In 1954, psychologist Leon Festinger read a story in his local newspaper headlined “Prophecy from planet Clarion call to city: flee that flood.” The prophecy emanated from Chicago housewife Dorothy Martin, who, through an experiment with automatic writing, received a warning that the earth would
Every now and again, a biblical phrase is lifted out of context to teach things that the writer never intended. Despite President Lincoln’s bold claims, Jesus’ words about a house divided (see Mark 3:22–27) had nothing to do with the American Civil War. Biblical phrases
Have you ever wondered about the verse that suggests a stranger might be an angel in disguise? Or, at least, the verse that is sometimes interpreted that way? I am speaking of Hebrews 13:2: “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some
“Khoi-San king declares that the Cape has seceded from SA.” So the headline in The Citizen this past Tuesday. At first blush, one is very sympathetic, even hopeful. Yet when you look below the surface, well, not so much. This brings to my mind my recent
