Inappropriate Conversations

I'm posting this on the Friday before a national holiday in the United States, thinking about "casual Friday" vibes. Perhaps a day like this might start with a team-building meeting, where one leader in the organization takes a turn sharing his story with everyone -- or everyone not taking vacation -- with the intent to drive commitment to our values and maybe answer questions from the room.  It's not easy being green. Different Drummer: Colleen Camp

"Christ is my center but ... my boundaries are permeable." Kimberly Knight Matthew 28:16-20 (The phrase “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations” might lead to many understandings of the word “nations” for Biblical times and today, but “Go” seems absolutely unambiguous) #IC 128: Proud to Know You (9/2/13) Walk The Earth 11 (3/27/14) #IC 85: What It Means to Worship (4/2/12) Kimberly Knight on Patheos, 2012-2017 Spotify page for Inappropriate Conversations, Walk The Earth, Film Year podcasts    

“If it is an error for some Christians to make relative what God has made absolute, it is equally an error to make absolute what God has left relative." Os Guinness John 20:1-18 (“They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him”) #IC 72: Truth or Consequences for Christians (10/26/11) Os Guinness - Fit Bodies, Fat Minds: Why Evangelicals Don't Think and What to Do About It  

"Consequences. Do we still believe in consequences? No matter; they still believe in us." The Author Mark 15:25-47 (Darkness at noon, torn curtain in the temple, stone blockade) #IC 23: Laws of Motion (8/7/10) Sir Issac Newton IC_Greg - "Laws Of Motion"    

"Often, when someone dies, we feel a combination of love and something else, and this, too, is holy. And entirely human. And they don't cancel each other out. Love and anger. Love and disappointment. Love and emptiness. We always love imperfectly. It is the nature of human love. And it is okay. But despite all the love in the world, when it comes down to it, none of us can know the reality of another." Nadia Bolz-Weber John 19:1-37 (when Jesus had received the wine, he said, “It is finished”) #IC 227: Some Assembly Required, Chapter 5 (7/6/20) #IC 222: Displeasure (1/9/20) Nadia Bolz-Weber - Shameless Nadia Bolz-Weber - Accidental Saints IC_Greg - "Nobody's Child" #IC 195: Telling Your Stories before it's too late (3/17/17)  

"Lord, please shine a light of hope on those of us who fall behind. And when we stumble in the snow, could you help us up while there's still time?"  Stephanie Davis Luke 23:39-43 (“Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom”) #IC 5: The Least of These and Why Danzig's "Godless" Rocks (4/2/10) #IC 163: It Is Not Who You Know (4/14/15) Stephanie Davis - River of No Return Garth Brooks - No Fences Danzig - III How the Gods Kill  

"My prosecuting room still holds a strand of her hair in evidence." Al Stewart Matthew 27:11-26 (warned about his wife's dream and seeing there was nothing he else he could do, Pilate washed his hands of accountability of the fate facing Jesus) #IC 203: Some History There (9/29/17) #IC 81: Singing a Song for Lovers (2/11/12) Al Stewart - Love Chronicles Original Cast Recording - Jesus Christ Superstar Tim Rice & Andrew Lloyd Webber - "Pilate's Dream"  

“Yes, a man is a dangerous thing. So is a scalpel. It can wound or it can save your life. You don't make it safe by making it dull; you put it in the hands of someone who knows what he's doing.” John Eldredge John 18:1-11 (Jesus told Peter to put away his sword, and we should understand that having a weapon does not mandate using it … as opposed to turning the other cheek and leaving fate in God's hands – the cup the Father has given) #IC 45: Macho Weaknesses (2/3/11) #IC 106: The Violence of Denial (12/1/12) John Eldredge - Wild At Heart John Eldredge - Epic  

"Some deny Jesus by saying they never knew him. Others deny Jesus by insisting that they are the only ones who 'really do' know him." The Author Matthew 26:31-75 Mark 14:26-72 Luke 22:31-62 John 13:36-38 John 18:15-27 (perhaps denying Jesus is so significant that it appears in every Gospel) Walk The Earth 43 (12/24/16) Walk The Earth 45 (7/25/17)    

"Imagine if every church became a place where everyone is safe, but no one is comfortable. ... We might just create sanctuary." Rachel Held Evans Mark 14:12-25 (we usually think a large gathering of friends or family should, by its nature, be harmonious; on the other hand, betrayals in situations like this are Biblical) Walk The Earth page Category Index for Walk The Earth  

“Today I know that such memories are the key not to the past, but to the future. I know that the experiences of our lives, when we let God use them, become the mysterious and perfect preparation for the work He will give us to do.” Corrie ten Boom John 13:1-35 (through foot washing as an example of serving one another, Jesus tells disciples that they, and we, should do the same) #IC 10: Happy Mother's Day and 'A Handful of Hair' (5/8/10) Corrie ten Boom - The Hiding Place  

“I questioned the faithful of all communions; I particularly sought the society of clergymen, who are the depositaries of the various creeds and have a personal interest in their survival. As a practicing Catholic I was particularly close to the Catholic priests, with some of whom I soon established a certain intimacy. I expressed my astonishment and revealed my doubts to each of them; I found that they all agreed with each other except about details; all thought that the main reason for the quiet sway of religion over their country was the complete separation of church and state. I have no hesitation in stating that throughout my stay in America I met nobody, lay or cleric, who did not agree about that.” Alexis de Tocqueville Matthew 26:14-16 (to betray Jesus, the chief priests paid Judas 30 pieces of silver) #IC 40: Other High Crimes (12/18/10)  

"If you make it impossible for people to make you happy, then people will lose interest in whether you are happy or not." The Author John 21:15-19 (after breakfast, Jesus tells Peter that the way to love him is to care for the flock he described in John 10, one that included sheep Peter may not have considered to be eligible to join into one flock) #IC 192: 100 Ways (1/6/17) Galatians 2 Acts 10:1-11:18    

"Once I get them to tell me about the God they don't believe in, it turns out I don't believe in that God either." Susan Russell John 21:1-14 (after His death and resurrection, after appearing to Mary and others, Jesus surprises his fisherman followers when he stops for a seaside breakfast meeting) Christianity 201: Time for Solid Food  #IC 131: Christianity 301 (10/22/13) Rob Bell - Love Wins Rev. Susan Russell  

"The door is only as open as the mind inside the office." The Author Luke 24:13-35 (Jesus met some of his followers, probably not inner circle but believers, as they walked from Jerusalem to Emmaus; they didn't recognize him) #IC 92: Open Door Policy with the Boss (6/23/12) #IC 146: The Idea of Christ (7/6/14)  

I honestly could describe this as a re-blogging, or re-broadcasting, of someone else's podcast. Except for the occasional clip in compilation shows, I've never done this before. My friend Tom (The Ramble Redhead) died this month. Cancer took him quickly, and it was a shock to those who knew him and loved him. Wanting to hear his voice again and knowing his podcast was no longer available online, I went to my personal archives.  Past Ramble Redhead shows included interviews with Taylor from Pod Is My Copilot, Christina from Greetings From Nowhere, Toppie from The Smellcast, Margaret Cho, and more -- including me. The majority of this Inappropriate Conversations podcast is sharing Tom's interview with me from September 2015.  Those of us who knew Tom will never forget the redhead from Indiana who loved us all. Different Drummer: Thomas Kiel

“People who wish to be offended will always find some occasion for taking offense.” John Wesley John 20:19-31 (the demand of Thomas for proof and evidence gives us the name Doubting Thomas, along with the meme “He's right behind me, isn't he?”!) #IC 47: Hypocrisy and Intensity (2/28/11)  

"I remember the time that you told me, you said, 'Love is touching souls.' Well, surely you touched mine because part of you pours out of me in these lines from time to time." Joni Mitchell John 4:1-30 (despite what most evangelicals today would describe as “living in sin” when she met Jesus at a well, He sent this Samaritan woman off to share the Gospel, telling people in her town Whom she had just met … and He didn't order her first to move out of her living arrangement or “sin no more”) #IC 113: Raised on Robbery (2/15/13) #IC 150: Opening the Scriptures (9/23/14) Joni Mitchell - Blue  

"Old James Dean Monroe hands out flowers at the Shop-N-Go, hopes for money but all he gets is fear. And the wind blows up his coat, and this he scribbles on a perfume note: 'If I'm not here, then you're not here.'" Sheryl Crow Matthew 28:11-15 (the right amount of bribery can hide/ignore almost anything) #IC 196: The Sound of Protest (4/23/17) Sheryl Crow - Sheryl Crow  

"I rope-a-dope with righteous bobbin' and weavin', and let the good get even." Chuck D. (Carlton Douglas Ridenhour) Mark 15:16-20 (abuses of power included assault, spitting, mocking, and more) #IC 17: Majority Rule and Minority Experience (6/30/10) Public Enemy - Fear of a Black Planet  

"But though I have wept and fasted, wept and prayed, though I have seen my head [grown slightly bald] brought in upon a platter, I am no prophet -- and here's no great matter; I have seen the moment of my greatness flicker, and I have seen the eternal Footman hold my coat, and snicker, and in short, I was afraid." T.S. Eliot Matthew 14:1-14 (it's shocking that the execution of a prophet as a prize for an impromptu dance at a birthday isn't the most offensive thing about the fate of John the Baptist, whose head was “served” on a platter before party guests) #IC 75: Reason, but No Rhyme, to Poetry (12/3/11) 93: Poetry Providing Perspective (7/1/12) The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock The Waste Land and Other Poems  

"Sometimes shalom is disruptive. Sometimes peace making makes people uncomfortable. Sometimes these are conversations we'd rather not have or truth we would rather not acknowledge. Speaking truth to power is rarely comfortable for anyone." Sarah Bessey Matthew 12:1-14 (whether by healing people or picking grain, Jesus broke the law constantly in the eyes of his legalistic critics) #IC 223: Torment as Tactic (1/29/20) Walk The Earth 44 (6/24/17) Jesus Feminist Field Notes for the Wilderness Walk The Earth #6 (12/9/13) #IC 134: Gender Segregation (12/14/13)  

"Far from saying in defeat that we should not worry about the poor, since they will always be among us, Jesus is pointing the church to her true identity—she is to live close to those who suffer." Shane Claiborne Matthew 26:6-13 (while arguing over the cost of perfume, the disciples seemed to miss Jesus predicting his imminent funeral) #IC 94: The Missionary 'Position' is Local (7/8/12) #IC 143: Verticality of Time (5/13/14) The Irresistible Revolution Palm Sunday  

"Are you debating whether to take a step in faith in Jesus or to wait until you can see how to do the thing yourself? Obey Him with glad reckless joy. When He says something and you begin to debate, it is because you have a conception of His honour which is not His honour. Are you loyal to Jesus or loyal to your notion of Him?" Oswald Chambers Matthew 14:22-33 (Peter couldn't walk on water by himself, only through Jesus) #IC 146: The Idea of Christ (7/6/14) My Utmost for His Highest  

"Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law." Paul of Tarsus Romans 13:8-10 (love is the fulfilling of the law, doing no wrong to a neighbor) #IC 13: Companionship Marriage (5/31/10) #IC 150: Opening the Scriptures (9/23/14)  

"[Jason Varitek] … He caught it!"   Luke 18:15-17 (faith needs to include the awe and wonder of childhood)   #IC 66: Child's Play and Imagination (8/24/11)   #IC 67: Making the World Safe for Kids? (8/30/11)  

"When he spoke it would raise the roof. Peter Pumpkinhead told the truth, but he made too many enemies of the people who would keep us on our knees." Andy Partridge   Mark 2:1-12 (some religious people were unhappy at seeing miraculous healing)   #IC 53: Secular Visions of Divinity (4/17/11)   #IC 29: My Prayer for a Football Game (9/23/10)   #IC 30: Establishment of Religion (9/30/10)   XTC - Nonsuch  

“We do know that no person can be saved except through Christ. We do not know that only those who know Him can be saved by Him.” C.S. Lewis John 14:1-14 (when Jesus says He is the Way, He is not identifying gatekeeping rules that even He must obey as our Lord; He is telling us that He picks the Way) #IC 20: Reading 'Chapter and Verse' on What I Don't Believe (7/20/10) #IC 61: Impermanence of Time (6/27/11) Mere Christianity    

"What do you think it's gonna do when I live by faith and now my work is through? It's gonna rain! … I'm so happy to say, it's gonna rain on the world today." Gordon Gano Genesis 6:9-7:24 (flood continued for 40 days, and waters swelled on the earth for 150 days) #IC 3: Light and Shadow (3/19/10) Violent Femmes - Hallowed Ground  

"Take away from me the noise of your songs; I will not listen to the melody of your harps. But let justice roll down like water and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream." Amos of Tekoa Amos 5:21-24 (it's not about festivals, assemblies, songs or offerings; it's about justice) #IC 157: Letting Justice Roll (1/19/15) #IC 231: Letting  Justice Roll 2 (7/29/20)  

"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." Aristotle of Stagira   Proverbs 13:13-17 (teaching of the wise is a fountain of life)   #IC 60: Ten Areas of Agreement about Abortion - part 2 (6/15/11)   A Return of Sorts – 10 Areas of Agreement (10/8/23)   #IC 55: A Better Way to Debate (5/8/11)  

"Why were we put here? What for? We're unsure. We sure weren't put here to hate." Nate Albert and Dicky Barrett Matthew 7:13-23 (knowing them by their fruit, there are some who claim the name of the Lord but Jesus has said he won't even recognize them) #IC 180: Jesus Quote Bubble (2/10/16) The Mighty Mighty Bosstones - Let's Face It  

"You cannot ask Jesus into your heart alone. He will ask, 'Can I bring my friends?'  You will look at his friends -- the poor, the marginalized, the oppressed -- and you will hesitate. But Jesus is clear, 'Only if I can bring my friends.'"  Peter Storey John 10:14-16 (“I have other Sheep,” Jesus said. “I must bring them also”) #IC 150: Opening the Scriptures (9/23/14) Walk The Earth 29 (8/22/15) Walk The Earth 30 (9/1/15) #IC 172: Proud To Know You 2 (9/14/15) With God in the Crucible: Preaching Costly Discipleship Peter Storey  

"I see anger as a complex series of body changes triggered off by a sudden awareness of danger. This reaction to stress can be regarded as our survival kit, shared in some measure with all living creatures. All of us live, to some extent, in danger." David R. Mace Ephesians 4:26 (the old adage about not going to sleep angry is directly Biblical) #IC 8: Christian Response to the Sexual Revolution … Or Not (4/24/10) #IC 13 Companionship Marriage (5/31/10)   #IC 9: Overview of the Decades (5/3/10) David R. Mace  

"Whether we can take 'a life for a life' is one question; whether we should is another. Cain and Abel pose an answer. Rather than taking life for life and delivering a powerful message by killing Cain, God instead banished Cain from the community. To say the least, we must not be cavalier about death penalty decisions." The Author   Genesis 4:13-16 (mark of Cain directly dismisses any death penalty rule)   #IC 62: Protecting Society With, and From, Capital Punishment (7/14/11)  

"Honesty is not the best policy because of the pitfalls of lying; it is best because of the feeling of being deeply and genuinely known." The Author Ephesians 4:25 (speak the truth because we are part of one another) #IC 167: Speaking Truth to Power (6/18/15) #IC 217: Right Reasons  

"Life's an essay test; we're obliged to give essay answers." The Author Acts 17:16-34 (I proclaim to you now what you worship as Unknown) #IC 1: Introduction to Inappropriate Conversations (3/7/10) #IC 150: Opening the Scriptures (9/23/14)  #IC 97: Any One Being Ashamed (8/8/12)    

"It's the things which aren't said that do the most damage." Luc Longley Acts 4:1-22 (we cannot keep from speaking about what we've seen and heard) #IC 80: Revelation Weekend (2/5/12) Walk The Earth 48 (11/18/17) Lucien James Longley  

The General,  Aloma of the South Seas,  Faust,  among others.  

“The world is like a book that can be read in either direction. There is the power of creation, to make something of nothing. And there is the power of destruction, to make nothing from something.”  Rebbe Pinchas of Koretz Galatians 5:13-26 (works of the flesh versus fruits of the spirit) #IC 21: Permanent Things I Believe (7/27/10)  Larry Crabb - The Silence of Adam Rebbe Pinchas of Koretz

"I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you, and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh."  Ezekiel of Jerusalem Ezekiel 36:25-28 (a new heart and a new spirit as a baptism of sorts) #IC 189: Apocalyptic Visions (9/20/16) #IC 21: Permanent Things I Believe (7/27/10) Walk The Earth 7  (12/26/13)  

"I wasn't voted most likely to succeed. Instead, it was most likely to be found on a mountaintop in Guadalajara writing the world's most profound three-word sentence."  The Author Mark 9:2-13 (when they looked around, they saw no one else with them anymore) #IC 79: A Farewell Address from the Mountaintop (1/29/12)  #IC 90: Moments of Epiphany (5/23/12) #IC 80: Revelation Weekend (2/5/12)  

"As we must account for every idle word, so must we account for every idle silence."  Benjamin Franklin Luke 12:8-12 (the Spirit will tell you what to say) #IC 21: Permanent Things I Believe (7/27/10) #90 Moments of Epiphany (5/23/12) Benjamin Franklin  

"Ring the bells that still can ring. Forget your perfect offering. There is a crack, a crack in everything; that's how the light gets in."  Leonard Cohen Romans 5:1-11 (we were sinful when Christ stepped in) #IC 201: The Sound of Sustainability (6/14/17)  Leonard Cohen - The Future  

"We do not need to be rescued from God. God is the one who rescues us from death, sin, and destruction. God is the rescuer."  Rob Bell Luke 15:1-7 (this fellow Jesus welcomes sinners and eats with them, they said) #IC 131: Christianity 301 (10/22/13) Rob Bell - Love Wins  

“People will do anything, no matter how absurd, to avoid facing their own souls.”  Carl G. Jung 2 Corinthians 13:5 (test yourself to see if you are living in the faith) #IC 44: Sacred Friendship (1/27/11) #IC 227: Some Assembly Required, Chapter 5 (7/6/20) C. G. Jung - Psychology and Alchemy  

"Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and respect."  Peter of Bethsaida 1 Peter 3:13-17 (how to account for the hope that is in you) #IC 136: Converse or Convert (1/1/14) #IC 131: Christianity 301 (10/22/13)  

“Love and the self are one and the discovery of either is the realization of both.”  Leo Buscaglia 1 John 4:7-21 (everyone who loves is born of God and knows God) #IC 120: Making Contact (5/15/13) Leo Buscaglia - Love (special edition)

“If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away." Henry David Thoreau Mark 9:38-41 (we saw someone casting out demons in your name) #IC 2: The Author and Different Drummer (3/14/10) Henry David Thoreau - Walden  

"Men cannot see their reflections in running water, but only in still water." Zhuang Zhou Psalm 46:10 (be still, and know that I am God) #IC 44: Sacred Friendship (1/27/11) Zhuang Zhou - Zhuangzi

"There's a saviour born every day in the valley of your soul." Sophie B. Hawkins John 3: 13-17 (God so loved the world that Jesus didn't come to condemn it) #IC 81: Singing a Song for Lovers (2/11/12) Sophie B. Hawkins - Tongues and Tails