Sunday, October 18, 2009

Adam and Eve-not the first???

OK, what's going on in Genesis?  There's Adam and Eve, right? Adam named his wife, Eve, because she was the mother of all living. Genesis 3:20. Then there is Cain and Abel, right? Now when Cain killed his brother, he was banished from the family, such as it was. The Lord said in Genesis 4:15, "therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengence shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him." Whosoever who??? (Sorry. I know that's incorrect English but making a point here.) I thought it was just Adam, Eve and Cain.

Even Cain said in Genesis 4:13-14, "my punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold---, I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth and it shall come to pass that every one that findeth me shall slay me." That's why the Lord set a mark upon him. Every one who???

Then there is the part about Cain's wife. Genesis 4:17, "And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch. v.19 And La'mech took unto him two wives."

Where are all these people coming from???

Sunday, October 11, 2009

What's going on?

There's something going on here, Lord. Probably not just with me but I can only speak for me. Common thread seems to be seeking to know You.

For me, it started with leaving one place of worship after about 20 years, then leaving another after less than a year, being on the "backside of the desert" like Moses and experiencing You like never before. For me, it's been acquiring and reading books that organized religion would frown on. Books by Christians (?) and non-Christians (?) alike. Define Christian for me, Lord because back in the day, it was a derogatory term. Sorry, I digress. Books about Mother/Father God, Buddha, Jesus, Christ (are they one and the same?), Kabbalah, Gnosticism, The Lost Bible, even my essay about being angry with you Lord. And books about leaving the church. Gasp!

Anybody else been there? Books like Leaving Church by Barbara Brown Taylor, The Shack by William Young, Gospel of Inclusion by Bishop Carlton Pearson and So You Don't Want to go to Church Anymore by Wayne Jacobsen and Dave Coleman.

Are you noticing a central theme here? I know You notice the theme, Lord. You designed it especially for me. I'm writing this for the readers who are feeling "something", feeling disquieted about their religious experience, beginning to ask, like I did, "why am I here?", what is my purpose, Lord?" or "why did You let that happen to me, Lord?"

OK, people, how is that working for you?

Romans 8:35, 38-39.

Saturday, September 5, 2009

God's image

We are created in God's image. Physical image? Mental image? Consciousness? If the latter, where did all this doubt, fear, anger and uncertainty come from?

Jesus showed emotion-anquish in the garden and anger. Father God showed anger in the Old Testament. The Holy Spirit can be grieved. If God showed these emotions and we're created in God's image, can we do any less? So if/when I attempt to solve a problem "on my own", am I truly (1)"on my own" since God will never leave or forsake me, (2) doing my own thing as in without God or (3) exercising my God given abilities and talents and being a co-creator with The Creator? And am I wrong if I display anger while solving this problem.

What part do our emotions play in our development as spiritual beings. Can we ever be angry with God? Why not? He certainly got angry with us many times.

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Did you ever...?

When you were a child, did you ever wonder about the things you heard in church, Sunday School, vacation Bible school? Did you ever dare question any grownup about anything that went against the grain of the organized church that you belonged to?

I remember asking why schools taught that we evolved from monkeys but the Bible said we were created in the image of God? Of course, no one was saying God was a monkey!!! Could not get an answer to my question. Still can't. Now my question is, if we evolved from monkeys, why have we stopped evolving? Everything that science says evolved from something else seems to have "stopped evolving". In all these millions of years that the earth has been around and creatures have been around, shouldn't we be at another place by now? In some cases, it seems that nature has gone backwards. Did elephants evolve from mammoths? If so, why are elephants so much smaller than mammoths?

Welcome your comments, thoughts.

Leaving Church

Reading a new book: "Leaving Church, A Memoir of Faith" by Barbara Brown Taylor, an Episcopal priest who loses faith with the church but not with God. Sounds like me.

When people ask me where I worship, I tell them that I am on the backside of the desert like Moses and like Moses, I hear from God, perhaps even better than when I was a church member.

If you have read this, tell me your thoughts. Also leave a comment about The Shack. Definitely want to hear your thoughts on that one.

Sunday, April 19, 2009

The Crucifixion

The Bible tells us that Jesus' legs WERE NOT broken as was the custom when someone was crucified. This was done, so I've read, to prolong the agony of a slow death because the person could not brace themselves up to breathe. Even with one's legs broken, it could take days for the person to actually die. (Talk about man's inhumanity to man! WOW. Who thinks up these terrible things to do to each other - sometimes in the name of God?)

In Jesus' case, he was crucified and hung on the cross for only a few hours. His legs were never broken and He was removed from the cross that same day. Anyone ever wonder why the procedure was changed? Is there any other account of a man who was only crucified for a few hours, left intact and taken down the same day?

Of course, as a believer, this is an important aspect of your theology. But shouldn't the resurrection weigh more heavily than the crucifixion? The crucifixion is recounted in detail in the Bible and in most churches on Easter Sunday. We have the whole story from the entry into Jerusalem, the Last Supper, the betrayal, arrest and trial to the buriel in great detail. In the book of Luke, this covers chapters 18 through 23. The resurrection is all in chapter 24. In John, the "sufferings and the glory" are from chapters 18 through 19. The resurrection appearances are verses 1-19 in chapter 20.

Have we put the emphasis on the wrong part of the story of Jesus?

SELAH

The Question of Angels

Has anyone ever encountered angels? Not evil spirits, demons, etc. Unfortunately, many born again believers can recount stories of encounters with demons but how many have encountered angels. Makes you wonder who has the most power in their lives.

Just finished reading a book from 1997 that featured stories of people who experienced assistance by angels and was wondering if anyone had the same or similar experiences. One story described a very large black dog that kept a man from freezing to death in a blizzard by lying down on the man. (Thomas Hobbes said "For it is not the shape, but their use, that makes them angels.") My daughter told me she would see angels as pillars of light all the time at the church we attended several years ago.

Just curious. Give me a shout back.

Saturday, April 11, 2009

What is the question?

This question was asked by someone in one of the writing groups I belong to: if love is the answer, what is the question?

Friday, April 10, 2009

Good Friday/Easter

Happy Easter. Happy Resurrection Day. Happy Passover, Happy Good Friday.

I have a problem that I hope someone can address. First, let me say that I am a believer. You may not think so, reading some of the posts on this blog. Whatever. My problem is that The Church teaches that Jesus was crucified on Friday (Good Friday) and arose 3 days later. I don't know about you but Friday to Sunday IS NOT 3 DAYS!!! No way, No how. So am I missing something? I spent the last few hours checking other blogs dealing with Easter, the resurrection, etc., but NO ONE tackled this math issue. Just need some clarity.

Friday, April 3, 2009

Negative reactions to The Shack

I just read that some are "appalled" by the number of Christians who are raving about The Shack. Frankly, I like the book. Think it makes God more approachable. But that's just my feeling. Without giving anything away for those who have not read the book yet, I especially like how the GodHead is portrayed. Definitely was not expecting that.

As for the naysayers, you have every right to your opinion. I happen to believe that God, whoever He, She, It may be can take care of Themselves. And if we are to believe at least some of what we have been taught, They knew The Shack would be written before the foundation of everything. Besides, who says They did not ordain it. (Technically they did, you know.) Remember the uproar over The Secret? The DaVinci Code? Some folks may never pick up the KJV or New American Standard Bible but they may read The Shack. Can God not speak through a book that the religious establishment has problems with? Remember, God did open the mouth of an ass because the man riding it could not see the angel about to "jack him up."

Happy reading!!!

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

The Shack

Just started reading The Shack. Half way through the book already and just picked it up a couple of days ago. I recommend it and I don't read fiction. This is the 3rd fiction book I've read in about 20 plus years but it was worth the wait. Story is about suffering a great loss and being angry with God (been there, done that). The author does a fabulous job of protraying the Godhead and "they" are not who/what you expect. Read it. You will enjoy.

Saturday, March 28, 2009

What God created

Question:

Why would God create everything and call everything He created good and then select one group of people out of all His creation to elevate as the "Chosen" people? At the time of creation, from what I read, all of mankind had not been created (born) yet. Just Adam and Eve. Were they Israelites? I would think all the people God created would be the chosen people. The Bible says man was made in the image of God. Not some men. Not certain men, but MAN which represents all men. If we are all created in the image of God, should we be killing each other?

Friday, March 27, 2009

Existence of Satan

Just watched Nightline's discussion on the existence of Satan. Interesting but of course, not enough time for such a weighty talk. I guess the audience was equally divided though no poll was taken to my knowledge.

On one side was the Pastor of the church hosting the debate and a reformed, now born again former prostitute. On the other side was Bishop Carlton Pearson who has been called a heretic by the organized church he used to belong to and author Deepok Chopra. I happen to believe we give Satan, evil, etc., too much power. If we gave as much power to Jesus, God, Divine Spirit, LOVE, etc., perhaps the world would be in a different place. The Bible says ALL power was given to Jesus!!! If Jesus has ALL power, how much power does the devil have??? If you have all the money, how much money do I have? So if you believe the Bible, why are you giving Satan, evil, etc. so much power if the very book you read says Jesus has ALL the power? Either Jesus has all the power or He doesn't. Which is it? And then how much of the Bible am I supposed to believe? The part about Satan or the part about all the power Jesus has. God said He created good and evil. For what purpose?

Open your mind. Is the Bible to be read as a literal book or a book about Christ Consciousness?
Talk me down on this one.

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Literal or Allegorical

Should the Bible be viewed literally or as an allegory? Are we to take the stories as something that actually happened or as a blueprint on how to live?

Sex in the Church

Intriguing title but this post is not just about the usual deacons cheating on the wives or priests molesting altarboys. Just read an article about a church in Good Hope, Alabama. The Daystar Church in Good Hope is pastored by Jerry Lawson. He preaches that sex is a good thing, in the context of marriage. That's what I thought too. In other words, it's not just to make babies.

Surprise! Surprise! So God created us as sexual beings, gave us body parts that make us feel good but sex is not supposed to be fun. That's why women suffer clitoral castration in third world countries. In those countries, the men can have pleasure in sex but not the women. (At least they know what the function of that body part is for women.) How sexist is that? In relation to animals, we are the only creatures that don't have to wait once a year or whatever to be in heat in order to have sex (mate).

Another minister, Evangelist Roland Belew says "talking about sex ain't gonna get nobody in heaven." I disagree. If we talk about it correctly, which means the Church needs to address it along with parents and schools, maybe it will help people get into heaven. Besides, according to the Bible, there are only 2 destinations. So if we keep folks out of hell by giving them correct information, perhaps they will be going to heaven.

Besides, the Church needs to teach folks how to live the other 6 days of the week. Jumping, shouting, feeling good in church on Sunday does not help you fight the good fight of faith the rest of the week if you don't have the correct information (revelation).

Be for real. God created sex. Not the devil who didn't create anything. And if you really read Genesis, there was a whole lot of sex going on. After Cain killed his brother Abel and was cursed by God, he was marked so that any finding him would not kill him. Any who? Where did this "any" come from? That means there were other people around (unless Adam and Eve had populated the whole earth by then) who were having sex. And if Adam and Eve were responsible for populating the whole earth, not only was there a lot of sex going on but there was some serious incest taking place. WOW. That's a heavy thought, isn't it?

Shout me down, someone.

Monday, March 9, 2009

In the Garden

Just to add to the last post, I hope you realize that the Bible does not say that God cursed Adam and Eve. He cursed the serpent, "above all cattle, and above every beast of the field: upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shall thou eat all the days of thy life..." To Eve God said, "I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shall bring forth children..." and to Adam God said, "cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shall thou eat of it all the days of thy life..." Some may argue that Adam and Eve were cursed even though God did not use that word. See Genesis 3:14 through 19.

What's interesting is verses 20 and 21 of Genesis 3. After God finished telling Adam and Eve of the consequences of their disobedience, Adam named his wife Eve (she had not been named before) and the Lord made coats of skin and clothed them. And in verses 22 through 24, the Lord God says that "the man has become as one of us, (italics is mine) to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever:..."

The tone of those verses does not sound like an angry God heaping everlasting punishment on his disobedient children, does it? And nowhere is hell mentioned. Did not read anything about repentence in those verses either. As a matter of fact. God sounds downright merciful, doesn't He? After all, He clothed Adam and Eve before He drove them from the garden.

Come on someone, talk me down on these points. Maybe I'm seeing it all wrong. Help a sister out. (By the way, who is the us of verse 22?)

Friday, March 6, 2009

The Tree

What happened in the Garden? The first man and woman were in the Garden, naked, enjoying life, frolicking with the animals. Adam had named the animals and from what I can see, God did not change the names Adam had selected. WOW. What power is in the tongue. After all, God said, "Let there be ..." and there was. Just think what kind of power you and I have in our mouths. Sorry. I digress.

So Adam and Eve were dancing all over the Garden, when God said, "you see that tree over there? Don't eat of that tree!" There is no indication that Adam and Eve had even thought about "that" tree of the knowledge of good and evil UNTIL God pointed it out. Makes you wonder, don't it? I used to wonder about this whole scene. Why did You, God, put that tree in the garden, point it out and then say, don't eat of that tree? What do You mean, don't eat of the tree after YOU pointed it out?!!?? Didn't You know Your creation, mankind, would mess up? I was taught that You did know, because the Lamb, Jesus, was slain before the foundation of the world. So now I'm confused. Because everything You created, You said was good. Including the serpent who was more subtle than all the creatures You created, and who deceived Eve. (How did the serpent become associated with evil and Satan anyway? More on that on another post.) So this transgression caused man and woman to be kicked out of the garden. And the snake was relegated to crawling on his belly. (Apparently he was upright before the Fall.) And because of one man, you and I and all mankind are now born as sinners. (Will discuss that on another post.)

Now think about this: Adam and Eve, the first humans, commited the first sin and were allowed to leave the Garden but there is no mention that they were going to burn in hell forever and ever. I don't remember either of them asking for forgiveness. Adam blamed Eve, the woman You, God, gave me. Eve blamed the serpent who beguiled her. Kind of messes with your theology a little bit, doesn't it?

Let me hear from you but keep it positive. Remember, I just want you to think.

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

What is sin?

What is sin? Is it robbing a bank, killing someone, telling lies about a person? And if I do one of those things, will I have committed a sin? What would be the result if I robbed a bank? I could get away with it, I could get caught leaving the bank, I could get shot by bank guard or police officer, I could get ratted out by someone who thinks I should give them some of the money. A lot of things could happen. So if I rob the bank and have a heart attack and die, will I open my eyes in hell? If so, why? Because for everything I do, there is a consequence, good or bad. If I help someone, someone may help me when I need it. Cause and effect. If I rob a bank, I may get caught, etc. Cause and effect. Consequence. Not sin!

If you do "A", then "B" will follow. Plain and simple. Just my thought.

What do you think?

Monday, March 2, 2009

LOVE

Nothing can separate me from the LOVE of God. Nothing. NO THING! No thought, no deed, no word. No person, no creature, no angel, no principality, nothing, living or dead, past, present or future. Nothing I do, did or will do. WOW.

Does that give me license to do "wrong?" I do not need a license to do good or evil. As Jesus said in the Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ when asked which is the greatest of the Ten Commands, "I do not see a greatest of the Ten Commands. I see a golden cord that runs through all Ten Commands that binds them fast and makes them one. That cord is love, and it belongs to every word of all the Ten Commands. If one is full of love he can do nothing else than worship God; for God is love. If one is full of love, he cannot kill; (literally or figuratively) he cannot falsely testify; he cannot covet; can do naught but honor God and man. If one is full of love he does not need commands of any kind."
The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ (by Levi), Chapter 17:2-7.

Something to think about, isn't it? Don't know about you, but I have a long way to go.

Let's be honest. Most of us say the words, but how many of us live the words? It is very simple. If I really live by the word/code of love, I cannot assassinate your character (killing by any other name is still killing!) I cannot steal what is yours. I cannot lie against you. Etc, Etc. You get the point.

If we ALL exhibited true love, there would be no Bin Laden, genocide in Africa, poverty all over the world, global warming, pollution, ill health, AIDS epidemic, CEOs begging for money while flying to Washington on $50 million jets, mortgage foreclosures, etc.

THINK ABOUT THAT FOR A MINUTE.

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Think about it.

Are you beginning to question what your read in the Bible and other great books with what you are being taught or have been taught? Do you have thoughts that are contrary to what you're being taught? If so, you are like me. Some things did not quite answer my questions. So I kept searching. I began reading everything I could get my hands on. Especially if the Church said I should not read it!

Are you getting fat on empty spiritual calories? Junk food may fill you up but is it healthy? Junk food makes you sluggish. You crave more and more of it even when you know it is not good for you. Like sugar. You eat something sweet, you get a temporary boost and then you come down hard. You feel worse than you did before you ate the candy bar.

Let's explore some of the things I have questioned. I don't have all the answers. But I am willing to ask some questions. Like what is hell? Where is hell? Where is heaven? Who is the devil? Are we all saved? Did God really select only one group of people out of ALL the people He created to be The Chosen People? Why would He do that? Why did God create man? What is sin? When does eternity start? I was taught that when I die, I will go into eternity (heaven or hell). But how can eternity start at a certain time? These are just a few of the topics I will be exploring. I will also talk about being totally, spitting mad with God.

Now, if you are easily offended, this is not the site for you. Some of you will probably condemn me to your version of hell. My question to you is, What God are you serving? Where is the love of Christ? So let me save you some time and trouble. No need to post angry remarks. I AM NOT GOING TO HELL. I'm sure you have different thoughts and I respect that. Do the same for me.

Anyway, this should be an interesting journey. I hope so. I look forward to bringing forth some thoughts that I hope will get you to think. That's all I want.

Many blessings.