Author: Steve Fehl


Unconditional Acceptance

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“Condemned Witches Burning in St. Peter’s Port.” Cosmic insignificance, helplessness, and groundlessness are at the root of polarization. (Schneider, 2013, p.160) From the Crusades to the Inquisition to the martyrdom of Christian Reformers, to the Salem Witch Trials to the Klu Klux Klan’s battle against civil rights, Christianity has historically been behind many of the… Read more »

Of Polarization and Sailboats

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Photo by Bengt Nyman. My last two entries for the New Existentialists have focused on the nature and influence of fear, and how American culture has shifted from a more adventure-based society to a fear-based society. As a society—whether speaking about politics, religion, militarization, communities, neighborhoods, or individuals—we operate from an approach that is opposite… Read more »

Chaos and Confusion All Around

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Over the last several months, my family has experienced a number of major crises from a flooded apartment to a granddaughter running away to a lengthy personal illness to uncertainty of employment to decisions concerning the health and well-being of aging parents to eye surgery to ongoing long-term unemployment. It has been a period of… Read more »

60 and

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In the next couple of weeks, I will turn 60 years old, and more than any other birthday, this one is bothering me. I have generally been one that eagerly anticipated previous birthday milestones. I used to tell people the 20s are the age of responsibility, 30s the age of accountability, 40s the age of… Read more »

It Is Time We Grow Up

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Photo by Marcus Qwertyus. For the past several months, political pundits and sports journalists have spent a great deal of time speculating on the impact of Russia’s strict anti-LGBT stance and laws and the impact they might have on the Olympic competitions. Against this backdrop, Michael Sam, a senior defensive lineman from the University of… Read more »