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!