Detainee 756 was well and truly terrified. He had been awakened out of a sound sleep by a booming crash, as his front door was kicked in. Three men burst through the splintered opening and made straight for him, as he rose from his bed and crept down the hall to investigate. His arms were seized and pinned painfully behind him, while a black hood was forced down over his head. Before he could protest or ask any questions, he was hustled downstairs to…
Toddlers are not generally known for their ability to delay gratification. There is no incentive for them to do so, when a little loud screaming does the trick. The lack of motivation, may explain the lack of inclination. The question is, as they grow older (note that I did not say, “as they mature…”) do the adolescents and adults into which they grow, do a good deal better? They should. Even the least patient among us can see rather steep social downsides to voicing one’s every need…
Advertisers are paid to tout the features and benefits of someone else’s products. Most folks would concede that their claims are at least occasionally truthful, but even so, their promises are greeted with skepticism. The lack of trust in marketers stems in part from critics’ and customers’ reviews revealing wide and troubling gaps between what the buyer expected—based on ‘pop-up’ ads, TV commercials and public relations—and the consumer’s personal experience. The sales wizards’ more specious claims range in apparent truthfulness from somewhat dubious to clearly…
Doors are everywhere in the modern-day civilized world. Some are pushed, some pulled, some lifted or lowered, and some are self-operating. Doors may open (or close) right-to-left, left-to right, upward, downward, inward, outward—they may even revolve. Some doors open but partway at a time. Still others slide or pivot and fold. Some, spring-loaded, pop out of hiding in a wall, with a touch. Some are equipped with automatic closers. Doors are often fashioned with ‘peepholes,’ in case of a need to know who is on the…
Sometime around the middle of the first century, less than twenty years after Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection, the Apostle Paul confidently declared that there is an appointed “…day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.” (Romans 2:16) Paul happened to be in ancient Athens when he amplified on this theme, saying that in times past, God made allowance for ignorance of His will, “…but now [that Christ has come], God commandeth all…
We live in a world in which credulity (a pre-disposition to believe without substantive evidence) has become a virtue, and uncritical acceptance a sign of intelligence. It is a world in which naivete is a mark of noble character, and gullibility is morally superior to critical thinking (whatever that was). Full disclosure: this is not a world in which I feel comfortable or into which I readily fit. I blame my parents first and foremost. Let’s face it—they were not particularly broad-minded people. To start with,…
Human weaknesses, failings and misbehavior are unlikely to remain hidden indefinitely. When they are in danger of imminent exposure or are actually revealed, excuses are inevitably offered. Excuses have two main purposes. The first, is to enable us to feel better about ourselves, despite having done what we shouldn’t or having neglected to do what we should. The second purpose is to induce others to feel better about us, our shortcomings notwithstanding. We are most comfortable when one excuse serves dual purposes—persuading both ourselves and others…
I’m no scholar, but if I were, I might tell you that it was customary in the ancient Near East to begin personal correspondence by stating the letter writer’s identity up front. The format might begin with the author’s name, add a bit of distinctive information to differentiate the sender from others with similar names, and cap it off with a special greeting to the intended recipient(s). A brief introduction, summarizing the subject of the missive was not uncommon. The great apostle…
The world is a dangerous place. Bad actors do bad things. Human beings can miss the point of their own stories. Sometimes one’s life or even one’s day does not unfold as planned. People minding their own business may be hurt or killed through no fault of their own. There is such a thing as being in the wrong place at the wrong time. A tower may suddenly collapse on you. Death does not discriminate. No one is immune. These are but some of the observations to be…
The phrase “a comforting fiction” is a particularly interesting one. It is commonly used in situations in which a fairytale seems preferable to reality. When, for example, a triggering event like the tragic loss of a loved one occurs, the fact of the death is impossible to deny. Yet, that fact may feel too cold, too stark, too heavy to bear. There is fear that its mere acknowledgement may—and more than likely would—overwhelm the bereaved’s defenses. The resulting ground rush of grief and pain…