Friday, November 25, 2016
NEWS FLASH: GOD HAS NO POWER, ONLY LOVE
Christians, you can't have it both ways. Either God is one of power or might, or of love. You can't have it both ways. That's what screwing you up so much. One minute you pray for this and that, with the assumption that God will make your dreams come true (If you are worthy? If God wants to? If you pray for it 'hard' enough or long enough?) The next minute you're claiming to follow Jesus who, it seems, didn't even get his wish when he prayed to be shown a different ending than death by the Romans.
Can't you see that in real love there is no power? How can there be force and control in love? Any parent knows that in raising children in love, you are constantly giving away power until it is all gone. Only love remains. Yet, we continue in word and song to insist on a God that is all-powerful and mighty. It's no surprise that we've not grown in love and churches are dying. They deserve it.
Let's look again at the Way of Jesus of Nazareth. There was no power there. Time and again he refused power of all kinds. Yet, we make him into our 'Messiah'. We may admit that that was the way of his 'earthly' ministry, but that he is still all powerful up in heaven. How terrible! When we do this, he truly did die in vain.
Christmas will be in another four weeks, a time when we hear Jesus referred to as our king, messiah, and many more terms of power and might. How terrible. We ignore all the birth narratives in Matthew and Luke, stories that try to tell us all of how powerless the Word of God is, of how we must put aside our worship of Power and Control.
Maybe, just maybe, this year we (Christians) will begin to hear. When we do, perhaps we will begin to find new life. If we don't, we'd better die off as soon as we can and encourage others to find God in the poor and powerless.
Just One Disciple,
Anthony
Wednesday, November 2, 2016
TRUMP IS RIGHT - SORT OF
Six more days until the USA election. Trump says everything is wrong and he will bring back the good old days. Clinton says everything is fine and she will see that it gets even better. Even though Trump scares me and I'd vote for Clinton if I could, Donald is more right in his basic story than is Hilary. There is a truth that very few politicians care to admit: Each of the next generations, taking the world as a whole, will have less material goods than the previous one. "Winter is coming!"
Having based our worth and value on the amount of material wealth we have accumulated or used, this fact is most difficult for us to accept. Even in The Economist this week, most people in the 'west' know this fact is true. 'Success' for most of us is to beat the odds, to keep accumulating or just to break even in the next decade or two, to retire or die with as much we as have now, to not have to change our lives or expectations, to not have to share in the general fate of the world and accept the results of the way we and others have lived.
The success of Donald Trump is dependent upon those who take that path, hoping that using violence and isolation, the inevitable will be delayed for a while. In some ways, they are more honest than are the 'everything's OK' folks.
Both, as are all leaders who side with either, need to be challenged with a greater reality and vision. Only if we replace our measure of success and 'The Good Life', will we survive. Only a true rebirth, a true renaissance of life and spirituality, will lead us through the crisis in which we are entering. No other path has any hope. Any leader that does not take this into account is not worthy of our support. I seriously doubt that either of the candidates in this election have that depth.
It is most sad that there are few 'spiritual' leaders that have the depth, courage and love that can meet our needs. Our 'religious' institutions have long ago abandoned their relevance. A new paradigm is needed. Nothing short of a political/spiritual revolution will suffice.
The fear of those to our south (and so many other nations) will, hopefully, awaken more of us to see the larger picture and to enable us to see that our beliefs and actions simply can not remain separate. Only in having the betterment (and survival) of humanity can be our goal from this day on. All 'would be' leaders who don't know and display this in their actions must be rejected.
From all faiths, and those without 'religion', this must become our one purpose. Hilary and Donald, who ever wins, open your eyes wider. Both of you will have to be truly 'reborn' if you are to be any good for the world.
Still in hope,
Anthony
Having based our worth and value on the amount of material wealth we have accumulated or used, this fact is most difficult for us to accept. Even in The Economist this week, most people in the 'west' know this fact is true. 'Success' for most of us is to beat the odds, to keep accumulating or just to break even in the next decade or two, to retire or die with as much we as have now, to not have to change our lives or expectations, to not have to share in the general fate of the world and accept the results of the way we and others have lived.
The success of Donald Trump is dependent upon those who take that path, hoping that using violence and isolation, the inevitable will be delayed for a while. In some ways, they are more honest than are the 'everything's OK' folks.
Both, as are all leaders who side with either, need to be challenged with a greater reality and vision. Only if we replace our measure of success and 'The Good Life', will we survive. Only a true rebirth, a true renaissance of life and spirituality, will lead us through the crisis in which we are entering. No other path has any hope. Any leader that does not take this into account is not worthy of our support. I seriously doubt that either of the candidates in this election have that depth.
It is most sad that there are few 'spiritual' leaders that have the depth, courage and love that can meet our needs. Our 'religious' institutions have long ago abandoned their relevance. A new paradigm is needed. Nothing short of a political/spiritual revolution will suffice.
The fear of those to our south (and so many other nations) will, hopefully, awaken more of us to see the larger picture and to enable us to see that our beliefs and actions simply can not remain separate. Only in having the betterment (and survival) of humanity can be our goal from this day on. All 'would be' leaders who don't know and display this in their actions must be rejected.
From all faiths, and those without 'religion', this must become our one purpose. Hilary and Donald, who ever wins, open your eyes wider. Both of you will have to be truly 'reborn' if you are to be any good for the world.
Still in hope,
Anthony
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