It was a VERY good time. Thanks to all who came!

Or on Apple at podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/d...

diversitydifferently.substack.com/p/the-story-...

sagelycreative.com/july

11/ We may even suggest that it’s in fact not God—but some things rather more earthly—that she sees in it instead.

Will she write back? We shall see.

10/ I’ll close by saying that many, many of us practicing, deeply committed Christians are on the same side of the narrative table as Kate’s stereotyped “progressive” friends. We are asking what of God she can possibly see in Trump’s approach to government.

9/ Christians’ “progressive” friends or their conservative friends who are not Christian. The apparent lack of complexity in the narrative suggests this is not the show on which to pin arguments about representation, even if—as it seems you do—you like the way it represents people you identify with.

8/ These are central among many values that progressive Christians hold dear and consider profoundly holy.// It seems that a show like White Lotus does not offer—and is perhaps not interested in—more complex representations of conservative Christians, progressive Christians,...

7/ that our shared humanity is more important than manmade national borders; thoughtful non-extractive stewardship for God’s creation; and that there is dignity to be had in work and expertise even while a person’s intrinsic value precedes their work and expertise. It is God-given.

6/ The fact is that millions upon millions of Christians in the U.S. are political progressives—the very progressives your essay says are so “out of touch.” For many of us, our Christian theology teaches respect and love for all God’s children regardless of gender, race, orientation or nation;...

5/ What’s more, Kate too is being stereotyped—and this seems a stereotype your essay leans into—that going to church means she embraces conservative values and even Trump (and his decidedly NOT conservative approach to government.)

4/ they can’t believe she goes to church and doesn’t have three eyes!. Many, many progressives do not feel this way about someone who goes to church—especially someone they count as a friend. This is oversimplification for the purposes of entertainment.

3/ ... and embrace conservative” ideas. Throughout, you seem to equate going to church with conservative ideas. // Your essay seems not to recognize that the TV show may be portraying the character’s “progressive” friends according to stereotypes:...

2/ You write “The friends are clearly surprised to hear that Kate and her husband attend church each week…”, that “they attend church and hold largely traditional values, but they defy the stereotypes that progressives…,” and “we also go to church, have families...

I am not in the habit of replying to op-eds, but today I just HAD to. I sent the following to the author, and I reproduce it here: 1/ Dear Ms. Russell, In reply to your “‘White Lotus reflects new reality” essay: you make several erroneous conflations regarding Christian identity....