Ξ January 26th, 2010 | → 6 Comments | ∇ Life |
Americans love their pets. Those Christians who believe in the rapture (which could happen any moment)are concerned about who will take care of their pets when the rapture happens.
Enter an organization called, Eternal Earth-Bound Pets, USA. On their website they say:
You’ve committed your life to Jesus. You know you’re saved. But when the Rapture comes what’s to become of your loving pets who are left behind? Eternal Earth-Bound Pets takes that burden off your mind.
We are a group of dedicated animal lovers, and atheists. Each Eternal Earth-Bound Pet representative is a confirmed atheist, and as such will still be here on Earth after you’ve received your reward. Our network of animal activists are committed to step in when you step up to Jesus.
We are currently active in 22 states. Our representatives have been screened to ensure that they are atheists, animal lovers, are moral / ethical with no criminal background, have the ability and desire to rescue your pet and the means to retrieve them and ensure their care for your pet’s natural life.
For the mere sum of $110.00 they will sign a contract promising to personally take care of your pet when you are raptured. The contract is good for 10 years.
They now have 100 clients in 22 states.
Something like this could only happen in America–Christian America that is.
Are you kidding me? No, guess you’re not………..
Ξ January 18th, 2010 | → 9 Comments | ∇ Life |
The heart of the Book of Leviticus is known as "The Holiness Code". In Chapter 18:22, we read:
You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.
And in Chapter 20:13, we read:
If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall be put to death; their blood be upon them.
"This is the word of the Lord". That is the phrase, or something similar like, "May God bless the reading of his word", that many mainline Christian churches most frequently use following a reading from the Bible.
This is the word of the Lord?
The book of Leviticus was composed during the Babylonian Exile in the latter years of the 6th century BCE primarily by a group of Jewish religious leaders called the "priestly writers". This book was often referred to as a "survival document". This basically means that Leviticus called the exiles into a dedication strong enough to insure and continue their existence as a people should they never (and they were correct) see their homeland again. In my opinion, Leviticus was formulated to cultivate a sense of Jewish separation that was deemed necessary for the survival of the Jewish national identity. So, it was incumbent on them to define themselves as both holy and different. There were multiple ways to do this and Leviticus is the result of their thinking.
In addition to Lev. 18:22 and Lev. 20:13, which obviously dealt with homosexuality (although Lesbians are not mentioned), there were other topics they included:
The establishment of the Sabbath
Adoption of circumcision
Adoption of Kosher dietary laws
The priestly writers were obviously aware of a variety of sexual practices in Babylon (as well as most countries of the area) and decided to define themselves in terms of a strict moral code that reflected their 6th century BCE values based on their knowledge and prejudices of their day. The result was the homophobic passages from Leviticus. These passages served the cultic need to articulate the attitude of the religious leaders at that time and set identifiable boundaries to set themselves apart from their captors.
If we are to use the homophobic passages to condemn people today, what about the other commands or formulations found in the "Holiness Code". Haven’t read them? Or, has it been a while? Perhaps reading the book again would be an "eye-opening" experience for you. After all, we shouldn’t "pick and choose" what "rules" we follow…..Should we?
~Information source: " The Sins of the Scripture", by John Shelby Spong
Ξ January 14th, 2010 | → 0 Comments | ∇ Life |
Today, we are all Haitans. If you see us as ONE, then please consider making a donation to the Red Cross. Here’s a link to do so. Thank You.
Ξ January 14th, 2010 | → 3 Comments | ∇ Life |
I was repulsed and disgusted by the statement which Pat Robertson made about the earthquake in Haiti. When a man who claims to be a Christian makes a statement like this, the rest of the world just shakes their head.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5TE99sAbwM
Ξ January 12th, 2010 | → 1 Comments | ∇ Life |
It was easy for us to bring to mind how we have been wronged along life’s path. There have been broken friendships, terrible job experiences, strained relationships and toxic partnerships – all of which ‘we thought’ required forgiveness on our part. Have we ever come across, in our lives, the unforgivable? If we choose by our wills not to forgive, we do damage to ourselves. I’m not saying that it’s easy. I am just stating the truth. Often we will be damaged to such an extent that continuing our lives in that unforgiveness is more difficult than the forgiveness itself. Do yourself a favor, forgive freely, lavishly, and lovingly.
~Inspired by a post from Tim King
Ξ January 12th, 2010 | → 0 Comments | ∇ Life |
Comtemplation is life itself, fully awake, fully active, fully aware that it is alive. It is spiritual wonder. It is spontaneous awe at the sacredness of life, of being. It is gratitude for life, for awareness, for awareness, and for being. It is a vivid realization of the fact that life and being in us proceed from an invisible, transcendent, and infinitely abundant Source. Contemplation is, above all, awareness of the reality of that Source. It knows the Source, obscurely, inexplicably, but with a certitude that goes beyond reason and beyond simple faith…..It is a more profound depth of faith, a knowledge too deep to be grasped in images, in words, or even in clear concepts.
~Thomas Merton
Ξ January 6th, 2010 | → 2 Comments | ∇ Life |
Three of my blog buddies (they’re on my BLOGROLL) made the Technorati Top 1000 Religious Blogs. Not sure they want to be on a list of religious blogs……but.
Jason, over at Losing My Religion came in at 569
Andrew, over at Hackman’s Musings came in at 716
Kevin, over at Transmillenial came in 972
Congratulations guys! Knew I read your blog for a reason!
Ξ January 4th, 2010 | → 3 Comments | ∇ Life |
One thing that I have learned in the years since I began this journey in earnest (2004) is to hold my beliefs lightly in my hands.
When I look back at all of my blog posts since 2006, when I started this endevor, on my first blog and then the various incarnations of my present blog, I find how much my beliefs have changed. What about tomorrow and next year? I have no idea! But, for sure, I will be open to what comes. I refuse to be closed-minded ever again. I invite you to a journey of exploration of the most wonderful kind. A journey to find out who you really are!
Ξ January 4th, 2010 | → 0 Comments | ∇ Life |
"“We may think that we are individuals carrying on separate existences in space and time, while in the deeper reality beyond space and time we may all be members of one body.”
~Sir James Jeans
"“Nothing is more important about the quantum principle than this, that it destroys the concept of the world as sitting out there with the observer safely separated from it. One has to cross out the old word ‘observer’ and put in its place the new word ‘participator’. In some strange sense the universe is a participatory universe.”
~John Wheeler, Physicist
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