What We Read This Week

Each week, we bring you interesting stories from around the web. Here’s what caught our eye this week!

FAITH

Faith Involves Your Brain, Too.

I don’t like devotional books. I rarely get swept up in emotional worship experiences. And as much as I’ve wanted to be the girl who sings with her arms raised, eyes closed and heart full of joy, I just end up fixated on whether or not I’m flashing sweaty armpits to everyone around me (spoiler: I probably am). For years, I participated in small groups and Bible studies feeling like there must be something wrong with me. I couldn’t connect to the kind of devotional, emotional spirituality so many of my friends seemed to enjoy; and most of the time I’d rather study the details of Paul’s arguments about justification than meditate on a Psalm. Read Full Article

From Relevant Magazine

ENVIRONMENT

Deadly Camp Fire Sparks New Lawsuit Against California Utility

From Grist

CHRISTMAS

How to Celebrate Christmas With the Faith of a Child

What’s the first image that comes to your mind when you think of Christmas? Is it a Nativity scene? An Advent wreath? Santa? For me, it’s a birthday cake. Yes, a birthday cake. One Christmas, when I was about 4 years old and my family was getting ready for Christmas dinner, I asked where the birthday cake was. The adults were a bit puzzled by my question, but it seemed logical to me. After all, they taught me that Christmas was Jesus’ birthday. We each had a birthday cake for our birthdays, so why wouldn’t we have one for Jesus on his birthday? Read Full Article

From Busted Halo

CULTURE

Between Me and My Motherland

America taught me how to hide. “Your name asks too much of people,” it said. So, I cut it, shortened it, mangled it until I couldn’t recognize myself. And I hid behind this new “Americanized,” but really ostracized, way of saying such a holy word. I hid in a carefully learned American accent, hid in intelligence so no one could doubt me, hid my garlic-scented clothes with fake floral perfume so no one would know that I didn’t eat meatloaf for dinner. America taught me shame. Read Full Article

From Sojo

WORLD

Steph Curry said The Moon Landing Was a Hoax and NASA Isn’t Having it

A 2017 study published in the journal Communication and the Public found that the digital era has helped conspiracy theories spread like wildfire. The journal states that conspiracy theories “flourish in the wide-open media of the digital age, spurring concerns about the role of misinformation in influencing public opinion and election outcomes.” These days, conspiracy theorist Alex Jones is a household name. The flat-Earth theory is having a revival, and the president of the United States has publicly supported birtherism, Kennedy assassination theories, and the anti-vaccination movement. The latest public figure to give a face-palming conspiracy endorsement is Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry. Read Full Article

From Good Is