Blogaround

1. Sam Hose's Christian America (posted July 16) "When it actually was like it used to be, there were no stores open to sell the kerosene to burn Sam Hose because businesses were closed on Sundays. But a shop keeper was found to give kerosene to the crowd at no cost." Oh God.

2. The Bible was written by and for humans from Earth (posted July 22) "Consider the lilies of the field — whatever their story is, it’s different from ours. Jesus was sure that God loves them, but beyond that we couldn’t even begin to speculate about what the relationship between lilies and God might be."

3. Unlearning Purity Culture: Can Abstinence Be Right? (posted July 24) "You have not won any battle by making it to your wedding day as a virgin – you have merely managed to keep a somewhat arbitrary promise." This post is completely mind-blowing to me because I have never heard anyone who clearly understands and can speak the language of purity culture say something like that.

4. Evangelicalism and the Wilderness and Where I’ve Been (posted July 28) "I am afraid of getting caught up in the tide of good feelings and blissed out emotions and spiritual growth only to find out, when I’m already so far in, that I am standing on hostile ground, a place that didn’t know I was here, people who are now adamant that I leave."