It’s almost Christmas, so I’ll keep it short and sweet. Every December of the past few decades has ignited a pop culture contest to reinvent the “meaning of Christmas”. Every modern Christmas movie has repeated the same old reimaginations of Christmas’ meaning: love, kindness, generosity, family, etc. At any time before the 20th century, didContinue reading “The Name of Christmas”
Tag Archives: Christianity
Christian Faith: Feelings Not Required
Human Reason and Emotion The gears turning within man appear driven by two distinct forces: reason and emotion. When these two forces work against one another, the stronger of the two, fed by natural or nurtured inclinations, dominates to control our actions. Oppositely, reason and emotion may on occasion act in concert, resulting in decisiveContinue reading “Christian Faith: Feelings Not Required”
10 Ways to Build a Christian Household
The 21st century is a tough time to raise a Christian family. Numerous cultural influences increasingly threaten the faiths of our children as the U.S. and other nations have declined in Christian identity. To change this trajectory, we need to build up the kingdom of families, one by one. Each family needs to be strengthenedContinue reading “10 Ways to Build a Christian Household”
The Rise of Secular America
“Society is increasingly secular.” Most of us have all probably heard this said around our families, friends, and churches. But is it true? Here, I’ll provide solid evidence confirming the fears of many Christian families that, yes, the U.S. and the western world are less religious now than our parents’ and grandparents’ generations. In 1948,Continue reading “The Rise of Secular America”
6 Ways to Pray More in a Busy World
Prayer is a central way for you to grow in your faith. But in the 21st century, every day feels like a blur from one thing to the next. You know it’s important to pray every day, but you’re struggling to find a decent moment to pray. Have no fear! Here are 6 simple ways toContinue reading “6 Ways to Pray More in a Busy World”
How Earth is the Battleground Between Heaven and Hell
You know that there is Light and Darkness, Right and Wrong, Happiness and Sadness, Good and Evil. Such ideas can be defined as the lack of the other. Darkness is the absence of Light. Sadness is the absence of Happiness. And, Evil is the lack of Good. But the world we live in consists ofContinue reading “How Earth is the Battleground Between Heaven and Hell”
3 Anti-Catholic Parts in the Pilgrim’s Progress
John Bunyan was the Puritan writer of the famous book The Pilgrim’s Progress (late 1600s). As we all well know, the Puritans (and other Protestants) didn’t get along too well with us Catholics. Though I greatly admire Bunyan’s work and personally enjoyed the read, various parts throughout the Pilgrim’s Progress criticize the Catholic Church (toContinue reading “3 Anti-Catholic Parts in the Pilgrim’s Progress”
9 Takeaways from the Pilgrim’s Progress
John Bunyan’s classic work The Pilgrim’s Progress is often considered the one of the first true novels, second in chronology to Cervantes’ Don Quixote. Bunyan’s most popular work allegorically tells the tales of Christian and Christiana (understood to be all Christians in a sense) and their journeys to heaven, called the Celestial City. Though somewhat tediousContinue reading “9 Takeaways from the Pilgrim’s Progress”
The Rajneeshee Epitomized the Need for Real Spirituality
Curious. Stunned. Shocked. Saddened. Pity. Those are the things I felt as I watched Wild Wild Country, Netflix’s award-winning documentary on a controversial Indian guru, his close secretary, and followers of the Rajneesh movement in the 1970s and 1980s. Here was a group of people so in need of a God, that they duped themselvesContinue reading “The Rajneeshee Epitomized the Need for Real Spirituality”
What is ThinkingWest?
This is the first post on my new blog called ThinkingWest. I’m Christian Poole, an American Catholic dad to two kids, husband, soon-to-be doctor of engineering, and hobbyist to many a thing – including this blog. ThinkingWest is my outlet for thought on a range of topics that actively run through my mind, while readingContinue reading “What is ThinkingWest?”