I've got a wee beef with this recent post from Stuff Christians Like, entitled rather troubling, "Girls that have a past" and then subsequently subtitled as, "The unofficial identifying girls in church who have a past scorecard".

My beef isn't because:

a) I'm a girl with a past (though I kinda am, but not much of one and presumably didn't score very high on aforementioned scorecard because of my fear of white shorts);

b) I dislike SCL or its writer in residence, Jon Acuff (SCL is something I usually really like, so much so that I read portions of it outloud at dinner parties and sleepovers); or

c) Because I'm a feminist (though, again, I kinda am, but more in the way of Leslie Knope as opposed to Nancy Pelosi).

Instead, my beef is due in large part to:

a) The post saying it's meant to "call out" guys who think this way and keep such scores, but instead invites "girls" to tally up their own scores to see how they measure up;

b) Limiting the categorization of girls with a past to such profound outward signs of promiscuity as hoop earrings, a desire to drink, and tardiness;

c) Stereotyping the good girls as legalistic, un-marry-able prudes (who, in fairness, love a good orphan);

d) The host of this party, Jon, having to consistently defend, clarify, and define the post as "satire" and yet still claim it as "truth," not that he would know anything about that, as he married a good girl; and

e) The uninspired writing of a piece of satire without a clear beginning, middle or end, with no justifiable or redeeming conclusion that pierces the soul with wit, poignancy AND laughter (as all good satire must), and still also manages to reference Kim Kardashian.

I love SCL, and up till now, highly respected and learned a great deal from Acuff. But this post uses a common misconception as an excuse to judge - and laugh at - all women based on their looks, their facebook profiles, and their favourite verses (to name just a lousy few).

No wonder so many people have such a hard time going to church; we're not even safe among God's people.

The New Telemarketers

An email from my mom yesterday...

So I got this phone call last night from Jay Sekulow - the Christian justice guy. So they play this breaking news tape, then the guy comes on and asks me for a couple hundred dollars. I told him I didn't have a couple hundred and he said they didn't need it immediately, just sometime during the next three weeks. Then he explains Jay's message and what it would mean to Christians and would I stand behind Jay, and I said, sure I'll stand behind him, I just can't give any money. Then he talks about it a little more and asks for 35 to 50. And I say I just don't have any money. Then he explains the situation further and I said, Please don't ask me a fourth time. I don't have any money. Then he said thank you and hung up. They just don't give up, do they?

I'm not sure I have any quippy remarks about this one, despite reflecting on the fact that "Christian" appears to have been hijacked by just another mass-market harasser. A more worthy cause then cheaper long distance? Perhaps... Rude and self-aggrandizing? Definitely...

Whatever happened to praying?