Friday Finds, IX
He Kissed God Goodbye (Joshua Harris' Instagram)
By all the measurements that I have for defining a Christian, I am not a Christian. Many people tell me that there is a different way to practice faith and I want to remain open to this, but I’m not there now.
I wonder when the cracks started to show, and what triggered the cracks. And everytime I hear a story like this, I immediately think of a blog post I wrote on Medium, as a part of my chronicle on leaving Christianity. In it I describe how our life's decisions into adulthood can often a response to our past. It's certainly that way for me. I write:
Is life an exercise in opposite experiences? Why do some people end up unlovingly dogmatic Christians? Or hedonistic liberals? Or xenophobic conservatives? or fundamentalist atheists? I think it’s critically important to ask oneself, or even someone else, what childhood was like. Or what your family is like, how you were raised, how healthy your relationship to your parents are, and how you relate to your spouse. Maybe our current worldviews are mere responses, or reactions, to our past. And maybe one antidote to a pendulum-like life is self-awareness. I don’t think people ask themselves hard questions enough. But of course we don’t. It’s easy to understand why. It’s difficult to be vulnerable to yourself. To be honest with yourself.
Slow fashion: how to keep your favourite clothes for ever – from laundering to moth-proofing (The Guardian)
Extending the lifespan of our clothes isn’t just good for our finances, but also benefits the environment: the fashion industry is a major global polluter and human rights abuses are rife in the garment industries of developing nations.
I am complicit. I buy much of my clothes from the trendy, fast-fashion website ASOS.com. And every time I'm about to order, I think to myself, “I could just buy a high-quality, long-lasting pair of pants that can weather the fashion cycles.”
And I hit order anyway.
A Global Feast in an Unlikely Spot: Lancaster, Pa. (NY Times)
For ages, Lancaster has conjured up images of the horses and buggies, dairy farms and rustic bakeries of its Amish and Mennonite people, who believe in living simply, many of them eschewing modern conveniences like cars and electricity.
And in the last few years, the city has drawn notice for a boomlet of upscale bars, breweries, restaurants and art galleries.
My parents live in Lancaster. Initially, when I would visit, I wouldn't look forward to it. These days, every time I go into downtown Lancaster, I marvel at how many hip things there are to do and eat.
How to Get a Selfie With Elizabeth Warren in 8 Steps (NY Times)
Since entering the presidential race, Ms. Warren has taken pictures with more than 38,000 people, her campaign estimates. Ms. Warren says the photos are part of her effort to build what she likes to call a “grass-roots movement.”
This is a snazzy article showing how Warren's staff has a well-defined process for her post-rally selfie lines. Amy actually had a good thought that this is a brilliant advertising strategy: think of all the people excited to get a selfie and a few words in with a candidate they're interested in, and then posting that selfie to friends and family with a supportive and enthusiastic caption.