Mark Rasmussen
I was raised in a Pentecostal family. My parents were preachers. This is like being raised by high-ranking Politburo officials--it strongly defines a life. But this narrow, raspy crucible forces a sharper eye. One either complies without protest, or one wrestles with the issues of life. With an understanding of the absurd. This I do by writing. I have written one novel and am working on a second. A third will complete the trilogy about...Pentecost. I write only what I know. I am heavily influenced by Woody Allen, Hunter S. Thompson, Joseph Heller, and inexplicably, the Fine Young Cannibals. In previous lives I think each of them were Pentecostal.
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Displaying Results 1 - 27 (of 27) for All Content
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The Blimps of WarNightmares hound a veteran of the Korean War.
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The 2011 Anti Family Christmas LetterThe antidote to those maudlin Christmas letters successful families circulate to disconsolate broken families.
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Will Family Values Be Tested in the 2012 Presidential Election?The nomination of Newt Gingrich would surely test the notion of family values. Evangelical beliefs would also be put to the test.
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Sandy Koufax's Friendly GestureAn autographed baseball from a Hall-of-Famer as a birthday present is a symbol of what is right with the national game.
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A Promising Life Smashed to PiecesThrough the care of birds, a man discovers much about himself, perhaps finding redemption.
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Seven Tiny NorwegiansA conscientous objector finds himself in the army.
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Why Pete Rose Deserves Another Chance for the Hall of FameThe Steroid Era has damaged the integrity of baseball more than Pete Rose's crime. Yet baseball's gang of drug users will be granted a chance to make the Hall of Fame, while Pete Rose is shut out forever.
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Serena Williams: Almost the Best that Ever WasSerena Williams place in women's tennis is secure. It's just that it could have been better.
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Mitt Romney, Rick Perry, Herman Cain, Michele Bachmann: Now Appearing at Your Alma MaterThe Republican candidates may be seen as high school archetypes.
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Evangelicals Facing Occupiers Welcome Second ComingEvangelicals see the world with a different lens. To them it is still Red China.
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Paranormal Activity Responsible for the Five Worst Moments in Los Angeles Rams HistoryThe lack of a Super Bowl victory by the Los Angeles Rams is best explained by unexplained phenomena.
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The New Riders of the Evangelical Apocalypse: War, Treason, Persecution, HatePolitical discourse among evangelicals has been reduced to the lowest common denominator, ardently matched by the Republican presidential candidates.What is said is what people say if they are in unruly mobs.
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Evangelicals! Take Up Thy CrossAmong many evangelicals there is a growing perception of persecution. It is a non-issue issue, but to them more important than, say, the issue of health care.
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Persecution Unabated Here...In The United StatesTwo examples of religious paranoia--well, maybe not paranoia. Maybe I'm paranoid. How about two examples of evangelicals feeling the heat?
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A Homicide Detective Falls in Love with Susie SendorA cop discovers a tender side.
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How to Find an Evangelical in CaliforniaA guide to securing salvation in eight easy steps.
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Why Not a Faith Healer for President?This essay envisions an end to the culture wars, in one grand step.
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Further Speculation Concerning the Green SharkA 1993 Ford Ranger rules the road. All give the Green Shark room on the highways.
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Presidential Qualifications: Angry, Resentful, and Not a MormonIn the figure of Tom Buchanan F. Scott Fitzgerald prophecies the coming politics of the put-upon.
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Is Laura Possessed?A missionary to Japan must determine the cause of his wife's sudden inexplicable behaviour. He cannot exclude the possibility of demon possession.
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How to Pick the Right TeamTwo teams are competing, and without a natural rooting interest, you don't know who do root for. This guide offers a foolproof system. And it can be adapted for every sport.
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Kissing in ChurchHow to accept behavior ill-suited for a sanctuary: love Christianity but not the Christian.
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Jayne Mansfield and the Missionary's DaughterA young missionary's daughter comes of age in Japan in the Sixties. A tattoo becomes a symbol for personal autonomy.
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Sarah Palin's Bus as SymbolA comparison of Sarah Palin's recent bus tour and other rides throughout history.
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Birthers in My ChurchThe detected presence of ideology in an Evangelical church.
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How to Save a LifeYou never know when you'll be called upon to give first aid. If you'll remember these nine important steps, you too can save a life.
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The Reagan RevolutionRomance is the unexpected consequence of a young troubled minister's entrance into the sin culture. A trip to a bar triggers an intellectual, spiritual and romantic quest.