Category: Spirituality

Multiple Personality Design – DDWJWD Part4

Even if millions of Jesus clones could somehow produce a functioning society, his example would still fail to address the vast array of choices and experiences even within the life of one individual. Consider this admittedly-hard-to-follow quote from the singular mind of John Oman: But, when we imagine that we can finally direct our lives…… Continue reading Multiple Personality Design – DDWJWD Part4

What Would Jesus Evade? DDWJWD Part 2

If anyone ever lived out the “What Would Jesus Do” ethic, Justin did. He moved into an abandoned train depot in the bar district of the next town over and took in homeless people. One night I think he baptized nineteen people in the fountain of the big Baptist church a couple of blocks over.…… Continue reading What Would Jesus Evade? DDWJWD Part 2

DDWJWD (Don’t Do What Jesus Would Do) – Series Intro

Some kid at Bible camp ran up behind my son, Jadon, and slapped him on the back of the neck. I guess he wanted to take on the biggest guy in the cabin. Jadon whirled around, narrowed his eyes and growled. The kid, immediately regretting his decision, resorted to playing the Jesus card, “Now, now,…… Continue reading DDWJWD (Don’t Do What Jesus Would Do) – Series Intro

Prophets that Profit

Those who insist that we use the Bible as a set of religious and moral imperatives often support their view with passages like 2 Timothy 3:16-17. Let’s take a fresh look at that one for a moment: All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the…… Continue reading Prophets that Profit

Hang Up; I’m Leaving You a Voicemail

Direct communication is better than pre-recorded messages.

My Pragma Ran Over My Dogma

Back when I was one of approximately four people going to heaven, I used to knock on doors to let others know. I didn’t really care that much if they accepted what I had to say; I just knew that in addition to conforming to every “command, example, and necessary inference”¹ in the Bible, I…… Continue reading My Pragma Ran Over My Dogma

The Bible on the Bible

“Hey, you’re dressed queer.”I look over. The speaker is an elderly man, mid-70s I’d guess. He is tall and thin and is wearing of those caps that cabbies wore in movies from the Forties. “You’re dressed queer,” he snarls. “Why you dressed so queer.” I have on my usual fringes, and, for good measure, have…… Continue reading The Bible on the Bible

Black Light

I used to have a recurring nightmare. I’d enter a dark room where I sensed a malevolent presence. Instinctively, I’d flip the switch on the wall, but the light wouldn’t respond. Fear would grip my heart as I vainly repeated my attempts to shed light on whoever or whatever approached me in the darkness. It’s…… Continue reading Black Light

What’s in a Name?

My cousin is a Jehovah’s Witness. She and I had a conversation a while back. I asked her, “When Jesus said that he had given his disciples God’s name, what name did he mean?” “Jehovah.” was her unhesitating response. Then I asked her where in the Gospels do we find an instance of Jesus ever…… Continue reading What’s in a Name?