I’m very concerned about how the Gospel and Scripture are (mis-)represented in popular culture, religious media, and the churches. It’s also a great concern how truth in general is mis-represented by the neo-conservative, and neo-liberal, wealth elites in key segments of our political and cultural life. These things have dreadful implications for all present and future residents of our planet.
At an anti-KXL pipeline concert a few years back.
This blog was an active Christian Democrat site for a few years in the mid-oughts (around 2005). It is coming back to life – after a break largely due to time pressures.
The “Christian” part means I take the historic records of Jesus – especially of his teaching – seriously. I see him as a profound guide in matters spiritual and moral. I’m sure it is much more important to listen to him than to profess to “believe” or to call him “Lord, Lord” while not listening to him or to the prophets he greatly admired.
As to the Bible as a whole – it has a great deal of wisdom to offer, but also a number of teachings, and especially of examples, that should NOT be followed if we listen carefully to Jesus. This requires reading the Bible carefully and honestly, and responding to it honestly. And all of that includes self-criticism before, and often in place of, that which is much easier – the criticism of everyone else. So I try not to write what I am not personally, spiritually engaged with to some real extent.
I was a registered Democrat from 1968 into Obama’s time, and am now. And much of the perspective here might be described as Christian Democrat, as long as we take “Democrat” to mean something more like FDR than like what we’ve been seeing lately.
I’m Larry, an old preacher’s kid from Nebraska, retired pastor of an American Baptist church, member of a UCC church. I have also been a high school and college teacher (history, philosophy, etc.), a dairyman, and a rural mail carrier, among other things.
I have 4 kids, plus kids-in-law, in their 40’s and 50’s, plus a severely handicapped (former) step-daughter whom I visit fairly regularly. I have a nice bouquet of grandkids scattered across the upper midwest (and Phoenix). They are all smarter and better looking than I am.
See Also:
Am I ‘An Enemy of the Churches’?,
Let’s Build The Kingdom of God. Jesus said, “Seek Ye First The Kingdom”,
Young Climate Prophets are Wise and Blunt,
The Love Off-Switch – Just Say, “But Abortion!”,
The Sin Problem in Gun Violence,
Safety and Realism in Prayer,
I Am Angry, and It’s Appropriate [Whew! Really!],
Two Types of Religion – Love, or Domination.
Hits: 244
Thank you for your work. Please count me in.
I could not comment over on that post. So I will comment here. :-)That post hit home for me as well. Even though I homeschool it is a thought that I needed to hear. I too find myself not praising the kids near enough. I am going to make sure I start changing my focus from what is not "as I wish", but what they are doing well. Thank you for this post. I needed to hear/read this right now.
Obama was also a disappointment in his first days in office because within a week, he killed numerous innocent civilians with a drone bombing. His record breaking deportations paved the way for Trump to do what he is doing so easily today. For more on Obama’s flaws and crimes, go to St. Pete’s for Peace!
Peace!
I hope hindsight has changed your view of Obama. He turned out to be a great President. After him, we got the least.