I have never been comfortable with the idea that a human can be crucified and then resurrected. It makes no sense and reeks of silliness. Here’s why:
In the third century, a new abbot arrived at the monastery to oversee the monks who were copying the Bible by hand. He noticed that the monks were not copying from the original, so the abbot started checking copies against the original. Suddenly, he started sobbing, “It can’t be true! The original word was celebrate.… Read more >
Have you ever wondered why so many people are against critical race theory (CRT)? I have. Then, one day I had an ah-ha moment.
I believe in CRT’s premise that systematic and institutional racism exists everywhere. I see it in churches, educational systems, the military, and my community as well as in my own life.… Read more >
A friend sent me this quote: “You come from dust and to dust you will return. That’s why I don’t dust. It could be someone I know.” The “dust to dust” part of the quote is originally in Genesis 3:19 and Ecclesiastes 3:20. I think this saying is funny.
When I die, eventually I’ll become dust, but it will be done piecemeal because my body will go to the University of California, Irvine medical school and my brain to the university’s MIND Institute for the study of aging brains.… Read more >
As I was writing my new book, I became very aware of all the different versions of Jesus. Let us review some of them.
Probably the most familiar one is the White Jesus, the Hollywood one with pinkish skin, rosy cheeks, blue eyes, light-brown hair with a well-trimmed beard and moustache in a brilliant white flowing gown.… Read more >
The first time I was in a prison, I was twelve. The Episcopal chaplain at Moyamensing Prison in Philadelphia asked me to be his altar boy at the prison. Moyamensing was built in 1835 and continued mistreating inmates until 1963. Seventy-seven years later, I can still hear those big metal doors scrapping open and close.… Read more >
When I left the Marine Corps in 1957, I received job offers from a few police departments to join their forces. I suspect their interest was based on my military background. However, I left the marines for the seminary so I could learn to love people, not kill them. But I have to admit, the marines did a great job of instilling militancy in my head, and it took many years to undo that brainwashing.… Read more >
The murder of George Floyd on May 20, 2020, still brings tears and anger to me—tears because of our nation’s inability to stop racism and anger because I can still see the smirk on Derek Chauvin’s face as he executes a Black man. The next sad image that comes to mind is of the other three police calmly standing by and watching the execution.… Read more >
The word epiphany means “a manifestation, a showing forth.” Starting in the third century, January 6 became the Feast Day of the Epiphany, when Christians celebrate the Magi finding the baby Jesus with his mother at their “house” in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:11). The Western churches use Luke’s story (2:1–20) and December 25 to celebrate this birth.… Read more >
I am not going to talk about the Big Lie and voter fraud, “stolen” elections and conspiracy theories galore, but it does amaze me how many Christian “believers” are willing to destroy our democracy to “prove” that these lies are true. Or does it amaze me?
Looking back over my eighty-nine years, I can see that much of life is based on lies, some big, most little.… Read more >