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
Hopelessness and despair are robbing us of happiness and people. I talked to a college professor this week who mentioned that suicide is becoming accepted and glorified among college age people. This is so sick and broken on so many levels. How dare we create and accept a society that robs people of hope! Buying into thoughts of helplessness, hopelessness, and despair, and giving yourself permission is acceptance of our and society’s failure. We are masters of our own destiny... Read more
If we can just get out of our funk and fear, we can be happy. Funk means feeling sad in slang. Fear is a natural state for those who focus on what they don’t have and what bad things might happen. We are what we think, so if we dwell on sadness, negativity, and fear, that’s what we are, and it can become permanent. An attitude of gratitude is transforming. It refocuses our attention and attitude on the positive, and... Read more
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