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Miguel De La Torre

Could Those Who Make Your Shoes Afford Them?

July 9, 2012 by Miguel De La Torre

They sell the just for silver, and the poor for a pair of sandals. – Amos 2:6 Recently, I went cycling through Javanese villages not far from my home in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. I visited rural communities and spent the day at small cottage industries. During my…

Ignoring Ethical Questions About Military Drones

June 18, 2012 by Miguel De La Torre

There are times when our technology advances faster than our ability to contemplate the ethical use or misuse of the latest gadget. When we fail to seriously consider the ethical ramifications of employing new hardware, especially when it is military hardware, we run the risk…

Procedure Steamrollers Immigrants’ Human Rights

December 29, 2011 by Miguel De La Torre

Ever heard of Operation Streamline? The clanking of shackles, reminiscent of the old chain gangs of Jim Crow’s South, is the first thing one notices when entering the William D. Browning Special Proceeding Courtroom in Tucson’s U.S. District Court. On a recent Thursday afternoon, 64…

The Real Class Warfare: Protecting the Super-Rich

September 2, 2011 by Miguel De La Torre

Class warfare is a term used by politicians and political pundits whenever the public (rich or poor) questions the disparity of wealth in this nation. To raise concerns about the ever-growing economic gap is to risk being accused of fomenting social unrest or, worse, of…

What I Learned as a Christian Reading the Quran

September 16, 2010 by Miguel De La Torre

The high levels of Islamophobia expressed in vandalizing mosques, the debate over building a center in New York and the canceled burning of Qurans in Florida have led many pundits to misquote and misrepresent what’s in the Quran. I have heard people say that the…

Moving beyond Hospitality

April 1, 2010 by Miguel De La Torre

[1] Anyone who calls him or herself a Christian should seek compassionate, just, and wise immigration reform. Millions of undocumented aliens are forced to live in the shadows of the law hungering for someone to bring them the good news that they are more than objects of a…

Lessons from Niebuhr Put Obama at Odds with Poor

January 6, 2010 by Miguel De La Torre

In April 2007, New York Times columnist David Brooks interviewed a presidential hopeful named Barack Obama. At one point, Brooks asked if Obama ever read the writings of Reinhold Niebuhr. “I love him. He’s one of my favorite philosophers,” was the reply. Brooks proceeded by asking what,…

Being Thoroughly – and Really – Pro-Life

September 15, 2009 by Miguel De La Torre

Most of those who self-identify as “pro-life” or say they are believers in the “sanctity of life” are, in reality, neither. To truly be pro-life is to believe that all life, created by God, has worth, dignity and purpose; therefore, no human, under any circumstance,…

Truly Supporting our Troops

July 2, 2009 by Miguel De La Torre

Regardless of one’s feelings about the war in Iraq, it is important to provide support to the young men and women who put their lives on the line in obedience to their country’s call. One such man that deserves our support is Marine Staff Sergeant…

Was Jesus a Racist?

February 23, 2009 by Miguel De La Torre

Our faith tells us that anyone can come to Jesus. The evangelistic message is that Jesus will turn no one away. We can come just as we are, ill and diseased. All who seek healing will find salvation and liberation in the arms of Jesus,…