I can’t believe he’s dead! The news came drifting down the street like whispers in the wind. Then slowly, but surely, it built up into a shriek of discordant notes, painful in its intensity. Only a few days ago I paused to hear him speak.
How many times have we heard that homosexuality is a sin because of “what the Bible says?” The implication is that their objection to homosexuality is simply the result of a face-value reading of the Bible. The implication is that prejudice had nothing to do
For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me. — Psalm 31:3 Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust. Psalm 16:1 The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of
Abusive religion cannot produce healthy spirituality. Where Paul used the term “sound doctrine” or “sound words or teachings,” the word “sound” meant “healthy” and Paul was talking about healthy teachings that build healthy spirituality. (See Bible references below.) Extremism, fanaticism, prejudice, ignorance, hypocrisy and a
It was a Friday night, February 28, 1997. The phone range late in the evening. My husband, Bob, answered. I heard him say, “Hi, George,” in a friendly voice. George is my ex-husband, the father of my two daughters. Suddenly Bob sat down and made
What is the ‘essential Jesus’? What do we know for certain about Jesus that is relevant and truly helpful to everybody today? Do certain basic facts and clear certainties exist about Jesus that can form a basis for realistic objective logical faith? The Sources The
From “Simon Says” to “Mother May I?” As a child I never was very good at playing “Simon Says.” [1] I would always, inevitably, make some illegal movement and be tossed, unceremoniously, from the game. I always wondered, “Who is this Simon and how did
Inclusivity and religion, in this day and age, are often diametrically opposed ideas. Creeds and belief systems of every sort and type compete for the souls of humankind, and often the competition results in building high fences and excluding those of other creeds. It’s almost
Religion. Why do we even bother? So much evil has been perpetrated in the name of religion. Humans have an amazing capability of ascribing to God all their worst impulses. In the Middle East, peace is just a dream as Palestinians and Jews alike use
“All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” -John 6:37 The Taliban took the Muslim religion and twisted it into its own projection of God’s justice. They took their own