First, I thought something had fallen. Then I thought someone had come into the church annex through the back door. “Hello?” I called tentatively. No one answered. Getting up from the desk in the pastor’s study, I looked around the lower floor. There was a shadow behind a curtain. I guessed correctly what it was. The juvenile bird began frantically flying to get away from me. When she finally settled, she eyed me. I am not the world’s best birder.... Read more
An Egyptian Coptic Christian once asked me, “Do Methodists follow the Pope in Italy?” My reply, “If anything we may honor him as Bishop of Rome, but to call him our spiritual leader then no.” I did not expect the gentleman to understand. Still, he loved visiting our church. The Heresy of the Pope Francis, in his service as a Bishop of Rome, has been a great ambassador for Jesus Christ in this world. But after his interview with 60... Read more
Yesterday, all heaven broke loose. Five years ago, it was all hell. The people who accused the rest of us in The United Methodist Church of not keeping our vows acted like an abusive spouse destroying the house while demanding a divorce. It was not a surprise. But yesterday, it all went away for awhile at least. Where there was pain, anger, shouting, and crying five years ago, there was song, dancing, hugging, and celebration instead. Heaven Meets Earth We... Read more
I kept wishing he would turn, change lanes, and just go away. He would not. I was behind a hate-filled Christian. On his back windshield were two stickers. One was a scripture quote, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.” The other was Donald Trump dressed as Calvin from the Calvin and Hobbes comic strip urinating on the name Biden. If I was this person’s pastor, I would be ashamed. All About The Hate Oddly enough,... Read more
Birds build nests. But only recently did I see a pair of mockingbirds in the process of deconstructing a robin’s nest. I saw it happen gradually just outside my front window in the dogwood tree. I was interested for one reason only. The nest stayed empty and unused for the previous three years. Instead of merely reusing the nest, the pair took it apart twig by twig and stem by stem to build their own in a nearby bush. Perhaps,... Read more
I was glad the theater seat was comfortable. The documentary I watched was not. God & Country can spoil popcorn. It is one of many developments that are spoiling church life. No matter how much complaining we offer the question of what is to be done remains. I sat with some others in a discussion about it yesterday. Up until that time, removing myself from the company of White Christian Nationalists was my favorite option. My second favorite was to... Read more
What is left to us now? He asked me. Rage, I replied. The exchange (my summation of a longer discussion) between Hirsch and Chaim from The Quarrel sticks with me. The argument is over tradition. The question concerns what can the Jewish people turn to after the Holocaust? At what point does anger turn to rage? At what point does rage become all-consuming violence? Divine Rage The recent self-immolation of Aaron Bushnell — a young active duty U.S. Airman —... Read more
Are embryos human beings? This is the question recently answered by the Alabama Supreme Court. In Alabama, a fertilized human ovum is a human being. Chief Justice Tom Parker did not rely on science or the law for his conclusion. He decided to use biblical quotes and appealed to the holiness of God for his conclusion. The Bible and Christian fundamentalist theology are his ultimate sources of legal authority. Lawyer Theology Lawyers by definition are legalists. When fundamentalist lawyers begin... Read more
How should a person live each day? There is merit to the adage that each day should be lived as if it was the last one. But seriously, how many people have live Saturday the same as they live Monday? I cannot answer how I would spend my final twenty-four hour period of my life. But I can answer how I would like to spend each day. Pray and Meditate Each Day I pray and read scripture and devotional literature... Read more
The Christian concept of God does not allow for a monologue. God is a dialogue. This thought becomes more clear as we read scripture. The two other Abrahamic religions – Judaism and Islam – depict God as being in dialogue with the creation. The Bible describes this as well. Which is one reason it is difficult to wrap our heads around the idea. We Monologue As Dialogue Catch me talking to myself, and I may claim it is the only intelligent... Read more
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