Monthly Archives: October 2008

Why I Can’t Vote for Obama OR McCain

Posted on October 29, 2008 by Jim Spiegel

We are now just five days from Election Day, and most Americans have decided on the presidential candidate for whom they will cast their vote next Tuesday.  I have decided who will get my vote, but it will be neither … Continue reading →

Posted in Ethics, Politics | Tagged , , , , , | 27 Comments

Drinking from the Cup of Ritual

Posted on October 27, 2008 by Amy Spiegel

In these politically divisive times, there are lots of ways we see our nation divided and categorized: by political party, race, religion, occupation, beverage of choice. Okay, so maybe this last category doesn’t cut as deep a divide as the … Continue reading →

Posted in Cultural Observations, Family, Theology | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

A Series of Deaths

Posted on October 24, 2008 by Jim Spiegel

I have a good friend who likes to say that “life is a series of deaths.”  In saying this, he is referring to the fact that our journey on this planet involves many farewells and demands of self-denial—and each of … Continue reading →

Posted in Theology | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Theological Roadtrippin’

Posted on October 21, 2008 by Amy Spiegel

In picking up Ed Cyzewski’s new book Coffeehouse Theology: Reflecting on God in Everyday Life, I had many different expectations. Ed, Jim and I had exchanged several e-mails and I greatly appreciated Ed’s style and humor. I was looking forward … Continue reading →

Posted in Cultural Observations, Theology | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Stubbing My Toe on the Stumbling Block of Tradition

Posted on October 18, 2008 by Amy Spiegel

I love tradition. If ever we do anything the same way twice (the same holiday routine, the same vacation spot, the same meal two Saturdays in a row), I immediately want to canonize it and say that we have to … Continue reading →

Posted in Church, Music | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Is Christianity the One True Religion?

Posted on October 15, 2008 by Jim Spiegel

My son, Bailey, has a friend named Conner who has been asking his parents some very challenging theological questions of late.  He is only eight years old, but Conner has been stumping his mom and dad just like my kids … Continue reading →

Posted in Theology | Tagged , , , | 9 Comments

Mirror Images

Posted on October 12, 2008 by Amy Spiegel

One of the most embarrassing moments of my life happened several years ago when I was supposed to be meeting a friend at a local night spot. (Okay, it was a club. There are you satisfied? I used to go … Continue reading →

Posted in Theology | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Culturally Liberal and Morally Conservative

Posted on October 9, 2008 by Jim Spiegel

The recent discussion of gay marriage (see my October 2 post and related comments) has reminded me once again how difficult it is to be both culturally liberal and morally conservative.  It seems that today most folks fall into one of … Continue reading →

Posted in Cultural Observations, Ethics | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Everything in Its Place

Posted on October 6, 2008 by Amy Spiegel

How I clean my house is, I’m afraid to say, indicative of how I live my life. I often care less about whether things are actually clean than about whether they have the appearance of cleanliness. I love people coming … Continue reading →

Posted in Theology | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

An Argument Against Gay Marriage

Posted on October 2, 2008 by Jim Spiegel

One of the more divisive moral-political issues of our time is gay marriage.  Conservative Christians oppose gay marriage and are often criticized because their only reasons for doing so are biblical in nature.  This rankles some people who complain that Christians … Continue reading →

Posted in Ethics, Philosophy, Politics | Tagged , , , , | 32 Comments