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Can the Portland Protests Actually Bring Change?–The answer from their own graffiti
America is hurting. Angry. Burning. As we watched George Floyd die under the knee of Officer Chauvin, the outrage in the Black community finally reached the tipping point. Demonstrations spread across the country. The outrage has been deeply felt in the White community too. In this unique moment of our cultural history, both sides seem united in empathy for George Floyd and a desire to see change. Powerful forces are trying to seize this moment to create lasting change. Saturday night was the Portland protesters’ 80th consecutive night of protest and riots. They demand justice for George Floyd and for the Black community. But why are they attacking the police…
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un-cursory
Victoria Monet shares a poem relevant to many conversations about race on social media. In her poem "un-cursory," she highlights themes of humility and redemptive relationships in light of racial reconciliation.
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Slacktivism vs Authentic Engagement
Recently, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has taken the nation by storm. From rock bands to former presidents, people of all ages and socio-economic statuses have bonded together to 'take the plunge,' so to speak, allowing themselves to be doused in ice cold water in the name of one cause: raising funds for ALS research. (Sidenote: some of the most popular "Ice Bucket" videos can be found here.) Some claim that this viral campaign is yet another example of slacktivism: a belittling term referring to slackers who claim some form of activism through feel-good measures that require little personal involvement. Earlier this summer, another image spread across the facebook world:…
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Justice is Social
My friend Célestin lost six family members, including his brother, in the Rwandan genocide. One day a man came to Célestin to be baptized wearing a shirt he recognized as having belonged to his deceased brother. When Célestin asked about it, the man said his relative killed the guy who wore it. Célestin wanted to drown this person instead of baptizing him. But he remembered that Jesus died for both of them. Today Célestin and that man he baptized—the brother of his own brother’s murderer—serve together as ministry partners. Célestin went on to write his doctoral dissertation on forgiveness, coauthoring the book Forgiving As We’ve Been Forgiven: Community Practices for Making…
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Does Sponsoring a Child Do Any Good?
Recently, I wrote about child sponsorship as one way to help end child trafficking. But, how do we know thought that child sponsorship makes any impact or does any good? Christianity Today answered this in their June 2013 cover story about a study done on Compassion International and it's impacts. It turns out that it actually does an amazing amount of good when you sponsor a child. Why? Because you bring them something greater than your $35 per month. You bring them hope. I can remember dreaming as a child what I'd want to be when I grew up. I'm sure most of us reading this can remember…
