Every Wednesday I post a handful of articles, blog posts, videos, columns, books or anything I find interesting and worth your time. Ranging from thought-provoking to funny to ridiculous, most are things I stumbled upon in the past week. Hope you enjoy, and thanks for reading along!
"Short Read" = 10 minutes or less. "Long Read" = 10 Minutes or longer.
#1 - The Language of Liberation - Dr. Reggie Williams - Christiancentury.org (Short Read)
I was introduced to Dr. Reggie Williams through a class I took last quarter on Peacemaking. Dr. Williams guest lectured during our unit on racial reconciliation. In this brief article, he offers a cursory look at the Black Lives Matter movement and the state of racial tensions in America today. I encourage you to read with an open mind and heart.
#2 - How to Reverse Citizens United - David Cole - theatlantic.com (Long Read)
As crazy as this election cycle has been, it has not been without its' benefits. One of the major themes that has risen to the surface is the need to reform campaign finance. Reversing Citizen's United, seems to have large bi-partisan support, and I believe it is an imperative move toward a step forward in our political system. In this article, David Cole highlights a path forward by looking at the way the NRA and Marriage Equality has found a way forward. Interesting read for an important topic.
#3 - The Truth About Syria: Under Cover Behind Rebel Lines - Clarissa Ward - cnn.com (Long Read)
All of us have seen images of the war-torn middle east. But here, Clarissa Ward goes undercover in rebel-held Syria to bring a terrifyingly close look into the devastation of the Syrian war. Pictures and video of city blocks reduced to rubble, all provide a heartbreaking glimpse into a space ravaged by death and destruction.
#4 - The Least of These - The Economist - (Short Read)
One of the products of this election cycle, has been the growing divisions among different traditions and communities, including the Church. This brief article looks deeper into some causes, reasons, and specifics of issues that divide the current church.
#5 - Porn and the Threat to Virility - Belinda Luscombe - Time.com (Long Read)
Time's most recent cover story details an interesting new wave of resistance to internet pornography. As the first generation of men who have grown up with the availability of internet pornography get older, we are starting to see the long-term effects of internet porn. "A growing number of young men," writes Luscombe, "are convinced that their sexual responses have been sabotaged because their brains were virtually marinated in porn when they were adolescents." The article goes on to look how many have begun to push back against pornography because of the negative physiological effects.