A formal bio might go a little something like this:
Chris Meserole writes about religion and foreign affairs for the Huffington Post and others. Previously, he was the founding editor of Democratic Vista.
Chris graduated from Harvard with highest honors and has a graduate degree from Yale.
But enough with the formalities. Below are a few questions I get asked from time to time.
So what’s with the God stuff?
My dad’s a pastor. Both my in-laws are pastors. My mom worked for Campus Crusade. I don’t necessarily share the same faith as they do, but you could say it’s in the blood.
So what’s with the security stuff?
The more I studied religious violence, the more I realized that religion can explain the demand for violence, but it can’t explain the supply. For that you need to have a much better sense of conflict and security in general.
Favorite city?
Tough call. Usually wherever I’ve been most recently. So right now Damascus.
What’s the dumbest thing you’ve done?
Probably going to Congo the day their president was assassinated. I learned a lot, and I was probably one of few people my age then (this before Bush was sworn in) to have been in an officially sanctioned ‘state of war.’ But I had no business being there.
Coolest moment?
Samuel Jackson “What’s up?”-ed me once, back when I was working in LA. I’m pretty sure that’s the coolest thing that will ever happen to me.
Anything else?
Actually, this was pretty cool, too.