A Very Active Group

The following link is to a very active, Unitarian Christian, discussion group. Check them out when you get a chance.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UnitarianChristians/

The Purpose Driven Life

Even though the book seems to be written from a more fundamentalist viewpoint that I happen to have, I got a lot out of reading this book and recommend it to anyone with at least Christian leanings.

Following the instructions in the book, I spent some time everyday for 40 days reading one chapter of the book and considering what it had to say until the next day. The time required was minimal, but there were many rewards/insights to be found.

The books is written around 5 purposes that can be summed up as worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry and mission. As should be apparent, the importance of service is a key theme. There is no attempt to fit you into a box of a set shape; everyone being different and the desirability of that is recognized as very important.

I avoided reading this book, despite seeing it all over the place for a long time. I am glad I gave it a try. Hopefully, you will too. Let me know how it goes.

The Ultimate Cause

I once heard that the most basic definition for God is that entity which is without cause or that entity which is the ultimate cause. At the very least, this would make God the ultimate starting point for everything, and in our way of thinking, everything has a cause back to some first cause.

So why then all the objection to a mere statement regarding Intelligent Design in the public schools? Darwin never explained how things got started, and there has to be a start. I am not advocating teaching the Book of Gensis in a public school, just making a statement to the effect that something, seemingly intelligent, may have gotten the ball rolling.

How can that not be science? There is plenty of evidence to support that conclusion. The complexity of and yet narrow margins between which life can exist is only one example.

If you ask me, refusing to make any statement as to a beginning is unscientific and some much burying of heads in sand.

On the Issue of Creeds

An article that I wrote with the above title was published in a recent issue of the American Unitarian (June 2005). It will soon be available on the AUC website (see below) for those interested in reading it who don't subscribe to the print journal. Let me know what you think.

http://www.americanunitarian.org

JESUS by A.N. Wilson

I just finished this book on Jesus today. Lots of surprises!

The focus of the book was on finding the Jesus of History as opposed to the Jesus of Faith within the Gospels. That turns out to be a little more difficult than it might appear. The two seem very different.

Wilson's take is that it is hard to find much we can be sure is the historic Jesus in the Gospels, but there are some hints. He takes these in combination with what is known about the culture and politics of the time and comes up with many interesting and plausible speculations.

An example that I found particularly intriguing is the assertion that the High Priest's servant present at the arrest of Jesus who had his ear cut off was none other than the Apostle Paul when he was called Saul. Sounds a little strange, but Wilson does have some evidence to support this.

One thing that Wilson talked about seems to capture where we end up in some respects in searching for the historic Jesus in this book. In the Fourth Gospel (John), Pilate asks Jesus, "What is truth?" Jesus does not answer.

I noticed that in this same Gospel Jesus says that no one asked him "Where are you going?" or in a certain ancient tongue, "Quo vadis?" Maybe this is an avenue for Wilson to look down in further study.

The book is not recommended for fundamentalists who are senstive about their faith, but Wilson is respectful in his writing. Give it a try otherwise.

Newspeak

The Happy Holidays controversy brings to mind something from Orwell's 1984 - NEWSPEAK. Eliminate ideas by eliminating words.

December 25 is Christmas, so the greeting should be Merry Christmas. This year we could add Happy Hannukah because Hannukah starts on December 25. Happy Holidays is generic, not properly descriptive. We could be talking New Year or 4th of July.

I don't know about you, but I don't think anything from Orwell's world of 1984 is worth having around. Let's leave Newspeak in the book - the only place it belongs.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah and Happy New Year - know what I mean?

One Year Makes a Difference

I see it has been a little over a year since my first blog posting. A lot has changed in a year.

It was about a year that we were last in New Orleans. Many of the places we saw then are now gone. Hard to believe.

Been nearly a year since we moved to Virginia and many changes have come about as a result.

Have done a lot of reading in the last year and have many new ideas to play with.

Published an article in the AUC's journal.

Found a church (I think).

And soon a new adventure begins ... hopefully.

Stayed tuned.

Lost Christianities

I just finished this book by Bart Ehrman and liked it very much.

The book provides an introduction on many topics regarding early Christianity that shaped what we have come to understand as Christianity and its canon and core beliefs.

There is a discussion on "Scripture" that did not become part of the mainstream canon and how we ended up with this canon in the first place. In addition there is a summary of three main groups of early Christianity that lost out for the most part - Ebionites, Marcionites and Gnostics (actually this last was quite diverse). There is also an explanation of how the "war" was fought and how the winners "won". This includes likely forgery and alteration - even in canonical books!

Lots of good information for people just getting started on these topics. Note that this book focuses on issues BEFORE the issues with the Trinity like Arianism and all that heated up, although there is some mention of this.

Recommended. Let me know what you think.

Reincarnation: The Missing Link in Christianity

Finished this book by Elizabeth Clare Prophet today. Really enjoyed this one! Ms. Prophet really seems to have done her homework before writing it - the bibliography and notes are quite lengthy and varied.

The book starts off a little oddly, but soon shifts over to something more cohesive and even almost scholarly (but not stuffy). I found it to be actually quite a page turner. Some very interesting points are made throughout the book to support Ms. Prophet's thesis that reincarnation was probably a belief held by many early Christians, and Jesus may have even preached on this subject, if only indirectly.

I did think that some of Ms. Prophet's logic was a bit weak in spots - especially early on in the book - but she did tie things up pretty well as the book progressed. The ending was perhaps a little less than satisfying, but still appropriate.

Even if you don't believe in reincarnation and don't think you ever could, the book makes for interesting reading. I highly recommend it.

1984

Finished George Orwell's 1984 yesterday. I had never gotten around to reading it before this. Great and profound.

Surprisingly, I saw a lot of parallels between my own experiences and what goes on in the book. That was more than a little scary.

The whole thing about DOUBLETHINK was especially unsettling. People today do use this all the time - especially in the media. Not a good thing. Maybe if more people read this book, they would realize what they are doing and stop. I know I will be on the lookout so as to avoid being guilty of this myself.

If you haven't read 1984, then get hold of a copy and read it. If you have already read it, then read it again.

Boston Visit

I went on my first trip to Boston this past week. Had a great time. It was like being in a clean NYC. Lots of history and wonderful used bookstores.

A New Christianity for a New World (NCNW)

I just finished the book NCNW by Bishop Spong. I do recommend it. It starts out a little slow and rambles a bit at the end, but there are great insights to be found in it, especially in the middle part. The book is a follow up I guess to his earlier book, Why Christianity Must Change or Die.

A fundamentalist would probably not like NCNW, as it sets most doctrine that a fundamentalist would hold dear on its head. Liberal Christians may be a little shocked by some of the statements in the book, as I know I was in a few places, but I believe that Bishop Spong is sincere and writes from the heart, so he deserves a hearing.

I found much in the book that I agreed with like ideas on the nature of Jesus. Some ideas I will have to think about some more like those on evil and on God. Others I don't know what to do with exactly.

Give it a try and see what you think.

The Power of Now

It might take a while to get through this book, even though it is only a little over two hundred pages, as it is pretty deep. But, it is a readily understandable kind of deep.

The main point is that Enlightenment is attained through accepting the Now, the present, as it is. Nothing can happen, except in the Now, so the Now is all that really matters.

Take a look!

CS Lewis - Screwtape Proposes a Toast

This story is set at an annual dinner for demons in Hell. Screwtape, a head demon, gives a speech concerning their work to bring humanity down.

A truly memorable part of the speech is the discussion on the decline of democracy and education, and how this plays into the hands of those running Hell. Very thought provoking and original in viewpoint.

One of the main points made is that individualism is being destroyed in favor of a false sense of equality. Being equal before the law (which is right) is not the same thing as being "equal" in every way (even if "shoehorning" is required). People are not the same nor are they equal in ability. The story makes the point that some people are being held back to make others feel better, and society is damaged as a result. This results in a kind of mindlessness and moral decay as well. Lewis has been dead for many years, but seems to have foreseen where we are heading or maybe where we have now arrived.

If you don't know what I'm talking about, read this story then take a look at TV. Ask yourself, why does anyone care so much about Paris Hilton and other "celebrities" and all the "insightful" REALITY programs?

Think about it.

New Hometown

Dogwoods Bloom in Alexandria

We recently moved. Spring has been incredible here. Wanted to share this picture of what it looked like. This photo does not do the real trees justice, but you can get an idea from it.

Healing the Masculine Soul

I just finished reading this book by Gordon Dalbey. Its subtitle, How God Restores Men to Real Manhood, gives you a good picture of what sort of path it takes. It is a great book! I found it quite by accident (?) and am really glad I did.

It's funny how you sometimes find books that are really meaningful to you. I found this one browsing through a mall bookstore in Jackson, Mississippi during a visit to some friends during part of our Christmas 2004 holidays. It caught my eye almost immediately. As I looked through it, I noticed it was of Christian orientation, but well balanced; this was not something I had encountered often before.

I started reading it soon after I got home. It was a little rough in places - the truth hurts sometimes - but it really made me think about some issues I have and showed me a way to handle them. I also came to understand some people in my life a whole lot better.

The book is deep and thought provoking, and has a study guide that takes you further. READ IT, whether you are a man or a woman. There is something for everyone in it.

Works of William E. Channing

I was looking for a copy of the works of William E. Channing on the internet the other day - Mr. Channing was a major Unitarian minister in the early to mid 1800's and wrote some great sermons and essays on topics of his day. I found three used editions in my price range - Channing's writings are pretty much out of print these days.

As it turns out, one of the books (an 1877 edition) was in an antique store in the small town I live in presently. Quite a coincidence! I went over and took a look at it. It didn't have all his works, but nearly all of them. I decided to buy it, as there was no telling if the others I saw online were any better. It was even on sale.

I had to clean it up a bit. It was a little dirty and had several leaves from various types of trees pressed in it that needed to come out. There was a part of an old greeting card for a book mark (I guess) in it that I decided to keep.

The 900 plus pages themselves were in great shape, and the font was clear and sharp and even looked slightly raised. Really nice. And all this for $9.00 plus tax.

Reading it should keep me busy a while. I'll do postings on it after I have read some of it. Stay tuned.

Update: Unitarian Christian Journal

This web based journal/website is no more. I am in contact with one of the former writers/editors and hope to rescue a few really good articles for posting here. We'll have to wait and see.

Ending Your Day Right (Joyce Meyer)

I noticed Joyce Meyer preaching on TV a few years back. A lady preaching on TV (and not overly made/dressed up) is not something you see all that often, so I stopped my channel surfing to listen. Another discovery - she made good sense - but I guess I was not ready.

Recently, I ran into Joyce again while channel surfing, and I stopped to listen. She's still making good sense. Now, when I see her, I stop and listen and take what she says to heart. She's got a very positive message and seems to always know what I need to hear.

A few weeks ago, I was bored during a Christmas visitation to my relatives and went to Walmart to get away - they don't have much to choose from around where I was staying. Walking by the book section, I noticed a couple of books by, you guessed it, Joyce Meyer. They both looked pretty good, but I was in more immediate need I guess of the one, Ending Your Day Right. I didn't buy it right then, but did a few days ago. I started it this morning.

It has a passages from scripture with commentary for every day of the year. I got caught up to today when I started it this morning. This is no pointless commentary, but stuff that would be important to just about anyone in some way, RIGHT NOW! Take a look and see for yourself.

There is also a companion, Starting Your Day Right, if you prefer to do your devotional reading in the morning - me, I am always too rushed then.

Mrs. Meyer has a website http://www.joycemeyer.org if you are interested in taking a look. There are free on-line videos of her preaching there among lots of other stuff. Try it out.

Called into Being

In a book I am currently reading, the author refers to our being created by God as our being "called into being" by God. I really like this expression for the process. It's almost like we were always around in God's mind, if only as a shadow or a glimmer.

The Fifth Revelation

Several years ago, someone introduced me to The Urantia Book. I had intended to read the entire 2000 plus pages of it, but never did. Recently, as I reevaluted my "search", I remembered it.

I went online to buy the book, but ran into another book made up of "a collection of key passages from The Urantia Book" compiled by Kelly Elstrott, The Fifth Revelation. At 300 or so pages, it contains mostly passages from The Urantia Book and some brief commentary. This sounded like a way to get a flavor of the whole book in a lot less time, so I gave it a try.

Much of what I read really spoke to me. I would recommend trying this shorter version if 2000 pages seems like a lot. There is something to this.

There is some controversy over the source of the Urantia materials. I don't claim to understand all the hoopla and think it not necessary to go there. Here's one of my reasons for feeling this way, quoting from page 303 of The Fifth Revelation:

"Like all other sacred texts, the contents should not be evaluated by relying on claims of authorship or authority, but rather upon the 'fruits of the spirit' which they produce. The new reader might explore the book as a fascinating piece of religious literature until such time as it spiritual quality authenticates its message and its source."

Which is really similar (if you look closely at least) to Matthew 7:15-20 if you prefer a biblical source:

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? So, every sound tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears evil fruit. A sound tree cannot bear evil fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will know them by their fruits."

As I said, much of what I read in The Fifth Revelation really spoke to me, so I think there is something to this. I didn't see anything dangerous in it.

Will I now read The Urantia Book? Maybe some day, but I have many other things I want to read first, and it takes a long time to get through 2000 pages.

I should mention that I came across another (shorter) book based on The Urantia Book called, The Center Within: Lessons from the Heart of the Urantia Revolution by Belitsos and Harris. It is 290 pages and has quotes and lots of commentary. I plan to read it soon and will let you know what I think. If you get to it first, let me know how it went.

In case you have no clue what this Urantia thing is all about, Urantia is Earth and you should visit http://www.urantia.org for details. The whole 2000 pages and a summary is online there among other things. Good hunting.

The Unitarian Christian Journal (UK)

I have recently found the blog where the Unitarian Christian Journal (UK) is published. The address is http://www.unitarianchristian.net or http://www.unitarianchristian.info. These are two articles that I found especially interesting there:

(1) Friday, December 10, 2004
Unitarian Christianity: A Personal View

(2) Saturday, January 01, 2005
The Forward March of the Non Brigade

From (2) I quote:

"The Non Brigade – A group of people who negatively define themselves by what they don’t believe in - to them the Unitarian church provides nothing more than a forum for religious debate (or more accurately, carping about the perceived intolerance of Christians). Members of this group object to anyone with faith, fearing what they do not know or understand. These are the real obstruction to those Unitarians in both Britain and the United States who are working hard to re-establish Unitarianism as a radical, progressive alternative to 'mainstream' Christianity."

Take a look at the full articles. And there are lots more like this there.

New Beginnings?

in front of the Parthenon at Nashville (01/05)

First posting of 2005. Looking forward to a good year.
"Then shall your light break forth like the dawn..." Isaiah 58:8