For too long we’ve judged people by their appearances. If their skin was a different color than ours then they were inferior. If their gender was different than our, a whole new set of prejudicial thinking arose. The person’s size, weight, height, and features froze in our attitudes that we’d embrace. And, it would take much undoing to change our perception of another because we’d been taught to live externally, outside in, and by flesh! Sad! Continue reading ‘Inside Out’
Monthly Archive for January, 2008
The book of Genesis says that God created us in “their image” (plural) and of course the assumption is that the “our” that’s spoken of means the trinity. And maybe one day someone will be able to explain the trinity so that we humanoids can grasp it. I have my interpretations and explanations, but what do I know (for sure)? Let me share some sobering thoughts that will hopefully increase your faith or at least the urgency to continue the journey. Continue reading ‘Created In Our Own Image’
As a child, I loved the story of Jonah and the whale, or at least I thought it was a whale. It sure was a whale of a fish story. As I got older I began to question the ability of a person to stay alive in the belly of a big fish for a couple of days. I’ve finally come to appreciate the metaphor that holds for me so much promise. The story was always good to me and for me, but it’s much richer for me now. And, far more acceptable to my friends. Continue reading ‘Jonah Metaphor’
Leonard Sweet is a futurist and semiotician who “sees things the rest of us do not see, and dreams possibilities that are beyond most of our imagining.” As a preacher and writer, Leonard communicates the gospel powerfully to a postmodern culture by bridging the worlds of academe and popular culture.
How does the church go about undoing some of the things that it has BOUND, when UNBINDING is what should have really taken place to start? The fundamentalists have given us a definition of the Bible much like the pre-Copernican ear gave us a definition of the universe. Science at least now knows they were wrong about the geocentric view of the solar system. Religion is still in denial over a total literal interpretation of the Bible and such concepts as inerrancy, infallibility, and inspiration. Continue reading ‘Biblical Inspiration?’
If Jesus did not die (which is the first misconception) then Jesus did not die for my sins. While the church might scratch it’s metaphorical head on my first statement, it would take my head off for the second statement. Killing someone (in the name of God) is LOVE of course. Since I believe in original blessing and not original sin, I’ve automatically reduced the need for an ancient Old Testament sacrifice that Christianity adopted. We simply must get over and past the scrificial blood demanding paradigms. Continue reading ‘# 47- Jesus Did Not Die!’
Let me cut to the chase and make the point early on. God doesn’t love us because we are MORAL! What MORALITY there might be in our lives is because we have experienced God’s love. I simply do not have enough capability to keep the laws of which there are more than I know. But once, I fall in love with God, there’s no need to inform me of any laws whatsoever. And I know how RELIGION hates that! Continue reading ‘Cart Before The Horse!’
We are creations who therefore must have a Creator. How difficult is that to grasp? We were created for a purpose and threin I am going to give you my thoughts on why I and all of us have been created. It’s necessarily a Christian perspective as that’s the waters wherein this proverbial fish swims. Each of us knows primarily our own watery environment and water level(s). A fish can’t even describe water because it has no “land experience” with which to compare. Continue reading ‘Experience Divinity’
Someone has messed up and it sure isn’t me. My life is not going the way it should and someone is to blame. I had everything running smoothly and then my best friend turned on me. I could make hundreds of statements that all have one thing in common. Someone is to blame for everything bad that happens in my life and someone needs to pay up! Continue reading ‘Scapegoat Mentality’
We Are ONE!
So many of us arise each day and struggle to make it through the day, battle to ward off depression, fear, and anxiety, and yet other options await our embrace. We have all come from the same SOURCE and we will all return to that SOURCE. I don’t know what that will look like; however, the golden streets, mansions in the sky, and other religious fantasies that have been marketed by the church in innocence don’t pass the smell test. Continue reading ‘We Are ONE!’