About this space
Theology grad student, currently pursuing my Master of Ministry in Theology and Culture at St. Stephen’s University in St. Stephen, New Brunswick.
Independent media investigative journalist and opinion writer, effective June 11th I became a regular weekly columnist for a local news outlet called The New Westminster Times. I cover the DTES beat. This is the poorest postal code in Canada, it’s the location of one of the world’s biggest open drug scenes, and it’s the Fentanyl overdose capital of the G7. I write about addiction, mental illness, and the overdose crisis, harm reduction and drug policy.
Former nurse, former economic and policy analyst.
Humans fascinate me. Je ne sais rien, really. I want to know all the things. I learn in order to perfuse my intellect. Acquiring knowledge to better understand the world feels like breathing for my mind. I love G-d. I love Jesus. I love the Holy Spirit.
I am an ex Catholic and an ex Muslim. I am molting old spiritual skins. I reject tribal signalling masquerading as morality. I love Jewishness. I have grown to love Judaism. However, I began to feel like I missed Jesus. I started attending a local Christian church, and it felt like going home after a long and prodigal absence. I recently discovered Brian Zahnd’s preaching and writing, and I’m also an online member of Word of Life Church. I was recently baptised in the Pacific Ocean and I feel quite at peace with myself now in a way I hadn’t felt before.
Religion intrigues and often disappoints me. Religion has betrayed me in the past. But we are here now, and a faith-based life inspired by the Holy Spirit can provide the solution to what ails us. If we let Him. So, I’m gonna let Him. Religion can get us all blown up, or it can help us walk ourselves and each other home. We get to choose that fate. Cross or Sword — pick one. You can’t have both, to carry one means to put down the other.
In my writing I blend contemporary culture and politics with theology. I often write about extremes in a world where many struggle to find balance. I think echo chambers diminish our capacity to have uncomfortable conversations in which we debate important matters. We call out when we ought to call in. We cancel when we ought to extend grace. We leave little or no room for redemption. We give no opportunity for repentance.
Primary cultural interests:
Social contagion underlying radicalisation
Media culture
Fundamentalism as a fuel for dehumanisation.
Primary theological interests:
Second temple Judaism
The Judaic roots of the Jesus parables
Pauline theology
The two names of G-d in the Torah and their connection to the Triune G-d
Deep Torah study
Why Bad Hijabi?
It's a satirical name, mocking the ridiculous notion of bad hijab, an actual crime in countries ruled by deranged Islamic regimes, such as Iran. Women receive punishment for being bad hijabis. Mahsa Amini was killed for being a bad hijabi. Nothing happens to me if I am a bad hijabi, I can live my life quite unaware of how dangerous my irreverence and disobedience would be in another part of the world. Western hijab wearing women have a duty to their sisters living in Islamic regimes to use their freedom to promote religious tolerance and choice for women—when they insist hijab is fard they legitimise the brutality of the Islamic regime in Iran!
Grown Up Stuff
Most stuff is not paywalled. Paid subscriptions cost $10/month or $100/year.
I can be found on Twitter.
