Monthly Archive for November, 2011

We’ve Lost It!

Published on November 30, 2011 in Daily Commentary. 0 Comments

The year was 1964!

The group was The Righteous Brothers.

And, the question is? What was the name of their song that year that helped make them famous? When you know the answer to that question, you then know what happened some 5,000+ years ago that changed the direction of almost all earthly cultures. The name of the song was “We’ve Lost That Loving Feeling”. Somewhere back in time, we lost that feminine feeling- that nurturing nature.

We moved to a patriarchal paradigm and adopted Gods of Goddesses.

The Great Mother, the nurturing Earth gave way to the conquering MALES who wanted to control all the land and all the women in a testosterone mentality that said, “If it moves mate it”. Unfortunately not a lot has changed though we have done some fancy religious redecoration.

God is love, and thus we who were created in HER (HIS) image, are love as well.

Will you express your true, divine nature today? Will you be an expression of LOVE? Will you take time to NURTURE those who need it most rather than throwing the Good Book at them with condescending judgment? Once we were LOST, but now we can be FOUND if we so choose.

It’s called FREE WILL!

What’s your CHOICE TODAY?

Kingdom Living

Published on November 29, 2011 in Daily Commentary. 0 Comments

The Kingdom of God isn’t some particular place!

The Kingdom is everywhere!

I believe that once upon a time the church was the vehicle to bring in the Kingdom; however, the church has become too institutionalized, too sectarian, too fragmented, and too self-protective to accomplish the principles of the Kingdom (in its current state). The church can change but that’s like thinking that public education in America can be transformed to produce exceptional results. It’s too big, too entrenched in its structure to bring about a radical change within.

The Kingdom is what Michael Dowd calls living in “deep integrity”

There is an inner dimension (psychological-spiritual) and an outer dimension (socio-political-economic). There is a NOW dimension and a HEREINAFTER dimension. In other words, the Kingdom encompasses everything and everyone. When we begin to live in love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (the fruits of the Spirit) we’re living the Kingdom life.

You don’t have to be a Christian to do such.

In fact, many atheists and agnostics who have never been to church, nor read the Bible are models of Galatians 5:22-23 (as listed above). Once those IN the church give up what they see as their “patent rights” to Kingdom living, we’ll begin to see a much better world. That’s just a start because we have to see a planetary consciousness take on that role as well.

We’re In!

Published on November 28, 2011 in Daily Commentary. 0 Comments

There are so many trying to BE what they already ARE!

This might seem a bit OUT THERE, but hang with me for a bit. We are made of “star stuff”, we are divine spirit beings who have forgotten our true nature. Thomas Berry writes, “The universe itself is sacred community. We are moving from the theology and anthropology of religions to the cosmology of religions.”

Say what?

Like it or, we are being led by a cosmology of religion- the bigger picture. Instead of enjoying that from which we came and that which we are in (cosmology), we’re way too wrapped up in cosmogenesis. Too much like external, theological religion, we’re way too consumed with wanting to know the EMPIRICAL beginnings of the universe instead of INTUITIVE. For you see, we’re IN. We just need to experience through the spirit and let the “head stuff” find its own path.

We’re members of the universal community.

We’re not on the outside looking in. We are within and slowly beginning to wake up to the reality of that oneness. Who could ever understand the esoteric statement by Jesus when he said, “I am in God, you are in me, and I am in you.” Talk about some deep Zenism, but it’s Christian!

Ain’t that cool!

The Assassin Within

Published on November 27, 2011 in Daily Commentary. 0 Comments

Within each of us is that DIVINE spark, that essence of God, the image of the Creator, and the LIGHT of the world.

But, before you get too high on yourself, remember also, that within is what we moderns call the EGO and believe it or not, it is out to KILL YOU. First of all though, it has to build you up, protect you, and tell you you are BETTER than everyone else. We are all continually fed by the instinctive and ever alert REPTILIAN brain. It’s the core and the base of who we are.

But, we are also much more (limbic, neo-cortex, and pre-frontal lobe brain people).

When we don’t let the other three spheres of our bring mellow out the “assassin within”, we give in to the reptilian agenda which can not only hurt others but eventually lead us to a disastrous end sooner than later. Freud described the reptilian brain as that which “is something not-us”, and something that we need for survival in the real world.

We simple need to be aware of who we are living with every day.

Paul mentions this in Romans 7 when he laments that he knows what is good to do but somehow, some way, he winds up doing what he doesn’t want to. I completely understand that all too well. How about you?

Power Corrupts

Published on November 26, 2011 in Daily Commentary. 0 Comments

You know it is true!

And, you have probably repeated the adage, “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely”. Thank you Lord Acton. But, when you apply POWER to the PULPIT, it takes on an even darker and more powerful stench! The men (and women) of the CLOTH are held in such high esteem (well, once upon a time), that they can get away with even more dangerous mis-leadings.

After all, these are men of God!

Surely you remember names such as Ted Haggard, Jim Bakker, Jimmy Swaggart, and more recently Eddie Long. Protestants all; however, there are more names and scandals that we can mention within the Catholic Church regarding homo sexual issues. All of these individuals were POWERFUL men and that probably brought on most of the problems. I say that without making any judgment about their “issues”, as the courts have already done that.

It’s a warning to all of us.

All men are capable of deeds of destruction; however, when you add a high degree of “unchecked power” and IDOLIZATION to the mix, you have a formula for destruction. Just so you know, you don’t have to be in the ministry. You can be a PARENT, and EMPLOYER, or the head of a SOCIAL CLUB. It’s the same principle!

The “Good Book”

Published on November 25, 2011 in Daily Commentary. 0 Comments

I grew up in the day when people called the Bible the GOOD NEWS or the GOOD BOOK!

The longer I lived in the church, the more deeply I became taught about the Bible, and the higher I went up the church ladder, the more I lost the GOOD BOOK feel. I found it difficult to talk about sin, the wrath of God, an eternal hell, and somehow relate that as GOOD NEWS? Reading about the Biblical accounts that describe God’s GENOCIDE and other atrocious acts, the less I could defend the Bible as a GOOD BOOK.

I seriously lived in FEAR of messing up and incurring God’s wrath.

Along the way, I began to see that the Bible was not as much LITERAL as it was METAPHORICAL. Look at some examples-

>The LAMB of God
>The Lord is my SHEPHARD
>The FIRES of Hell
>The THRONE of God
>The GATES of heaven

I recently attended a funeral where a very loving memorial was given and we were all told that the deceased was now walking the GOLDEN STREETS of heaven with gates that were made of SOLID PEARLS! And, the speaker was talking LITERALLY. Long ago, I came to the conclusion that there’s nothing wrong with the Bible. But, there’s a whole lot of people who are MISINTERPRETING the Bibl: that’s where the problem(s) are.

The Bible is more than a GOOD BOOK.

It’s a library of books (66 or 73 depending on whose canon is being yoked). It’s filled with mysterious from 3,500+ years ago speaking the language of their time, filled with the metaphors of their age. The Bible is loaded with deep, esoteric stories and subjective meanings. That said, it is a GOOD BOOK that doesn’t need us to elevate it as the BEST BOOK (heaping expletives at the books of other religions).

Comprende amigo?

The Thanksgiving Challenge

Published on November 24, 2011 in Daily Commentary. 0 Comments

Regardless of what this year has been like or what you are currently going through….

“In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus”
I Thes. 5:18 (NAS)

The Evolving Bible

Published on November 23, 2011 in Daily Commentary. 0 Comments

A decade ago I used an illustration that I picked up from someone but I can’t remember who it was. In the middle of the page was the CROSS! Three arrows from the left moved towards it.

1-The first arrow stopped at the cross (Ceremonial laws)
2-The second arrow went through the cross and didn’t change (Ethical laws)
3-The third arrow hit the cross and elevated upwards: changed for the better (Issues of the heart and spirit versus external laws).

I had lots of illustrations, not just those mentioned above.

Most people SAW the connection, saw the difference between the OLD and NEW Testaments; however, when a more modern illustration comes into play, it’s not so easily accepted. So, without me giving any examples (you come up with them on your own) let me give you four arrows to visualize. Take some time, it might enhance your life.

>Some “old story” core truths will never change
>Some “old story” teachings will be altered
>Some “old story” rules & laws changed beyond recognition
>Some “old Stories” will disappear entirely.
Stories “R US”, and if we are going to be transformed, so too must some, if not most, of our stories.

The Bible is ALIVE, not dead!

Our Ancestors KNEW!

Published on November 22, 2011 in Daily Commentary. 0 Comments

We TALK the game; however, very few WALK it!

One undeniable FACT is that the further you go back in history the more MIRACLES you read about and it is in every culture in every part of the planet. Our ancestors had a relationship with NATURE and the UNIVERSE!

>How were they able to build the Great Pyramids and we can’t?
>How were the Mayans able to see black holes when we just discovered them?
>How did our ancestors have so many predictions about the future that have come true?

There are hundreds of questions like these that can be asked, but we have no answers!

Matthew Fox has the answer as far as I am concerned when he wrote, “Thinking about God is no substitute for tasting God, and talking about God is no substitute for giving people ways of experiencing God.”

Our Western culture has hi-jacked the REALITY of EXPERIENCING God. We’ve covered over REALITY with all manner of egoic dogma and doctrine. We’re living in the fantasy land of the ego and how it loves it so. Every one of us have been captured by the cultural sea within which we emerged. Getting out of that stagnant pond will require courage and changes that most don’t want to see happen.

But some do, some are.

Are you willing, ready?

Cheapened, Belittled, & Impoverished!

Published on November 21, 2011 in Daily Commentary. 0 Comments

That’s what I think many Christian theologians have done to John 14:6.

I attended the Inter-Faith dialogues last Thursday wherein couples from varies faiths and beliefs meet in homes all across the City to have dinner and openly discuss their religion, faith, and beliefs. Lyn and I had a great discussion in our dinner group. We had three Muslims, two Buddhists, one Catholic, and then whatever the heck Lyn and I are.

The first question was, “tell us about your traditions“!

Say what?

The best I could do was saying that we have few other than the core principles of Jesus as we’re evolving rapidly. Two things were evident (to me) from that evening:

1-All religions, especially Christianity and Islam, need to quit trying to CONVERT the world to the views. Didn’t we learn anything from the Crusades?
2-Localized cultures have hi-jacked most religions. The Muslim faith in Saudi Arabia, Iran, and America are vastly different due to regional interpretations of the Koran

I’ve often said that the problem for Christianity isn’t that which is in the Bible, but our interpretations of the Bible. John 14:6 is my case in point. Must we interpret what Jesus said (if he in fact did) as him being the “way, truth, and light” as meaning confess Jesus as Lord and Savior or go to hell?

Or, can we interpret it as saying live the life style that I am living?

When Christians interpret that verse LITERALLY, it becomes a RELIGIOUS EGO bashing verse wherein you are wrong and I am right. Convert to Jesus or go to hell. The bottom line for me is that such an interpretation cheapens, marginalizes, minimalizes, belittles all others and eventually leaves us impoverished and lacking tolerance and compassion.

And you say what?