a common sense spirituality blog
For years, I believed that Jesus died on the cross for my sins, and that I became a sinner the moment I took my first breath. That's what I was told. Everyone around me believed it. As far as I was concerned, it was so—until I began to notice that something didn't add up: Jesus... Continue Reading →
Forgive us, Father, for we know not what we do. Each Palm Sunday, I am even more sensitive to the fact that for the next week, millions will unknowingly demonize God and believe that they will be mightily blessed for doing so. I'm sure you're wondering: How in the world can someone demonize God and... Continue Reading →
At one time, the condescending attitudes of those who believe that God solves problems by drowning, burning, torturing and threatening to excessively punish His children throughout all eternity made my blood pressure rise. I've been met with outright hostility and judged as a hell-bound heathen because I steadfastly refuse to believe that God would do... Continue Reading →
Some believe that anything that claims to be said by God, written by God or done by God, but does not fit within Paul's definition of love in 1Corinthians 13:4-8, mocks and demonizes God.
I've often wondered whether we have done Jesus a great disservice by assigning him the same birthday as ancient gods. In mythology, Horus of Egypt (c. 3000 BC), Mithra of Persia (c. 1200 BC), Attis of Greece (c. 1200 BC), Krishna of India (c. 900 BC), Dionysus of Greece (c. 500 BC) and others were... Continue Reading →
I awoke this Sunday morning to a disturbing but not surprising newspaper story about a suburban Chicago teen, Adel Daoud, who tried to blow up a downtown bar full of patrons. His goal: To kill as many Americans as he could—and not just any Americans. He specifically targeted bar patrons with his car bomb because... Continue Reading →
God is so reliable. I was perusing my list of blog post ideas, looking for inspiration, when one caught my eye: Can you have faith without religion? It's a compelling question, especially since an increasing number of Americans now describe themselves as "spiritual, not religious." One study reports that as many as 33% self-identify as... Continue Reading →
I was absentmindedly watching the flight information screen as we ascended toward Istanbul from Cairo, and noticed a little factoid that had previously escaped me: The outside temperature. It was plummeting by the second. Before I switched screens to scroll through my movie choices, it was -98°F out there—almost 200° cooler than the Sahara. I... Continue Reading →
During this, the holiest week on the Christian calendar, we will attend vigils, wear hoodies to church, and post cathartic sentiments on social media in protest of the death of this innocent child and its subsequent cover-up. Then we will get down on our knees and thank God for sending another innocent young man to be slowly and sadistically tortured to death so that the guilty could be forgiven.
Several Bible scriptures, including Revelation 7:1, Isaiah 11:12, and Job 28:24 and 37:3, tell us that the Earth is flat. Eyes open, brains in full throttle, do we embrace these scriptures as Truth (the Word of God), or as insight into what ancient people believed was true?
Loud Mouth in the Balcony 