Inappropriate Conversations

Did you hear the one about "V8® Nate"?  No doubt, it's offensive.  Have a happy April Fool's Day!

Different Drummer: John S. Hall

A common stereotype is that athletes and coaches are reactionary "dumb jocks" who only stir up trouble in a school environment.  I have personally experienced the exact opposite, which is not to say that either stereotype is true.  I openly wonder how racism functions within those assumptions and what it says about us if we don't even notice.

Different Drummer: Jim Valvano

Over the past hundred years, film is by far the most significant form of art.  As a new medium, this probably goes without saying.  It is also true when considering artistic achievement within the realm of commerce or entertainment.  Movies re-established a balance that hasn't been true in music since what we call "classical" today was actually "pop" for its time.  Like music, films of all kinds have created a language of cinema that we rely upon more than we really know.

Different Drummer: Stanley Kauffmann

When I first heard The Electrics' song "Party Goin' On Upstairs" on a bargain bin CD, the expression "RSVP" kept running through my head.  Some Christians, and some non-Christians, imply that Jesus places a large blockade in front of heaven's gate.  For them, the concept of a narrow way means that the path is hidden and the savior's calling is cryptic.  Actually, Jesus is quite clear about the obvious response he expects to his invitation.

Different Drummer: The Electrics

In order to understand everything we experience as humans, I believe there are four distinct types of knowledge.  Two are obvious, and perhaps the other two are controversial.  The fact is that one of the most common questions of all -- "do I exist?" -- is among the most difficult to prove.  This is particularly true if you only give yourself half a chance.

Different Drummer: Joan Girardi

I try not to be hypocritical about hypocrisy.  My feelings are too intense, though, to let some stuff go.  The more responsibility you have, whether an elected government official or a lead cashier in a retail store, the more important it is to manage intensity properly while avoiding short-sighted double standards.  For Christians, it has a lot to do with focusing on relationships and understanding what Jesus means by "neighbor."

Different Drummer: John Wesley

Monogamy is not just a good idea in the sense we often hear about democracy or capitalism, with it being the "best system among many flawed choices."  From a purely sexual perspective, a deeply committed relationship is the best way to explore all that human sexuality has to offer.  The opposite approach is to merely skim the surface, and changing the topography might seem like a reasonable way to overcome familiarity.  It's much better, though, to truly dive in.

Different Drummer: Don Ellis

Almost everything wrong with masculinity today can be described by the fear of being "found out."  Sexual aggression is often a front for homophobia. Bullying is often an attempt to use a seeming boldness and bluntness to cover for the fear of weakness.  This blunt-force macho nonsense does not reveal men at their best; it reveals our very worst.

Different Drummer: John Eldredge

Friendship is not limited or dictated by gender.  Factors far more important than sexual organs should determine whether two people consider themselves to be in a platonic partnership.  Decades of experiences have shown me that keeping inter-sexual friendships sacred provides a much deeper connection than any of the "with benefits" or "more than a friend" concepts that we frankly ought to reject.

Different Drummer: Carl G. Jung

Perhaps we have too much of a black-and-white perspective on what Martin Luther King, Jr. was saying when he urged us to elevate "content of character" above "color of skin" in his 1963 speech.  No doubt, he was talking about racial injustice, but our insensitivity is much broader than that.  It isn't any better to judge people based on other select things we disagree with or disapprove of -- like sexual behavior or political affiliation.  We must look deeper than that to find the content of someone's character.

Different Drummer: Sidney Poitier