A semi-recent article in the Wall Street Journal, “Want More Growth in China? Have Faith,” reports that Peter Zhao, a Communist party member/advisor to the Chinese Central Committee, is arguing that Christianity is the key to the West’s prosperity. “He claims that Christianity produces greater wealth than other religions or no religion. His view is […]
Category Archives: Culture
Melanin
The middle-aged woman, her skin the smooth darkness of equatorial Africa, beckons to the blonde-haired porcelain-tinted child of four. “Can you say ‘je m’appelle Esther’?” I ask the child. She smiles shyly and repeats to the woman: “shmpel Esther.” The woman laughs and bounces the child onto her lap. “Tu as peur des noirs?” she […]
Romans 1:20
The world works a certain way, regardless of how we perceive it. Yet we have no excuse for not perceiving it — in no culture (that I know of) is murder lauded, or cowardice. This does not mean all men are one being, connected by our roots beneath the soil of disregard, for we still […]
Saturday morning
I sit listening to my cousins play their harps, accompanied by Dad on the guitar, the wind outside buffeting the Iowa cornfields. I drink green tea as Grandmother drinks coffee in her nightgown. This is beautiful. This is peace. Since I got here I’ve been reading Madelaine L’Engle, her family stories, trying on ancient aprons […]
With brotherhood
A German man told me recently that after moving to the U.S.A. he has developed a “zero tolerance for religion.” “Every other day,” he said “there’s someone at the door wanting to change me. And the fanatics… the fanatics get the power. Just look at the American government. On est tous dans la merde.” This […]
Birthday dinner
Yesterday was my 22nd birthday. Today I feel rather old. I have switched gears from barely-legal-drinker to early-twenties-undergrad. This is the result of our American laws that make 21 such a big deal, and thus everything after seems like a blind coasting over the hill of approaching age. My friends and I celebrated with a […]
