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
The other day, I asked a woman if she went to church. She responded, “I’m a Bible-believing Christian!” It was an innocent question with an unexpectedly strong response. Jesus taught me to ask a question when answering a question (he asked 307 questions), so I asked, “What do you believe about the Bible?” Here’s how … 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
My wife and I left Los Angeles International Airport on October 12, 2022, and returned October 31. During this period, we watched no television, read no newspapers or magazines, and lost all cognizance of worldly news. This abstinence was a first for this news junky. During this timeout, I felt that I stood taller (I’m … Read more
The book title The Hidden Spirituality of Men: Ten Metaphors to Awaken the Sacred Masculine caught my attention. The book was published in 2008 by Dr. Matthew Fox, a former Roman Catholic priest who was excommunicated for having the audacity to think outside the box. Dr. Fox is a brilliant writer, theologian, teacher, and progressive. … Read more
Five more members of the LGBTQIA+ community have been murdered in Colorado Springs. Why? My take: The constant negative derogatory rhetoric about “gays” from those who call themselves religious keeps killing (literally and figuratively) the members of the LGBTQIA+ community. These “religious” people come dressed as Christians, Mormons, Muslims, and Orthodox Jews as well as … Read more