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Ethics and Religion Talk: Is Twitter Responsible for Speech On Its Platform?

Submitted 06-27-2022 under OPINION

Imam Kip Curnutt, Director of Religious Education and Associate Imam of Masjid At-Tawheed in Grand Rapids, responds: “Free speech is an interesting concept to tackle from a religious perspective. It is historically a rather recent phenomenon...

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The Play That Goes Wrong Kills

Submitted 06-20-2022 under OPINION

There's a difference, of course, between a bad play and a spectacularly bad play. You know you're watching one of the former when you find yourself wondering how much time's left until intermission, and whether anyone will notice if you...

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Ethics and Religion Talk: How Do I Know What My Religion Should Be?

Submitted 06-20-2022 under OPINION

Fred Stella, the Pracharak (Outreach Minister) for the West Michigan Hindu Temple, responds: “Speaking as someone who was raised in one tradition but adopted another later in life, I would encourage anyone on a spiritual search to use an...

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Ethics and Religion Talk: Gas for a Steal or Stealing Gas?

Submitted 06-13-2022 under OPINION

Read the original story. Rev. Ray Lanning, a retired minister of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America, responds: “The American marketplace operates under the principle of Caveat emptor, ‘Let the buyer beware.’ We all...

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Ethics and Religion Talk: Is Your Messiah the Same as My Messiah?

Submitted 06-06-2022 under OPINION

Father Kevin Niehoff, O.P., a Dominican priest who serves as Judicial Vicar, Diocese of Grand Rapids, responds: “The word ‘Messiah’ literally means ‘anointed.’ According to Oxford Languages online, ‘Messiah...

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Ethics and Religion Talk: What If There Were No Second Amendment

Submitted 05-31-2022 under OPINION

[Note: This panelists submitted their responses over a month before the tragic murder of 19 fourth graders and two teachers. The murderer legally bought two AR15-style rifles for his 18th birthday. Perhaps legal gun ownership should begin at age 21...

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Ethics and Religion Talk: What Makes Music a Universal Language?

Submitted 05-23-2022 under OPINION

Linda Knieriemen, Senior Pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Holland, responds: “The Protestant Reformer Martin Luther wrote ‘Next to the Word of God, music deserves the highest praise. The gift of language combined with the gift of...

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The Return of Absurdism

Submitted 05-20-2022 under OPINION

I’m writing this on the toilet. Maybe you’re reading this somewhere like that, too. Maybe we’re connected somehow by our Catholic-imbued terror of an idle mind.  Absurdism characterizes our time. I don’t just mean 2022,...

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Ethics and Religion Talk: What is Monotheism?

Submitted 05-16-2022 under OPINION

Father Kevin Niehoff, O.P., a Dominican priest who serves as Judicial Vicar, Diocese of Grand Rapids, responds: “Merriam-Webster Online defines monotheism as ‘the doctrine or belief that there is only one God.’ I may get myself in...

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Ethics and Religion Talk: Why Can't I Sell Parts of My Body?

Submitted 05-09-2022 under OPINION

Rev. Ray Lanning, a retired minister of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America, responds: “You seem to be unaware that laws to the contrary, there is a ghastly trade of harvesting and selling human body parts that flourishes in the...

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