(This is the seventh in my series of Bil’s ideas about ten misconceptions in Christianity today. This post suggests that the institutional church thinks Jesus came back to life. He didn’t!) Before 1980, if someone asked me what Jesus’s main message was, I would have immediately said his crucifixion: he died for our sins, was … Read more
Growing up, I knew people with disabilities, but I didn’t really understand that world. In our church, there were two young men with mental challenges. Doug lived across the street from the church and had the intellectual ability of about a six-year-old, but he was very strong. Doug liked the sexton, Al Brown, who treated … Read more
(This is the sixth in my series of Bil’s ideas about ten misconceptions in Christianity today. This post suggests that the institutional church thinks Christmas is about Jesus. It isn’t!) I loved Christmas as a child! The Christmas worship services were always a spectacle. I enjoyed decorating the tree and the house, but I loved … Read more
When I was eighteen, the law said I was an adult. Now, I had to be responsible for my life. This was good! At ninety-four, healthy in mind and body, I am still responsible for my life—except when I want to die. Right now, the state thinks it knows better than I do about making … Read more
As a kid, I didn’t like the dark. At night, when I was in bed and wanted to get up, I couldn’t move. Why? Because a monster lived under my bed, and he was going to bite my foot off. When I turned on the light, the monster hid. I had the same problem with … Read more
(This is the fifth in my series of Bil’s ideas about ten misconceptions in Christianity today. This post suggests that the institutional church thinks prayer in a traditional sense works. It doesn’t!) The institutional church spends a great deal of time discussing prayer and praying. Here’s my take: Most prayer doesn’t make any sense to … Read more
I believe one of the greatest attributes of our democracy has been our ability to allow people facing all kinds of problems in their home country to pack their bags and come to the United States of America seeking amnesty. It’s terribly disappointing to see that aspect of our previous democracy disappear, but I’m optimistic … Read more
They always travel in groups, men only. One hardly ever sees their faces, only their eyes, unless they’re wearing sunglasses. Their heads are covered with skullcaps or baseball caps, and they wear casual clothing. They are heavily armed with guns and other weapons. They move quickly in gangs, pushing people to the ground, manhandling children, … Read more
I was listening to a friend preach a powerful sermon in which he told the story of a conservative woman who no longer felt welcome in her UCC church. My friend sympathized with her concerns. I had another reaction: “Can a conservative person be a follower of Jesus, a first-century radical nonviolent revolutionary who shook … Read more
(This is the fourth in my series of Bil’s ideas about ten misconceptions in Christianity today. This post suggests that the institutional church thinks the trinity makes sense. It doesn’t!) As a child preparing for confirmation, I learned about the Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. I knew the Father was God, … Read more