Christianity orthodoxy teaches that the majority of God’s creations wind up on the short end of the stick. How many BILLIONS of God’s creations came with a built-in flaw? Why would God do such a thing, knowing in advance as He (no gender intended) does. He is omniscient isn’t he? And omnipotent too? Then how in the “proverbial hell” can He allow US, His creations to have the LAST WORD? Tell me how that works. Continue reading ‘God’s Final Word’
Archive for the 'Beyond Theism' Category
Why does it matter the name that we give the Creator of ther universe? The difficult but unvarnished answer is because every religion thinks that ALL other religions are heretical and false. And since each religion has it’s own name for this Creator, to even verbalize the name of another religion’s God is tantamount to anathema. In other words, you will be run out of your church, denomination, or religion on a fast rail. Continue reading ‘God, Allah, And Zen’
As I was pondering some of the orthodoxy of my Christian faith, this rainy Sunday, I wondered what my life would have been like had there not been such an emphasis on a patriarchial deity. Would I have been a better husband? What is gnosticism had won out the day 2,000 years ago: how would things be today? And with the discoveries at Nag Hammadi, how have the gnostic gospels changed some of our thinking, if at all? After all gnostic religion is greatly different than orthodox religion as we know it. Continue reading ‘Gnostic Religion’
A little over a decade ago I read one of the best books for where I was in 1996. Donald W. McCullough made so much sense in his book entitled- The Trivialization of God. We’ve made God into our own image: a Western looking, blue-eyed, smooth-skinned, and ever smiling, holding a lamb with a broken leg. Sweet but trivial. We have him (and Mary and other Saints) on the dashboard of our cars, hanging from 24 carat gold chains, and other trivial toys that lead us onto too many detours of thinking, let alone being. Continue reading ‘Toys Of Triviality!’
It’s time for “spiritualists” to take over where the church has decided not to go- establishing the Kingdom of God! The world is essentially caught up in it’s own doings: shackled with fear and judgments. And both are at play at an increasing and alarming rate. Radical Islam is being stood up to by Christian fundamentalism and the results are not good for anyone! It’s time that we awaken and see that RELIGION (of whatever branding) is primarily the agent for social CONTROL and CONFORMITY. It’s time to break away from that which is not working! Continue reading ‘Trapped & Disempowered!’
We Christians have the right doctrine, the infallible denomination, the inerrant holy book, and the ONLY WAY to eternal life. Can you not see how that simply sucks, stinks, or savages anyone not in “our club“? There is only one spirit, one God, one US, which includes US ALL! One day it will fall into place and we will see not dimly, but perfectly. So, for now let us have compassion on those who have not as much as we, the anointed and privliged class; whatever you take that to be Continue reading ‘The Trance Of Separation’
It seems to me that too much of what’s called the church today is highly arrogant! I used a less offensive title above; however, as Proverbs 13:10 tells us, where there is contention, their is pride. Just look at all the divisions within the church, the incessant breaking of fellowship because someone believes in a virgin birth and someone else does not. Do you think God cares what you BELIEVE as long as you are FOLLOWING Jesus? Isn’t it possible to disagree on theology (which is partial and provisional at best), and still felllowship? Wouldn’t a body which did such be stronger? Continue reading ‘Mired In Apathy & Complacency’
I discovered a statement by B. F. Westcott (1825–1901: an English churchman and theologian, serving as Bishop of Durham from 1890 until his death) that added more glue to my Beyond Theism direction as well as putting a hole in the pantheism concept. One rock, two stones if you will. In a work he published in 1883 (that would be 124 years ago), entitled, The Epistles Of St. John, he took on the Abba Father message of Jesus and proclaimed the following. Continue reading ‘Abba Father’
The concept of salvation has not only been minimized (my earlier post), it has been made into a sort of Las Vegas magical trick of sorts. In our self-estrangement from God, we move into an arena of arrogance and pride in who we are as humans, capable of so many great things. Salvation isn’t like pulling a rabbit out of a hat, everyone cheering, and then going on about our own merry way. That’s what many do. That’s what the church too often believes and accepts. But neither are valid. Continue reading ‘No Magical Transactions’
I Am (is) God
If one doesn’t use ancient King James religious language, some Christians will label you a heretic or maybe a member of a cult organization. The religious definition of a cult is anyone who has ideas that don’t agree with yours. Thus, the world is full of cults. But, I digress. God has a NAME and it’s not God, it’s I AM! Continue reading ‘I Am (is) God’