The Christian Skeptic

Only Jesus can. America is broken. The situation between African-Americans and law enforcement continues to escalate as more and more stories develop against the backdrop of not only systemic racism, but systemic government inaction as well. A fed-up crowd protesting the needless police shooting of Keith Scott grew violent last week resulting in the loss of another soul and nearly two dozen injuries. Many were quick to criticize the violent response, but it's hard to blame them when even consenting, non-threatening black men like Charles Kinsey are still shot for no reason. Violence without justice begets violence. But there are those who claim they have the solution. Men like Congressman David Brat say that the problems came when America took the Bible out of schools: When you don't tell people what is ethically good and bad, if you cannot even define what a morally good life is anymore and you block the Bible and you block the Judeo-Christian tradition an

The best kind of protest in America is no protest at all. Colin Kaepernick's protest had nothing to do with the national anthem, patriotism, or respect. But you wouldn't know that from most of the conversation about his actions. Some people are calling him a mediocre, second-string football player seeking his thirty seconds of fame. Others are calling him ungrateful for protesting black oppression while pulling in a multi-million dollar paycheck. Most people, however, are questioning his method. More often than not, you'll hear folks calmly discussing the efficacy of using the national anthem as a forum for protest. Liberals and conservatives alike will concede his right to free speech before shifting to a philosophical debate on the art of appropriate persuasion. In other words, no one is talking about the message of Kaepernick's protest, just the method. The method was a peaceful sit-down during a time when standing is an expected sign of respect. No v

And start admitting that satisfaction isn't the goal of the Christian life. I love to sin. If anyone tries to tell you differently, ignore them because sinning is fantastic. Unlike anything else you could ever do, it's the most satisfying feeling on the planet. Sure, doing good has its moments, but it's too dependent on others. No one cares about your interests more than you do. Sin is little more than selfishness. Just like Christianity's greatest commandments involve loving God by loving others, so sin stems from loving the self first and foremost. And it's hard to argue with its efficacy as we're not prone to disappoint ourselves, unlike other people. We may not make or keep many friends, but then again, they're only disposable objects for our satisfaction anyway. Such a life, many will warn us, is wrought with consequence and judgment. They'll say that sexual sin will bring disease, deceitful sin will bring poverty, and violent sin will