I started my deconstructing process in September 1957 on my first day in seminary when the professors started eradicating my Sunday school thinking, which went something like this: God was like Santa Claus, except a little meaner. He and his Son were perfect and lived in heaven. God was a Master Puppeteer who made everything … Read more
I have banned the Bible from our home. It is full of lies. The violence is horrendous. The contradictions are unacceptable. The racism is inexcusable. The sex is filthy. Many claim God wrote the Bible. That’s a total lie. It was written by lots of different men over a 2,500-plus-year timespan. At times, people are … Read more
In my ninety-one years, I have never seen someone running to be the dictator of our country. I thought we were a democracy. This dictator, Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida, promised to destroy leftism and “leave woke ideology in the dustbin of history.” That would include me, most of the folks in our church, and … Read more
Are pro-lifers actually pro-life? My short answer: no, and for several reasons: If the pro-lifers truly cared about the life of fetuses and newborns, they would be advocating daily for the best maternity and childcare system in the world. In reality, the United States has one of the worst records for prenatal care and childcare … Read more
Our new neighbor is very friendly, but she has a bumper sticker that reads “Jesus died for our sins.” She has Jesus stuff all over. Why does the phrase “died for our sins” irritate me so much? The idea that a young first-century charismatic Jewish itinerant preacher from the tiny town of Nazareth could be … Read more
Walking down the street one day, I noticed three women in dresses standing behind a clothing rack. As suspected, they were Jehovah’s Witnesses. Their sign read “Armageddon.” I asked, “What is Armageddon?” Immediately, my mind flashed back to 9/11. Annie and I were on the island of Corsica, off southern France, when we learned about … Read more
I have no idea where I learned the axiom that one can’t legislate behavior, but I have known it for years, and I truly believe it. Let me share an example. Six months ago, the Supreme Court of the United States made a decision that the issue of abortion is a state issue and not … Read more
I have a confession: I’m obsessed with stories about prisons and inmates, probably due to my previous work in jails and prisons. I see our incarceration system as an embarrassment and a disgrace to “liberty and justice for all” because of the way we cage and dehumanize our fellow human beings. My fascination (a nicer … Read more
Please, never read the Bible. This might seem like a strange request from a clergyman. But I have a caveat: never read the Bible without some sort of reliable scholarly information by your side. In my youth, I decided to read from Genesis through Revelation, expecting to receive spiritual nourishment. I stopped before I finished … Read more
Today I’m writing about the fall of Saint Judie. No, not like the fall of Adam and Eve. This fall happens to so many senior citizens that results in either their death or a great reduction in their quality of life. Saint Judie took that fall on November 19, 2022, in Mexico. My story starts … Read more