Author Archives: stanwiedeman

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About stanwiedeman

Christian seeking to find a biblical perspective on culture and life

REORIENTING THE CHURCH

The Willow Creek Association’s Global Leadership Summit was less than one week away when Howard Schultz, CEO of Starbucks, called to say that he had decided not to speak at the Summit. Gay Rights activists threatened to boycott Starbucks if Schultz spoke at the event. Continue reading

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ONE SMALL CHOICE, ONE GIANT EFFECT

Most decisions make small ripples in our ponds of life, but occasionally one decision can have a tsunami-like impact. Hannibal the Great made one such decision in 218 BC, which probably altered the face of Western civilization. Continue reading

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WINSOME PERSUASION

Rosaria explains that the only exposure she had with Christians were from “students who refused to read papers on the grounds that knowing Jesus meant never needing to know anything else, people who sent her hate mail, or people who carried signs at Gay Pride marches, which read, ‘God hates fags.’” She had formulated the opinion that “Christians always seemed like bad thinkers” as well as “bad readers.” She concluded that Christians maintain their worldview only because they are unwilling to engage the complex problems of the world like poverty and violence. When Christians became uncomfortable in discourse it seemed to her that they resorted to their mantra, “the Bible says,” not to deepen the conversation, but in the hope of ending it. Continue reading

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A REALLY HAPPY LIFE

Many people interpret the Dalai Lama’s message as harmonious with Jesus’ teaching. … Although the two men call for the same behavior and agree on the virtues that constitute the good life, the similarities end there. The sources of these virtues differ in the two religious systems. Christian ethics grounds itself in the character of the personal and moral God. … Buddhism knows no such God. Continue reading

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UNCOMMON GENEROSITY

In June, “Free Throw” had a major unscripted plot twist. Guei returned the $40,000 to Crandall with instructions to divide it between the other seven participants. Guei had received a full scholarship from Cal State Northridge. He said, “I’ve already been blessed so much and I know we’re living with a bad economy, so I know this money can really help my classmates. It was the right decision.” Continue reading

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