Practical Spirituality series We love to categorize things. Creating neural nodes that represent categories is how our brain works. To understand our world, we make categories and put things into them. We love the simplified categories, such as good versus evil. Things are one thing or another. Shades of gray are difficult to deal with. Without a category to shove things into, we have to think. Thinking! Yikes! “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name... Read more
Practical Spirituality series It’s not always clear in the New Testament who the apostles were speaking to. It takes some study to decipher which group. They understood Jews would remain Jews if they wanted to. The apostles gave non-Jews a different standard of conduct. The laws of Judaism applied to Jews only. They exempted non-Jews from that expectation. The apostles of Jesus debated this question of who the Law applied to until they finally decided that they would not give... Read more
Practical Spirituality series While writing a course for New Adults on how to create change, I expanded on an idea that the prophets and Jesus brought change, but we don’t currently explore this. We understand God is always the same, and people are always the same. We’re satisfied with the status quo. Yet neither God nor man always behave the same. God changes things. People change and we create change. In Isaiah 43: 16-21, the Prophet speaks of God... Read more
Practical Spirituality series Some Scribes who kept the written law for their communities, and Pharisees who interpreted the Law according to their perspective, were always trying to trap Jesus. One day, as Jesus came to the Temple, they brought a woman before Jesus who was caught in the act of adultery. They made no mistake about this: According to Biblical law, adultery was an offence punished by stoning to death. Guilt was undeniable. They asked Jesus to weigh in on... Read more
Practical Spirituality series Is it better to talk about helping others or to actively engage in it? Both are good. But given the choice, which is better to do? Intellectual exercise: Talking about helping others raises our awareness and reminds us that if we see a need we should take care of it. It’s an intellectual exercise reinforced by emotions from recognition that God takes care of us and Jesus became the sacrifice for things we do wrong. God wants... Read more
Practical Spirituality series The cartoonists based the character Popeye on a real sailor in Illinois. The cartoon character was known to get “disgustipated.” Love and Hate image by ArtML30 on Deviant Art. Rescaled. Historically, “argh” implied weakness, which in the 1500s was a contemptible state. It acquired the meaning of worthy of contempt or ostracism. To me argh expresses frustration with things that are outlandish. By that I mean they don’t have the strength of validity or moral certitude. I... Read more
Practical Spirituality series We recently took another trip to see how things had changed in places where we used to live. Over the years we’ve observed places we fondly remember dissolve into the land like they were never there. Jesus had a horrible going home experience. The people heard him speak, thought of him as the young Jesus they knew, couldn’t believe he was something new, and tried to throw him off a cliff. “And He said, “Truly I say... Read more
AKA The Universe is Flat When I was young, my perception was Valentines Day was a man-made holiday for children. When I got married, guess who abruptly, nearly catastrophically changed my mind. I learn just slightly faster than an earthworm. Ergo, my article: What Not to Give Your Wife on a Romantic Holiday. Perception is as perception does. For example, consider the national shortage of spoons. I’ve noticed for decades that concealed by their napkin wrapper, spoons are often missing... Read more
Practical Spirituality series In my youth, I attended and was “saved” in a church. Baptized twice. The big message seemed to be that if you’re imperfect, you’re unacceptable to God. Throughout my youth, I felt unacceptable. Saved but unacceptable. I just couldn’t be perfect and God only accepts perfection. This influenced me to be a perfectionist and intolerant of others. Or does God accept us warts and all? (An AI summary is at the end from ChatGPT.) We’re all children... Read more
Navigating the Path of True Worship Christianity isn’t a spectator sport. Practical Spirituality series. Christianity is a way of life. Christians are followers of the way Jesus showed us to live. The way he showed us is to love all others. Love doesn’t mean emotion, it refers to how we treat others. Justice, kindness, mercy, and charity toward all others, represents love. This idea is central to worship. In worship, we praise God for these benevolent actions in our lives... Read more
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