Argh! I’m disgustipated About Characterizations of Jesus

Last updated on: March 1, 2024 at 8:58 am By Dorian Scott Cole

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

Going Home

Last updated on: February 23, 2024 at 5:11 pm By Dorian Scott Cole

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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

The International Spoon Shortage

Last updated on: February 15, 2024 at 2:21 pm By Dorian Scott Cole

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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

Imperfect But Loved

Last updated on: January 30, 2024 at 11:07 am By Dorian Scott Cole

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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

Finding Meaning in Worship – Part 2 of 2

Last updated on: January 23, 2024 at 12:35 pm By Dorian Scott Cole

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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

Making Worship Meaningful – Part 1 of 2

Last updated on: January 16, 2024 at 1:00 pm By Dorian Scott Cole

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Practical Spirituality series While blame and speculation abound, this series seeks to shift the focus toward finding genuine meaning in worship. It can be done. I’ve seen it done. I’ve done it. The enigma of meaningless worship Generation Z, many Millennials, and many older Christians find little of value in worship services. Speculation abounds regarding the reasons. Much of the speculation is blame of other’s lack of faith, or self-serving attitudes toward the basic message of Jesus heard to the... Read more

What if? Can We Change the World?

Last updated on: January 1, 2024 at 11:44 am By Dorian Scott Cole

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It’s that time of year when we set goals … and most fail. Let’s make it happen! This is the most wonderful of all ages in our world to live. We have maximum comfort, maximum utility, maximum agency, and maximum opportunity. Yet there are huge problems that need to be solved. Image: You Can Change teh World, Planeta Wiki by Ron Mader on Flickr. What if each one of us has the ability to make a small change and change... Read more

Little Things with Great Influence

Last updated on: December 28, 2023 at 4:30 pm By Dorian Scott Cole

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Practical Spirituality series I prepare coffee for my wife. I finally got off probation after 50 years of making her coffee in our marriage. She claims that if I wear my shoes to bed, it’s the end of everything. Is it possible that women, as depicted in the Epic of Gilgamesh, have the power to domesticate men and bring about impressive change? The ancient Greek play, Lysistrata, similarly shows the power of women to get their men to stop waging... Read more

Conflict in Palestine

Last updated on: December 18, 2023 at 4:55 pm By Dorian Scott Cole

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“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” – Matthew 5:9 I’m a peacemaker at heart. Some of the best precepts are to treat others kindly, stand against the mistreatment of others, and if all else fails, use power. Sometimes you have to sit on someone to keep them from harming others. Creating peace is not a simple task. The conflict between the Palestinians and Israelis exemplifies these. It’s very difficult to write about making peace... Read more

The Perils of Staid Christianity

Last updated on: December 12, 2023 at 12:49 pm By Dorian Scott Cole

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Practical Spirituality series And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” – Matthew 22:37-40 (NASB) What are progressives? “A priority of justice and care for the down-trodden are a recurrent theme in... Read more