I'm really surprised at the negative response to what I thought was a thoughtful and educated posting. I was merely reflecting what my theology professor (Regis College at the University of Toronto) had espoused. . . . Believer: No, we should not stop preaching God's soteriology (salvation) but we SHOULD study His word very extensively, and embrace His love and compassion, - - - to so readily an...more

I'm really surprised at the negative response to what I thought was a thoughtful and educated posting. I was merely reflecting what my theology professor (Regis College at the University of Toronto) had espoused. . . .
Believer: No, we should not stop preaching God's soteriology (salvation) but we SHOULD study His word very extensively, and embrace His love and compassion, - - - to so readily and enthusiastically embrace eternal condemnation seems so destructive and hardly what the Gospels convey. Wouldn't you agree?less

How do we know what Jesus actually said? After all, the gospels were written 40, 50, and 55 years after Jesus died. Was there a stenographer running around after Jesus recording everything he said verbatim? . . . Hardly . . . I had a professor in theology, a Jesuit with umpteen doctorate degrees from whom I was taking a course in the Gospel of Matthew. A student once asked him, "Did Jesus really s...more

How do we know what Jesus actually said? After all, the gospels were written 40, 50, and 55 years after Jesus died. Was there a stenographer running around after Jesus recording everything he said verbatim? . . . Hardly . . . I had a professor in theology, a Jesuit with umpteen doctorate degrees from whom I was taking a course in the Gospel of Matthew. A student once asked him, "Did Jesus really say that?" and his reply was, "I don't know. When I get to heaven, I'll ask him." . . . I thought that was a pretty brilliant response. After all, cannot we humble ourselves enough to say, "I don't know" rather than, "You're going to hell."?less

You know, what's really sad is that if Jesus himself came down and said that all good people go to heaven, there would probably be a lot of Christian fundamentalists who would be disappointed with that. Who of you would be one of them?

Gee, openly gay people will now be able to fight in an endless war in Afghanistan. Yippee. . . . In all honesty, supporting ANYONE joining the U.S. military makes me very uncomfortable.

Waltman: I appreciate your insight into the details. Trinitarian Theology can be pretty complex (thanks to the theological hole that the early Councils dug themselves in to.) According to Trinitarian Theology, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three different subjects, but are of the same essence. I don't think one begat the other -- i.e. Christ always existed as the Word. Anyway, the bibl...more

Waltman: I appreciate your insight into the details. Trinitarian Theology can be pretty complex (thanks to the theological hole that the early Councils dug themselves in to.) According to Trinitarian Theology, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three different subjects, but are of the same essence. I don't think one begat the other -- i.e. Christ always existed as the Word.

Anyway, the biblical authors did not mean for their text to be taken literally as we tend to do in modern times. They consistently used allegory to convey their messages. As far as the details on the returning of Christ, it would take a huge amount of biblical analysis and exegesis to unravel what was meant. I seriously doubt it will occur in any way, shape or form that the scriptures literally indicated. That's the influence of Hollywood and American sensationalism at work for ya.less

"A day ahead of the House vote, Amos said combat Marines are concerned that a DADT repeal may be a distraction. "I don't want to lose any Marines to the distraction," he warned. "I don't want to have any Marines that I'm visiting at Bethesda [Naval Medical Center] with no legs be the result of any type of distraction." . . . So, would this be the scenario? Amos is visiting a wounded Marine at Bet...more

"A day ahead of the House vote, Amos said combat Marines are concerned that a DADT repeal may be a distraction. "I don't want to lose any Marines to the distraction," he warned. "I don't want to have any Marines that I'm visiting at Bethesda [Naval Medical Center] with no legs be the result of any type of distraction." . . . So, would this be the scenario? Amos is visiting a wounded Marine at Bethesda: "Soldier, how did you lose your leg?" The soldier replies, "I was distracted by another gay Marine. I was worried that he might be admiring me and didn't see the grenade that the enemy tossed at me." . . . Is this the type of 'distraction' Amos is worried about? When you think about it, his comment is about the most ridiculous thing one has ever read. It just goes to show that there is no really good reason for leaving DADT in place. Not when this is the type of reasoning commanders come up with.less

The Shakers believe that the indwelling of the Holy Sprit within each of us constitutes the second coming of Christ. It's an impressive theology. Maybe they're on to something.

Amos told reporters yesterday that combat Marines are concerned that a DADT repeal may be a distraction. Any distraction, he shared, can pose a problem in a combat zone. "When your life hangs on the line, on the intuitive behavior of the young man that sits to your right and to your left, you don't want anything distracting,” he declared. . . . . You know, if any platoon member is actually "dis...more

Amos told reporters yesterday that combat Marines are concerned that a DADT repeal may be a distraction.
Any distraction, he shared, can pose a problem in a combat zone. "When your life hangs on the line, on the intuitive behavior of the young man that sits to your right and to your left, you don't want anything distracting,” he declared. . . . . You know, if any platoon member is actually "distracted" by the sexual orientation of another, then that platoon member has a serious problem and IS NOT QUALIFIED TO BE IN COMBAT. Ever think of that? I sure wouldn't want to be in the military with someone who is so easily 'distracted'. . . . These attempts by Amos to create hysteria are really an insult to our intelligence.less

As a church musician, I'm just glad when Christmas is OVER. Too much music packed into a short amount of time. That's why I never put up any decorations except for my Festivus Pole and my Aretha Franklin Inauguration-Day Hat ornament. . . . Ho Ho Ho.

Let's face some truth here: Judges will always be labeled "activist judges" only by those that don't agree with their ruling.

"A Virginia federal judge ruled on Monday that a provision in the recently-passed health care reform bill mandating individual insurance coverage is unconstitutional." . . . So, where's the outcry from conservatives about the dreadful, horrible "ACTIVIST JUDGES?" . . . . . . ** crickets chirping **

Believer: No, I didn’t say that homosexual marriages would cheapen the institution of marriage. Here’s what I envision happening: Gays will be granted Civil Unions nationwide and heterosexuals will continue with their marriages and 50% divorce rate. (Daddy’s girls wanting their big weddings then getting divorced, couples rushing off to Vegas a la Britney Spears, lots of children left with on...more

Believer: No, I didn’t say that homosexual marriages would cheapen the institution of marriage. Here’s what I envision happening: Gays will be granted Civil Unions nationwide and heterosexuals will continue with their marriages and 50% divorce rate. (Daddy’s girls wanting their big weddings then getting divorced, couples rushing off to Vegas a la Britney Spears, lots of children left with one-parent homes as usual.) In about 40 years, heterosexuals will see that the “divorce” rate for Civil Unions is a fraction of what it is for heterosexual marriage. (This is already happening in Massachusetts.) Then, in order to make more of a commitment to each other, Christian heterosexuals will want a Civil Union instead of a regular marriage, seeing that Civil Unions will be more noble and stable. At that point, the gays will say, “Sorry. But we don’t want YOU ‘cheapening’ our Civil Unions.” . . . . I have a dream. . . .less

Believer: Quite honestly, I wouldn't want to enter into a same sex marriage precisely due to your reasoning. Heterosexuals have already done a massive job of "cheapening" marriage with thier 50% divorce rate. I've got news for you: We already DO allow for another form of marriage than the one God intended in this country! It's the form in place right now.

It just goes to show that when one embraces fundamentalism of ANY sort, it is almost always harmful and destructive.

Chuck's "Manhattan Declaration" states that marriage is “an institution fundamental to the well-being of all of society" and should be reserved for opposite-sex couples. So, here's the question. How does allowing same-sex marriage inhibit opposite-sex marriage in any way? Chuck keeps posting articles about marriage but has YET to tell us how same sex marriage would be a detriment to opposite-sex...more

Chuck's "Manhattan Declaration" states that marriage is “an institution fundamental to the well-being of all of society" and should be reserved for opposite-sex couples. So, here's the question. How does allowing same-sex marriage inhibit opposite-sex marriage in any way? Chuck keeps posting articles about marriage but has YET to tell us how same sex marriage would be a detriment to opposite-sex marriage. HOW?less

Can you imagine the uproar if an anti-Christian professor was allowed to teach a course on Christianity? . . . Glass houses, folks.

Believer. Of COURSE it would be very offensive if a conservative evangelical had said what I said. Same as black people getting to use the N-word and white people cannot. I get a free ride to poke fun at homosexuality because I'm gay. (We get the long end of the stick on this one, my friend.)

I'm being silly here (as usual) - - but I can just imagine a university trying to find a women's soccer coach who ISN'T a lesbian. . . . Rub a lamp!

"He asked Christians to pray that the judge would come to a “just decision” and for the Christian Institute legal team." So, what if the judge rules against them? Would they feel that their prayers had been answered? If they want the judge to rule in their favor, they should just be honest and say that they want everyone to pray for a favorable ruling. As far as this case is concerned, I don't...more

"He asked Christians to pray that the judge would come to a “just decision” and for the Christian Institute legal team." So, what if the judge rules against them? Would they feel that their prayers had been answered? If they want the judge to rule in their favor, they should just be honest and say that they want everyone to pray for a favorable ruling. As far as this case is concerned, I don't believe this couple had the right to discriminate against this couple. Legally, they are a couple. Conversely, if I was that couple I wouldn't want to stay anywhere I knew I wasn't welcome. I'd just take my money elsewhere and put a notice on Trip Advisor that this establishment has a blatant discriminatory policy.less

How strange. Soldiers are expected to follow orders without question, risk life and limb for their country, rush headlong into enemy fire upon ordered . . . but to do this with a gay person and the military goes all, "Eew, ick, can we vote on this?"