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"Dear CBD,Paul Mayers asks:I just received your September-October 2007 catalog, and on the front cover, top of the first column, is the new book by [a certain mega-prosperity speaker with the initials J.O.], [insert title here]. Forty percent off. You obviously want a lot of people to buy it...I wonder if you have noticed that Mr. [O.] is not a teacher of the Gospel of Jesus, but a motivational speaker and the primary promoter of the American prosperity Gospel that is poisoning millions of minds all over the world?"
"If you can be Jewish and a Christian can you not also be Muslim and a Christian?"Jim points to Tina, who asks:
"Who is really responsible for “reaching the lost?” Isn’t it the Holy Spirit?"And on a related note, Helen answers this question from Phil Johnson:
"Do most of those who identify with the Emerging/Emergent conversation seem to want to try to help you regain your faith, or would you say they spend more energy encouraging you to feel comfortable with your doubts?"Zoe talks about Women and Spiritual Abuse Recovery:
"Here’s the thing. When it comes to recovery, when it comes to healing from spiritual abuse…the process can be delayed because not only has the woman who has been swallowed up in spiritual abuse already been broken down by the abuse, she is also broken down by the literal terminology, bible stories and demeaning gender rhetoric splashed her way in these churches, almost always from the men, quoting scripture, to support their dogma and their agenda, all in the name of, their God. She already is set up to believe she is to blame about most everything anyway. She often believes it’s her fault she was spiritually abused."Heather on what bothers her about Worship:
"I just can't see Jesus being overcome by the obvious churchy display, and being happy with following those awful instructions - "Now we are going to enter into a time of worship" (because, you know, what we were doing before was just singing fast songs) "Everybody raise your hands" (because you obviously can't think for yourself) "Give God a big hand" (because of course the creator of the universe deserves a rock-star welcome)."Glenn talks about Christianspeak:
"In other words, why not speak as though we were regular people and mere mortals?"
"I have been pretty patient about this whole transition thing for quite a while now. The time that has passed has been useful and necessary for healing and detox. However, these are important years for us, and our family needs something more spiritual, real, and communal than what we have now."Yeah. Us too. But what to do about it?
Some quotes from the article:Astronomers Find a Hole in the Universe
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Astronomers have stumbled upon a tremendous hole in the universe. That's got them scratching their heads about what's just not there. The cosmic blank spot has no stray stars, no galaxies, no sucking black holes, not even mysterious dark matter. It is 1 billion light years across of nothing. That's an expanse of nearly 6 billion trillion miles of emptiness, a University of Minnesota team announced Thursday.
"It looks like something to be taken seriously," said Brent Tully, a University of Hawaii astronomer who wasn't part of this research but studies the void closer to Earth.And
Retired NASA astronomer Steve Maran said of the discovery: "This is incredibly important for something where there is nothing to it.That's what happens when you let scientists be in charge. The silly's...they want a logical explanation for everything.
1. a member of a Jewish sect that flourished during the 1st century B.C. and 1st century A.D. and that differed from the Sadducees chiefly in its strict observance of religious ceremonies and practices, adherence to oral laws and traditions, and belief in an afterlife and the coming of a Messiah.The Apostle (St.) Paul was a Pharisee of high regard (then known as Saul) prior to his encounter with Jesus. At that time, a Pharisee was a respected and educated Jew who held to strict observance and enforcement of external piety - ritual, law and right belief - often without regard to the condition of the soul. Prior to Jesus, being a Pharisee was a good thing. However, Jesus is frequently seen in the New Testament admonishing the Pharisees for their judgementalism. In kind, the Pharisees often persecuted those who did not agree with them, including Jesus' followers.
2. (lowercase) a sanctimonious, self-righteous, or hypocritical person.
Jamie A-R said, "I confess that, at times, my embrace is most challenged by the unforgiving, the self-righteous, the fundamentalist, etc."In the blog community I run in, I know many of us likely agree with Jim Henderson, who says "It's more important to be kind than to be right". That is to say, it's not wrong to be right, but it's wrong to elevate "rightness" over kindness. We emerging folk are good at being inclusive, conversational, non-judgemental - we prefer to be kind. We are not so good at loving those who prefer to be right.
I said, "I'm with Jamie - isn't it funny how those of us who are most inclusive still struggle to be inclusive of the most exclusive folks?"
NamelessFacelessLove said, "Erin and Jamie do indeed have a compelling point about our ability, while seeking to become inclusive, to deal with those who exclude us and others the most."
Brad Grinnen said, "I have a confession to make. I find that my embrace is warm and welcoming to everyone BUT the pharisee."
"INFPs are introspective, private, creative and highly idealistic individuals that have a constant desire to be on a meaningful path. They are driven by their values and seek peace. Empathetic and compassionate, they want to help others and humanity as a whole. INFPs are imaginitive, artistic and often have a talent for language and writing. They can also be described as easygoing, selfless, guarded, adaptable, patient and loyal."No big surprises there.
"TURN LOVE INSIDE OUT is about harnessing the energies of LOVE. It is an effort to inspire people to use the most transformational power on earth: LOVE.Consider this:
LOVE is the greatest single need and desire of humankind.
LOVE is the strongest power on earth for affecting every dimension of people’s lives.
LOVE is affirmed as the highest expression of humanity, religion, and spirituality.
LOVE is in abundant supply because all people are created in the image of Perfect Love.
LOVE must first be experienced within yourself before it is adequately expressed to another."
"Jim, typically religious people seek to persuade others to their religion. For example, Christians seek to convert others to Christianity. It sounds like you however, want to convert people to love. Is that fair?
I capitalize the word ‘Love,’ because I view it as Ultimate Reality or God. Love is not some flighty, sentimental, self-focused human emotion. Love is the Creator and Source of all that is real. Humans were made in the image of Love, and so Love is the ground of our being, and our natural inheritance. When someone is awakened to Love, they are awakened to the most transformative reality there is. Its power heals, sets people free, makes whole, and puts one at deep peace and joy. Love is a spiritual reality within ourselves we can turn to in any moment. One way I experience it is a deep knowing that in every moment I am held in unconditional acceptance. When I allow myself to dwell there, all sense of separation from God is extinguished and I experience oneness with God. Free at last! Jesus prayed we would “experience” this oneness, and I am finding that Love is the doorway to it. I enjoy hiking, and often trails are marked by various color streaks on trees – red, blue, green, whatever. Likewise, the trail to God, in God, with God is marked by Love. As I convert the inner experience of Love into a life of being Love, I am one of those trees showing people the path to God, Ultimate Reality, and the only power on earth capable of transforming our inner being.
