An orientation for single sexuality: The ‘do’s’ of purity

http://www.themennonite.org/issues/16-10/articles/An_orientation_for_single_sexuality_The_dos_of_purity

OMG, so many amazingly good quotes in this article:

This isn’t to say I’ve stopped believing marriage marks an important boundary for healthy sexual activity. However, I find my parameters not through a checklist of don’ts, but by discovering who and what God calls us—as embodied souls—to be and do.

I’m convinced that the best thing the church can do to encourage holy living is to help us follow Jesus, not a spouse.

I don’t need rules about (not) having sex: I need the church to help me reject the lie that desire is the most important thing.

…I’m not waiting—for a spouse, for sex, for my own little nuclear family. I’m learning what it means to be a Christ follower, distinct from the patterns of the world, active in service, in relationships with others.

Read full article here (highly recommended): http://www.themennonite.org/issues/16-10/articles/An_orientation_for_single_sexuality_The_dos_of_purity

An Open Letter to Feminist Trolls [VIDEO]

2:33 …because when you say, “bitch,” what I hear is “strong” what I hear is “opinionated, outspoken, daring, confident,” because it’s actually what you mean. What you mean is that I’m performing womanhood in a way that goes against the status quo, that calls into question your conformity to hegemonic masculinity, that criticizes your entitlement complex.

H/T: http://everydayfeminism.com/2013/10/letter-to-feminist-trolls/

UC Davis pepper-spraying cop gets $38K for disability claim

http://www.news10.net/news/california/article/261524/430/UC-Davis-pepper-spraying-cop-gets-38K-for-disability-claim

Pike, who was later fired, filed a workers’ compensation claim saying he suffered depression and anxiety over the way he was treated in the wake of the incident.

Image source and full article: http://www.news10.net/news/california/article/261524/430/UC-Davis-pepper-spraying-cop-gets-38K-for-disability-claim

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See also, this article in The Atlantic which outlines more infuriating details: http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/10/the-pepper-spraying-cop-got-a-bigger-payout-than-his-victims/280822/

…he remained on administrative leave eight months after the incident. By my calculations, Pike received more than $70,000 in salary between the pepper-spray incident and the day he ceased to be employed at UC Davis, though he did no work in that time. And when his employment finally ended?

“The internal affairs investigation into last November’s pepper-spraying controversy at UC Davis concluded that Lt. John Pike acted reasonably, with a subsequent review concluding he should have faced demotion or a suspension at worst,” The Sacramento Bee reported in August 2012.

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To be “fair,” the internet meme that erupted in his wake was pretty awful awesome…

Black Spiderman? The Response He Received Spells Out A Much Bigger Problem That Hollywood Still Has [VIDEO]

http://www.upworthy.com/the-response-he-received-spells-out-a-much-bigger-problem-that-hollywood-still-has

The fact that the mere suggestion of “Hey, why don’t we have a black Spiderman?” could rile up such hit-your-face-against-the-deeply-entrenched-racist-wall racism highlights the greater need for diversity in mainstream cinema.

Stated another way…

The Mexican starring a white man (Brad Pitt). No reaction.
The Last Samurai starring a white man (Tom Cruise). No reaction.
The mere hint of a mention just the idea that the next Spiderman might be black and people go bonkers.

H/T: http://www.upworthy.com/the-response-he-received-spells-out-a-much-bigger-problem-that-hollywood-still-has

Shake: New Book Shows Hilarious Dogs in Motion [VIDEO]

http://www.mymodernmet.com/profiles/blogs/carli-davidson-shake-book-dogs-motion

Carli captures dogs as they’re shaking off water, but it’s their expressions that make this series truly priceless. As she describes, they’re “images of man’s best friend caught in contortion: hair wild, eyes darting, ears and jowls flopping every which way.”

Click through to see more amazing shaking dog photographs: http://www.mymodernmet.com/profiles/blogs/carli-davidson-shake-book-dogs-motion

Brené Brown: ‘There Are No Prerequisites For Worthiness’ [VIDEO]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/22/brene-brown-oprah_n_4138180.html

Dr. Brené Brown has a message she wants you to hear loud and clear: There are no prerequisites for worthiness.

Click through to see video: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/22/brene-brown-oprah_n_4138180.html

Groom jailed over wedding day bomb hoax to try to prevent bride discovering failure to confirm venue

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/oct/22/groom-jailed-wedding-day-bomb-hoax

Neil McArdle, 36, had forgotten to fill in the necessary forms but could not face telling his fiancee, Amy Williams…

Image source and full article – click through to see if they’re still gonna get married: http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/oct/22/groom-jailed-wedding-day-bomb-hoax