Dear Life: a southerner adjusts to northern manners
- As a southerner visiting northern homes, should I just get over the manners difference?
A graduate student writes that she moved from the south to the east coast and feels northerners are rude for not taking her coat or inviting her to sit. The hosts tell her to get over it and follow local cues, riffing at length on coat piles, the awkwardness of surrendering your coat, and a memorial-service story about being scolded for standing with fingers interlaced. Secular's advice agrees: being invited means you're welcome.
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Dear LFTP: the mother-in-law moved in
- My mother-in-law moved in seven months ago and it’s been difficult — how can we sort this out?
The last letter comes from a wife whose mother-in-law moved in seven months ago with no boundaries, rising bills, unpaid prescriptions, and open disrespect.
From No. 604 · Rearview Mirror
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Church, emotions, and the self-focus of affluence
- How do you help people in an affluent, self-focused culture see that they need Jesus?
Ben revives a question from two or three shows back: are church services and worship tunes postured toward certain personality types — predominantly emotions and dealing with emotions?
From No. 603 · Found Out
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Dear LFTP: a son's Taiwanese wife
- My son married a woman from Taiwan whom I dislike and have nothing in common with; what should I do?
Mike (speaker-2) reads a Dear LFTP letter from a parent whose son married a woman from Taiwan: she is sweet but the writer calls her 'uncultured,' dislikes her housekeeping, cooking, English, and dress, and says they are never invited over.
From No. 537 · The Bible Confuseth
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Article: why people reject Christianity, and record unhappiness
- Can you be holy and happy at the same time?
- Are people actually unhappier than past generations, or just more willing to say so?
A host reads an article arguing that beneath surface objections, two reasons top the list for rejecting Christianity: bad experiences with professing Christians who look nothing…
From No. 519 · Folk Ain’t Happy