Daily Shaarli
March 21, 2022
Scientists analyzed paint samples from Corot's Gypsy Woman with Mandolin (circa 1870).
our ministry succumbed to the temptation to explain away inappropriate conduct as misunderstandings—misunderstandings between men and women, or misunderstandings between members of different generations who have different expectations for appropriate workplace behavior. In other words, as Guidepost expressed so well, we overemphasized the intent of the perpetrator and underemphasized the impact on the recipient.
Divining intent is always a dubious enterprise, but sexual harassment is sexual harassment whether or not it is sexually motivated. It makes the person on the receiving end feel objectified, manipulated, and mistreated because of his or her sex. Rather than saying, “He doesn’t really mean anything by it,” we should have heard, “But it means pain and humiliation for her.” We should have responded more forcefully earlier to protect our colleagues and to communicate that such behavior will lead swiftly to termination. //
We have seen too many cases where Christian organizations cover up their failures because they believe the mission they serve is too important to be derailed by a few hurting people. This argument is tempting but wrongheaded. We cannot love the many by being cruel to the few. We cannot serve the truth by covering it up. It is because we are more committed to the kingdom of God than to our own institutional interests that we must be honest about our failures and share what we learn from them. We remain committed to rigorous journalism about ourselves and about others. //
In closing, we again encourage you to read the Guidepost assessment and to read Daniel Silliman’s independent report when it publishes. We hope the church can benefit as often as possible from things we do well. If the church can also benefit through us sharing honestly what we have done poorly, then to God be the glory. It is, after all, God’s glory and not our own that is the point of all we do.
Missouri lawmakers want to stop their residents from having abortions — even if they take place in another state.
The first-of-its-kind proposal would allow private citizens to sue anyone who helps a Missouri resident have an abortion — from the out-of-state physician who performs the procedure to whoever helps transport a person across state lines to a clinic, a major escalation in the national conservative push to restrict access to the procedure. //
I have no problem with laws forbidding taking minors across state lines for an abortion without parental consent (this, to me, means both parents). I favor states cracking down on the virtual consultations and mail order delivery of abortion pills. I’m 100% in favor of long prison terms for anyone participating in an abortion if the state has outlawed it. But, at some point, we need to realize that a lot of the country does not think abortion is wrong, and the way to move them is by education, not by the coercive power of the state. The last thing we need is ill-conceived laws that will have the effect of making heroes and martyrs of women who travel out of state for an abortion. The idea that any state government can compel you to follow its laws once you cross state lines should be abhorrent both in principle and where it is obviously going to lead us in the way of individual rights. //
Here is the problem as I see it. Can a state make it illegal for you to take part in an activity that is legal in another state? For instance, if New York passed a law making it a felony to enter a restaurant without having your proof of COVID vaccination, could you be prosecuted for dining out in Florida without such proof? Can you be arrested for possessing pot in a state where “medicinal” marijuana is legal if your home state still outlaws it? As you can see, if this idea is adopted to try to prevent women from traveling to an abortion-friendly state, the potential for mischief is meaningless. Already California is trying to use the enforcement mechanism in the Texas heartbeat law to attack gun sales.