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Commentary

How the life changing benefit of doula care made all the difference

Submitted 06-20-2019 under OPINION

Cassie was with me during my pregnancy, labor and delivery. Her support, encouragement, patience and kindness helped me have the most incredible labor and delivery I could imagine. I reflect back on my son’s entry into this world often. When I do, I smile.

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Ethics and Religion Talk: What Does it Mean to be a Part of a Religious Community?, Part 2

Submitted 06-17-2019 under OPINION

Part two of last week’s question (for Christian responses, see last week’s column), What does it mean to be part of a religious community?

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Ethics and Religion Talk: What Does it Mean to be a Part of a Religious Community?, Part 1

Submitted 06-10-2019 under OPINION

This week’s question: What does it mean to be part of a religious community? We present the Christian responses in the column this week. Next week, we present Unitarian, Hindu, and Jewish responses.

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"Culinary Conversations" Focusing on Food Failures at June 18 Meetup

Submitted 06-04-2019 under NONPROFITS

The Grand Rapids Downtown Market will host its third Culinary Conversations Meetup on June 18 at 5 p.m., focusing on “Food Failures.” The free event features four local food industry mavens, from the startup and corporate world, discussing their own failed food projects and how they moved past them.

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Ethics and Religion Talk: How Should We be Inclusive of Persons with Disabilities?

Submitted 06-03-2019 under OPINION

How do religious institutions show themselves to be open to folks with disabilities both visible and not visible?

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Ethics and Religion Talk: May One Choose Service Providers based on Politics?

Submitted 05-28-2019 under OPINION

If a business owner on moral grounds can refuse to provide a service such as baking a cake for or catering a same-sex wedding, should consumers then have the right to know the moral and political belief of the business owner, before the consumer does business with them?

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Ethics and Religion Talk: Do I Call Out My Friend's Adultery?

Submitted 05-20-2019 under OPINION

“Is it wrong of me to call out a friend who has been cheating on his wife, who is also my dear friend? I am very angry about his behavior, which he does not seem to regret, but others tell me it is none of my business.”

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City of Grand Rapids has failed to respond to demands for police accountability and cutting ties to ICE

Submitted 05-14-2019 under NONPROFITS

Despite numerous calls for concrete action, the city of Grand Rapids gave no direct response to a coalition of groups demanding police accountability. While this is disheartening, they in no way will impact our commitment to seeking accountability and transformative justice.

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Ethics and Religion Talk: When is it OK to Solicit Charity?

Submitted 05-13-2019 under OPINION

I know that a half dozen of my cousins and their families are planning to join them for the holiday and I can't imagine how he will afford it. I was wondering if I ought to explain how desperately he needs help to my cousins, who could easily help, but I don't know if I have the right to do that.

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Ethics and Religion Talk: Can Human Beings Be Predestined to Hell?

Submitted 05-06-2019 under OPINION

Sue L. asks, “How can anyone be condemned to Hell or ‘saved’ if God has preordained what that individual will do with their life? Are some people destined to spend eternity in Hell before they are even born?”

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