Opinion 76 results

Just Sayin’ – Loving the Sojourner

by Alex Hentschel I am going to be up front with you: this column is not funny, because its contents are deeply, heartbreakingly serious. This column has an agenda. I have an agenda. (Hey, at least I wasn’t deceptive about it, right?) That agenda is to convince you that the cultural tone is wrong on one major point: the treatment of refugees and immigrants. Some well-meaning Christians have been led astray by the politics of fear. In fact, the rise of anti-immigrant and anti-refugee ...

Just Sayin’ – Women & Jesus & the Church (Oh My)

by Alex Hentschel Who am I, as a Christian woman? This is a nuanced question, and a weighty question, and I bet you’re wondering, “Why is that opinion column girl who wrote about dating and fake New Year’s resolutions about to discuss an actual issue with real consequences? She should stick to Buzzfeed-esque listicles.” I understand your concerns. Don’t worry — this will still be snarky. I’ll still crack some jokes. But I want to focus our attention a little bit on something ...

Artificial Intelligence: Friend or Foe?

By Timothy Mattackal Artificial intelligence, or AI: what exactly is it? What does it do? How much should we trust it? There are numerous questions we could ask regarding this issue, and many of these concerns were brought into focus several weeks ago when an Uber self-driving car struck and killed a pedestrian in Tempe, Arizona. The accident resulted in the first fatality from a self-driving car accident in history, and as a result, Uber and other developers of self-driving vehicles tempor...

Why Dating At Cedarville Is The Worst

By Alex Hentschel Dear readers: I want you to just accept something that is unequivocally true. Don’t contest it, don’t think about it too much, don’t combat it with arguments. I, the Just Sayin’ guru, am here with some wisdom that has been revealed to me that I feel I must impart. Open your minds. Be receptive to this truth, that... ...dating at Cedarville is the worst. Ok. Now that we’ve accepted it, we can do something about it. Let’s talk about why it’s the worst. First, ...

Just Sayin’ – How to Spend Money to Prove Your Love

by Alexandria Hentschel It’s that time of year again — you’ve browsed through Cyber Monday deals and agonizing over whether your significant other really needs another flannel. You’re wondering if you can feasibly knit everyone in your family a scarf, and whether that would really be cheaper. You’re feverishly printing out coupons that are “Good For One Hug!” in the hopes that your mother won’t judge you for being too cheap. We could all use a little guidance for what to get ...

Just Sayin’ – What Your Department (Actually) Says About You

by Alex Hentschel I know you’ve always wondered it — “what does my choice of major say about me?” Here’s a long, slightly judgmental list. The truth might hurt a little bit, so brace yourself... Art, Design and Theater: Your least favorite question is “Oh, nice! So what are you going to do with that?” You probably include your Instagram handle on your resume, because something that beautiful and coordinated requires significant time and effort. Biblical and Theological ...

Just Sayin’ – Brace Yourselves: It’s (Basic)ally Fall

by Alex Hentschel On Friday, Sept. 22, the greatest season began. I love flannels. I love caramel. I love warm sweaters, bonfires, and apple-picking. I love all the discounted candy I get after I celebrate Reformation Day — it’s nice of stores to celebrate the downfall of the Catholic Church by offering the indulgence of 50-percent-off Reese’s. And yes — I’m going to say it — I love Pumpkin Spice Lattes. What I don’t love is all of the judgmental stares when I order one — as ...

Just Sayin’ – A Day Without Caffeine

by Alex Hentschel Relationship status between Alex and Coffee: It’s complicated. “Complicated” meaning that I both love and hate my caffeine. Love, because it makes me bubbly, cheerful and productive. Love, because a good latte tastes like it’s brewed by a chorus of harp-strumming angels. Hate, because without it, I turn into a mascara-streaked monster with a migraine. Hate, because about 50 percent of my discretionary budget goes to cold brews and dirty chais. I evaluated our ...

Just Sayin’ – How A Digital Detox Changed My Summer

By Alex Hentschel That’s it,” I said resolutely, holding down my apps until they trembled with the fear of being deleted. “I’m done.” My dad only looked at me in a “sure, if you say so” way, but I did it — on the car ride back from my freshman year, I got rid of all of my social media and time-wasting apps. Facebook. Instagram. Snapchat. GroupMe. Podcasts. My three — three! — brickbreaking games. I told my friends that all my social media was gone and they could — and ...

Note from an Editor: Memories of Me

by Emily Day Until now, I have spent the majority of my life in a classroom. Shocking I know. The truth is, for the average twenty-something, most of their memories are tied to some form of educational institution, whether with friends or family members. Some memories are good, like meeting your best friend or finally mastering all the bones in the body (cause one day you will NEED to know the difference between the radius and the ulna, promise). Other memories are more traumatic, like ...