Reflections on God … Man … Life
I’m going to take a break from blogging for the rest of 2013. Before I go, a few comments. First, a sincere wish directed toward Republicans, in the form of a gift: And also a reminder to remember what Christmas is all about: Just kidding. But if you are watching the usual “holiday” specials, you might think so. Actually, I direct you to some words from the Gospel of John instead: There was the true Light which, coming into the… Read more »
Last Thursday’s post on Phil Robertson and the Duck Dynasty controversy received more “likes” than any post I’ve ever written. It’s because this whole episode has touched a nerve, particularly in the evangelical community. Ever since President Obama declared his support for homosexual marriage and the Supreme Court refused to uphold the Defense of Marriage Act, our society has begun a mad rush toward Sodom. Now along comes Phil Robertson, who gets to the root of the problem: homosexuality is… Read more »
How do I combine Phil Robertson and Charles Finney? Rather easily. Robertson spoke clearly on the nature of sin, yet also said we had to love everyone, even those caught up in sin. Finney, in his Systematic Theology, puts it this way: The command is, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself” (Matt. 19:19). This says nothing about the character of my neighbor. It is the value of His [God’s] interests, of His well-being, that the law requires me to… Read more »
When you give a title to a book like The Problem of Pain, you may scare away readers. But if the author is C. S. Lewis, more will be attracted to it than repulsed. And despite the “downer” title, it’s really quite an excellent perspective on dealing with the difficulties we face in life. Lewis also offered this encouragement in the book: Your soul has a curious shape because it is a hollow made to fit a particular dwelling in… Read more »
I don’t hunt. I don’t fish. Skinning an animal or cleaning fish are not on my bucket list. I don’t concoct ingenious, makeshift contraptions to make things work. I’d make a lousy redneck. Yet I absolutely love Duck Dynasty. I resisted it for over two years, but so many people were referencing it, and I heard that the Robertson family are Christians, so I finally succumbed to watching an episode. I was hooked from the start. The writing is clever,… Read more »
I’ve written more than once about my belief that President Obama is a confirmed narcissist. Every time there is a special commemoration of some kind, his White House releases a picture of him, as if he is “the” participant in a historic event. It has happened with Rosa Parks, Pearl Harbor, and numerous other occasions. This fascination with himself has gone well beyond such photos. Shortly after taking office, he sent a gift to Queen Elizabeth—audio of his speeches. Before… Read more »
People are always striving to be happy. The problem is the definition of the term. It’s always self-centered and focused on how we feel. As a result, we drift toward the quick and easy, anything that makes us “feel” good. In just two sentences, C. S. Lewis lays bare the barrenness of that approach: Which of the religions of the world gives to its followers the greatest happiness? While it lasts, the religion of worshipping oneself is the best. The… Read more »