Inappropriate Conversations

The notion of "authorial intent" has been used to challenge literary and film criticism for as long as humanity has discussed art.  Is the writer's vision the only point of view that matters?  What if a critic or a number of readers find valid alternative subtexts?  The dividing line may be revealed by separating the role of the author.  From an artistic perspective, he or she is another reader wi...

A little more than two and a half years ago, I didn't own a microphone and had never recorded an MP3 file.  My experience as a podcaster was limited to the role of listener and, occasionally, a caller on live internet broadcasts.  Now, 100 episodes later, I'm telling the story of Inappropriate Conversations through the voice of other shows, friends and fans. The extended length comes from more tha...

With stereotypes about "jocks v. nerds" it is easy to miss how much athletics have in common with other geeky fandoms.  Quoting statistics, knowing the names of actors and characters, even those with the least screen time, and other examples are easy to note.  Even from the perspective of the arts, I have once heard games like football described as "drama without a script."  I've been to concerts,...

Most of the vacation trips I've ever taken were driven by a lot of planning.  Reservations and ticket purchases in advance essentially set the schedule.  I've always been drawn to the idea of simply "hitting the road" or "going nowhere" for a dream vacation.  My wife and I have come close once, and the only trip I've enjoyed more came this year, alone together in Hawaii. Different Drummer: Wim Wen...

Jesus once asked this question: "What can anyone give in exchange for their soul?" He was telling a crowd, not just 12 disciples, about what it meant to follow him. His answer had nothing to do with a "chosen people" or a "Christian nation." Jesus was speaking to a large group of individuals, and he asked each if he or she was willing to pick up their own cross and follow him. By "anyone" he meant...

When warfare turns ugly, as it so often does, how do we assign blame?  I often (with an almost adolescent sense of justice) ask "who started it?" or look to moments when compromise or surrender should have occurred.  It is from this perspective that I hold the Japanese military leadership during World War II responsible for the existence of nuclear warfare, even though they didn't develop the weap...

The terms "orgasm" and "ejaculation" are not synonyms.  They mean something distinct, and the differences are important.  The fact that many men believe they are one and the same reveals something, perhaps unsurprising, about masculinity and foreplay.  It probably reveals something about auto-eroticism as well. Different Drummer: John Coltrane Sex Nerd Sandra #41: Orgasms For Everybody

Giving to charitable organizations is a good idea. It makes a difference. It helps. We must not confuse these types of contributions with missionary work, though. Being "in mission" is about intervening, and getting involved is not merely a financial offering. Different Drummer: Shane Claiborne Shane Claiborne and The Simple Way

Poetry takes something we know, or almost know, and makes it strange and wonderful, often transforming words heard before into a language we are hearing for the first time.  Such moments of insight can provide a new perspective for anything: politics, religion, relationships, sexuality, anything.  References include: "Old Man Bickford" from William S. Burroughs, and "Words Per Minute" and "Stop Th...

The door is only as open as the mind inside the office.  For the success of both supervisor and employee, collaboration is crucial.  I have been most successful when I understood how my supervisor's performance was being assessed.  Likewise, I have been least successful when that type of information was withheld, making it impossible for me to make even small decisions to enable that success. Diff...

Consider this an echo of sorts for the current episode of Dan Carlin's Common Sense podcast .  Frustrated with the feeling that complaining is all we seem to be capable of contributing to the political process, as it is now, Carlin has made a call to action.  I share his frustration.  So-called evangelical Christian pastors calling for the internment or extermination of all non-heterosexuals?  Pro...

As a storyteller, I did something I prefer to avoid in Inappropriate Conversations #79 by not finishing a story.  That was partly about running short of time.  Mainly, though, it was because the story took an abrupt turn as I realized something that stopped me in my tracks.  I've heard this called "epiphany" in literary criticism, where the short stories of James Joyce provide excellent examples. ...

Everything a child learns comes from information that is beyond their understanding.  It's true for their first words, even from what we call "baby talk."  It's certainly true for concepts related to diplomacy, economics, and music theory.  I never talked down to my kids.  Maybe that was good, effective parenting, and maybe it presented problems for everyone else in the family.  Hard to say.  It d...

I was not a man when I first encountered "men's magazines" and I obtained beer and alcohol long before the legal drinking age, now or then.  Were these mistakes, or just typical parts of growing up?  The answers have a lot to do with age and perspective.  As a parent, I have worked to provide a different experience for my children.  On the other hand, it's possible that a childhood without any "mi...

A complete system of commerce must include a final destination point for "clearance" that serves both the needs of industry and the bottom-feeder (plecostomus). I do not use that term as an insult because it describes me quite well as a loyal customer of used record stores and bookstores. Some of my most beloved rock bands and musicians were first discovered in the dollar bins or cutout racks. It...

The concept "heart" describes the deepest, most personally "real" part of ourselves.  A great many people have never revealed this Self to anyone, not even a spouse or other family member.  At the same time, any hope another person has for truly knowing you depends entirely on getting to "the heart of the matter" within that relationship.  This is one of the great truths that Jesus came to share,...

Ritual can be a part of authentic worship, but if that's all there is then it is almost certainly false.  My faith has consistently affirmed the conviction that God is "present" within worship, not as a judgmental taskmaster but as a loving, creative force.  Genuine worship changes over time, even from week to week.  Rather than being regimented, if it is truly God-focused then it will reflect the...

People choosing to take ownership of their reproduction and sexuality is not a problem society needs to solve.  From the political rhetoric leading up to the 2012 presidential election in the United States, you might think "birth control" is the only topic Americans are debating.  While addressing the issue without the use of profanity, I am speaking frankly and aggressively.  Even the scripture I...

I have spoken about World Storytelling Day before, years ago.  This year will be very different, though.  With the theme of "Trees" I'm releasing this podcast virtually unedited.  I've added the theme and Different Drummer music, and that's pretty much it.  If you'll pardon the slight pun, the recording of this story will have to stand on its own. Different Drummer: Imani Coppola Imani Coppola per...

Many people are beginning to believe that Christianity and the electoral process are incompatible because the obvious examples from the religious right fall into fundamentalism and fail to be true to either religion or politics.  For guidelines as simple and Biblical as "love your enemies" and "the kingdom of God is not of this earth," you would think that the politicians who most aggressively ide...

Happy Valentines Day!  A couple of friends help me share an epic and ancient love poem. Different Drummer: Sophie B. Hawkins Starbase 66 podcast The Greatest Events In Sporting History

"It's far better to say something that should not be said, than not to say something that should be said." Twenty-five years ago on February 7th at 1:37 a.m., I heard this answer to a desperate prayer.  After glancing around the room to see who else had heard this, I challenged the response I'd received in a truly conversational exchange.  Again, I got a direct, accurate, and life-changing answer....

Maybe the reason I believe the Holy Spirit has guided me, perhaps even forcefully, is that I don't have a better explanation for specific experiences that defy any other reasoning.  Or maybe it's simply because it is true.  Either way, for more than three decades now I have earned the title: most likely to be found on a mountaintop in Guadalajara writing the world's most profound three-word senten...

There is no great credit to remaining "above" the myopia of liberal v. conservative politics, if you aren't willing to stand.  Too often, a so-called moderate position is simply a way of avoiding issues and not engaging.  The "radical" side is pushing for change, whether it be a moderating influence on those firmly entrenched in right- or left-wing politics, or trying to lead the rest to think mor...

Sports commentary tends to be full of cliche.  "If you're not cheating, you're not trying" is one.  Another you hear often from youth coaches: "It's not about whether you win or lose, but how you play the game."  Well, the positive values so often touted about sports rely on the assumption of fair play, but sporting play is too often the exception.  This is true of players and fans, but evidence s...