Faith in a Hypothesis

Last updated on: April 24, 2023 at 7:22 am By Karl J. Forehand

Early on, in most versions of Christianity, disciples are taught to have faith in the beliefs of the tradition. They acknowledge that this is something that is unseen and not necessarily proven. I see this replayed over and over again. To me, these beliefs are unseen, unproven things are actually not truths, they are hypotheses. Oxford defines a hypothesis as: “A supposition or proposed explanation made on the basis of limited evidence as a starting point for further investigation.” So... Read more

Anatomy of an Explorer

Last updated on: April 21, 2023 at 5:54 am By Karl J. Forehand

I have always been adventurous. I’ve written about it several times before but the phrase that emerged is Leaning Forward. If all goes well, that will be the title of my next book in the fall. I don’t know if this will be coherent when I finish, but my hope is to communicate what I’ve been learning over the past 6 years since I started my deconstruction. Most of us are born and raised, accepting the beliefs of the people... Read more

How I Feel About Charles Stanley

Last updated on: April 19, 2023 at 6:57 am By Karl J. Forehand

My first encounter with Charles Stanley was when I read his book, The Wonderful Spirit Filled Life. I was a young adult looking for direction and the book seemed very clear to me. After reading it, I understood the role of spirit (something I couldn’t see) that somehow helped with things that seemed impossible. Oddly enough, it probably informed my focus as a mystic more than anything. I would later tune in to, and in many ways, Charles Stanley provided... Read more

The Diner

Last updated on: April 18, 2023 at 6:53 am By Karl J. Forehand

I would like to announce the release of my second novel, The Diner. I started with the opening scene of a single mother trapped in a Diner by her circumstances and the story revealed itself from there, Jenny, eventually becomes the hero of her story, finds healing from her trauma, and inspires others. Trigger Warning: this book is 18+ – it contains adult language and situations and some LGBTQ content. None of it is graphic and it contributes to the narrative. The characters... Read more

The Great Delusion

Last updated on: March 30, 2023 at 7:59 am By Karl J. Forehand

When I was involved in organized religion, as a conservative evangelical Christian in the United States, we always were absolutely sure that our doctrines and beliefs about other people were absolutely right and that God was on our side. If you are an evangelical Christian, I understand your natural reaction to this is, “of course we are.” But that is only because you have been conditioned and groomed to think that way. When you take a couple of days and... Read more

Christians and the Disabled

Last updated on: March 23, 2023 at 9:40 am By Karl J. Forehand

Please understand my reference to Christianity is Western Christianity. If your church or your experience is different than this, then you are not who I’m talking about. But I encourage you to listen closely, because this is a common misconception. A little over a year ago, I suffered a stroke. It caused paralysis in my left side, but not in my face. The rehab plan that I was on was exceptional. It helped me be able to do many of... Read more

Trust Yourself

Last updated on: March 20, 2023 at 9:33 am By Karl J. Forehand

More and more, I believe the best question I could ask someone that is deconstructing is, “Are you learning to trust yourself?” The people that seem to be evolving and thriving out here in the desert for the people that have made a concerted effort to go inside, and now are learning to trust themselves. One of the most unproductive things, is to argue and debate over interpretations of scripture. Scripture. Ancient man-made documents serve some purpose, but we need... Read more

The Next Courageous Step

Last updated on: March 18, 2023 at 7:42 am By Karl J. Forehand

‏ I remember when I played in my first high school football game. It was so terrifying, then exhilarating, then addictive. Other than girls, it was all I cared about for several years. I remember my first job in Dallas / Ft. Worth. I felt small among the buildings and all the people. Work quickly became an addiction, where I struggled and succeeded. I remember becoming a father and being totally paralyzed by fear. We didn’t have a choice, we... Read more

Crossing the Threshhold

Last updated on: March 12, 2023 at 7:28 am By Karl J. Forehand

In the hero’s journey, one of the necessary steps is “crossing the threshold.” It is where the hero fully commits to the journey and steps away from normal life to see what they’ve never seen before. Religious systems confine us. Most of our effort goes to maintaining those systems. It’s very hard to discover a better way that helps us evolve while we are static and defending where we are now. When I started my first career, I didn’t know... Read more

You Don’t Need Anything Else

Last updated on: March 18, 2023 at 3:49 pm By Karl J. Forehand

You don’t have to stay In a religion that sways. You don’t have to believe What someone else has conceived. You don’t have to feel shame Because of their misplaced blame. You don’t have to fear What they imagined was there. You don’t have to look At their sacred or holy book. You don’t have to concede To bow and / or bend your knee. You don’t have to agree With their ancient, man-made creed. You don’t have to make... Read more