The Law Archives - Joel Rieves

The National Religious Liberties(?) Conference

These days, it seems like bat shit crazy is everywhere you look. Between Ben Carson’s notion that Joseph (you know, from the Bible?) built the pyramids to serve as grain silos, people getting their shorts in a knot over a god damn paper cup and the mere fact that human hair ball Donald Trump is […]

Modern-day Pharisees

It’s a well-known fact that conservative Christians are the modern-day equivalent of those legalistic, New Testament buzzkills known as the Pharisees. From their obsession with sex to their penchant for out-of-context quotation of the Bible, conservatives are doing their level best to live out H. L. Mencken’s definition of puritanism: “The haunting fear that someone, […]

Worthy Of Death?

So, it seems that Milledgeville’s Ten Commandments “Church” has put up this sign in front of their building: I wish I could tell you this is from one of those church sign generator sites or has been photo-shopped, but I can’t. Well, I suppose I could, but I’d be lying […]

What Does That Say About Us?

Yesterday, Patheos blogger David Henson said, “A saint’s scheduled execution was widely protested and decried in Georgia. A sinner’s scheduled execution in Texas was largely ignored.” He was referring to the way progressive Christians erupted in protest of Kelly Gissendaner’s postponed execution, while remaining remarkably silent about today’s scheduled execution of Manuel Vasquez in Texas. He […]

This Country Is Going Straight To Hell

Once again, I’m handing over the reins of the Progressive Redneck to my boyhood friend, Jefferson Davis Dudley. Jeff is very concerned over the course our nation is taking and wants to ask for your help. So, without further ado, here’s Jeff[1]As always, any post from my “friend” should be read as satire. Once again, […]

Spirit Or Letter?

Some days, finding a topic for a blog post is not easy. On those days, I spend as much time looking for a something to write about as much as I do actually writing about it. Other days, subject matter will just fall into my lap. Today is of those days; the good kind, I mean. This morning, […]

Smokescreens

This week has been a good one for The Progressive Redneck. The last two posts have generated some interesting conversation and Wednesday’s piece about modesty is my most popular post yet (if you haven’t read it, go here and see what all the shouting’s about). At the risk of beating a dead horse, I’m going […]

The Spirit Of The Law

I am a huge Gareth Higgins fan. The man has a way of taking ideas that have danced around in my head for a long time and reducing them to a few, taut, concise sentences. A few years ago, in Memphis, he said “The Gospel is not “Don’t say ‘fuck’. It’s not ‘Don’t sleep with […]

Speaking The Truth In Love: A Response To A Response

Two weeks ago, I wrote a post titled An Open Letter To Those Who “Speak The Truth In Love”. Saying it was a hit is an understatement; right now, it is the second most viewed post on The Progressive Redneck. It received rave reviews and glowing comments, mostly on Facebook since I can’t seem to get people to […]

A New Commandment I Give You

Like most writers, I keep a list of topics that I can’t use right away. The reasons vary; often, I might think an idea has merit, but don’t know how to approach it. Or, just as often, I’m in the middle of something else and can’t develop it right then. Sometimes, these things just click […]