Category: culture

culture, family, life, religion

God is father to the fatherless. We just call ’em bastards.

I used to know a woman who did parent education with low-income, teen moms.  One day we were talking about teaching basic nutrition and moms putting soda in baby bottles (something which is simply unimaginable to the sort of moms I hang out with).  She explained to me, “usually she is trying to be nice to her baby.  She likes soda.  She’s a teen so she thinks everyone is making a big deal out of nothing if they say soda is bad.  And really, she just wants to give the baby something that they will enjoy having.  Then the baby is quiet and she feels like a good mom.”

And I thought about it and kind of nodded my head.  Obviously, we’re talking about mom-kid who is fatherless and has probably been abused.   Her own mother who was probably the same.  There’s actually a developmental point where a baby who wants to share starts to understand that what she likes isn’t always the right thing to offer to someone else.  But that happens in toddlerhood.  And then for a little while I decided that these girls must be really messed up to think it was just being nice to let their babies drink cola.  Until I reminded myself that I regularly let my kids drink out of my coffee mug and will even make them their own mini-cup as a treat.  Um, maybe they are just adolescents with really bad taste and a teenaged perspective on life doing what many parents do sometimes?  Many people do say that adolescence and toddlerhood are pretty much the same thing after all.  Continue reading “God is father to the fatherless. We just call ’em bastards.”

Unknown's avatarRebecca Trotter13 Comments
culture, homeschooling, life, religion, science

In Which I Call Creationism Demonic

From “Thinking SciFi”

“O lord, thou hast searched me, and known me.” (Psalm 139:1)

Perhaps the most frightening attribute of God is that He knows everything about us. Everything! He has “searched” (literally “penetrated”) us and “known” (“understood”) us. . . Furthermore, He is everywhere around each one of us (vv. 7-10), wherever we are or could be. He fills all space, and there is no escape.

Go ahead, ask me where I found that quote.  Or even better, how ’bout I up the fun quotient and give you some options. Was it:

a. A site promoting atheism

b. A humor site skewering religion 

c. A devotional piece from the Days of Praise blog put out by a Creationist advocacy group

I’ll give you a moment to figure it out. . . Oh wait – did I give it away?  Yep, this “be afraid, Be very afraid” moment has been brought to you by none other than The Institute for Creation Research; a highly profitable venerable institution promoting creation “science”.  The very same people whom a federal judge recently said  are “entirely unable to file a complaint which is not overly verbose, disjointed, incoherent, maundering and full of irrelevant information.” Good to see our tax dollars hard at work there, eh?

This upsets me.  My opinions about the theological viability of creationist interpretations aren’t something I’m shy about.  I truly believe that it’s demonic.  Whether you understand that to be a metaphor for our ability to create and perpetuate evil or as satan whispering in your ear, the answer is the same; it is demonic.  Continue reading “In Which I Call Creationism Demonic”

Unknown's avatarRebecca Trotter36 Comments
culture, enjoy life, life

What were your “25 Random Things”?

Remember when everyone was writing their “25 Random Things” lists on facebook?  Believe or not, it’s been 2 years since that became such a big thing that news outlets devoted coverage to the phenomena which I think means it’s time to take a look back and see what’s changed, what’s the same and maybe what we wish we hadn’t said.  I invite you to share your “25 Random Things” list in the comments below.  If you are a blogger, this is an easy blog post – link back here or put a link in the comments below.

Here’s my list from January 17, 2009:

1. I always put the toilet lid down before flushing. You should to.
2. For several years when I was little my dad owned a small Cessna airplane. Except for my dad’s airplane, I have not flown since I was 3.
3. I am very funny. Sometimes other people even agree with me.
4. I am often stunned at how beautiful, smart and funny my little girls are.
5. I’m not entirely sure what my natural hair color is.
6. I have a spiritual director I meet with once a month.
7. I will be putting pictures of the plants I start from seed and grow under lights up on facebook all spring. They make me very, very happy.
8. I’m not a very good gardener. But I am sure that in 10 years I will be.
9. I did prison ministry in college.
10. I am taking the test to join Mensa next Saturday.
11. I’ve never met anyone I like (and sometimes hated) as much as my husband.
12. I enjoy reading stories about people’s near-death experiences.
13. I had my first alcoholic drink the fall after I turned 20.
14. I am currently writing my spiritual memoir and I’m very happy with how it’s going. (Please send any writer’s agents you may know my way!)
15. Two of the guys I dated in college broke up with me because they said I was intimidating. Continue reading “What were your “25 Random Things”?”

Unknown's avatarRebecca TrotterLeave a comment
culture, current events, kids, life, politics, science

Apparently My Week Has 8 Days In It

I started to do these “Best of the Week” posts a few weeks ago and it seems that my week is consistently 8 days long.  Which I have no doubt that people who have to deal with me would agree is pretty much how I work!  But hey – it’s my blog and it’s free!  (Although you can make a donati0n to support the site … Continue reading Apparently My Week Has 8 Days In It

Unknown's avatarRebecca Trotter1 Comment
culture, current events, education, entertainment, family, life

The best of the week . . .

According to infalible me!  Ha! I’ve done more writing than reading this week, so this is a bit light, but here goes: How children’s  play is being sneakily redefined.  I totally agree with this from Alfie Kohn: 1. Play is being redefined to include things that are clearly not free, imaginative play. 2. Younger and older children ought to have the chance to play together. … Continue reading The best of the week . . .

Unknown's avatarRebecca TrotterLeave a comment
being mom, culture, education, family, health, kids, life, religion

Let’s talk about sex, baby!

Note: A few years back I did some writing for a now defunct Christian magazine.  I never put these articles up here because the magazine owns the rights to them, but now that they are defunct, well, I’m going to share! In the early ‘90s Salt-n-Peppa famously sang “Let’s talk about sex, baby” and boy, oh boy do we take their exhortations to heart.  Sex … Continue reading Let’s talk about sex, baby!

Unknown's avatarRebecca Trotter1 Comment
being mom, culture, current events, religion

What I think God would say about abortion

I am not God (just in case you were confused – lol), but based on what I know about God and how he works – which admittedly may be all wrong – I have certain hypothesis about what God would want us to be saying about a variety of topics.  And although it may seem blasphemous to those who think that we already know all … Continue reading What I think God would say about abortion

Unknown's avatarRebecca Trotter2 Comments
culture, religion, science

Why Creationism Does Not Honor God

I’m going to start my day by ticking people off! Just let me say at the outset that I am not saying that people who hold a belief in what is called “biblical creationism” do not honor God.  They may or may not.  But the belief system itself does not honor God.  Why?  Because it denies the work of God’s own hands.  The creation is … Continue reading Why Creationism Does Not Honor God

Unknown's avatarRebecca Trotter42 Comments
being mom, culture, family

Raising a bunch of characters

In his wonderful book The Happiness Hypothesis Jonathan Haidt talks about the difference between situational ethics and an ethic built on internal character.  Situational ethics is pretty much what it sounds like: looking at a situation and trying to apply ethical thinking to it.  It says, “in this situation, what is the right thing to do.”  He then compares this to an older sort of … Continue reading Raising a bunch of characters

Unknown's avatarRebecca TrotterLeave a comment