Drummer: Alain Robbe-Grillet

Dubious as I am of boycotts, I'm already refusing to do business with Pharisees. Let's face it: most boycotts publicly proclaimed by the "religious right" are refusals to shop at stores or watch TV shows that those same people have previously refused to frequent multiple times before. It's an adulterous understanding of the concept. In a more personal but dedicated way, though, I have made good on...

Sometimes a retreat is in order, to circle the wagons and refresh the spirit. Often as not, my happy place is full of music. That doesn't mean that all the music is upbeat or positive, though. The rain falls there, too.  (References are in the comments section of the website.) Different Drummer: Experiment 626 (Stitch)

I recall an exercise that I found unexpectedly challenging: making 100 clear and simple statements about myself that were true and affirming, in the sense of not being negative. I've been sharing parts of this throughout Inappropriate Conversations and Walk The Earth podcasts. This time, I revist that list.  Different Drummer: John Pavlovitz  

Whether following Jesus collectively is still possible when up to 80% of evangelical Christians no longer think "character is all that matters" in leadership decisions?

When you understand the persecution a group thinks they will suffer, whether based on rational conclusions or not, it provides great insight into what they would do if given ultimate and absolute power. We are wise to be wary. The people who predicted Obama would "round up" both Christians and guns might just pose a similar dire threat to their perceived political enemies. We haven't done a suffic...

Whether Jesus accomplished a micro-personal goal or macro-theological purpose through his crucifixion?  

Perhaps we have reached a point where the most important decisions I'll make in this lifetime can no longer be discussed with family members. They don't want to hear it. My challenges are confusing, even aggravating. Would it be best if I just, I don't know, talked less and smiled more? Different Drummer: Alexander Hamilton

Whether both sons are "lost" in the Parable of The Prodigal Son?

I've been warning people about the dangers of hypocrisy for more than three decades now, doing so as if I might face some harsh judgment if I don't. I'm still sounding the alarm today, sometimes with opinion and other times with quotation.  Different Drummer: Ezekiel of Jerusalem

In 2016, a majority of Americans in the U.S. Senate, who took a vow to uphold the United States Constitution, have directly violated that Constitution and jeopardized protections guaranteed in the Bill Of Rights in the process. Worse, a large number of American citizens don't seem to care, either about our founding principles or about the balance of power and our system of checks and balances. Thi...

Whether pilgrimage is about a sacred place, the historical past, or just my individual "walk"? 

The 1972-73 television season is the first time I can remember seeking out new shows on TV, beyond just Saturday morning cartoons. Even at a young age, I was able to find under-appreciated programs that I still love to this day. Different Drummer: Peter Cushing I Am a Child Of Television blog Cosmic Potato Podcast #26 Treks In Sci-Fi #565 Treks In Sci-Fi #590

Whether prayer is an act of futility or simply beyond our comprehension? If our prayers are just words ...