Viper

I may have burned a bridge on Friday, possibly two, maybe even three.  Worst of all, I showed a friend that I am treacherous, plotting, manipulative, and untrustworthy.  It was quite out of character for me; but, talk is cheap.  I surprised even myself, and acted before I fully weighed out the consequences of my actions.  I didn't act for me.  I did it for the benefit of the company I work for.  I've never really been one for advocating that the end justifies the means.  I try to hold principals high.  I've always been about duty, honor, truth, and right.  I am, and have been, a boy scout.  I surprised myself with my actions on Friday more than select others.  I tried to make a deal with the Devil, and he wasn't having any of it.  I may have to face the unpleasant consequences of my actions; this may yet blow up in my face.  Life lesson?

Little Humans

It's cute when they look grown up when they are little.  It's scary when they look grown up and they're big.

Rogg

After that terrible car accident on June 16th, I went to Church on Sunday and was kind of shaken up (although at the time I had no idea how much).  Ross, hearing about the accident, came over to my pew to try and comfort me.  I had no idea at the time of his history and the death of his son David.  I appreciate the effort all the more knowing his pain.  Thanks Ross.  I will miss you.

Women Bishops?

Women on Facebook in my Church have been posting stuff about The Church of England voting not to allow women Bishops.  I couldn't bring myself to post on their statuses for a couple of reasons.  I'm the enemy, and it would just be lip service.  Also, liberal feminism has become so unpalatable to me that I couldn't stomach responding.  I'll blog it.  So, how do I feel?  I'm shocked.  I didn't think that happened in this day and age in a democratic nation.  Her Majesty is a woman for crying out loud.  It p1$$e$ me off when people are judged for what is between their legs rather than what is between their ears.

Vietnam Tragedy

Vietnam:  The tragedy wasn't that so many young people died, although that was tragic; the tragedy was that they gave up.  They died for nothing.

Visions

Cindy'd kill me if she knew I was writing this I think; but, years ago Cindy had a vision, although I don't think she'd admit it now.  She was at a funeral at St. Paul's Stratford, officiated over by Fr. Ted.  She said she didn't know if it was her own funeral, or that of a loved one.  She had this vision during the Maundy Thursday service.  Needless to say, it freaked me out large, but not her.  Anyway, when Tanya took over as rector of St. Paul's, I said to Cindy that the vision couldn't come true now because Fr. Ted wouldn't be the celebrant.  I remembered all of this after Tanya announced on Sunday that she was being appointed Executive Officer of the Bishop's Office.  So, may God prevent it from coming true, like He spared the people of Nineveh in the Old Testament, in Jesus' name.  Amen.

The Crab Apple Tree

If I am out of place on Parish Council, then I am an Imposter First Class on the Anglican Fellowship of Prayer Diocesan Executive Committee.  Who am I to teach anybody to pray!  This too, I joined because I was asked; I did it as a favor--in my mind (maybe not his)--for Andreas, and also to serve God.  I was asked; what greater sign can you be given?  On top of being an imposter, I have missed not one, but every committee meeting in the entire past year.  But, I e-mailed Andreas (or Fr. Andy as I once jokingly called him) and asked him if I could help;  I felt unneeded, unwanted, and guilty for not helping more.  So, off I went to the Bishop's Prayer Conference, hosted by the AFP.  The Bishop didn't show this year, a dissapointment to many.  However, I loved the keynote speaker.  Canon Ann was great.  A lot of what she said resonated with me, spoke to me, sounded familiar.  She spoke of how she had a simple faith, of how she believed everything in the Bible was true; if it says Jesus cast out demons, he did.  If it said he healed, he did.  She spoke of how she had what I call a valley in her faith journey, about how she had a vision while passing a crab apple tree.  It was just an ugly bare crab apple tree.  The LORD said, "It will bloom again."  Canon Ann took this to be a message for her that she and her faith would bloom again.  She spoke about how she used to feel like an imposter, acting her way through it.  She spoke of journaling.  I write many journals, including this blog.  She told stories about faith healings.  She spoke of healing prayer, and those who miraculously recovered.  I found her very refreshing.  She even gave me an idea for the renaming of this blog, which I have since forgotten because I'm a dumb @$$.  She spoke and spoke and spoke.  She said so much that resonated with me that I don't think I can write it all down here.  God bless her and people with faith like her faith.  God willing, may I bloom again, in Jesus' name.  Amen.

When it rains it pours!

St. Paul's Anglican Church Stratford is really taking a $h1t kicking.  I've been told that since June or July, we've lost nine active members of the Church.  Parish Council has lost three, including the rector leaving.  We lost a warden (Glen) a few months back, and now we've lost a Synod delegate (Ross), both members of the parish council.  Now, our rector is leaving us (the third parish council member to depart).  It's going to be a very different Church in the new year.  Her departure was a shock to me, and was upsetting.  I'd say that we didn't exactly see eye to eye--being that she was a left leaning feminist liberal, except that we never argued.  I didn't see it coming, and thought she'd be around for at least another ten years, putting Michael's record to shame.  I was surprised to learn how much I will miss her presence.  In my perspective, St. Paul's was Tanya, and Tanya was St. Paul's.  It's like the Church has been gutted.  It's heart has been ripped out.  It was Tanya who asked me to sit on Parish Council, at a young 28 or 29 years of age, a parish council that was full of old people.  I never would have been elected--or even nominated--by Vestry.  She saw something, or hoped for something, in me and gave me a chance.  At the time, I didn't want to do it.  I hate public speaking, and felt like the wrong person for the job (and still do).  But, I said yes; because, I saw it as a way to serve God, and decided to do it for Him.  I still think I've walked into the wrong room at every Parish Council meeting when all the faces turn to me.  Often, I find myself checking the minutes or the agenda for my name to make sure I'm supposed to be there; I kid you not.  I'm the only person on Parish Council under 50 (60?), and it feels funny.  I was warned by a person who will remain nameless that Tanya would not be sticking around because she was ambitious.  She may be an ambitious liberal, but I will miss her way, way more than I ever realized I would.  I could have cried when she made her announcement breaking down on the chancel steps.  I don't totally get it.  Yes, it will be a very different Church.  I find that I am now--I've talked about where I belong in previous blogs--reevaluating my place at St. Paul's and questioning where I should be.  Can it take a fourth person leaving the parish council?  Where does God call me?

There is no more Rogg.

A good while ago, Cindy got Barb and Ross Penton's e-mail address from them for some reason.  I was supposed to e-mail something.  When I sent it, it bounced.  I sent it to barbnrogg@something.com, or an address very like it.  Barb and Ross have/had such an amazing faith.  Ross was said to have not been afraid of dying.  He's supposed to have said as much, and that his last words were that it was time to go up.  Barb said that she's not as sad as she could be, because he's not suffering and she knows where he is.  Cindy surprised me, as she often does, with her own faith; she said that Ross must be so happy to be back with his son David.  She calls me the religious one, but her faith surprises me at times.  Today was Ross' funeral.  He was involved in so much, and had touched so many lives.  His, like Glen's funeral, was standing room only.  Or, as I like to say, you couldn't have fit any more people with a six foot shoe horn.  I regrett not taking Ross' offer to help him chop wood.  Now, I never will.  I can't remember why he asked now.  Did he want to pay me to help me out?  Did he need the help himself?  Was he just looking for company?  I'll never know.  Death sucks.  It takes loved ones from their families and friends, never to see them in this life again.  Death really is shitty.

Good Wolf

I am not a hypocrite; today I'm choosing to feed the good wolf.

Death, Money, & Resurrection

Why is it that it seems every time I read a Psalm, it see it for the first time?  I was reading Psalm 49 not all that long ago.  I could see all this imagery of people hording their money, and not being able to take it with them, of never being able to have enough to pay the ransom for our lives, of why we need Jesus.  I could see the resurrection and the next world.  This scripture must have caused many arguments in Jesus' time between the Pharisees and the Sadducees. 

Boobs

I was at a wedding last weekend, and I thought about how some women dress. I even heard one woman say, "Well, you know what I always say: If you got it, flaunt it." It bothers me when women wear low cut tops to things like weddings or to Church. There are places they shouldn't dress like that, like work. I don't like to see it anytime in public. I find I'm always having to make a conscious effort to avert my eyes. It's awkward and I shouldn't be put in that position. Some women will actually say, "Hello! I'm up here," if you're caught looking. But really, there'd be no difference if I was to wear shorts that ended just above the bottom of my balls, maybe by half an inch. "Hello ladies! I'm up here!" They're sexual organs. It's normal for men (straight ones anyway) to be aroused when seeing a woman's sexual organs exposed. Sorry, can't help it. And, there should be places where that's not okay, like weddings, worship services, and the workplace, especially in light of the stressed importance of sensitivity training and the awareness placed on sexual harassment in the workplace (which can even be looking you know).  Public places are not The Brass Pole, and I don't want to feel like they are.

Church Change

Numbers are dwindling. That's a fact they tell me. This fact spurs the Church leaders into action. Is their action to preserve the culture and tradition of the Church? No, it is to preserve the institution, to fill the pews. They preach change is good. Fill the pews, save the Church. "The hymns are old," they say. "The liturgy is dead," they lament. "The service is long, and boring, and rigid," they whine. So, are they looking to save the Church or the church? Is it the worship style and doctrine they will change, or the people in the pew. Because, it's the kind of people in the pew that are shrinking in number. They are seeking a different kind of people. You know, it's the structure and time tested worship of the Anglican Church that attracted me to it. If I wanted to be fill in the blank I'd go to their Church now. Maybe the Church leaders would be happier there now.

Regrets

I have observed that the people who say they have no regrets are those who have done whatever they wanted to do, and don't want me to judge them.  Those who have sacrificed are the only ones I know with regrets.

PC

I have been thinking lately about how republican/liberal/atheist forces use the guise of political correctness and tolerance to crush religion, culture, and our heritage. For instance, removing the Lord's Prayer from schools to accommodate new comers to our country, why can't we accommodate them by teaching their religion? It's not that hard. When I was a kid in public school in Quebec, the Protestant kids had MRE and the Catholic kids had MRI. We were sent off to our own unique classes. It's like in high school how some kids take math, while others choose drama. Why can't Muslim kids receive Muslim instruction in public school while Christian kids receive Christian instruction? Is it so that there are no divisions and we're all treated the same, as one big happy family? Well, we're supposed to be a mosaic society! Wake up people. Celebrate, and teach, our moral and religious values to our kids in school; that's where they learn. But no, the atheists and liberals won't have it. Because, it was never about tolerance. That's just the mask they hide behind. Half the reason it's not important to so many is that they were schooled without it. The anti heritage are winning. Wake up!

Upsidedown

I was thinking about how everything in our society has been turned upside down.  It's like that robocop movie where he tries to reason with the criminal who is shooting at him, and then shoots at the person for smoking a cigarette.  You go to jail for leaving your dog in the car on a hot summer day, but walk away scott free for murdering an unborn baby.  You loose your job for expressing your religious beliefs about sexual orientation, but a man is allowed to own child porn because it is his constitutional right.  You can be fined for kicking a dog, and sued for defending your home.  We are forced to be tolerant of others' cultures, but can't say the Lord's Prayer in school or the workplace.  Am I crazy, or does this all sound wrong to anybody else?

Dogs

I love my dogs.  They never hurt my feelings and they're always happy to see me.

It Never Rains But it Pours

I used to think stress didn't effect me. Partly because I thought I didn't have any stress in my life--the little things were like water off a duck's back--part of it was that I thought that understanding stress and its effects somehow protected me from it. Maybe it was the it'll never happen to me syndrome. Well, the stress of life is getting to me; I can see it. Pressure at work, lack of money and too many bills, a sense of lack of fulfillment or lack of purpose, and an out of control teenager at home. I thought I had taught her so well. I have discovered that I can't handle the stress of even this one thing; I can't deal with a teenager. It's like trying to run 16 amps through a 15 amp fuse. Or, as Elgin King so eloquently put it, "That's not going to work. You know why? Because I'm sick of people asking me to put ten pounds of shit in a five pound shit bag!" He sure had a way with words…. And, on top of all of it is my faith valley. It never rains but it pours.

Calling

I've been told many times before--by well meaning people--that I missed my calling when I start talking about God and the Church.  My fear of public speaking aside, I don't feel I have ever been called to ordained ministry.  I have waited and listened, but I have not seen a sign; I do not feel that I have been called.

Psalm 19

As I go through my drought, the valley of my faith, I read Psalm 19 the other day (I know I say the other day a lot).  A part of it jumped out at me, about judgment.  I am aware of my sin, even in this valley.  People talk about it, but I never understood it until it came.  I want my old faith back.  LORD, let not my sin get dominion over me.  Amen. 

 

This week I said goodbye to one of our wardens (elder).  Yes he was 80, but it was sudden.  It got me thinking, a lot.  And, it got me back in Church again.  It was good for me.  It provided a spark.  Goodbye Glen, I wish I had known you better.  I learned more about your life at your funeral than I did in talking to you; and, it shouldn't be that way.

Loose

If the early Church leaders were told that what was loosed on Earth would be loosed in Heaven, can't a Bishop "okay" gay marriage?  We are free from the law after all.  Would it be any different than St. Peter telling us all food was clean to eat?

Hypocrites?

To those who always say, "Christians are hypocrites," I say this: While you may feel entitled to speak on the subject because your grandparents were members of the Christian faith, this is not hereditary--nor is your right to speak with authority on the subject. Do you go to Church? Then shut up.

Drought

It's been a long, hot, dry summer, almost a drought. I usually take the summer off Church, always have since Chandra was a baby (no Sunday School). I went yesterday, and the rain came down hard during the service. Can you see a parallel?

The Law

The law only serves to condemn us. We can't keep it. What did Jesus do to the woman caught in adultery that the religious authorities wanted to stone? He let her go. We should do the same.

Forgive

Forgive is a word that is thrown around by people who are looking for it, not so much by people who should be handing it out.

Anti Church Hate

The hate atheists have surprises me. They claim--some of them--that it's not hate; they just think religion is silly and pointless. But then you see the seething hate. I don't believe in Santa, but I don't direct hate toward those who do (children or those who are special needs). I was watching a TV talk show host debating with an atheist. When asked why he hated Christians, he replied that he didn't; you can worship God or Santa or the flying spaghetti monster. His answer betrayed his hate as he was denying the hate and insulting and belittling Christians in the same breath. The TV host replied that when an adult believes in Santa, we assume mental illness; we don't do that with belief in God. Some very smart people of faith have been kicking around, like C.S. Lewis.

If it is Wrong, it is Always Wrong

A Facebook friend posted a status update that said white people wouldn't dare have a bumper sticker that said, "I'm white and proud," or "White Pride". It's part of the great white guilt. It's a double standard. It kind of reminds me of something a feminist I know said, about how equality doesn't mean treating everybody equal. It's just a way they can justify a behaviour they espouse to hate. Black slavery was justified by the false belief that they were sub human, and by the misuse of religion. Keeping women out of the military was justified by the false belief that they were too phically small to do the job. And this, this anti white male movement is an eye for an eye righting of wrongs way to justify the same behaviour, motivated by revenge.

SSM and Me

I was thinking about my stance on SSM; it certainly would appear to the reader that I have changed my position on the issue. To my evangelical friends, I suppose I have fallen into error. To my gay friends, I suppose I am still a bigot. Is it wrong? Well, the Bible says that it is. But, it's not black and white. Lots of things are wrong. Working on Sunday is wrong, a sin. Not tithing is wrong. It is wrong to lie; everybody does it. It is wrong to have sexual fantasies about a married person, or about a person other than your spouse if you are married, a sin; try not to. Are we all going to hell? Well, if you believe that Jesus Christ is the Lord, the only Son of God, sent to die for your sins and raised from the dead, and follow Him, His examples and His teachings, you will be saved. As I have said many times in my blog, St. Paul says both that Jesus freed us from the law and that sin is perpetual (when the converted St. Paul writes that he continues to do the evil he does not want to do). So, has my view been changed by society, by pressure, by people close to me coming out of the closet? Or, did God put those things in my path to teach me not to judge, to shape me....

Hammer Violence

A guy robbed the jewelry store in the mall in Stratford the other day with a hammer. I'm strongly thinking about starting a petition and then a lobby group to pressure the government to make hammers illegal. It's time we get hammers off the street. End hammer violence!

Double Talk

Double talk is so annoying.  The whole world is in denial. It's not shrinking, it's negative expansion. We have an inability to deal with the truth. You're not fat, you're overweight. He's not retarded, he's special needs. You didn't loose, you came in fourth place! Good try!

Union Jedi

Sometimes at work when people ask me questions about labour law or rights, I feel like a jedi, like Obi--a secret member of the old religion. There are a select few who know that I was a union steward.

I'm thinking I should rename my blog.

I was thinking of changing the name of my blog, seeing as how it has degenerated into an opinion column. I thought My Soap Box was a good name; but it's not exactly original.  Then I thought Hermes is the messenger god, that's fitting; but, it's much too pagan. Angel is better, but too strange. What to do....

Am I a Puppet?

Why is it that anarchists think that I am a brain washed puppet of society? I happen to agree with them (society). I actually am a policy shaper. I'm part of society. Join it.

Gun Crime

Gun violence is becoming a hot topic. The conservative tough on crime approach isn't going to deter crime any more than the liberal anti gun laws. They are needed though (tough on crime laws), to remove offenders from society so that they can not re offend. I think the best answer is to require everybody to carry, and know how to use, a firearm. The first thing to learn is to get over your fear of firearms. More people die from car accidents. Fear cars, not guns. It has been said that we need to deal with the people behind the guns first. I agree.

Faith

St. Paul said that faith was to believe in something we couldn't see. Strictly using this definition, once one has seen a divine manifestation, it is no longer possible to have faith.

Guns

The problem isn't guns. The solution is guns. If every person was legally required to carry and know how to use a firearm, I'd like to see a nut job try to kill 12 people at a movie theater.

Colonialism

I was just saying to somebody yesterday something you can't say anymore. When history is taught now, we are tought about how bad the British were and that colonialism is wrong; it's wrong to subjagate a foreign people. Well, the last part is mostly true; but, all those people living in the violence of civil war, in poverty, in diesease, in hunger, would they not have been better off in the stability of colonialism? But you can't say that anymore; it's not politically correct. So, they're free and they die.

Nice

I guess to be nice is to not have an opinion about ANYTHING (or at least not to express it). They say you can't make all of the people happy all of the time; no matter what you do, you will p1$$ somebody off. I guess the trick is to do nothing; keep it to yourself. That's being nice. I've heard that the mark of a true gentleman is to see that those in his company are comfortable. They say one in never to talk about religion or politics in polite conversation. Truer words have never been spoken. Truer words have never been spoken.

Faith

Cindy was telling somebody that Christopher Plumber was saying how afraid of death he was. The person responded, "Why, was he a bad man?" What this means is that they believe in God and can't understand how anybody could truly fear death. That's faith.

Tree Nazis

If science is the new religion, then the tree nazis are it's newest cult.

Don't Understand Science

Somebody posted a pic on Facebook that said that if you weren't moved by science, you didn't understand science or you didn't understand yourself. I replied as follows:

...or I understand it and don't appreciate it, or I'm sick of it constantly being shoved down my throat by militant atheist neo darwinists.

Cable Packages

I discovered that I have been loosing posts from my cell. This is a re post as well--from today--of a lost post that I sent in from my cell phone:

I was thinking about how the political party is like a cable package. You can't buy single channels. You have to buy a package containing the few channels you want to see along with many, many more that you do not want to see, but must pay for. I'm a conservative, but I am also a unionist. I value free national health care; but, I also value fiscal responsibility, and the liberals don't know what that means. It's the same in the Church. As I look around at what's available--I've told myself I'm staying put until after Chandra goes to post secondary--I don't see where I fit in. Not judging people is something the liberals used to be so good at (they now persecute conservatives), but they take everything to the left, so far to the left. In truth, that's why I left the United Church; it was too liberal. I joined an orthodox Church...at the very beginning of a metamorphosis. I became an Anglican just as the Anglican Church started to become United. However, the conservative Churches think everybody is going to hell for something. Even if you're a confessing Christian, you're doing it wrong. But, they are so by the book. I hate the whole package....

FW:of a repost from first week of July

In what Church do I fit? I feel like a square peg; I look around me, and all I see are round holes.

FW:of a repost from first week of July

I am really angry that people who are supposed to represent Christ are pushing feminism, and quotas, and other left wing ideologies. I don't care what men did to women two hundred years ago. I did nothing. How is it fair to treat some people better and not equal? Quotas are not equality.

Total Freedom

 Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law.  To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law.  To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.  I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.  
1 Cor 9:19-23 (NIV)

Whatever You Do?

"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved."  1Cor 10:31-33 (NIV)

Whatever I do?  Not just eat and drink, but do?  Well, that sure opens a can of worms....

---

Jesus is Freedom from the Law or the Assassin's Creed

I was thinking about something St. Paul said and the video game Assassin's Creed--a great tool for the evangelical atheist.  The Assassin's Creed is this:  "Nothing is true.  Everything is permitted."  It reminds me of something Peter Hitchens said about the feeling at the moment of his conversion to atheism.  Freedom, he felt totally free in the sense that there was no future punishment for any immoral action done in secret or public in this life and he could do what ever he desired.  This sounds a lot to me like the Assassin's Creed.  But, they're reinventing the wheel.  St. Paul said that everything is acceptable, but not everything is good for you.  WE ARE ALREADY FREE THROUGH JESUS!

Jesus is Amazing!

Suppose Jesus was just a man and teacher as the atheists would have us believe.  He stood up to the religious authority and even the Roman Empire, to the point of death on a cross, for His message of love and mercy.

Christians Aren't Supposed to be Perfect

"God does not call us to perfection, God calls us to faithfulness and wholeness."  Sr. Debra, SSJD

Gun Laws

I heard the most intelligent thing said on the topic the other day:  "We have to stop worrying about the guns [gun violence] and start dealing with the people behind them."

Attention Neo Freudians

Attention Neo Freudians:  I had a really messed up dream some time ago.  It must mean something.  So, a demon was resurrected/summoned along with two of his minions, a bat and a monkey.  I was the monkey.  I was afraid of the boss, and tried to hide the fact that I didn't know what was going on.  I found out much later in the dream that sometimes after resurrection, some beings have amnesia.  And, they knew that I was hiding being in the dark.  There was this secret elevator that went from hell to the back of a department store.  I let people into this back room to shop, and the bat freaked out on me for letting them in.  What's it all mean?

Science is a Gift

So, researchers claim to have proof of the God particle.  What does this mean?  What does this change?  For me?  Nothing.  For so many others, it is the pillar of atheism.  Science is wonderful.  Science gives us so much.  But, science should never replace God.  Science is a great gift from God. 

Poison

Some environments--and some people--are poison. They bring out the worst in us. They foster and nurture hate. They cause us to sin. In some cases they polarize us, draw us away from Christ to hold up another banner. In such cases, I believe it is better to remove yourself from the environment. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. If your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.

Freedom From Religion

I can see a future in which it is illegal to express your faith (it pretty much already is when you're at work). They won't have to change any laws, they'll just reinterpret existing laws when they get more public support. It'll be like the Americans who owned slaves and thought that all men were created equal didn't apply to black people. [Note to the reader: I am not advocating slavery]. Marriage has come to mean two people of any sex. At some time in the future, the constitutional right to the fundamental classic liberal freedom of freedom of religion will come to mean that in our society every individual will have the right to be free of any and all religion. It will not be allowed to be in schools or public places, or taught even to your own children. Richard Dawkins already tried to make it child abuse in England, and had substantial support with his petition. It's a scary world and I sometimes think I was born far too late.

It has been my experience that those who cry out the loudest not to judge are the biggest sinners. And, the people who judge the most are those who call themselves Christians. Often, the two are one and the same.

What did He teach

"For God did not send his Son into the world(AA) to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." [bold added] John 3:17 (NIV)

Jesus taught love and mercy.

He Who is Without Sin

		This message is brought to you by Rogers
	Picture this: Crowd: This man was caught in the very act of faggery! Our customs demand that he be banned from joining the military, from receiving spousal tax breaks, from working with small children, from ordination, and from any other position of authority. He mustn’t be treated equally under the law! Jesus: Let he who is without sin table the first bill in parliament.

What does God truly want? Mercy.

I read an interesting post today. Apparently Dr. Laura said homosexuality is an abomination. She said that in Lev. 18:22 or something (I'll have to look it up later), it says that men are not to have sexual relations with other men. The poster, pro SSM, replied with another Lev. verse about being able to own slaves (something now seen as wrong), thus linking the two to show the former as being wrong too. But, they are both from a book of law. Jesus released us from the law. All the law ever did was show us our sin. We are no longer bound by the law. What does God truly want? Mercy.

Free will doesn't exist.

Is there free will? The brain is just a piece of meat. Thoughts are just chemicals and electrical charges. Some of your actions are instinct, some are learned behaviour. During a procedure apparently, doctors stimulated part of a patient's brain and achieved a specific response. It was automatic. When asked why they did it, the patient replied that they wanted to do it. Some have argued that choice is false; a person will react in a pre programmed way. Free will doesn't exist. Presented with the same scenario, a person will always react within a very narrow spectrum of actions. So, the Presbyterians were right; it is predestination. Maybe there is no free will. Maybe consciousness is an illusion; each living human believes they are conscious. Stephen Hawkin says that the brain is just a computer that fails to function when its components fail. I want to believe there's more than that, that there's a loving God who has a greater purpose for us.

What is the meaning of life?

What is the meaning of life? It all adds up to sex. Our society is obsessed with sex, from porn and Hollywood celebrities' lives up close and personal to the debates over abortion, same sex marriage, and teenage contraception. We fight with each other for sex partners. We fight for money and power to basically get sex. More stuff, more property (peacocking), more and better sex. We want to do the things that we are supposed to do, that bring us pleasure, like eating, sleeping, even removal of bodily waste. Things like work and pain are unpleasant, expending needed energy and harm to the body. Think about what brings us the most pleasure, aside from chemically altering the brain; it's sex. Why? Because, the most important bodily function is procreation. The meaning of life? Life is for sex. I want to be more than an animal. I want to believe that there's a loving God who has a higher purpose for me.

Since when does socialism equal patriotism?

Granted, national health care has become an institution, even a valuable one. But, since when does socialism equal patriotism? Why do liberals always say that realists are anti Canadian for speaking their views about excessive social spending.

States Outlaw SSM

With all the states that are outlawing same sex marriage, it certainly appears that the people think it is wrong. I would even go so far as to speculate that they only conform in public because of all the pressure to be PC to save their jobs and house; and, with a secret ballot they show what they really think. You can label them narrow minded, ignorant, backward, inbred, bigoted, uneducated, hicks; but, you're telling me that millions of people are? The majority of the state? They feel it is wrong. They are entitled to their opinion too. I suspect many of them are not even religious. What would Darwin say?

For My Benefit

The Rector's homily today really struck home. It was all about how we exclude and drive others who are different out of the Church, even if we don't do it actively. Now, I know she was talking about SSM; but, I thought about how unwelcome conservatives are in the Anglican Church. Oh, they don't ask me to leave (actively), but they only teach liberal ideals now and censor conservative ideas. Few think like me, and I feel surrounded and out numbered and unwelcome. I know she was talking about SSM, but I wondered if God was speaking to me through the homily just as He did through the high priest in Jesus' time (better for one man to die for the people). And, I found it ironic. Here's a homily for my benefit (to teach me to accept those who practice SS relationships) that really was for my benefit (God showing me that He knows how alone in the Church I feel). We sung Bloom Where You're Planted from the Glory and Praise book, and I asked myself, "Why has God called me to be here now?" Just like my presence on the AFP Executive Committee, I'm getting the distinct impression that I'm not supposed to be here (or at least not wanted here). I haven't been in Church in weeks, and I needed (and got a little) recharge. We're moving faster and faster to the left, and "change is good"; but, I'm expected to stay--and conform (change is only good when I'm not changing Churches). i.e. Change is good when it's change how they want. For some time now, I've been telling myself that I have to wait for Chandra to go off to university; I don't want to be disruptive to her. Where have all the conservative orthodox Anglicans gone? Where do I belong?

Bear More Fruit

The Gospel reading today was about pruning the vine so that it would bear more fruit. In my spiritual valley, I thought that maybe God is pruning me to bear more fruit.

When is it okay to judge someone?

When is it okay to judge someone? The simple answer for a Christian is never. But we all do it. For instance, a few days ago I wanted to add Ralph Klein to my Facebook list of influential people. However, I found I could not because I disagree so strongly with drinking and driving and he was a drunk. However, Churchill (a notorious drunk) was on my list; but, 70 years ago drinking and driving was socially acceptable (or at least overlooked). So, does that make it okay? Well, no; but, because of how society viewed it, Churchill was not really any worse for wear. Plus, I've always made the distinction of judging my man's standards vs. judging by God's standards. That is to say, I never judge a person as being worthy of going to hell, although I can't add Ralph Klein to my Facebook list because his behaviour is socially unacceptable.

Freedom of Speech

As I post tonight, I see that a fellow blogger's blog has been removed. Who removed it? I do not know. However, I am and always have been an advocate of having the fundamental freedom of being able to express oneself.

"I do not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it."
Voltaire

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." US Bill of Rights

"2. Everyone has the following fundamental freedoms:

(a) freedom of conscience and religion;

(b) freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication;

(c) freedom of peaceful assembly; and

(d) freedom of association." CANADIAN CHARTER OF RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS

Psalm 99

I was reading the 99th Psalm not all that long ago. One passage stuck with me: God forgave the Israelites and punished them. It kind of reminds me of the Roman Catholic practice of penitence. There's a notion in our society that if you forgive somebody, that's it. There's no repayment, no eye for an eye. Although I don't believe in penitence or purgatory, and do believe in the full and sufficient sacrifice of Christ, I do make a distinction between forgiving and forgetting; I like to say, "I'll forgive you for kicking me in the @$$, but I'm not bending over in front of you again." So, will we be punished, as some believe St. Peter was punished for denying Christ--three times--by Jesus as Christ asked him in front of all if he loved Him three times over? Will we enter the Kingdom of Heaven and pay in part for our sins? (Again, I'm not suggesting we can earn our way to Heaven). It makes me wonder a little.

Guide Me

Online, on the Daily Office web page, the Psalm tonight asks God to "deliver me in your righteousness.
Incline your ear to me; *
make haste to deliver me.
Be my strong rock, a castle to keep me safe,
for you are my crag and my stronghold; *
for the sake of your Name, lead me and guide me.
Take me out of the net that they have secretly set for me, *
for you are my tower of strength.
Into your hands I commend my spirit, *" and I found that I really meant the words as I read them. ALMIGHTY GOD guide me, in Jesus' name. Amen.

Mercy vs. Judgement

Because I'm a huge procrastinator, sometimes I miss the morning prayer when I'm on afternoon shift and instead do the shorter midday prayer. Yesterday, I was saying the prayer that starts, "Father of mercies," and I saw something that caught my eye/made me think. In the first line are the words mercies and compassion. There seems to me a strong message of mercy vs. judgement throughout the New Testament. And, we judge each other all the time. Jesus said that the second great commandment was to love your neighbor as yourself. Also, when Jesus quoted the Old Testament scripture, he once used the passage that says God desired mercy. If we treat our neighbor as our self, with mercy, there should be no judgement. May God have mercy on us as well. I ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Washed Feet

So we were at Maundy Thursday service, and the reading was about the feet washing. Jesus said to St. Peter that one who is already clean only needs to wash his feet. This got me thinking about what St. Paul said about committing the sin that he didn't want to do. If sin is perpetual, but we are dead to sin through Jesus, then maybe we only need our feet cleaned when we stumble because we are already clean....

Mr. Sulu's Pic

The actor who played Mr. Sulu in Star Trek TOS is on Facebook. I liked his page, and follow his posts. Unfortunately, he is a very outspoken gay activist, liberal, and anti conservative. Anyway, he posted a pic a while back that caused quite a stir. It was Jesus and His disciples sitting around Him. He says to feed the hungry etc... Then one of the disciples says, "What if they're gay or worship other gods?" To which Jesus replies, "Did I stutter?" Then the trolling and b1tch1ng and hate started in post after post. But, gay debate aside, nobody seemed to be too concerned over the other god part. Jesus said to treat your neighbor as yourself and that it was the second great commandment. The first (before the second--because it is first) was to love God with all you being. Other gods? I don't think so.

High Point

The high point in my faith--other than when I was a kid on the farm--would have been the last time I was laid off from Hendrickson. I had been through layoffs before. I always looked for, and found, a job right away. This time was different. I didn't panic. I didn't worry about bills, rent, or my next meal. I totally trusted in God. I didn't just say it, I lived it. I prayed to be called to ordained ministry (in spite of my deathly fear of public speaking). I never heard a call. Some would say, "You retard. That's because there's no God." But I asked and waited. I had no plans. I had no worries. I was more important than the birds. I want to get back there.

My great grandfather, after whom I'm named, was a faith healer. He had rock solid unshakable stupid blind faith. I want that. I know I can't heal; my faith is far too weak. My grandfather was the most devout man I've ever known, and he never healed. Oh to have William's faith....

Crappy Lent

I had a crappy Lent. I hardly went to Church at all. I didn't go to a single Lenten study. I didn't feel it was very fulfilling; I just didn't feel it. I didn't really give anything up. I thought a lot before hand, never made a decision, and Ash Wednesday came and went. I'm in a valley right now. Holy week was somewhat better. Tonight, I asked God to guide me more over the comming new year. I have been badder, and I asked for it to be a new start. I got a little froggy. Then, in the baptismal vows we renewed tonight, it says with God's help I will resist evil. This is good, because I can't do it alone.

Dreams

Have you ever had one of those dreams that seemed so real, seemed like they were not a dream? Last night, I had a terrible dream, one I still remember. Cindy had been struck and killed by a car. I cried and cried and prayed. I remember asking God, when I went to bed that night, to let me wake up in the morning and have everything be back the way it was; I would do anything He asked of me. Then I woke up. Cindy was downstairs. And, I was left with the problem of deciding what was real. Thanks be to the Father for my wife and daughter! Amen.

10 Commandments

The OT reading today was The The Commandments. It can really be divided into two groups, offences against God and offences against other people. Jesus sumarized the law. When the religious leaders asked Him what the most important commandment was, He said that it was to love God more that anything and with all your being. He then said that the second greatest was like it, to love others like you love yourself, and that there were no other laws as great. The summary of the law.

Turn Off Your Phones!

...and then Chandra's cell phone went off during the Eucharist.... Can you say very angry?

The Rite Stuff

On Wednesday night, Fr. Ted read a hard passage from Isaiah. At first glance, it appeared to be saying that all religious festivals and rites are wrong. This troubled me. But, Fr. Ted explained it in his homily. God was calling them hypocrites, through the writer. They paid so much attention to the rites and the law, but neglected the poor and didn't show mercy to others. It gives me comfort that Jesus was circumcised, went to the festival of shelters, was baptized, taught in the temple, participated in wedding festivals, prayed, spent time in the temple even as a child, had a passion for the temple and drove out the money lenders, gave thanks for the bread, spoke the scriptures out loud, recruited the religious leaders like Nicodemus, Joseph of Arimathea, and St. Paul, and celebrated the passover with his friends.

Peace Bumper Sticker

I was driving along the other day, and I saw a John Lenin bumper sticker that said to give peace a chance. I'm so sick of atheists and secular humanists that I just wanted to pull him out of his car and beat him at that point. To my credit, I know it's wrong and I didn't. If I was a Muslim I'd have that to my credit on judgement day. But because of it (and so much else), I need Jesus.

Gandhi Quote

One of those kids I was talking about earlier posted a Facebook status quoting Gandhi saying that Christians are unChrist like. These people think they're inventing the wheel. St. Bonaventure said to feed the poor first, then buy silver and gold for the altar. St. Francis felt that he was called to overhaul and refit the Church. Martin Luther felt there was great wrong in the Church, and it needed sweeping changes. Jesus called the Church leaders vipers and hypocrites. All Christians are hypocrites because all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, especially me.

Hypos

Chandra had a friend that she wanted to bring to the 30 Hour famine at St. Paul's who is an atheist. So, I was giving the whole thing some thought. The more I thought about it, the worse I thought it would be for this friend. Chandra, I think, hopes—as I do—that this friend will become a believer. Well, to put it bluntly, the youth group at St. Paul's sucks. There's no life. One kid is a Buddhist, only going to Church because of his mother, and another is an atheist (or so I thought). Chandra corrected me. He's not an atheist, he's just anti Church. Well, it's a short trip from one to the other. So, I asked her why he is anti Church and she said because of all the hypocrisy. I have my own opinion, but I'll get back to that.

I had an awesome conversation with my youngest brother not all that long ago, who is somewhat anti Church as well. I wish I had a transcript of that conversation; he actually seemed to come around a little. I said that it's easy to see the hypocrisy. It's right there in front of your face. And, society and the anti Church and atheists are more than happy to point it out to you. What's hard to see, is all the good that lays below the surface, that isn't visible, all the poor that are fed and clothed, all the groups that are hosted, all the downtrodden and depressed that are counseled, etc... You really have to look to see it. Church members aren't going to blow their own horn, most of the time. And, the anti Church sure as $h1t aren't going to point it out. There seems to be such a public backlash, anti Church movement growing. Anyway, I digress.

We're all hypocrites. Jesus himself said that he came for the sinners. The scriptures say that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Jesus said that he didn't come for the righteous, that those who are not sick do not need a doctor. We are all sinners, every one of us; that's why we need Jesus. Christians aren't hypocrites, their just sinners trying to do good. WHERE DID THIS COMMONLY HELD NOTION THAT CHRISTIANS ARE FAULTLESS COME FROM! We sin. I sin. And, it's not the Church's fault. I'm not pretending to be good; I'm trying to be good. There's a difference! "Oh, look, he's doing this, and he calls himself a Christian," and comments like it are why we are labeled hypocrites. It makes me want to pull my hair out! St. Paul said that he wished to do the good he wanted to do and not do the evil he didn't want to do. We all sin. Christians sin. We don't decide to become Christians and magically stop sinning. I'm not pretending I don't sin either. So, don't judge me; I'm not a hypocrite. I'm a sinner.

Some Christians don't go to Church (which I think makes them last generation Christians) because they don't believe that they need to go to Church to be Christian. I've said it many times; that is so selfish! Going to Church is not just about you. In the parable about the man who gives his servants coins, Jesus is telling us to invest our faith. Those who don't go to Church are the servant who buried his money in the ground. St. Paul cautioned us not to give up the practice of meeting together. We are to help each other, council each other, guide and nurture the faith in each other. We pass on our faith at and through Church. Plus, it's a great convenient place to worship God too. ;) But, it is so selfish to hoard your faith. So hypocrites hang out at Church. So what! It's God's Church. I'm going.

They say that the worst kids are always the children of police officers (perhaps it's a blessing of sorts that I never found employment in my field) and ministers. Two of my good childhood friends were the sons of clergy. One is an atheist and very anti Church (to the point where he has deleted me a few times from Facebook because he couldn't stomach my comments of faith), the other is at least agnostic and equally as anti Church. Is it just rebellion against one's parents? Sometimes I wonder if Satan doesn't work extra hard on them. A sort of, "Well, I can't get you so I'll go after your precious children" sort of attitude. It's easy for these kids to see the hypocrisy.

Bishop Bob (the son of a priest) wrote a column in the Huron Church News about how he once told his mother that he wasn't going to Church because they were all hypocrites. His mother said something like, "Come along dear; there's always room for one more."

Red and Yellow, Black & White

Not too long ago, I was asking my daughter if she sang with her Sunday School kids. I think she said no. I said that we used to sing "Jesus Loves the Little Children." I began to sing it. She was horrified. Not by my singing, she was repulsed by the language. When did we make black, white, yellow, and red bad words? Native, Asian, African, Caucasian, doesn't fit. And caucasian doesn't rime with sight either. We make words bad. Retarded was never a bad word when I was a kid. We made it bad when we started to use it as an insult, used to belittle a person who did something stupid. My theory has always been that if you're not taking the LORD's name in vain, you're not swearing. It's just vulgar. There's a time and a place for that language, and you have to know the difference.

Eat My Flesh

So I was reading the 27th Psalm tonight and when I got to the part about the evil doers eating my flesh, I wondered if this was Jesus giving his body for us sinners to eat....

Stumbling

Speaking of stumbling, I was at Church on Wednesday and I really liked the collect for the day. It tied in nicely with stumbling.

Just Saying

Stumbling sucks.

Finding Sin in Others

I was listening to the Rector's homily on Sunday and got thinking about "worrying about other people's sin", and immediately thought about evangelical Christians and how they typically find sin in others. Then I thought she could be talking about me and my view on SSM. But I try so hard not to. It's wrong for me and I never say they're going to hell. But, I'm still a bigot.

See Evil

Do you see evil? I see it everywhere. I'm not talking about murderers and pedophiles. I'm talking about signs of insidious evil. It's all around us. Evil doesn't hide anymore. You do have to choose to see it.

Wife Work

		This message is brought to you by Rogers
	There ARE days when I think St. Paul was right to say not to take a wife. Marriage is a lot of work...and stress.

Heritage

I don't get people today. So many people willingly throw away their heritage. And, they openly embrace secular humanism...or worse, witchcraft. All that new age stuff.... You know, I don't see a big difference between Laveyian Satanism and Atheism.

Distance

Sometimes we have to enjoy our children from a distance. My daughter has been so miserable lately that I get little from our interaction. Everybody tells me that it's just a teen thing. Today at Church, I saw her interacting with her Sunday School students. There was joy, amusement, and love in her expressions. Yet I knew, that if I approached, her whole demeanor would change. But it got me thinking: A Facebook friend posted a Voltaire quote about how you can't free a fool from the chains they revere; when God watches a secular humanist being a good person and yet choosing to be distant from Him, does He feel the same thing in His heart that I do?

Packed Psalm

I was reading from the 69th Psalm the other day. Wow, was it ever packed. It was really speaking to me. First, there was the identification I made at the beginning of the reading, about how I am ridiculed for my faith by unbelievers. Then, as I read on, I found it very Jesus packed. You know when people talk about finding Jesus in the Old Testament? Well, here He was!

Creation

Why can't it be both? In the garden, God formed Adam out of dirt. So, this is to say that people are made from ground. This must have seemed awfully stupid to the great thinkers of the age of enlightenment. People made from dirt! Well, we are made from calcium, iron, water, acid, salt, etc... You CAN find all that contained within ground. So....

Who is we?

How lost we are; I was thinking about this rap song from years ago. I think it was Cypress Hill. In the breakdown monologue, he said something like, in the book of Genesis it says that "We will create man in our image; who the [frack] is we?" To a Christian, the answer is easy. I think the singer was trying to point out how the Bible didn't make any sense. It's sad and ironic, how little the people know now. There are at least a generation who grew up outside the Church, who have never heard of Jesus, people who have never heard of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

The Meal Before the Pot Luck

I had this great idea to write about The Lord's Supper. Some would have you believe that it's just a rite, something we do to remember. But, that's only part of it. It's true that in the beginning, early Christians fellowshipped together with a meal. But I believe it was more to even them. They were told to eat before coming to the meal, and to understand it before eating. Jesus said that unless we eat His flesh, we would not live. So, I just wanted to say a few words about the wonderful meal we ate before we sat down to the pot luck at Bishop Bob's visit. But, I guess I already did.

Equal

A Church leader recently said that equally doesn't mean treating everybody the same. When I was in a union shop, we called it harassment. Query: Is it wrong to discriminate against a person because of the colour of their skin, or the language they speak, or their sex? Does it make a difference if they're in the majority? I guess equality means we all treat each other like crap. There you go then.

Stupid

I just heard the stupidest argument for SSM I ever have. An Anglican Priest wrote online that gay people have only been around since the 1800s, so the Bible couldn't possibly be talking about gay people.

Has my position softened? Maybe. My right wing friends would answer with a resounding yes. I was just thinking the other day about St. Paul being all things to all men to win them for Christ. Do I still think it is wrong? Yes. Do I think they will go to hell for it? No. Do I think it is wrong for everybody? No. I feel like Romans Ch 14 has a lot to do with that. It speaks to me on the subject. May ALMIGHTY GOD guide me; I ask this in the name of His Son, my Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Kitchen

I witnessed a disturbing trend today. During the Bishop's visit (which was very nice overall by the way), he made a joke in his homily. It was a rather sexist joke, which I felt was inappropriate, especially for a bishop to use. He said that when Jesus healed the woman in the reading today, she began to serve Him, and that it meant that things had returned to normal. Then, after the service at the pot luck, a kid in our Church said to my daughter to basically get in the kitchen and make him a sandwich. I was appalled. She was annoyed. If we want to have a society where everyone is equal, we have to start promoting equality. I don't know what's worse for me, that it happened, or that my daughter thinks that's just how men are. I told her I was upset by the comment and she said, "Uh huh. Yeah. So am I." I'm glad she missed the Bishop's comment.

All Things

Today's reading from the new testament was 1 Corinthians 9:16-23. It got me thinking about SSM again. Paul says he is all thing to all men, to win them for Christ. Another thought just popped into my melon; what if when St. Paul was saying that women shouldn't have positions of authority in the Church, he was just being one of them to win them? Maybe he was a chameleon for Christ. It he could match the behaviour of those under the law, and those not under the law, why wouldn't he match the behaviour and culture of those in the Church to whom he was writing his letter?

Religion Is Not Evil

There has been a lot of bad mouthing of the Church and of religion as of late. With the posting of the Youtube video about loving Jesus and hating religion, it has opened up a lot of...discussions. I think about the verse that says, "devotion to your temple burns in me like a fire." Jesus said that only if we were as devoted as the Pharisees could we enter the gates of heaven. Scripture tells us to pray without ceasing, like the brothers do at the priory. I don't think religion is wrong, as much as my evangelical friends tell me that it is. Anything can become an idol if you put it before God. But, I can love God and His Church. Jesus said to the religious leaders that they were stupid for thinking that the gifts were more important than the temple; the altar made the gifts holy. Religion is not evil. Religion does not keep people from God. People can totally be religious and have a personal relationship with God.

Vengeance

Vengeance belongs to the LORD. I keep telling myself that as people hurt me. As my enemies attack me, I think this. I know that Jesus told us to love our enemy and pray for those who persecute us; but, it's so hard. I take some comfort in the thought that God will punish them. I do. I know I shouldn't. But, sometimes it's what I say in my head so that I will leave them be.

Wife's Body

A Husband's body does not belong to him; it belongs to his wife. And, a wife's body belongs to her husband.

Good Man

The other reading, which I can't remember, I thought tied in with the homily. Our rector, in her homily, said something about St. Paul being just a good man, and that he would be horrified if he thought we venerated him. That got me thinking about how I like the fact the the apostles were flawed. It gives me hope. I don't have to be perfect. I just have to follow Christ.

Wolves

Often times, I feel God is speaking to me through scripture. Sometimes, it's just a thought that comes to mind as I read or listen to scripture read. Recently, a few scriptures got me thinking. So, this will be a two part (or two post) post.

Wolves. I believe it was two Sundays ago when we read the passage about being sent out into wolves. When I have read this passage in the past, I always used to think that it meant we were being sent out as Christians into the world of pagans, atheists, and the anti Church. Sometimes, I thought that it meant that we are being sent out into a world filled with evil (spirits) lurking in wait, manipulating people, and causing evil. But, when I listened to it this last time, I thought about me, in my Church, how I am all alone (or mostly). I thought about how everybody (especially in leadership) is liberal in both their theology and their political views. I thought about how I feel backed into a corner and out numbered. I don't even feel like I belong any longer. I just keep telling myself that it's not their Church; it's God's Church. I keep going; but, I feel like I'm surrounded by wolves on all sides.

Politics Are Okay In Church

I disagree. I don't think politics ever have a place in Church. We (as the Church) are called to be in the world and to not be a part of the world. A lot of Church leaders now push the Liberal party or liberal ideas. But, I don't think that liberal ideas are the answer. And, that's just the problem; we're fighting about political ideas. Jesus told us to feed the poor. So, a priest should be saying, "Feed the poor," not, "vote Liberal." Some people think that voting liberal is being socially just. But, I don't think it is the answer. Just because the liberals are going to throw more money at a problem won't make it go away. I would rather teach a man to fish than to give him a fish. Jobs solve the problem. Create more jobs. Reduce poverty with jobs. Create jobs through tax cuts, small government, and less regulation that make businesses thrive and produce a strong vibrant economy. Don't throw money at it. That is a band aid solution. So, Church leaders, please, don't say, "Vote Liberal." Say instead, "Feed the poor." Because, you and I have political differences and we will never agree. I want to give them a hand up, not a hand out. We (as members of the Church) are called from all walks of life! The Church welcomes all! SO DON'T PUSH ONE WAY OF THINKING! Push Jesus!

Politics

Why must politics sink their slimy paws into everything? I'm a political animal. I am. Very. However, I believe there's no room for politics in Church. Yet, the Church is super political, forcing me into a corner from which I have no choice but to defend my political views. I hate it! Church should be about God! Why must we assert our views in Church? We are so flawed. God help us.

Readings

Today's readings spoke to me. I felt I needed to be at Church today, for my spiritual welfare you could say. I thought the scriptures spoke to me. The Old Testament reading had me longing to be called by God too. The New Testament reading spoke to me about my own shortcomings, and the Gospel message about the faith of Nathaniel left me thirsting for a faith like Nathaniel's. I found the sermon quite unpalatable however; maybe God had a message there, but it's sometimes so hard to see the message through politics.

War

I've written about just war before. And, there are a lot of peaceniks out there that spin their view, as we all do. But, I do not believe in peace at all costs. It didn't work for Chamberlain, and it's not a safe practice. But anyway, there is a conception in popular culture that war is hate. We all know that hate is wrong, right? Right. However, this association, believed by many (between war and hate) is just not true. Granted, in war soldiers often come to hate their enemy. However, I do not have to hate to kill. Does a pilot who drops a bomb hate the workers in the nuclear weapons facility that the bomb kills? I doubt it. The pilot just pushed a button. They don't even know the people the bomb may kill. How can he hate them? Sure, he or she may hate the people or hate the enemy. But, I can kill a person without hating them. I would kill a person I love to prevent the taking of the lives of my wife or daughter. So, where is this kill/hate relationship? It's a psychological association that serves the peaceniks. When we see violence in the news, it can be scary. Fear is good, it's what protects us from danger. However, we should not make a decision based on emotion. We should not let fear cloud our judgment. Decisions about security and safety should be made based in logic. In the NIV version of the Bible, it doesn't say not to kill (as it does in most modern versions), it says do not murder. Murder is very different. Murder is for hate, revenge, gain, etc. Killing in war (just war) is for defence or for protection of self or others. It is not the same thing at all. When St. Peter cut off the slave's ear, Jesus told him to put away his sword; Jesus knew that He had to die for us. He didn't say, "Peter! What the hell are you doing with a sword!" Jesus even said at one point in the Gospel that a time would come when we would have to take up a sword. When the soldier asked Jesus what he had to do to be saved, Jesus told him to not extort money from others and be happy with what he had. Jesus did not say, "Well, you can't be a soldier." God told the Israelites to kill all the people that lived in the land that He was giving His people. Kill? So the NIV version says murder, eh? I wonder what the most direct translation of the Hebrew says. People and nations have a right to defend themselves. When are people going to realize that man can not bring world peace? Only God can do that.

Pope Gay Bad

So, the Pope says that gay marriage is bad for humanity. That got me thinking about a lot of other laws in the Bible, like not eating pork for instance. Now, Peter had a dream about eating unclean animals being acceptable; but, why was in not okay to eat pork? I think maybe God was protecting us. In that part of the world in those times, you could get very sick from eating pork. So, if the people didn't understand this, God might just tell them not to eat it. It's like a three year old wanting to stick a toy in the electrical socket. I can't say, "Don't do that. You'll be electrocuted." The child will not understand. So, I give the kid a slap on the butt if the kid goes near the socket. This works. Maybe homosexuality was anti procreation, so the law said that it was wrong because we were supposed to multiply and fill the Earth.

For Evil People

I guess that you could say Christianity is a religion for evil people. Jesus said the greater the sinner, the more they would love Him. The more we sin, the more we need Jesus/need to be Christian.