In episode #10 of Drunk Ex-Pastors, Christian and I discuss the thorny issue of sex education. Now to be honest, I have not actually listened back to it myself, so I don’t remember exactly what I said on the matter. I’ll take a stab at re-presenting some of my thoughts, and you can feel free to push back and challenge them. My main concern is that I am uncomfortable with something of such monumental significance being taught to my children by a P.E. teacher (true story in my case). This kind of education should be happening primarily in the home, with outside sources reinforcing what mom or dad is already communicating. Secondly, what if (that’s hypothetical language, by the way) a family’s values don’t match up with a school’s? … [Read more...]
The News’s Skewed Views
One of the questions that comes up in podcast #9 at 28:45 (available for listening below) is whether or not the news media unfairly represents police officers. If you watch the news frequently, the majority of what you’ll hear about the police (minus the occasional feel good story) is negative: cop beats homeless man, cop shoots black man, cop pepper sprays peaceful protestors, etc. A plethora of these kinds of stories being reported will usually elicit cries of bias and misrepresentation. Really, this is a question that can be applied to any group the news reports on: politicians, bankers, Christians, doctors, etc. When the news reports that a politician is taking bribes, that bankers are manipulating the system, that a pastor had an … [Read more...]
Whatcha Gonna Do When They Come For You?
If you’re like me and you’ve seen the news lately highlighting all the senseless shootings of black men by white cops, or if you’ve ever watched a documentary about any anti-establishment movement (whether about the civil rights protests in the ’60s or the protest in Seattle against the World Bank in the ’90s), then you’ve surely asked the question, “Dafuq is the deal with the po-leece? Does that profession just attract petty men who were bullied in junior high and who need a target for their juvenile aggression?” If that’s you, then you need to listen to the latest episode of Drunk Ex-Pastors. Just saying. . . . … [Read more...]
Racism: For Whites Only?
In podcast #8 (available for streaming and download below), one of the topics we discuss is racism. Jason brings up a quote from the first season of MTV’sThe Real World where Kevin Powell (a black cast member) is accused of racism and in response says, “Black people cannot be racist. We don’t have the power to control. . . .” At first hearing, I dismissed Kevin’s statement as ignorant. After all, racism, to me (a white male), means considering someone to be inferior in some way simply because of their race. While this is a valid definition of racism, it’s not the only definition of racism and not even the main definition. A quick search through the various definitions of racism will show that racism also has to do with the exercise … [Read more...]
Women: Walking Vaginas? Or Something More?
Many of you with a religious background will know that Genesis records the creation of Eve from Adam’s rib because Adam needed a “helpmeet” or counterpart with whom he could relate (up to that point there were just animals roaming around). It is very easy for religious people to jump from the Genesis record to the idea that women only exist to make men’s lives easier, and have no distinct purpose of their own outside pleasing their husbands and bearing his children (a position that, as we discussed in episode #7 of Drunk Ex-Pastors, Mark Driscoll appears to hold). Have any thoughts on this? If you’re a female, got any horror stories to share? Have a listen below. . . . … [Read more...]
Boobhack!
As has been reported, a massive security breach has recently led to over 100 celebrities’ cell phones being hacked and their personal photos stolen and uploaded to the web for all the world to see (I believe the celebs were all female). As you can imagine, the majority of the pics shared fall into the category of nude selfies. The victims include Jennifer Lawrence and Kate Upton, two women that I’m sure no one would like to see naked (</sarcasm>). Unsurprisingly, many on the Right are blaming the women themselves for even having these pics on their devices in the first place (basically, it serves them right for being such hussies). Not unlike when the creepier details of the Patriot Act were made known, the response among … [Read more...]
Say Hello to My Little Friend!
It’s a fact that America has more guns per 100 people (88.8) than any other developed nation. It’s no surprise then that America also has more gun deaths per 100,000 people (10.2) than any other developed nation. Coming in second is Switzerland with 45.7 guns per 100 people and 3.84 deaths per 100,000 people. I find it interesting that while we have less than twice as many guns per 100 people, we have 2.5 times more deaths per 100,000. In other words, not only do we have more guns, but we kill more people with them! (Twenty times more than the average of other developed nations, to be exact!) Go ‘Merica! Number one! These numbers are taken from ABC News and it also went on to say, “that the U.S. has 88 guns per 100 people and 10 … [Read more...]
Does ISIS Speak for True Islam?
The latest episode of Drunk Ex-Pastors deals in part, again, with the issue of ISIS (you can click below to hear our full discussion). I just read a very interesting article by Sam Harris called “Sleepwalking Toward Armageddon” in which the author argues a few controversial points, among which are (1) the idea that as long as the West is invoking the “true religion” to combat Islam’s false one, we’ll have no choice but to also and forever combat our enemies with missiles as well, and (2) those who deny that ideas like martyrdom, armed jihad, and hatred of infidels are central tenets of the Koran are as misguided as those who would say that the resurrection of Christ is some secondary or tertiary doctrine of Christianity. I would highly … [Read more...]
Podcast #5: Alcohol, Guns, and the ISIS Threat
In this episode of Drunk Ex-Pastors, Jason and Christian keep their promise to do a shot in honor of all those who shared their podcast on social media this past week, and go on to extol the many benefits of alcohol, and how the moderate enjoyment of various libations can help (in the immortal words of Pink) "get this party started." They also take some listener feedback and discuss issues like gun control, ISIS, and why Jason hates animals. God, he really is just a horrible, horrible person. … [Read more...]
Just the Vax, Ma’am
One of Drunk Ex-Pastors’ listeners submitted a question during our last podcast concerning vaccines: Should parents just submit to their kids’ doctors’ recommendations regarding vaccines? And what should their attitude be toward those who refuse to vaccinate their children? First off, I think I speak for both of us when I say that we welcome these kinds of difficult and many-layered questions on issues of such significance, because let’s be honest, if there’s anyone on earth qualified to tackle such nuanced matters, it’s two drunk guys with absolutely no training in any related field. But we are ex-pastors, so. For my part, here are some issues to consider: 1. Is the malady for which I am being asked to vaccinate my child a … [Read more...]