A year and a half ago, when I was unemployed and home taking care of my baby son, I was visited by two Jehovah’s Witnesses, who asked if they might come on a regular basis to lead me through their “Bible study”.  While I had read books and browsed websites in the past that had helped me understand what they believe and how it differs from orthodox Christianity, I felt that it would be valuable and respectful to hear directly from the JW’s themselves what it was that they believed and why it is that they believe I am mistaken in my beliefs.  Over the course of about ten visits, I listened to their spiel and engaged them in some dialogue and debate over their views on Jehovah, Jesus, and what it means to be a true worshiper of God.  But when it became frustratingly clear to me that they weren’t the least bit interested in considering my opinion on matters, I let them know that I wouldn’t be able to meet with them any more.  It was very frustrating to me to get to know people who were so eager to convert others but so afraid of actually considering that they themselves might be wrong.

Read more »

Last week I quoted Rabbi Schmuley Boteach, who said something on Larry King Live a few years back which I believe accurately describes the climate of religious tolerance in which we live today:

“I am absolutely against any religion that says that one faith is superior to another. I don ‘t see how that is anything different than spiritual racism. It ’s a way of saying that we are closer to God than you, and that ’s what leads to hatred.”

Read more »

“I am absolutely against any religion that says that one faith is superior to another.  I don’t see how that is anything different than spiritual racism.  It’s a way of saying that we are closer to God than you, and that’s what leads to hatred.” 

Read more »

If you were watching the news last night, you were likely assaulted by the horrific lead story of a young woman stabbing her three children, leaving them all in critical condition.  As a parent, I was shaken by the story of a young woman who for some undetermined reason decided to stab her two year-old twins and seven month old baby.  As I struggled to understand how a mother could do such a tragic thing, suddenly the always dapper Logan Byrnes reappeared on my television screen to let me know that, oh by the way, a 17 year-old East Hartford High student had been stabbed at his school and had passed away.  Again, I was shocked and saddened, but after a couple seconds was able to return to playing with my 17 month-old, Ryan.  When Logan wrapped up his brief segment on the East Hartford stabbing, Janet Peckinpaugh showed up to alert me to the fact that it had been another deadly day in Iraq, with five more American soldiers dying.  Interesting, I thought.  And again, I went on playing with my son…

Read more »