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Coffee and convenience: why I drink Starbucks.
I look at my coffee drinking habits, and I’ve come to the conclusion that the key factor in where I go for coffee boils down to one thing: convenience. On my way to work, I can usually be found getting coffee at one of three places: Sharrif’s at the Rose Quarter Transit Center, Coffee Max at the Gateway Transit Center, or Starbucks in the US Bank Tower. All three coffee places have excellent service. They’re all expedient. As far as coffee goes, Sharrif’s leaves a little to be desired, Starbucks is, well, Starbucks. and Coffee Max is excellent. The deciding factor in where I get my coffee is always about…
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Why I (don’t) hate Radiohead
It is fairly common for me to make snide remarks about Radiohead. In a conversation with a friend, I once said they were only a step above Matchbox 20. While I was using hyperbole on my friend (who is a pretty loyal Radiohead fan), I do not like the way Radiohead has gone in the last few years – but I don’t actually hate Radiohead, I just think and know they can do better. Hail to the thief and Thom Yorke’s solo album were, in all honesty, some of the worst albums I’ve heard this decade. In Rainbows had its moments, but I still think they could have done a…
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What a singles group SHOULD be…
My church does not have a singles group, and to be honest, I don’t think I would fit in with a church that had a typical singles group. Why? Well, churches tend to see singles groups as meet and greets. They’re almost like the dance clubs of the Christian world. Yeah…I don’t do so well in that kind of setting. However, I’m beginning to wonder if maybe a singles group would indeed be a good thing for me. But not the typical singles group – I’m not trying to link up with someone – I’m talking about a singles group based on giving each other the support they need. Let…
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Social Justice, or social mercy?
I’ve recently been bothered by the term “social justice” as it relates to Christian cultures. Don’t get me wrong – the actions that come from social justice: feeding the hungry, helping the needy, caring for the widows and etcetera are all basic fundamentals of Christianity. Jesus himself commanded us to do these things! But according to the apostle Paul. “Mercy triumphs over justice” (James 2:13). So if Paul was correct, shouldn’t we, as Christians, be concentrating on social mercy instead of social justice? Maybe its just a matter of semantics, but maybe not. Consider the following: Mercy implies lenience and compassion. Justice, however, implies retribution not based on compassion, but…