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.