Reverent devotion to God. I can respect that. I met lots of pious people in my recent trip and conference. Please don’t confuse piety with being sanctimonious or pretentious. Piety connotes humility while these other more common traits suggest self-absorption rather than God-absorption. In my last installment of this series, I told a story of a peaceful transaction between an Israeli and a Palestinian, to show that peace is possible where humility is allowed to work. Today I

(An excerpt from “The Singer Trilogy” by Calvin Miller) The Father and his Troubadour sat down Upon the outer rim of space “And here, My Singer,” said Earthmaker, “is the crown of all my endless skies – the green, brown sphere of all my hopes.” He reached and took the round new planet down, and held it to His ear. “They’re crying, Troubadour,” he said. “They cry so hopelessly” He gave the little ball unto His Son, who also held it by His ear. “Year after weary year they all k

So much stupid crap has been done in the name of God that I’m surprised He hasn’t changed His name. Not that I’m even trying to be exhaustive here, but then you have the Conquistadors  of the Americas, forcing “savages” to convert to Christianity as they were systematically killed, raped, and plundered by the Missionary Conquerors. I’m going to go ahead and establish this here: this is not the God I know. Once the New World was settled, European settlers began doing the same

God isn’t as nice as I think I would often like Him to be. He isn’t as nice as I think most people imagine Him to be. I suspect that many people mentally mold God into a shape that they can comfortably worship, or “celebrate,” as is so popular in the 21st century. But when we have molded whatever we are worshiping, isn’t that a false god? When we devote ourselves to a god that doesn’t match our own scriptures, aren’t we arming our atheist friends with reasonable arguments? I’

The high point of my African experience was the people. I saw wild baboons on a hillside, vervet monkeys on roofs, and hyenas up close and personal, but they did not lift my soul as did the people. I ate goat meat, seasoned raw beef (didn’t know beforehand), and some of the best sambusa and fuul anywhere, but that didn’t rekindle hope like the people did. They blessed me. And not accidentally or casually, but intentionally and deliberately. This post is coming slowly because

“Do unto others as you would have them do to you.” Jesus, Matthew 7:12 Most religions, cultures, or ethical algorithms have a form of what Christians call the Golden Rule. Hinduism says “This is the sum of duty: do not do to others what would cause pain of done to you.” Mahabarata 5:1517 Islam claims “Not one of you truly believes until you wish for others what you wish for yourself.” Muhammed, Hadith Judaism teaches “What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor. This i

(This is #11 and the final installment in a series. Find 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 & 10 by clicking on the numbers. It’s ok – they’re mostly short.) By the way, to be fair, it’s not just Christians who do it. I’m just more willing to point the proverbial finger at my own kind than others, for the sake of avoiding hypocrisy. But everyone from the LGBTQ community to the Islam community seems to do it. We all want respect and we all want others to see the truth of our ways. But

(This is #6 in a series. Find 1, 2, 3, 4, & 5 by clicking on the numbers.) Forced respect isn’t respect at all.            Forced respect leads to resentment. Forced love isn’t love in the least.            Forced love leads to a bitter loathing. Forced allegiance is far from loyalty.      Forced allegiance causes rebellion. Forced religion is bad faith.                      Forced religion stifles honest faith. When I refer to “forced” religion or faith, I’m not referring to

Let’s start with the negative, just to get it out of the way. Seeing the high mountains reminded me that I’ve always dreamed of climbing mountains, and have never done it.  There’s something about approaching 50 years old that makes you think you won’t accomplish things if you haven’t even started yet. I’m pretty sure that’s not really true though.  Further, seeing Gerry Spence’s office brings me to the realization that I will probably never be the world – or even nationally

A popular christian song says: “God is good all the time He put a song of praise in this heart of mine God is good, yes He is, all the time Through the darkest night, His light will shine God is good, yes he is, God is good All the time, here we go!” In 1st Samuel 15, God orders Israelites to strike the Amalekites, killing the men, women, children and infants. Even the animals. In Job, God allows Satan to kill the children of Job to make a point about Job’s righteousness

These changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes, Nothing remains quite the same. Through all of the islands and all of the highlands, If we couldn’t laugh we would all go insane – J. Buffett In the summer of 2012 my family and I met Ursula the bear in the Rocky Mountains and in the fall of the same year I heard from God at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. Neither  happened as I would have expected. The last time I had seen a brown bear in the wild was on the coast of Alask

Funnel 38 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said: 2 “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? 3 Dress for action[a] like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me. 4 “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. 5 Who determined its measurements—surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? 6 On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone, 7 when the morning

I have, throughout my college and adult life, taken a strong stand against the overuse of hugs and exclamation points. To me, a hug is not a greeting, but a very intimate statement of heartfelt love or compassion. They are given freely at points of crisis or celebration of the milestones of life, but they are not dispensed otherwise (by me, anyway).  They are hundred dollar bills as opposed to ones or fives. You hand out your Franklins as you wish, but I’ve never felt that we

Maybe it was my imagination, but several things started coming together after I accepted Authority. Before I get to that, though, I’ll explain that the final moments of my working all these things out was after London on a long walk on a railroad track, at night, in a light rain with a good friend named Mark who had some of the same issues I did.  Its funny how railroad tracks at night have always helped me think.  Something about the symmetry; no worries about taking a wrong

Things become more difficult, and at the same time simpler, when you accept an authority.  I had accepted Jehovah (from here I’ll refer to Him as God) as the Creator, with no pre-established notions as to His involvement with men, method of creation, or much else. I began studying the writings about Christ. The gospels, Paul’s letters, other books of the new testament, and some non-canonical sources.  I decided to use the same test that the old church used to determine the Ca

At a baptist college, there are strange requirements such as attending chapel, which is a weekly worship service during the day, as well as bible classes on the old and new testament. Chapel was generally pretty boring, but I found out that if you have a job that conflicts with chapel time, you don’t have to go.  This was all the motivation I needed to find a job as a runner at a local law firm.  Side benefits were that it paid money and gave me some exposure to my chosen car

Romans 13 seems clear to me.  These United States of America were founded in direct violation of the principles laid out by the Apostle Paul. 13 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would y

Junior High was where my “melancholy,” my introvertedness, and my faith based teaching collided.  Only in my adult years, post law school even, have I come to terms with what happened in junior high.  Had I written this in college, I would have started with Matthew 5:11 – Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Because I was taught, and was firmly convicted on point, that I should not curse, drink, or

I graduated from River Oaks High School in 1988.  I began my time at River Oaks in fifth grade.  Moving from Swartz public school to River Oaks private school, I was immediately behind my fellow students on several points,  most notably multiplication tables.  I still don’t care for math, and as I type these posts, I am realizing why I avoid and embrace certain things today.  I have an aversion to crowds, perhaps related to my playground experiences, a strong reluctance towar

“Docendo disco, et scribendo cogito.” I learn by teaching and think by writing.  And I enjoy a word or phrase from a dead language once in a while, like some enjoy the flavor of a cigar or the blossom of a whiskey (or a whisky). My favorite psychology professor has already made it quite clear that no one will read this, and if they do and I’m honest here — which I intend to be — then it will ruin any political aspirations I may harbor.  So be it. Let the bridges burn behind a