Tag - Spirit of the Disciplines °

John Paul II: Private Prayer and the Dangers of Public Life

Abusive Use of the Bible – a la Speaker Mike Johnson – is Fraud. But Popular, & a Handy Weapon.

Posted: November 3, 2023

This abusive use of the Bible (“The New Small Bible” or “The Republican Small Bible”) is a long-standing American problem. And it is not a small matter. It is truly dangerous.

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Jesus Named Wicked Ways (9 Examples) – We Can’t Hide

Posted: August 24, 2023

Jesus named wicked ways … explicitly. That is, Jesus of Nazareth himself, 1000 years after Solomon, 2000 years before us.

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Christofascism – It’s Real, It’s Deadly, And It Intends to Dominate Us All

Posted: July 30, 2023

The book “Confronting Christofascism,” makes this starkly clear:
“We are dealing with something far beyond the contents of the Christian Gospels.” (p4)

1 comment

A Rigorously Christian Liberal – Nebraska’s Wm J Bryan

Posted: May 21, 2023

He was openly, deeply Christian, and vigorously liberal. And “He did more than any other man to transform the Democratic Party
from a bulwark of laissez-faire into the citadel of liberalism we identify with Franklin D. Roosevelt.”

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Christians Love Lies About Gandhi. But He Loved Jesus More Than Most Of Them.

Posted: June 20, 2019

Why so many lies about Gandhi?
What if deep, genuine love and respect for Jesus
– like Gandhi practiced –
is actually more holy, more saving …

0 comments

Can We Love Our Problem Nation – Like Jeremiah Did?

Posted: May 30, 2019

How painful to be so lovingly and faithfully involved in what you know is a dead-end ministry! We need to honor Jeremiah for his faithfulness under such circumstances. And if we feel our situation is similar, we need to imitate his loving and faithful truthfulness.

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Right-Wing Violence: Pope Francis’ Early Experience

Posted: May 21, 2019

Pope Francis knows by experience – when the true thugs hold the levers of power it matters little what their alleged politics are. But in his case in Argentina it was the “conservatives” or “right wing” doing the violence …

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Spiritual Tune-up. YOUR “HABIT and Cherished Thought.” (Gen J L Chamberlain)

Posted: January 20, 2019

The importance of habit was not only Chamberlain’s theory, you know, like we all say cliches about life. He lived it. This is from his explanation of why he was truly ready at a crucial moment during the Civil War’s Battle of Gettysburg.

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Evangelicalism is Broken. Do They Know? Do They Care? (review of Labberton’s “Still Evangelical?”)

Posted: January 14, 2019

Many “Evangelicals” see no crisis, judging from 5 of the 12 articles in Mark Labbertons’s recent valuable book Still Evangelical? (pub’d Jan 2018).

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Let’s Build The Kingdom. Jesus said, “Seek Ye First The Kingdom of God.”

Posted: March 9, 2017

“Over and against these senseless modern myths … there is the “myth” of the God of goodness who has chosen people to prepare a kingdom of justice, truth, and love on earth. This myth dies hard. Why should we refuse to admit that Christ taught it to us?” [from Andre Trocme, Jesus and the Non-Violent […]

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If You Do Not Love Your Neighbor Whom You CAN See – Can You Love God?

Posted: February 20, 2017

If you do not love your neighbor – the author of “1 John” makes a blunt and very logical analysis of our emotional attachments – or professed attachments. And it involves neighbors.

6 comments

Nonviolence – Turn the Other Cheek MEANS Resist Them Courageously, Non-Violently

Posted: October 18, 2016

Should Christians practice resistance, practice nonviolence? Is it ever appropriate for Christ-followers to resist people in authority? There is much in the behavior of prominent influencers, including politicians, that cries out for criticism and resistance.

49 comments

“With Malice Toward None” – A Necessary Standard!

Posted: February 18, 2013

In pretty much his last words to the American people, Abraham Lincoln began the wrap-up of his Second Inaugural Address with these famous, beautiful ideals: With malice toward none, with charity for all . . . And I think he really meant it. In a nation that was an ocean of anger and blaming and […]

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Jesus Emphasized Issues that Churches Avoid

Posted: July 16, 2008

John Howard Yoder vigorously believes that the teaching of Jesus was very practical and very this-worldly.

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Declaration of Independence – Kids’ Version. Pretty good.

Posted: July 5, 2008

This is helpful. A version of the Declaration of Independence particularly for kids.

2 comments

Christian Theocracy (Some Religious Group Runs the Government) – We’d Regret this Nightmare for Democracy.

Posted: September 21, 2006

I am a church person, a person of Christiain faith, but opposed to Christian theocracy (or any kind!). I don’t think we need a government that rules as if it were the voice of God.

4 comments

Was Jesus Violent When He Harassed the Temple Money-Changers?

Posted: June 20, 2005

When considering “was Jesus violent?” one incident often comes up – the time when he overthrew money-changers’ tables in the temple compound in Jerusalem.

18 comments

Wislawa Szymborska, poem: Cleaning Up The Mess(es)

Posted: April 23, 2005

This poet puts things so matter-of-factly, and sees so realistically. I see this applying to more than military “adventures” – see after the poem. THE END AND THE BEGINNING by Wislawa Szymborska (Nobel Prize winning Polish poet) After every war someone has to clean up. Things won’t straighten themselves up, after all. Someone has to […]

2 comments

Why Many Christians Do Not Vote Republican

Posted: February 10, 2005

The problems remain. This was written 20 years ago. We (and I) have learned some things since then. But Wow! The problems remain, and have grown; which means these things still need thinking and talking about. (References and Bible quotations are at the end.) The very reasons for BEING a Republican Christian are also the […]

33 comments

The Dangers of Christian Dominionism – the Christian Right’s Lust to Control You

Posted: January 8, 2005

[I do not know the author of this. See note at the bottom.]
The dangers of christian dominionism are not new, but let’s be familiar with what it stands for
to avoid being oppressed, or deceived by its heresy.

14 comments

Abusive Use of the Bible – a la Speaker Mike Johnson – is Fraud. But Popular, & a Handy Weapon.

Posted: November 3, 2023

This abusive use of the Bible (“The New Small Bible” or “The Republican Small Bible”) is a long-standing American problem. And it is not a small matter. It is truly dangerous.

0 comments

What If Christians Don’t Listen to Jesus? See 5 Very Short, Very Important Stories from Matthew 7

Posted: September 28, 2023

If a pastor tries to listen to Jesus and a church member complains ‘Where did you get those liberal talking points?’ – then we know US “Christianity” has problems.

0 comments

Our Sometimes Silly Beliefs Don’t Matter Much to God. 3 Ways God Views Our Beliefs.

Posted: August 29, 2023

Your beliefs don’t matter. WHY WOULD your beliefs matter to God? We hear all the time, or feel, that they surely do matter – but why? How?

0 comments

Christofascism – It’s Real, It’s Deadly, And It Intends to Dominate Us All

Posted: July 30, 2023

The book “Confronting Christofascism,” makes this starkly clear:
“We are dealing with something far beyond the contents of the Christian Gospels.” (p4)

1 comment

Tyranny – We’re in Danger but Have Options – 20 Short Lessons.

Posted: July 25, 2023

Very short book, and very valuable!
“The Founding Fathers tried to protect us from the threat they knew,
the tyranny that overcame ancient democracy.
Today, our political order faces new threats …

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Young Climate Prophets, Wise and Blunt Against Earth Abuse

Posted: April 25, 2023

Climate prophets use the burning Notre Dame cathedral as a gut-grabbing illustration of what’s happening –
to our climate, Our Cathedral Home, this beautiful, ancient, and precious Earth.

0 comments

Christians Love Lies About Gandhi. But He Loved Jesus More Than Most Of Them.

Posted: June 20, 2019

Why so many lies about Gandhi?
What if deep, genuine love and respect for Jesus
– like Gandhi practiced –
is actually more holy, more saving …

0 comments

Gandhi Said Freedom Is Connected to Equality, and is Crucial to Humane Life

Posted: May 25, 2019

If I think of another person as having true and legitimate freedom, being equal with me in having freedom …

0 comments

Right-Wing Violence: Pope Francis’ Early Experience

Posted: May 21, 2019

0 comments

Follow Micah; Be Christian Activists When Possible. Call Out Evil Doers, Who Hurt Us Because They Can.

Posted: May 17, 2019

Some argue against us being Christian activists or whistle-blowers,
saying believers should avoid questions that have been politicized …

0 comments

“It Will Happen Here.” Solidarity is the Only Possible Response, or Good People Will Suffer and Die.

Posted: May 4, 2019

When so many groups are under attack, solidarity – a decentralized collective response – is the only response. They’re attacking all of us to make us feel atomized and fearful.

0 comments

Not Pro-LIFE: They Betray Life by What They Ignore and What They Insist On

Posted: March 10, 2019

They’re not pro-LIFE – you can tell what they want by what they do, much more than by what they so emotionally say.

3 comments

Evangelicalism is Broken. Do They Know? Do They Care? (review of Labberton’s “Still Evangelical?”)

Posted: January 14, 2019

Many “Evangelicals” see no crisis, judging from 5 of the 12 articles in Mark Labbertons’s recent valuable book Still Evangelical? (pub’d Jan 2018).

0 comments

The Trump Problem: Naomi Klein Finds Hope – In “Killing the Trump Within”

Posted: November 26, 2018

A Strong Call to Insistent Courage and Hope
Naomi Klein calls us to action and hope in “No is not Enough.”

0 comments

Speak Up! “Lift your voice; declare to my people their sins.” – Isaiah 58

Posted: November 22, 2017

God requires the prophet Isaiah to speak up about what he sees – what is clearly going on in the economy of his nation.

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Jesus and Racism – Samaritan Lives Matter – Black Lives Matter

Posted: November 20, 2016

The phrase “Samaritan lives matter” would have been very offensive to the racism in Jesus’ cultural surroundings, in which he was a teacher and doer of good.

4 comments

Are Matters of Economics Moral Issues – Spiritual Issues? Isaiah Pushes It!

Posted: September 20, 2016

Why do you suppose Isaiah bothers himself so much with economics? Very unspiritual for a Prophet, eh?

7 comments

Jesus Emphasized Issues that Churches Avoid

Posted: July 16, 2008

John Howard Yoder vigorously believes that the teaching of Jesus was very practical and very this-worldly.

0 comments

Veterans ask: Support the Troops? “Ma’am, We ARE the Troops.” Put your money where your mouth is.

Posted: September 15, 2006

Veterans replied “Ma’am, we are the troops” to a woman during the Vietnam War who urged protesting Vietnam Vets to “support the troops.”

2 comments

Letter from Birmingham Jail: 14 Often Disturbing Quotes from Martin Luther King

Posted: January 15, 2005

Martin Luther King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” is one of many treasures
often ignored in American liberal democracy and in bringing Christian moral theology to public life.

4 comments