A peek at Gnostic literature Gotcha! Inquiring minds are hungry for knowledge. We have an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. Like Adam and Eve taking a bite of the apple of the knowledge of good and evil, everyone wants to bite into the forbidden fruit of Gnosticism and banned gospels. The early church fathers looked at Mary Magdalene’s “gospel” and said, “No.” I think they didn’t want women leading the church. They considered the Gospel of Thomas, which was popular in... Read more
Yes! I’m not Catholic, but I really appreciated the previous Pope, the new one, and the Catholic Church. I’ve worked with them before. I disagree on some things, but so do many Catholics. Pope Leo, in his first major address, talked about family and, to some extent, sexuality and gender. I watched over half of his address. I felt him walking a fine line between turning back the clock and keeping fringe people engaged. My pastor’s pledge First, I should... Read more
Part 3 of Daddy, why is there God? series Do you ever wonder why bad things happen to us? We’re going through our daily life and bam, a brick falls on our head! We’re diving deep into this question that puzzles every person alive, “Why do bad things happen to us?” Does God design these things into our lives for some mysterious purpose? Can logic explain this or is it beyond our ability to even imagine? It seems like God... Read more
Why did God let that happen? Part 2 of the Daddy, why is there God? series Is God an old man sitting on a throne with people bowing before God, issuing deadly thunderbolts in judgment? Is God a “mother” as in some ancient religions? Is God a spirit? Even small things, like paternal characterizations and inherent biases, influence what we expect from God. Podcast show links with added content: Substack, YouTube video, Spotify, and Apple podcasts. These appear a day... Read more
Because I said so! Okay, that’s not the real reason. While that answer might temporarily quiet kids, it leaves their fundamental question unanswered. “Because I said so” certainly doesn’t work in spirituality or religion either. Sometimes we just aren’t prepared through knowledge and experience to understand the answer. Sometimes understanding is light years away. Essentially, the “why” of God and our expectations of the divine are experiential. These questions aren’t explained by science, which thrives on empirical data and quantifiable... Read more
Are the seeds about to grow? Does this moment in history feel pregnant with possibility? Do you sense that all the necessary factors are aligning for something truly new to emerge? Will the generations inheriting our challenges finally resolve the problems we’ve carried a quarter of the way into this century? This is a future I care deeply about – and one I explore in my books, written to empower them. While predicting the future with a crystal ball is... Read more
Things that really upset me, and things we need to improve I look around me and the world is on fire with rage against everything. The lack of money is at the root of much of it. The less we understand those different from ourselves, the more easily fear and condemnation take root. What makes so many people seem callous and uncaring towards others? Have they truly bought into this ‘dog eat dog’ world concept? It’s disheartening to see how... Read more
Are we saints in our own eyes? The answer makes a lot of difference in our lives. People who think of themselves as “bad,” often get worse. People who think of themselves as “good,” often become even better. In fact, a negative self-image is not only toxic, it also warps our image of others. So we have to ask, “Is telling people they are “sinners,” a worthwhile thing? I say there are better ways. Are there other considerations, such as... Read more
Was it a cosmic error? Reflecting on this during Easter, it’s not easy to understand the significance of this event. Did Jesus, like so many other people, put himself in the crosshairs of corrupt political and religious rulers for a cause he believed in? Or did Jesus make the ultimate sacrifice for what is called “penal substitution” for all of us? (That is, “You did wrong, now you must pay. So Jesus paid the debt.”) Or was there more going... Read more
The hijacking of Christianity. Part 6 of 6 People wonder why Christianity seems to be fading away. The percentage of people claiming “no religious preference” has risen significantly, from two percent in 1948 to twenty-two percent in 2023. Only eleven percent of Gen Zers report attending religious services weekly. Thirty-eight percent report never attending religious services. Many in Generation Z won’t step foot in a church because of negative perceptions or because they see no use for it. The purpose... Read more
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