Sarahbeth Caplin's Blog, page 24

A few changes and developments

Hello, readers. If you’ve kept up with me for a few years, or even just a few months, you may have noticed some changes in the blog content. That is, many posts lately are cross-posts with other places I write for, such as Patheos, Off the Page, and Huffington Post. There’s a reason for this, … Continue reading A few changes and developments

Vote for Moore, because abortion is worse than pedophilia, says The Federalist

Writing for The Federalist, Tully Borland makes what he believes to be a compelling case for why Alabamians should vote for Roy Moore, the disgraced judge. It’s so compelling, it can be summarized in a single word: Abortion. It’s all about abortion. And he really wants you to know that he has a 14-year-old daughter, … Continue reading Vote for Moore, because abortion is worse than pedophilia, says The Federalist

Here’s why you shouldn’t justify voting for a morally questionable politician

Christian author Eric Metaxas has some words for people who read the title of D.C. McAllister’s Federalist article – “Why It’s Justified to Vote for a Morally Questionable Politician” – and immediately thought, “You’re joking, right?” No, the article title isn’t a joke, and Metaxas is very serious about making sure you “think logically” when … Continue reading Here’s why you shouldn’t justify voting for a morally questionable politician

Atheists and progressive Christians need each other as allies

Ever since I dropped out of seminary four years ago, I’ve been undergoing a period of “spiritual deconstruction.” I still consider myself a Christian, albeit one with questions and significant doubts. For atheists who used to be Christian, it’s no surprise that many Christian groups seem to be allergic to questions. Consequently, I find myself … Continue reading Atheists and progressive Christians need each other as allies

Your worth doesn’t come from a paycheck

I turned 29 last week. It wasn’t the happiest of birthdays, for a number of reasons. Aside from dealing with a family crisis (which I’m not at liberty to go into detail about just yet), there’s also a personal, somewhat existential struggle that’s been bringing me down for a while: am I where I thought … Continue reading Your worth doesn’t come from a paycheck

#MeToo and ‘Legitimate rape’

This piece originally appeared on Huffington Post. Everyone has an opinion on what rape is. I was prepared to face disbelief, given my rapist’s notoriety in our small town as an upstanding Catholic. I just never expected that disbelief to come from another rape survivor. When #MeToo started trending on social media, I mustered the … Continue reading #MeToo and ‘Legitimate rape’

Here’s how we can know if assault allegations are true

This post is a variation of Evaluating ‘grey rape,’ which recently appeared in Huffington Post. Responding to accusations of groping from Anthony Rapp, actor Kevin Spacey claimed that that interaction from 1986 was “deeply inappropriate drunken behavior,” implying that such actions aren’t the norm for him. Spacey wants to believe he’s a decent human being: … Continue reading Here’s how we can know if assault allegations are true

I was an Episcopalian for five minutes on Facebook

Feeling a burst of confidence and rare certainty, I recently changed my Facebook “religious views” to “Episcopalian.” For over a year, I’d left that section of my profile blank as I underwent a deconstruction period: I knew I believed in God, but I’d become rather agnostic about religion. I missed Judaism, the religion of my … Continue reading I was an Episcopalian for five minutes on Facebook

An atheist describes what drew him to the Catholic church

Bart Everson is a “religious atheist.” Yes, he knows it sounds like an oxymoron, but he’s fine with that. He wrote in a piece for the Mid-City Messenger that religion for him doesn’t have to be about God. For example, Buddhism is one of the world’s largest religions, yet its adherents don’t worship the Buddha. … Continue reading An atheist describes what drew him to the Catholic church

Evaluating “grey rape”

I’ve been intrigued by a recent article in the Washington Post by Laura Gianino, who wrote about her sexual assault and was verbally assaulted by internet trolls in return. Her story is all too familiar – plenty of assault survivors … Continue reading →