New Consciousness. . .

(from "Reclaiming the Bible for a Non-Religious World" by John Shelby Spong,
 ©2011 John Shelby Spong)
". . . As post-Darwinians we now know that there never was a perfect creation.  All life has evolved from a single cell into our present self-conscious, enormously complex human life, which is, for the time being at least, at the top of the evolutionary ladder.  Since there was no perfect creation, then there could not have been a "fall" from perfection.  One cannot fall from a status one has never possessed.  If we have not fallen from perfection, we do not need to be saved, redeemed or rescued.  So the way Jesus has traditionally been interpreted vanishes into irrelevance.  One can artificially resuscitate a dying form only as long as the presuppositions undergirding that form are still believable.  The human experience, however, still cries out for some other explanation of this experience.  What is it?

We are self-conscious creatures.  All living things are survival-oriented.  Plants stretch to receive the light of the sun in order to live.  Animals fight for life or flee danger in order to survive.  Neither plant life nor animal life, however, is aware of its survival drive.  Human beings are.  When self-conscious creatures make their own survival their highest goal, they then organize their world around that need.

Paul's experience of human life was correct.  His explanation was wrong.  His experience of Christ as life-giving love was correct.  His explanation of how that love was manifested in Jesus' life was wrong. 

Can one find salvation by being rescued from this fatal flaw in our humanity, as Paul seemed to believe?  I do not think so.  We can, however, find wholeness in the experience of being lifted beyond these boundaries.  I am now convinced that this experience of being lifted into a new consciousness was the heart of what the Jesus experience was and it is this experience alone to which Christians must witness. . . "

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One last football thing. . .

. . . By Howard Bess

    In recent weeks, much has been written about Tim Tebow, the quarterback of the Denver Broncos. Until this past season, Tebow had been a back-up quarterback and did not draw much public notice.  When he was in college he had led the University of Florida to two national championships and won the Heisman Trophy in 2007.  He was drafted by the Broncos in the late first round of the 2010 draft.  Most NFL teams had passed over Tebow because there was doubt that his talents were of NFL standards.  This past season, Tebow got his chance, when the Broncos started the season with a 1-4 record.  Tebow started the next eight games, winning seven out of eight, and the Broncos rose to first place in their division.
    Tim Tebow started receiving a lot of attention.  He received a higher that usual level of attention partly because of the way he brought his religion into the spotlight of the playing field.  Tim identifies himself as a born-again Evangelical Christian, and in the best of Evangelical tradition, he wants the whole world to know that Jesus Christ is his Lord and Savior.  After key events in a ballgame, Tebow bends down on his left knee, bows his head, and raises his right hand to his forehead.  It is Tebow’s chosen way to witness to all those watching that Jesus Christ is the Lord of life.
    Because of his forthright display of his religion, he has become the idol of millions of born-again Evangelical Christians.  His practice of bending knee and bowing head has become the rage in some circles and is now referred to as “Tebowing.”  Many Evangelical Christians adore him, but many others have responses that range from mild discomfort to outrage.
    I can identify with Tim Tebow, because I too am a born-again Evangelical Christian.  I too was an athlete.  Since I was a young boy, it has been important for me to identify myself as a Christian.  I too confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.  After being a very successful high school football player, I enrolled at Illinois State University and became a two-way Freshman starter on a Conference Championship football team.  While I was never involved in anything like Tebowing, I found ways to use my status as an athlete at a State University to let people know that Jesus is Lord.  After a year at Illinois State and an Army enlistment, I returned to college at Wheaton College, a leading center of Evangelical Christianity.  I played football for Wheaton for three years.  The college motto “For Christ and His Kingdom” was the team motto.  The team members were the finest group of teammates I ever had. The Wheaton teams on which I played were championship teams, and excellence was a part of our Christian witness.  There was never a prayer to win, but we all knew that the way we played the game was a part of our witness for Christ the Lord.
    Vigorously sharing with the world that Jesus Christ is Lord is at the very heart of Evangelical Christianity.  When a highly committed Evangelical Christian walks onto the football field, he does not leave his Jesus behind.  From everything that I have read, Tim Tebow is a very fine young man.  He lives an exemplary life.  No one works harder at refining his football skills than does Tebow.  He is first on the practice field and the last to leave.
    Tebow’s religious display on the playing field ought to be respected because it is a part of who he is.  We do not call into question the practice of Albert Pujols making the sign of the cross as he walks to the plate.  Neither should we call into question the religious display of Tim Tebow on the football field.  It is as closely tied to his identity as the yarmulke worn by an Orthodox Jew.  We need to be reminded that Sandy Koufax, possibly the greatest left-handed pitcher in history, refused to pitch the opening game of the 1965 World Series because it fell on  Yom Kippur.
    There is a problem that Tim Tebow has given himself.  He is making his confession of faith very public.  How will he now live his life.   For the rest of his life the world will demand a life that lives up to his confession.
    Some years back, a leading American politician became the darling of Evangelical Christians.  He confessed that he had been born-again. He was pro-life and opposed gay rights.  He joined one of the right churches.  He was a man of wealth.  In the context of an important campaign, he was pressured to release information about his personal finances.  He did so.  According to his federal income tax return, he had not given a single penny to the church of his membership.  He lived in opulence, but his record of being charitable was almost non-existent.
Jesus is quoted as saying “Where your treasure is, your heart will be also.”
    From the day of the revelation of his finances, I knew that the politician was a fraud, and even worse.  He had used Evangelical Christianity for political purposes.
    When Tim Tebow says “Jesus is Lord,” that means that all the millions he is making as a football player belong to Jesus. What will he do with the millions of Jesus money that is being placed under his stewardship? I want Tim Tebow to be the real thing.  We need devoutly religious people in the public square.  Tim Tebow is needed just now on the football field.  I truly hope he will always be what he says he is.
                    THE END
The Rev. Howard Bess is a retired American Baptist minister, who lives in Palmer, Alaska.  His email address is hdbss@mtaonline.net.  

(Make no mistake about Howard Bess.  READ Howard Bess.)

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A Sunday . . .

 . . . kind of thought. . .

(from John Shelby Spong.com)
"We reference Jesus because he is the life in which this God experience has come to us.  It is only institutional religion that interprets this experience as a solitary one.  Jesus is the way to God for me, but I will never say that he is the only way to God.  That would be to claim more than I am competent to claim.  I cannot force the Holy God to live within the boundaries of my limited understanding of the holy.  That would be to claim that I can embrace all that is God inside the finite limits of my human(ity).


A great debate has gone on in Christian history for centuries as to whether Jesus is different from you or me in substance or in degree.  The majority opinion in “orthodox” Christian circles maintains that he is different in substance and creeds and doctrinal statements make that assumption.  There has, however, always been a minority opinion, an undercurrent flowing in Christian history that asserts that this difference is only in degree.  I can locate that in the 14^th century writing of Meister Eckhart, who succeeded Thomas Aquinas in his theological chair.  I find it present in my great mentor, John A. T. Robinson, particularly in his book, The Human Face of God. I find that position persuasive for if God is one, and if God is real, then the God experienced in Jesus has to be the same as the God experienced in everyone else, and if the humanity of Jesus is real, then it has to be the same humanity that you and I possess.  Jesus becomes, thus, the defining life, that is, Jesus is the life through which God has been met and engaged in a full and special way. That is a difference in degree not in kind.

I do meet God in the lives of those you mention and in many others, but I recognize that God because that is the same God I believe I meet in Jesus of Nazareth."

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More on Christmas. . .

(based upon the writings of John Shelby Spong)

. . . The birth story of Jesus was designed to introduce the adult Jesus of Nazareth as the one who would fulfill all the expectations of the Jews. Matthew's gospel portrays Jesus as a new and greater Moses, accompanied by the same signs that marked the birth of Moses'. The birth story is very similar to the story of Santa Claus. Both are beautiful and filled with meaning. Both stories capture a TRUTH that human words cannot fully contain.

Christmas should capture a truth that human words and actions can never fully contain or express. May we understand that truth, this and every Christmas, and apply that truth in our interactions with ALL humanity. . . throughout the entire year.

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It's. . .

. . . Christmas. . .

(from the writings of John Shelby Spong)

". . . the symbol of Santa Claus . . . is the personification of the spirit and joy of giving. . .the miraculous birth tradition disappears as history, but it re-emerges as powerful and shaping narratives that provide a primary insight into the meaning of Jesus. To journey into the heart of these narratives is to journey into the Christian claim that God was present in this man Jesus and that this experience compels us to come and worship. Frankly, this transition from history to poetry is that which will save the meaning of Christmas in our postmodern world. . ."

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Didn't think he was into video. . .

. . . and stuff. . .yeah. . . you know?

(from THE HILL, By Mike Lillis)
". . . Rep. Silvestre Reyes (Texas), a senior Democrat on both the Veterans Affairs and Armed Services committees,said that Rick Perry's new campaign ad "shows the unfortunate underbelly of politics" and exposes Perry as "a man desperate to remain relevant in a crowded Republican field vying for the approval of its Tea Party base."

“Like many politicians nowadays, [Perry] seems to be willing to say and do anything in an effort to score cheap political points," Reyes said in a statement.

"This is an attack on those who can openly serve our country in the United States military, and Perry owes these brave men and women an apology for distastefully using them as a political prop. . . "

Jesus Responds to Rick Perry's "Strong" Ad from DC Pierson

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A different kind of world. . .

from The Sins of Scripture by John Shelby Spong
©2005 John Shelby Spong

". . . the scriptures that tell his story must be transformed into a universal story, true (as a time- and place-bound story could never be) to who Jesus was and what he said and did. This is why these scriptures can never again be used to denigrate, hurt, oppress, enslave or diminish the humanity of any person. This is why the church must cease its quest for power, authority and that most insidious temptation of all, internal unity, and begin to transform the world to reconcile our differences and to make known a barrier-free humanity. We cannot pray the Jesus prayer, 'Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven,' unless we are willing to act as agents of that in-breaking kingdom by giving up our petty divisions, our recessive claims and our symbols of power and begin to devote all our energies to building a different kind of world."





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Never discuss politics. . .

. . . or related topics with your family. I think, and hope, that although I ventured into that dangerous turf, I may have survived this ordeal 'relatively' unscathed. And I hope that I perceive correctly because I sincerely respect their points of view, although I am still entitled to my own and chose to defend it to the point where my loved one expressed some visible discomfort with the boisterous debate that ensued; even though she thoroughly agrees with me.

I don't understand why some of the 99% do not even realize that they fall precisely within that percentage.

Further. . .the significance of the Occupy movements could eventually rival the impact of the civil rights movement. Not only are many confused members of the 99% missing, priests, pastors and clergy of every kind are conspicuously absent.

The evils that sparked these protests are real and critical to the well-being of lots of people. Instead of feeling proud of giving turkeys to the poor, religious and non-religious alike should be joining in the protests against the haughty rich.

". . . The current crop of national bank leaders are being shown to be just as corrupt as were the temple bankers of Jesus day. If Jesus were present among us today, he would be moving from Portland, to Los Angeles to Kansas City, to Dallas, up to Chicago and on to Wall Street in New York City. He would join the protest in every city. . ."
(from Howard Bess)

Above inspired by writings of Howard Bess
[The Rev. Howard Bess is a retired American Baptist minister, who lives in Palmer, Alaska. His email address is HYPERLINK "mailto:hdbss@mtaonline.net" hdbss@mtaonline.net]




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Where's the Cheer?. . .

. . .That I should feel
Inside my heart
This time of year
While all the
Televisions
Newspapers
And billboards
Count the shopping days
For me

It appears
To me that
I'm the only one
Who doesn't see
The fine and natural
Attraction to what seems
Part race
Part obstacle course
I believe

Long ago I leaned that we
Celebrate this season
Anniversary of the birth
Of someone named Jesus

Through the years
How my perception of it all
Has gone awry
When so much
Manufactured hype
And pressurized requirements
Make it all seem a lie

How I wish
Since it's the
Time of year that
Dreams can come alive
That you and I
See one November when
Without the retail forecasting
Some peace on earth
Goodwill to all arrives

CHEER
©2007 Raymond M. Jozwiak


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Disturbing??. . .

. . . Yes. But it grows on you if you're honest. The quote below should not be read interpreting the religion-related words in the traditional sense, or 'literally', but in the light of a 'God' which is the 'ground of being' that exists in all human beings. The excerpt goes so much further than a theistic perspective that posits a God as an entity who exists somewhere 'out there' (used to be 'up there') and actually watches over us, individually and collectively. Doesn't that really sound quite 'unbelievable'?

More from John Shelby Spong's "Eternal Life: A New Vision
Beyond Religion, Beyond Theism, Beyond Heaven and Hell. . .

"Jesus was the life in whom a new consciousness appeared. His consciousness called, beckoned and empowered us to be something we could not then even dream of being. Jesus was a human being who was so whole, so free and so loving that he transcended all human limits and that transcendence helped us to understand and even to declare that we had met God in him. That is what the story of the resurrection was all about. Every human limit, including the limit of death, faded in front of Jesus. So he opens a door. . . to walk into the final arena and to walk past the ultimate boundary. . . a life at one with God, at one with [oneself] and a part of eternity. . . "





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All the symptoms are there. . .

. . . (From NBC News. . . )
"Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann yesterday attended a church here in Iowa, where the pastor called homosexuality "immoral" and "unnatural," and later showed a testimonial video from a man who claimed to have been gay before having a conversation with God.

Before the sermon at Point of Grace Church -- a non-denominational congregation near Des Moines -- Bachmann stood with her husband, Marcus Bachmann, before a crowd of about 100 people, clutching her personal copy of the Bible.

“This is a time that we need to be encouraged this week, not discouraged,” she said, referencing Friday night’s credit downgrade and Saturday’s news about the Navy SEALs killed in Afghanistan.

“Whatever is pure, whatever is lovely,” Bachmann said, reading from the book of Philippians, “think well on these things.”

The reading drew cheers. Pastor Jeff Mullen, standing next to Bachmann, took her Bible his hand. “There are some candidates who start running, and have this come-to-Jesus moment,” he said. "What I love about this Bible,” he said, “is how well it's used.”

Mullen offered a prayer honoring democracy. “We have a nation where people can still rise up and speak their voice, and say, ‘This is what I believe.’”

When Bachmann and her husband returned to their seats, Mullen began a half-hour presentation on his church's beliefs. Reading verses from the Bible to support his case, Mullen said, "We inherently know that homosexual behavior is immoral and unnatural."

“God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness,” Mullen said, reading from the book of Romans.

Mullen’s sermon concluded with video testimonial from a man named Adam Hood, who claims to have been gay before experiencing a conversation with God. "I am so happy God has given me natural affection for a woman," Hood said in the video, adding that his wife is nine months pregnant.

"We need to have compassion for people that are bound by that sin," Hood added. "And it is a sin. Call a spade a spade."

The Bachmanns remained in the church for the duration of the service, and afterward posed for a picture with Pastor Mullen and his family.

In an interview with NBC News, Mullen called his sermon on homosexuality “a bedrock, just a Biblical truth we’ve taught over the years.”

“It just so happens they were here today,” Mullen said of the Bachmanns. “And we were teaching on both marriage and homosexuality.”

The Bachmann campaign released this statement on Mullen's sermon: "Michele was an invited guest, she always welcomes the opportunity to meet with parishioners."

The Point of Grace Church service was the second church event Michele Bachmann attended on Sunday. Earlier, they visited the Des Moines First Church of the Nazarene, where the presidential candidate discussed the origins of her faith and political life."

Do you think maybe she's. . .



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What???...

. . . would. . .

In the 1990s the phrase “What would Jesus do?” became a fad among evangelical Christians. There were WWJD bracelets, t-shirts, and posters, and a host of mocking pop culture imitations such as "What would Scooby do?". The phrase “What would Jesus do?” originated in a novel titled In His Steps: What Would Jesus Do?, published in 1897 by Charles M. Sheldon. Sheldon was a Congregational minister in Topeka, Kansas, and a Progressive concerned with Christianity’s relationship to the social politics of his day.Now maybe you have seen it, but I, only yesterday, saw for the first time the "What would Sun Ra do?" bumper sticker and quite frankly, it sparked in me some serious thought.

First, of course, I thought, "WHAT would Sun Ra do about WHAT?" Then I thought that he most certainly would have something to say about the retirement of the space shuttle. He might have two cents to add about which museums in which cities the retired vessels would be displayed. He might have something to say about terrorism, shallow politics, greed and global warming. He always did exhibit concern for injustice.

Then I realized that I was probably barking up the wrong tree. Of course I, and any other fan of Sun Ra (with or without an Arkestra) should know without a doubt, exactly what Sun Ra would do. He would, obviously, PLAY. . . . .







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Sunday. . .

. . . seems like an appropriate day to quote everybody's favorite atheist. . .

"That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence."

"[O]wners of dogs will have noticed that, if you provide them with food and water and shelter and affection, they will think you are god. Whereas owners of cats are compelled to realize that, if you provide them with food and water and shelter and affection, they draw the conclusion that they are gods."

"Many religions now come before us with ingratiating smirks and outspread hands, like an unctuous merchant in a bazaar. They offer consolation and solidarity and uplift, competing as they do in a marketplace. But we have a right to remember how barbarically they behaved when they were strong and were making an offer that people could not refuse."

"Human decency is not derived from religion. It precedes it."

"[Mother Teresa] was not a friend of the poor. She was a friend of poverty. She said that suffering was a gift from God. She spent her life opposing the only known cure for poverty, which is the empowerment of women and the emancipation of them from a livestock version of compulsory reproduction."

"The governor of Texas, who, when asked if the Bible should also be taught in Spanish, replied that 'if English was good enough for Jesus, then it's good enough for me."

"Exceptional claims demand exceptional evidence."

"To "choose" dogma and faith over doubt and experience is to throw out the ripening vintage and to reach greedily for the Kool-Aid. "

"Organised religion is violent, irrational, intolerant, allied to racism, tribalism, and bigotry, invested in ignorance and hostile to free inquiry, contemptuous of women and coercive toward children."

"I suppose that one reason I have always detested religion is its sly tendency to insinuate the idea that the universe is designed with 'you' in mind or, even worse, that there is a divine plan into which one fits whether one knows it or not. This kind of modesty is too arrogant for me."

. . . Christopher Hitchens



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