My Sunday Thought for 07032016: Gays and Christianity Revisited, Yet Again

"The questions is: if a person who has that condition, who has good will, and who looks for God, who are we to judge?"

-- Pope Francis

So, on the question of gay Christians, Pope Francis comments, "The questions is: if a person who has that condition, who has good will, and who looks for God, who are we to judge?" But, Most Holy Father, is not stating they have "that condition," in itself a judgment? Let's be fair, any statement we make can be interpreted as something other than what we intended, but as gracious as His Holiness tries to be, we all know he must, at the end of the day, toe the ecclesiastical line. But, does he? He is certainly a pope of a different "habit."

Once called the "Emergent Movement," these progressive Christians sought to challenge traditional Christian faith and practice. Many assume these folks were a flash in the pan and have quietly faded into the background of mainstream Christianity. We need only look to our current political administrations misinformed arrogance in their analysis of ISIS capabilities, to understand the incompetent mistake of assuming a "religious" group has faded into the background. The big problem I see with disavowing new thought is that it's based in large part on new findings and understandings of scripture. Just because something was misinterpreted during one of many translations between languages which do not directly translate, by a monk with questionable linguistic ability, being supervised by clergy living the good life off the sweat of the faithful (re: hidden agenda), why does it necessarily follow that we must continue to do that which we know is questionable, and possibly heretical? Take "The World Christian Movement" report, as example:

“We have all been aware of the ecumenical drive toward a one-world religion, or at least a global Christianity embracing all expressions of what may pass for faith in Jesus Christ. With this writing, however, I believe we have touched upon the specifics of that ecumenical drive which will fit into the New World Order. The individuals and organizations involved in it are well respected in the churches. And the connections go to the Vatican and even to the United Nations. And while espousing faith in Jesus Christ, the ultimate end of the Movement is to question whether that faith is really necessary after all in determining one’s salvation.”

-- Al Dager on “The World Christian Movement” report

According to the article I read, this report "documents that this movement is twisting scripture, perverting the Great Commission with a “cultural mandate” of political and social action to Christianize the world, and perhaps ultimately preaching a false gospel."  A false gospel?  This ranks right up there with telling me any gospel written by fallible men could ever be construed as the one true Word of God.  And how many books of the Bible do learned scholars now think were written by one apostle, that wasn't even an original apostle, nor was he alive when Christ walked the earth, yet conservative Christians cling to this written word like a life vest.  Is their faith in God so fragile?

God help them all if they ever lose the precious book, for they make it seem God and their faith would be nothing without it, and yet they continually apologize for contradictions, and other inadequacies of the scripture.  When one understands what it took, historically, to arrive at the "accepted" collection of works, scripture, we refer to as "The Bible," it is mind boggling that the book exists at all, much less that it is accepted by so many as the unerring Word of God.

"I think that the Church not only should apologize... to a gay person whom it offended but it must also apologize to the poor as well, to the women who have been exploited, to children who have been exploited by (being forced to) work. It must apologize for having blessed so many weapons."

-- Pope Francis

And, this brings us back to gays and Christianity, or more appropriately, LGTBQ+ and Christianity.  What, one might be asking, is LGTBQ+?  Well, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning are all initialisms we are familiar with.  The "+" allows for the inclusion of anyone left wanting, like the transsexual, two-spirited, intersexual, asexual, ally, pansexual, agender, gender queer, bigender, gender variant, and pangender (Aha!  I knew Peter would show up in here at some point).  We all use the term LGTBQ because it is shorter and more user friendly.

If you are trying to put your best foot forward and be respectful by using the correct terminology for one of these folks in a given situation, good luck with that. I applaud your effort, which is probably more recognition than you'll get from the majority on the list. Understand that I have nothing against this community of people, this segment of our society. I grew up amongst them and some were good friends. I have worked with them in the corporate environment, and in the military. There have been a few that are the salt of the earth and I have stood for them and risked my career to protect them and befriend them. However, there are also those that have a life membership in the League of the Perpetually Offended. Understanding this means that, no matter how hard you try or what you say, you will forever be an outsider because they have no intention of ever finding middle ground with you. If you finally do reach an understanding, or the aforementioned "middle ground," you might find constantly walking the razor's edge of the ever changing sense of propriety to be a bit tedious. Thank God not all in the community have a chip on their shoulder. This would be the same attitude many hardline Christians take with them, however, so I can only assume you deservedly get what you give. What would Jesus do? 

Into this intolerant mix, enters the gay Christian.

There was a time when what clergy said the congregation echoed.  This time is passing.  I don't think we can call the current Christians progressive in the Emergent Movement sense, but they are cognizant of changing times and kinder, gentler attitudes.  They see the benefit of finding common ground and moving forward instead of beating the same dead horse for years on end.  Our society is becoming more tolerant and acceptant of the gay community, more gay Christian groups are cropping up, and we are finding that the scripture we are all taught was infallible might have simply been clergy interpretation and personal agenda, not the Word of God (someone is going to hell).  The pope is mindful of Church teachings that gays "should not be discriminated against. They should be respected, accompanied pastorally."

"We Christians have to apologise for so many things, not just for this, but we must ask for forgiveness, not just apologise! Forgiveness! Lord, it is a word we forget so often!"

-- Pope Francis

Pope Francis is a man of God living, fully, in the present, mindful of the past, and concerned about the future of man and the Christian Church. His Holiness sees the changes in society and understands scriptural contradiction, interpretation, and the tolerance, understanding, and forgiveness which are Christ. Many hardline Christians find the pope's comments much too tolerant. I guess my recommendation to these naysayers would be to put their Bible away and start practicing the spirit of the Word and stop trying to interpret it. God wrote the Spirit of his love on our hearts and on our minds so we would never have to interpret scripture again. The most important of these commandments was to love each other as we would love ourselves, and to praise God with all our heart. These two commandments are the foundation for the rest, and it is no wonder. Yet we seem incapable of practicing the very simple which God has asked of us.

Francis is touted by the gay community as being "the most merciful pope towards them in recent history," and he has paid for his tolerance, love, and understanding by enduring the criticism of conservative Catholics "for making comments they say are ambiguous about sexual morality." It never ceases to amaze me what we don't learn of history and, therefore repeat. The pope is the living Word of God on earth and, yet, his own congregation questions, publicly and at great length, comments he makes. Heresy? By any definition I would have to say yes, but I would also have to say these are the same people that place their faith in a book which should never have been compiled, according to God's own second covenant, because it would not be needed.

These are the same people that violate their own book by worshipping in public, in a church which was never required in scripture, built by clergy that forgot to give up everything they own and follow Christ... per this same scripture. So to these naysayers of Pope Francis I say, let he who is without sin cast the first stone, and since their own condemnation and judgment is, itself, a sin, they might think about shutting their ignorant pie hole and toeing the line as it is laid out before them. 

If there are members of the gay community, or any community, wishing to worship our Lord and find a path to salvation, then who in God's good name are we to judge whether they have the right to do so? Who gave us the right to be so arrogant? It certainly wasn't my God, nor was it my Christ. I can, then, only assume it was the God of those who, through their own feeling of self-importance, find some sick pleasure in judging and condemning the least of us. These are the same people who have passed judgment on the least of us down through the centuries and before Christ walked the earth. We have learned nothing.

Editor's Note 

(re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card) 

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider another viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and then engaging in peaceful, constructive, discussion in an arena of mutual respect concerning the opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we do afterward, and what we learn from the experience.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, and instructor. He is founder of the Congregation for Religious Tolerance and author/editor of the Congregation's official blog site, "The Path," which offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination.

Wolves in Wolf Clothing

"Specifically, the growing threat that sexual predators pose to our Nation's children and their families represents an area where our criminal justice system has failed the American people."

-- Paul Gillmor (1939-2007), Congressman

"Our criminal justice system," is a crock.  It basically means the exact opposite of what one first thinks.  The criminal's rights are protected against those that seek retribution for crimes the criminals perpetrate against society.  Criminals have become, like the wolf, a protected species. Nowadays they boldly walk out of the shadows into plain view, a wolf in wolf's clothing, daring us to usurp their God given right to treat everyone else like Dog pooh.  Oh, we find a way to cull the pack, occasionally lulling society into a false sense of security, but most of us feel safer with a fully loaded semi-automatic weapon in our picnic basket when we venture into the concrete jungle.  We rely on our finger jerking in spasm from the emotion of the moment, firing off nine rounds before we realize what our instinct for survival has allowed us to get away with, ensuring our attacker meets God's judgment and saves society a costly trial for determining guilt.  We also sidestep the civil suit we might face for injuring the sick, criminal bastard and preventing them from plying their trade on some other unsuspecting rube.  Isn't it better that we blow the miserable sociopathic waste of human flesh away? 

Man: I just walked in on a grown man molesting… And I got him in a bloody puddle for you, officer.
Dispatcher: Did you use any weapons?
Man: My foot and my fist. I didn’t proceed to ask him any questions, sir. He is nice and knocked out on the floor for you. I drug him out to the living room. He stood up and his pants were around his ankles and nothing else needed to be said. I did whatever I got a right to do except I didn’t kill him. Send an ambulance. He is going to need one.

“You are damn lucky, boy, that I love my God.”

-- Father to 911 dispatcher after beating Frolander (molester of his son)

These predators seem to be, more and more, our neighbors, family, or friends.  They are our co-workers, supervisors, clergy, or a date for the evening of partying and drinking which will, without knowledge or consent of their victim, deteriorate into an evening of roofie addled gang rape and other debauchery which will no doubt end the victim's emotional or physical life.  What of the victim's rights?  Those are what the other predators, the lawyers, define for the victim.  The victim, the innocent, is always guilty until proven not.  Welcome to the American criminal justice system, wait until you meet our politicians!

"Sometimes what happens is lawmakers don't want to know the facts, or the facts don't make any difference. There really are two things that affect public policy. One is the facts. The other is the feelings and political pressure. There are legislators who will say, 'Don't confuse me with the facts. I've made up my mind.'"

-- North Dakota state Senator Tim Mathern

"Feelings and political pressure," makes it sound like the perpetually offended Al Sharpton might have a hand in this, but since he only makes his money off the gullible minorities that buy into his bullshit, I doubt this would be of interest to the "reverend," unless the offender happened to be a minority shot in the commission of a violent rape in which case he will show up, uninvited, to foment divisive racism and pleading the case that the innocent six year old brought it on themselves by wearing those seductive footie pajamas.  Sharpton and his ilk, the new slave owners of black America, know there is money to be made in fear mongering and mob violence.  Where there is no problem, Sharpton is the "Slick Willie" on scene to create one.  Everyone that knows him or seeks his counsel understands this, that's why they hang with him.

Are we waiting for the politicians to take some action to protect us?  This is like having a wolf as a sheepdog.  We are that stupid.  I don't know about everyone else but, after I've cast my vote, I just know I'm going to feel like I've been raped for the duration of their term, and they're going to smile while doing it.  It really doesn't matter what party these predators are, almost all politicians seem to be wolves in sheep's clothing.  And we look to them for protection from predators?  They can't even protect the unborn from abortion, that's how ineffective, inept, and corrupt our politicians are.  

“There is so much money to be made scaring the hell out of Americans about sexuality that no one on the gravy train can afford to slow it down. Any outsider who questions this juggernaut is immediately labeled insensitive, anti-family, immoral, or a pedophile.”

-- Dr. Marty Klein, "America's War On Sex" 

Wolves prey on the weak, the ignorant, and the young.  Like most terrorists, ISIS for instance, they are also cowardly, sociopathic, losers looking for control they can't seem to find among normal society.  They are looking for their next fix, because what the do makes them feel good and powerful when, in reality, they do this because they are cowards that feed off the emotions those that have, and what their victims have is what they want.  It is the drug which sustains the wolf.  Treatment?  Maybe, but like alcohol and other drugs, they can never state they have quit until they die; We can say they have stopped until then, but only when they have stopped for the rest of their lives can we definitively say they had quit.  

"Pedophilia is a lifelong affliction for which there is no treatment. Coupled with the particularly devastating consequences of their conduct, these offenders pose a unique - and perhaps insurmountable - challenge for conventional law enforcement techniques." 

-- Judge Richard Posner, 7th Circuit Appeals Court

The best protection against these wolves is to always be prepared.  As in the wild, prey survives by traveling in groups and watching out for each other.  Learn to protect yourself, and carry a semi-automatic pistol with a couple of extra magazines just in case the wolf is traveling in a pack.  Learn to scream loudly, even in crowded, public places, while taking pictures and declaring what the wolf is up to so everyone knows.  Very soon we'll hear about some great-grandmother, whipping out her AR-15 she's illegally converted to full-auto when she wasn't knitting a blanket, cutting loose on some scumbag with a sixty round magazine.  Now that's personal protection you can take to the bank.  

These particular human predators exist as a reminder of the evil all around us, especially in our own backyard.  Because of the bleeding hearts of our society, these wolves will be around us forever.  It is a sad reality we must always watch our children, watch our loved ones, watch those around us and always be vigilant, especially around strangers.  Never assume you really know those you think you know, even family.   

Many of the wolves still dress up like a sheep. 

"We're trying to correct the loopholes and at the same time protect the innocent people in our community, the children and seniors, from these horrible bad guys who have an awful type of disease that can't be cured."

 -- FL Sen. Eleanor Sobel (D-Hollywood)

Editor's Note 

(re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card) 

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider another viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and then engaging in peaceful, constructive, discussion in an arena of mutual respect concerning the opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we do afterward, and what we learn from the experience.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, and instructor. He is founder of the Congregation for Religious Tolerance and author/editor of the Congregation's official blog site, "The Path," which offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination. 

My Sunday Thought fo 06262006: The Recipe for "Good People"

History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people.

-- Martin Luther King, Jr.

What makes good people? What is the recipe for good people? This is a question recently put to me by a friend, and it is a question not easily answered. People are so diverse, they remind me of cookies; you may think you've found the best of the best only until a better one comes along. Even the best of us is only as good as the least of us. Our flaws are as obvious as our attempts to disguise them, and to what end? If the good people are defined by their "appalling silence" perhaps their silence is due in no small part to the deafening, "strident clamor" of the bad people of which they are truly a part.

But speaking out is much different than a strident clamor. My father gave me sage advice before I entered the military: He, who controls his voice, controls the conversation, and walk away from that over which you have no control. What makes a good person? Maybe it's knowing when to fight the good fight and knowing when to pick up your wounded and walk away from the bad. Besides, I've found most battles aren't worth fighting. Stupid can be learned, and most of us learn it well. Unfortunately, I have found it to be a tough malady to cure simply because it is so much easier to be an idiot than to practice restraint.

When I want to find good people I look to the innocence of the unjaded child. Children can teach us how to find sincerity and authenticity as they are drawn to it. Desmond Tutu once said, "Children are a wonderful gift... They have an extraordinary capacity to see into the heart of things and to expose sham and humbug for what they are."

If you wish to discover the truly good person, look for someone who does not have to justify themselves.  Bad people always have a justification, a reason, for what they do.  You usually find these lost souls in the League of the Perpetually Offended, and even the perpetually offended are only offended until they're not.  The few good people I have encountered, just are.  For them it is their life, it occupies them constantly, whether they realize it or not, it is enough for them, and for us - it should be.  

Our world should be as amazing as when we were children, a time when a new friend was an old friend the moment you said hello and began adventures and discovery together.  There was no color or religion, and girls had cuties but you secretly stole a glance at her and smiled.

Childhood is the world of miracle and wonder… as if creation rose, bathed in the light, out of the darkness, utterly new and fresh and astonishing. The end of childhood is when things cease to astonish us.

-- Eugene Ionesco (1909-1994), French playwright

What is the recipe for good people?  A good person is simply the bad person who willingly sacrificed their life to save another.  Who are we to judge?  Who are we to assign a label?  "For if he stands, he stands to his Master, and if he falls, he falls to his Master, for it is appointed to his Master to be able to establish him."  Our heroes and role models stumble and fall, sinners and hypocrites all.  Yet, in the darkest hour, there can be light.  It is the glimmer of hope, found in forgotten love, forgiveness, understanding and tolerance.  It can be found in the acceptance that other people have an opinion, and our willingness to hear them out, providing they exercise the same willingness to peacefully discuss and debate in a spirit of understanding.  If there is no control, there is no point, and it is better to wish them well, take the high road, and simply walk away.

Perhaps the recipe for "good people" can be found in the description of a mentor as a trusted counselor or guide, an advocate and teacher that seeks no reward for themselves for what they do as their actions are reward enough.  A great mentor says little and speaks volumes.  The few I have encountered can light up the room by entering, and then open the gates of happiness with their smile.   They have no real need to speak for they exude such kindness as can be felt by those around them.

 There is no one recipe for a good person, no cookie cutter sameness.  They can be found in the greatest of us and in the least; the richest of us and the poorest.  They can be found in a child with cancer or with Down syndrome.  They can be found in the eyes of the aged or those of a newborn babe.

Good people simply are.

Editor's Note 

(re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card) 

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider another viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and then engaging in peaceful, constructive, discussion in an arena of mutual respect concerning the opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we do afterward, and what we learn from the experience.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, and instructor. He is founder of the Congregation for Religious Tolerance and author/editor of the Congregation's official blog site, "The Path," which offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination.

Verity Baptist and the Gospel of Hate

“If we lived in a righteous government, they should round them all up and put them up against a firing wall, and blow their brains out.” 

-- Pastor Roger Jimenez of Verity Baptist Church, Sacramento, CA

Pastor Roger Jimenez claims he was misconstrued when he made this statement concerning the recent, deadly attack at the gay friendly nightclub in Orlando.  I sit here reading the words; over and over, trying to construe the statement any other way than that which is so sadly obvious.  You can call me stupid, I don't see it. 

I have issues with Christian hate.  I have issues with ostracizing those in the gay community wishing to worship as Christians.  How is holding this community at arm’s length going to instill them with the love, tolerance, and the gentle understanding which is Christ?  No.  He says his words were not a call to action, and this denial is, in itself, hateful bullshit spewing from the pie hole of yet another Christian hypocrite professing to be holier than thou.  These righteous constantly, and conveniently, forget we are not to judge the servant of another, for it is to their own master they must stand or fall.  If their master is to be Christ then we should welcome them and pray that they stand tall at judgement.  It is for us to guide, not to judge; divine judgment is the purview of God, not of man.

This, so-called, "pastor" goes on to state, “As far as the Bible is concerned, they crossed a line. The sin they performed is worthy of death.”  And, again, we see another minister that reads the Bible and interprets it to meet his own agenda of divisiveness and hate.  I'm the first to admit my lack of biblical knowledge, but I am learning as I go.  Clergy who take the Bible as it is written, as the unquestioning WORD of God, should be intelligent enough to also take time out to understand what they read.  For instance, the biggest mistake clergy makes, as in the case of Roger Jimenez, is to judge:

Who are you to judge a Servant who is not yours? For if he stands, he stands to his Master, and if he falls, he falls to his Master, for it is appointed to his Master to be able to establish him.

-- Romans 14:4

One article wrote that Jimenez "says the deaths shouldn’t be mourned because if the victims were gay, then the Bible calls them sinners, and they deserved to die."  Well, maybe we should first come to grips with who really wrote the Bible before we go translating it, interpreting it, and mucking up the Word of God, yet again for the umpteenth time.  But, most Christians don't want to know the story behind the Bible.  They don't want to hear about the multiple translations into languages that don't directly translate word for word, or even in spirit, the unique nuances of language and culture.  They really have no concept of the education of the monks doing said translating, or of their "creative" desire to fluff up the tales a tad.  They don't want to hear about the incomplete texts embellished in order to produce a complete document.  What they would rather do, is to have blind faith in the personal agendas of their clergy to not lead them astray.  Good luck with that.

“When he said ‘it’s unfortunate that more people were not killed at this club,’ how does that follow from any religious doctrine that more killing is what God wants?'”

-- Baker Peeples

Baker Peeples' statement, above, should be an eye opener to the very insanity that was the catalyst for the incident in Orlando.  How does the murdering of a segment, a culture, in our society follow from any religious doctrine that this is what a loving God would want?  And how does the desire to compound that killing, with yet more death, make us any different than the animal that wrought this terror upon us?  When do we, as Christians, also cross the line into heresy and commit "radical terrorism" in the name of God?  How does becoming the very evil we fear forward God's agenda of peace, love, understanding and tolerance? 

Clergy around the Sacramento area condemned the remarks made by Pastor Jimenez:

This past Sunday morning, there was a heartless and heartbreaking statement made by a Sacramento pastor to his congregation related to the shootings in Orlando. It was then posted online and broadcast on the nightly news. These comments, applauding the death of innocent people, are completely contrary to the Bible’s teaching and God’s heart. His statements do not represent Jesus nor hundreds of Sacramento pastors whose hearts have been broken and are praying for the loved ones so tragically affected by this cowardly act. As Sacramento pastors, we are united in our prayers and sadness for those who have lost loved ones and for those even now fighting for their lives. May God’s love prevail in this tragedy.

-- City Pastors Fellowship of Sacramento

So, it would seem from this condemnation by "hundreds of Sacramento pastors whose hearts have been broken and are praying for the loved ones so tragically affected by this cowardly act," that perhaps Christian interpretation of biblical scripture might require deeper thought and understanding from some clergy before spouting it from their pulpit.  Doesn't it then follow that, if clergy should be cautious of what they interpret, perhaps the congregation, the least of us, should also read scripture with an open and active mind?  It might even pay for us to review our understanding of the Qur'an, and of the personal, religious, and/or political agendas driving Islam's own heretical clergy to claim the destruction of beauty and innocence is an edict of Allah.

The world needs to understand that we all live in a state of balance.  For light there is dark, wet there is dry, good there is evil, and for love there is hate.  We live in this balance because it would be impossible to experience, understand, and appreciate, one without the other.  As much as we deplore these despicable acts, God visits them upon us so we never forget to appreciate the other side of the coin and try to keep the balance favoring the Gospel of Good over the Gospel of Evil.

Pastor Fred Phelps of Westboro Baptist church fame is another hate monger which interprets the Bible to excuse fomenting his own acts of heresy and hatred upon society and Christianity.  Can we stop him?  Not legally, nor, perhaps, should we.  His ilk reminds us of who we truly are.  They make us look in the mirror of self-judgment to see if we stand tall before them and are worthy to protect the least of us against their vile hatred.  Concerning the Westboro Baptist church, someone once wrote, "But the Constitution does not empower government to decide what is legitimate in religious belief, or to censor anybody who chooses to preach a gospel of hate."

A last helping of food for thought concerning the "Gospel of Hate" as written up by the Toledo blade:

THE Constitution is a hard mistress. Those who love it must obey its toughest commands, as they are embodied in the First Amendment, which upholds the rights to free speech and the free exercise of religion. Most of the time, tolerance is easy. But it's not the easy issues that most need the Constitution's protection.

-- Toledo Blade, “Gospel of hate” (10/10/2010)

“Give what is Caesar's to Caesar and what is God's to God,” tries to come to grips with our Constitution and religious or spiritual faith.  That "hard mistress" which is our Constitution was further exercised as Sacramento rose up to show this "pastor," Jimenez, that the pendulum of free speech, the First Amendment, swings both ways.

Bravo, Sacramento!  Bravo!

Editor's Note 

(re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card) 

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider another viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and then engaging in peaceful, constructive, discussion in an arena of mutual respect concerning the opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we do afterward, and what we learn from the experience.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, and instructor. He is founder of the Congregation for Religious Tolerance and author/editor of the Congregation's official blog site, "The Path," which offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination.

My Sunday Thought for Father's Day: Thank You for Being a Mentor!

"I watched a small man with thick calluses on both hands work fifteen and sixteen hours a day. I saw him once literally bleed from the bottoms of his feet, a man who came here uneducated, alone, unable to speak the language, who taught me all I needed to know about faith and hard work by the simple eloquence of his example."

-- Mario Cuomo (1932-2015), 52nd Governor of New York

There is more to being a father than simply adding your genes to the biologic stew which will create a new life.  Most civilizations, societies, and religions, including the all three Abrahamic religions, have dictated there is a moral responsibility for the father to take ownership of the child to ensure the progeny, though born without sin, can weather those situations where sin might become a choice.  Although born without sin, children are born with this ability to choose sin, and a father must be vigilant and ever present to teach the child how to make the right choices so as to ensure the child's survival and ultimate salvation.  

At times this "moral responsibility" is, culturally, taken to extremes which seem harsh or cruel instead of loving and tolerant.  Fortunately we live in a western culture which protects our young people with government and laws which prevent abuse.  Unfortunately these protections have grown into a nightmare which prevents, or at least discourages, a great deal of needed parenting from parents that couldn't give a damn, one way or another, and welcome any government intervention which would take the onus of responsibility, for said youth, off of them and saddle the taxpayer with the historic issues which keep getting swept under the already lumpy carpet.  Just saying...  

In today's world of parenting it is not so much about the survival of the fittest as it is about the survival of the intelligent.  We can be taught stupid, we can teach stupid, and God can remove stupid by allowing stupid to continue making questionable decisions unabated.  For gang bangers and criminals, free climbers and BASE jumpers, dopers, race car drivers and the like, it is simply a matter of time before jumping out of God's perfectly good aircraft catches up to them.  If one ignores the close calls - those warnings that life is worth living, the last thing to go through their mind might be the rocks below or a police bullet.  Father's exist to ensure kids have a fighting chance at, if they listen to nothing else, salvation.

Whoever does not have a good father should procure one.

-- Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900), philosopher

But what do you do if you don't have a father?  What if your father died or has abandoned the family?  What if there has been a divorce and the father, due to overwhelming circumstances, does not have the opportunities of fatherhood which they might want?  Death notwithstanding, lack of parenting is an unfortunate trend in this country.  Parents find themselves caught up in making ends meet and their priorities get skewed to the point where children take a back seat to less important issues.  This is, of course, providing both parents were mature and responsible enough to hang around or at least try to make a conscious effort to parent if they are separated from the child.  What does a young person do when parents, in particular the father, has abandoned them or simply is not around? 

When one has not had a good father, one must create one.

-- Friedrich Nietzsche

 (1844-1900), philosopher

Most people that were raised by great fathers will testify that a father is always a father, whether it is to his children or someone else's.  A good father will easily make time to mentor, or give advice to, any young person who asks.  A good father loves to father; to teach, protect, and nurture. For many young folks, a mentor is a close to a father as they may ever get.  This is why the onus is on the mentor to be at their very best when it comes to mature advice, concern, and friendship.  The love of a father will shine through.

A mentor, like a good father, is more than a good role model.  A mentor is also a friend, coach, supporter, motivator, advocate, and a terrific listener.  This last can be tough one for us men, as we really suck at listening; ask any woman.

If you don't have a good role model in your immediate family, try simply looking around you in your extended family, a friend's parent, a teacher or even a police officer, doctor, or fireman.  The point is, there are many good parents out there to ask advice from, so there should be no excuse for not having a good role model.  For those folks wishing to do the right thing by the child, it would pay dividends to ensure you check with the custodial parent first, even if you're close family, before talking with the child.  The mother may take this proffered assistance with much gratitude, and you may want to include her in the discussion.  If she says no, the child suffers but the decision is made and parents rule - time to back away with apologies (I'd leave a bug in the parent's ear that, if the parent has a change of heart, please don't hesitate to call).

For those young people lucky enough to have found a caring family member, friend, or mentor, to replace the missing parent, I wholeheartedly recommend thanking the individual you credit with giving sage advice in your time of need.  If it happens to be a man, or a father, Father's Day might be an opportune time to show them your appreciation for being there.  It will make you both feel good.

A young woman, a friend very dear to my heart, recently informed me I was instrumental in her becoming the woman she has grown into.  I had no idea she felt this way.  The unexpected comment took me aback, just before I teared up.  Luckily she has actually grown into a woman any good father would be proud of, and thank God (whew!).  I was humbled by her gift of praise for what I, in equal humility, considered no big deal on my part, but it does evidenced that even the smallest of things we say can have tremendous impact on the lives of others.  If someone has changed your life for the better, parent or not, please let them know how you feel; it just might change theirs.

“I believe that what we become depends on what our fathers teach us at odd moments, when they aren't trying to teach us. We are formed by little scraps of wisdom.”

-- Umberto Eco, "Foucault's Pendulum"

I've been lucky to have a good father in my life, a reflection of everything good I have stated above.  True, we have found ourselves at odds, numerous times, and even recently.  We have always managed to find some common understanding to our issues.  He has been my mentor on numerous issues throughout my life, and will continue to be, I can only hope, into the future... and beyond.  I think we both recognize the fact that I am much like him in speaking my own mind, my honesty and unyielding determination to be right, especially when I know I'm right (one can see, in this, why we have to find common ground on stuff), and, of course, in my extreme humility.  I cannot imagine what my life would have been like without his sage guidance, patriotism, and love, except to say jail time might have been one alternative.

To my dear father, Dom, and all the other fathers who embrace their responsibility to be more than just the title, I wish you all a heartfelt, Happy Father's Day!

Give me the lamp, dad; it's my turn to take point for a bit.

The heart of a father is the masterpiece of nature.

-- Antoine-François, Abbé Prévost d’Exiles (1697-1763), author and novelist

Editor's Note 

(re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card) 

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider another viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and then engaging in peaceful, constructive, discussion in an arena of mutual respect concerning the opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we do afterward, and what we learn from the experience.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, and instructor. He is founder of the Congregation for Religious Tolerance and author/editor of the Congregation's official blog site, "The Path," which offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination.

My Sunday Thought for 06122016: Redefining Moral Decline?

“This country is in moral decline. I just wish we would return to our Christian values and turn back to God.” 

I came across this comment on a social media thread tonight, and as a Christian it made me more than a bit nauseous. I hear this sentiment from fellow believers often, and whenever I do I always wonder just what “Christian values” they’d like America to return to: 

To women not being able to vote?

To people owning slaves?

To segregation?

To street pistol duels and packs of vigilantes meting out justice in the town square?

To organized crime running urban police forces?

To women being marital property? 

Are these the “ol’ time religion” days these folks openly pine for; the days when America was apparently so much more reverent, so much more righteous, so much more Godly than it is today?

-- John Pavlovitz, The Christian Myth of America's Moral Decay

John Pavlovitz, states he is a pastor and a writer. I'd be willing to bet he's also progressive since his view of today's societal sewer seems to be rosier than that of yesteryears. I think, as far as moral decay goes, the only change is that the corpse of morality has progressed to full putrefaction that even maggots shy away from. Let's run down my thoughts on the examples he offered, above:

Yes, women can vote!  They get to worry over which pile of political smelly fecal matter is better than the next so they can also vote to continue the country's decline into even worse moral decay.  Women can now supervise, manage and own corporations, lose their asses in the stock market, cheat on their husbands with their secretary, become alcoholics, chain smoke their way to lung cancer, get high blood pressure, and have massive heart attacks and strokes as they work themselves to death.  Woo hoo!  Welcome to the world of men; we willingly surrender it to you, with our condolences.

There is still slavery; the only difference is the color of the master has changed. Now blacks are the new slave owners, beating their own people into submission so they can be used for political and monetary power during our continued decline. Black leadership discovered what white leadership has known for some time, if you can offer poor, uneducated people what they want to hear, give them a taster, make them believe in bullshit like "hope and change," you will have a voter you can lie to forever. Our leaders have become so good at this even educated folks of all races get caught up in their BS and start believing all the hype. Non-minorities don’t get a free pass; they are also slaves, indentured servants to the banks and credit card companies of which many will never learn to get out from under.

Integration is so wonderful! Been to an inner city school? Education and "hope and change" are the victims of our new moral decay. Integration was the right thing to do, but let's not paint a rosy face on it as though it accomplished anything for the education of our students that providing a safe place to learn, with quality teachers, wouldn't have done. A failed program we followed up with the other failed program, "Affirmative Action." We have progressed nowhere through "integration," and minorities, those that haven't given up, are still fighting to for an education so they can escape the inner city hoods.

When did duels and vigilantism stop?  It's just another anachronism which simply changed color.  Now, only black lives matter and we've upped the ante with minority cop assassinations by cowardly black terrorists shooting their victims while they're sitting in their squad car like sitting ducks.  We've also added looting, rioting, and burning down neighborhoods to their vigilante repertoire... oh, wait, these were also part of yesterday's moral decay, as well.  I guess burning down your own house comes with the territory?

I think we can all agree that urban police forces operate at the whim of political winds, so if politicians are in control, the cops are still being run by organized crime.  I mean, really... right?

Women are no longer marital property. Women get the elevator of today's marriages, and men get the shaft. As for equality, ask the men, the fathers, who have to surrender their children to immoral, irresponsible, or crackhead mothers because of our screwed up judicial system.  Let's look at the statistics of fathers wanting to be fathers and have been prevented from fully enjoying the lives of their children.  There are enough deadbeat dads to go around and the judicial systems compounds the problems incurred by fatherless families. Is there equality in marriage?  Prenups, divorce, alimony and child support would evidence the big resounding "NO!" The pendulum swings like a pendulum do, only too damned far, too damned often.

If things haven't gotten worse they've certainly swung way too far to the other end of the spectrum, in most cases.  But I think Pastor John misses the point behind the statement, “This country is in moral decline. I just wish we would return to our Christian values and turn back to God.”  Where he seems to have locked onto the negative, I immediately thought of the positive of my childhood and yesteryear.

First of all, I find it odd that a member of Christian clergy would take umbrage with Christian values.  Right off the bat I have to struggle with the hypocrisy of it all.  Having said this, I also agree that we need to return to a system of moral values, and they don't necessarily have to be Christian.  The decay in our society is due to our own bad decision making which has led to the collapse of good, moral, values.

When I was growing up in the fifties and sixties, my parents practiced parenting.  What a concept!  They taught me about respect, honesty and an honest day's wage for an honest day's work, the benefit of education and being a law abiding citizen, and the benefits of staying out of debt through saving and layaway (if you can't afford to buy it, you shouldn't).  I was also taught about patriotism, the Constitution; love of country and of flag.  Mom also made sure I got three square meals a day; early on that meant leftovers.

I went to a school where race wasn't an issue.  Black, Asian, Latino, we all got along and had fun.  California in the sixties was already embracing alternate lifestyles of the gays and inter-racial relationships. I had no real experience about racism until I joined the military.  So, when some minority tells me how bad life is, my points of reference are the hard working minority kids I grew up with, all of which graduated with a real education. 

Most importantly I was taught that, through hard work and determination, I could be anything I wanted to be and not to let anyone tell me different.  There is no such thing as a free lunch and if it sounds to good too be true, it probably is.  I also learned about choices and consequences, punishment and praise, and about survival.

When a police officer tells you to stop, you try not to wet yourself, and you stop.  When a soldier goes into battle and returns, you don't spit on them; you shake their hand and thank them for their selfless sacrifice and bravery.

Society is a system of rules and laws put in place for our benefit.  If you have a complaint, you voice it; you don't burn down your own house, you certainly don't burn down your own neighborhood, nor do you randomly kill your neighbors just because things are bad.  You get off your dead ass, take legal action or fire those in charge, and change your reality.  Peaceful demonstration and freedom of speech is guaranteed, but burning, looting, and rioting is criminal mob behavior that should be quelled with a track mounted, chain fed, fifty caliber weapon positioned at the end of the block and firing liberal amounts of ammo into the crowd until the rioting ceases.  The atrocity will be plastered and decried all over the liberal news, but it will only have to happen one time.  Next time the fifty cal rolls up, everyone will simply run away, peacefully go home, or find out that God truly has a plan for weeding out the stupid.  Just saying...

Were things better back in the day?  Certainly, but it wasn't perfect, nothing ever is.  There were some serious issues which needed to be addressed to ensure we all have an equal shot, through equal effort.  That didn't happen because equal effort was not an expectation, and superior effort, well... why bother.  Today, the liberals have decided that effort is still not an expectation, and being the best has been relegated to participation awards.  Affirmative action ensured that quotas were much more important than ability.  Moral decay has become more decadent in its definition, and maybe that's because it's the least of our worries. 

The only constant in the universe is change.  Unfortunately yesterday's pendulum swung way too far in the other direction today, or flew off into left field somewhere inflicting more damage than good, proving the highway to hell really is paved with the best of misdirected intentions.  The lists of good and bad from yesterday and today has certainly changed; the bad is a different kind of bad and the good is not necessarily a better kind of good.  

“This country is in moral decline. I just wish we would return to our Christian values and turn back to God.”  The statement is still valid.  It is valid because things aren't any better than they were in yesteryear, just different.  Moral values, Christian or not, are on life support.  Parenting is, for the most part, a forgotten talent our parents forgot to pass on, probably because divorce is more popular than marriage and children are left to be educated by the government.  Hell, public education was a joke when I was in school during the 60's; it hasn't gotten any better, and the national education programs again rely on quotas instead of quality.  If the kids can't pass the curriculum, make the tests easier.  We need to ensure no child gets left behind, right?  Is it any wonder the death from surgery at hospitals is the leading cause of death in the country?  Parenting, eating dinner around the table as a family, family outings, assisting with homework, monitoring bedtimes and television, and striving to be the best you can be are all values that have gone away and we, as a country, are poorer for it.

Editor's Note 

(re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card) 

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider another viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and then engaging in peaceful, constructive, discussion in an arena of mutual respect concerning the opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we do afterward, and what we learn from the experience.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, and instructor. He is founder of the Congregation for Religious Tolerance and author/editor of the Congregation's official blog site, "The Path," which offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination.

Just Because We Can?

“Let us redefine progress to mean that just because we can do a thing, it does not necessarily mean we must do that thing.”

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)

There comes a time when we all must do that which we know is right.  The priest, politician, doctor, teacher, philosopher, parent, and the least of us will have to stand for righteousness instead of ideology. There comes a time when what we say, what we desire, must get behind that which we know to be right in the eyes of God.

I think some people claim to be atheists as an excuse to become perpetually offended at, well, everything.  It seems like they use being an atheist as an excuse; like it's their "get out of jail free card" to act as arrogantly stupid as they'd like.  As an acquaintance at the monastery just stated in a recent comment, "Spewing vitriol is not productive, or Christian."  Not being Christian must give them ample self-approval to spew away?  Those deists, who can't use atheism as their excuse, instead find a way to misinterpret scripture to excuse their poor societal behavior.

Worse are all these folks acting like the rest of us really buy into their drivel and see them for something more important than just another group of complaining, offended little bitches.   Well, more and more of us seem to be acquiescing to their whining.  The problem is the lawyers, politicians, and judges forcing us to buy into it through making us listen to their constant mindless bullshit until we've become numb.  Like a baby screaming throughout the night, we finally have to shove a pacifier in their mouth to shut them up.  They have literally beaten those of us with any sense into submission.  Our only grasp left on reality is the realization they seem satisfied sucking the pacifier without much complaint that it isn't a real tit.  It gives the rest of us much satisfaction knowing they seem to suck at anything.

Fortunately, I happen to know a few atheists and they don't act out like this.  They have cogent arguments for their beliefs, and don't feel it necessary to stir a pot that doesn't need stirring.  I think most atheists believe in a policy of, live and let live.  It is the constantly offended few whose motives are in question.

If you tell a big enough lie and tell it frequently enough, it will be believed.

-- Adolf Hitler

The offended also keep bringing American slavery to the table along with historic Native American atrocities, and the treatment of American Japanese during WWII when they were rounded up, lost their businesses and homes, and were sent to desert internment camps for the duration of conflict.  Presenting any of these for reasonable discussion would seem pointless.  Most of the young people today aren't taught true history and have no point of reference for the offense they claim to be offended by.  Most young people they are presenting the offense to, also have not been taught history, and also have no point of reference.  The point being, none of them were there, and if they were, none of them were old enough to be offended, and if they were, maybe it's time to get a life and be happy instead of reopening old wounds best left closed for any reason other than history of which isn't being taught. Dredging up this kind of historical offense for retribution or compensation accomplishes little except the ability of the perpetually offended to continually drive a wedge between peoples that weren't even around when the crimes occurred.  Remembering them prevents recurrence, but using them as a tool to further some misplaced agenda benefits no one.

All propaganda has to be popular and has to accommodate itself to the comprehension of the least intelligent of those whom it seeks to reach.

-- Adolf Hitler

We watch as welfare recipients fully capable of labor, languish with more than most of us make and laugh at us behind our backs. Our politicians support this lunacy so they might retain their positions of power; after all, if they promise everything and even deliver a bit, lies will keep them in office because we are all really this gullible.

Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.

-- Ephesians 4:28

As a country we are forgetting who and what we are. Do black lives really matter more than the least of us? Is one group, or one person, so arrogant as to think they are better or more superior? If we are all laboring are not all of us laboring? What makes one group or person so arrogant as to feel they are above working alongside the rest of us as productive members of society? Why do any of us support such arrogance?

"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime"

-- Chinese proverb

Our politicians seem hell bent, thanks to the offended, on revisiting a time not so long ago when brother fought against brother.  The Civil War and World War II offer plenty of historical memory which should not be stored away, destroyed, or removed, in order to present a kinder, gentler face of history.  The fact that radical Islamic terrorism is a holdover from the Nazi Third Reich is a fact not widely known.  We don't teach it, but the atrocities being committed drip with evidence of the seed the Nazis planted with, and the support they provided to, anti-Jewish Arabs of the day.  Hitler is laughing his ass off in hell.

How do we, as a twenty first century civilization, define progress to our children and grandchildren?  Do we define it by cleaning up the dirty little secrets of history, dooming future generations to revisit mistakes not learned?  Do we define it by the divisive rhetoric taught by our liberal education system as they try, desperately, to control the minds of our youth and prevent individualism and free thinking so as to bring about the nightmare of a socialist utopia?  Or, do we define it by taking a step back, learning from our mistakes, silencing the constantly offended minority so we can at least hear the majority above the din of whining, and decide whether just because we can do a thing, does it necessarily follow that we must do that thing?  If we don't, where will it leave our individual happiness?  Maybe Adolph Hitler was right, after all.

The day of individual happiness has passed.

-- Adolf Hitler

Just a scary thought, or was it a prediction? 

Editor's Note 

(re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card) 

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider another viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and then engaging in peaceful, constructive, discussion in an arena of mutual respect concerning the opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we do afterward, and what we learn from the experience.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, and instructor. He is founder of the Congregation for Religious Tolerance and author/editor of the Congregation's official blog site, "The Path," which offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination.