False religion and true religion series The Sadducees and Pharisees were much like us today. Surprised? This is the nature of institutionalized religion – it becomes dedicated to its own survival and traditions. I’m not against institutionalized religion, but like all things left on the vine too long it gets corrupted from inside and outside. The Sadducees’ focus was on wealth The Sadducee Sect of Judaism were the religious leaders of the Temple and had a major hand in government... Read more
The false religion of money Our economy is driven by consumption – that is consuming goods and buying more. Companies are willing to make no profit on printers and medical clinical analyzers because selling ink and diagnostic tests is where the money is – selling consumables. “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”... Read more
Don’t you just love those religious organizations that demand allegiance, suggesting that if you’re not one of them, you’re going to Hell. Scary isn’t it? And there are so many of them so which one do you join. Fear is all about control and it is cultish behavior. This series is about false religion and true religion. Fear is a characteristic of false religion. Though there are a lot of definitions of religion and spirituality, relevant to this discussion are:... Read more
This is the first article in the False Religion – True Religion series. By the end it should be abundantly clear what is false and what is true. So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” – John 8:31-32 For all who would hear him, Jesus was about clarifying the religion... Read more
Love Your Enemies but Jesus Love Sends Them to Hell? The unresolved conflict in Christianity is that we’re to love our enemies, but Gods’ justice for them sends them to Hell. Surprise! Judaism (our Old Testament, AKA Hebrew Bible, or Torah) had no doctrine about a heaven or hell – the grave was the end. What happened to create this emphasis on Hell? The idea of both were circulating before Jesus, possibly thanks to 200 years of Greek and nearby... Read more
Last in the Happiness series – wisdom There is a saying among professionals that some people know just enough to be dangerous. Self-medical diagnosis, self-architects, and self-representation in court come to mind. I’ve seen how these end. And it’s a common thing for people to get just a little information about happiness and think they know it all. For some it’s religious knowledge that convinces them they know everything about being happy. There is much wisdom in the Bible. Wisdom... Read more
Fair Trade as Justice and Equality This article explains why many feel they can’t get what the need. People need meaning and purpose in their lives and they need an income to survive. People up for disappointment when their life purpose depends on the economic system. The economic system is heartless. It doesn’t recognize anything but earning money for business owners and investors as its purpose. “A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, But a just weight is... Read more
Strongly related to finding happiness through meaning and purpose in our lives is the role of employers and the economy. We define our lives by scarcity, the supposed mechanism of capitalism (supply and demand). We hitch our wagons to these. But the thing is, they have no official role in this. Their sole purpose is to make money. “Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly... Read more
Jobs, family, meaning and purpose, etc. The “Great Resignation” has shown that many people are deeply unsatisfied with their jobs, which historically are often called the “Rat Race.” The Apostle Paul had an interesting take on this: “Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have... Read more
Have you ever noticed that when you buy expensive Christmas or birthday gifts for people, they are happy for a day or a few minutes, then they are back to the same state of mind? The thing that was to make them happy often languishes in the closet or garage. Material possessions (things) don’t make people happy, and for those who are materialistic even less so. “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they... Read more
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