tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17142069583615807902024-03-04T23:46:08.514-08:00Thoughts IN-GodAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07386921732976247115noreply@blogger.comBlogger153125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714206958361580790.post-84207962450938167372013-08-30T11:59:00.005-07:002013-09-06T06:58:40.244-07:00Over and Under and Through <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWYmrrk6ePRthWiRtMeSFjzwUX0oCBovo52qNTaOfFwquIBsiLBhYWVQGBF0ISd83sIxxIB2xuLh6or2MR4_E58OibkVSAv4E_aCMA7lLUhGkoR1MUSFJZ4FqtfJ9a-4QllQAodp9WKws/s1600/surreal+bridge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWYmrrk6ePRthWiRtMeSFjzwUX0oCBovo52qNTaOfFwquIBsiLBhYWVQGBF0ISd83sIxxIB2xuLh6or2MR4_E58OibkVSAv4E_aCMA7lLUhGkoR1MUSFJZ4FqtfJ9a-4QllQAodp9WKws/s640/surreal+bridge.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
Preface: It’s time to build a
bridge<o:p></o:p></div>
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Can the worldviews of the religious and the secular be reconciled in Western
thought? Can we loosen the knots of our
language and ideologies enough to share greater collective meaning, but not so
much that we lose the meanings we already have?
Indeed, in our global world today can we really afford NOT to? Can we underestimate the need for the world
of science to understand faith? At the
same time can we dismiss the need for theology to fully reckon with the fabric
and patterns of the natural world?<o:p></o:p></div>
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Is such a unity even possible?
I, for one, believe this is a bridge we can build in our time. Indeed I believe the foundations are already
here for the mantle of philosophy to again take its place between the knowledge
and mysteries of the world and the mysteries and knowings of our
hearts.<o:p></o:p></div>
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And I believe Christianity is a prime candidate to place a bid for
this bridge-building project. Of all
the major world religions, Christianity was the first to let go of its tribal
God and embrace a God of all. And in
spite of Papal stumblings in the centuries that followed, Christian culture
became a nursery for all of modern enlightenment and science that we value
today.<o:p></o:p></div>
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So, is there a secular way to adequately describe God? Is there a religious way to accurately
appreciate the facts of science? Is
there a unified structure for us to hang the data and experiences of both our
outer and inner worlds? I think there
is, and I’d like to share my own view of it in short.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Granted it requires a loosening of supernatural claims on the side of
religion, just as much as it demands a letting go of material reductionism (reducing the world to just bits of matter) on
the part of science. Crudely put, both
sides have their own portions of denial that must be overcome. Religion in general is in denial of certain realities and rules about the natural world. And at the same
time most of the physical sciences are in denial about certain distinct qualities and vitalities of inner conscious experience.<o:p></o:p></div>
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But I believe that with contemporary courage and skill a bridge can be
built, one that will open up a whole new territory for humans to finally share
our deepest and greatest meanings of life and faith.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I invite you to consider the following sample summary. And then consider for yourself if it helps or
hinders the core assumptions of both science and religion. Can you see space for the physical and human
sciences? Can you find room for the
spiritual and symbolic aspects of religion.
To this end, I try to use plain Christian language to encompass some of
the most plainly accepted things about reality: like existence, consciousness,
and human values.<o:p></o:p></div>
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You be the judge whether such material might have the right properties
and proportions to build a bridge that can span the distance that divides our
world today.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwa5a7BqtH_Cy6UWfoipb6uB98Jm2HyW26RXWFZ4eMLjAq9L01CzPeFclISihIVNidlMcS7ufSBAHtQRxZrZhsGnrIiyeDhXYqiIIObajhUvw2N70PNOLuFliYPkrLWm590NQtkS7Us90/s1600/Gal3_28diversity.jpg.960x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="411" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwa5a7BqtH_Cy6UWfoipb6uB98Jm2HyW26RXWFZ4eMLjAq9L01CzPeFclISihIVNidlMcS7ufSBAHtQRxZrZhsGnrIiyeDhXYqiIIObajhUvw2N70PNOLuFliYPkrLWm590NQtkS7Us90/s640/Gal3_28diversity.jpg.960x.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<u style="text-align: justify;">Over and Under and Through</u></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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by: D. Bradlee Grim<o:p></o:p></div>
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We experience God <b>around</b>
us. God as Father is the expression of
the sacred outside of us. We experience
this ultimately as the universal embrace of existence. But we also experience the Father in the
blessings and beatitudes of life in our world.
The Father is the external embrace of all existence.</div>
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(Note: This does not necessarily
require an exclusive belief in the Hebrew tribal god Yahweh.)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">We experience God <b>within</b> us. God as Holy Spirit is the expression of the
sacred inside us. We experience this as
the in-most spark of consciousness of our minds. And we also experience Holy Spirit in the
positive qualities of things like love, joy, peace, and kindness. Holy Spirit is the inner embrace of every
heart.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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(Note: This does not necessarily
require a belief in ethereal spirits or ghosts.)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;">We experience God <b>between</b> us. God as Son, as Living Word, is the expression
of the sacred within our human form. We
experience the incarnation of the Son in the example and teachings of Jesus. We also experience Jesus as Christ in the
subsequent living body of his Kingdom of love.
Christ the Son is the harmonic embrace of our humanity; a reconciliation
of the sacred between our inner and outer lives.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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(Note: This does not necessarily
require believing in miracles, biological resurrections, or an afterlife.)<o:p></o:p></div>
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This is a universal, non-exclusive, non-literal view of the sacred
that does not require any supernatural beliefs or spectacular claims contrary
to nature. It rests only on the faith to
experience and share the sacred in existence, in our hearts, and through our
humanity.<o:p></o:p></div>
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It is said that in Jesus was summed the Hebrew Law and Prophets. Likewise in Jesus’ Kingdom today is summed the Christian
Gospels and Epistles. In this way Jesus’
Kingdom can be shared globally and universally.
For just as we need not trivialize Gospel by legalizing a set of
religious rules, likewise we need not trivialize Christ by literalizing a set
of sacred stories.<o:p></o:p></div>
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All are accepted and embraced by existence as Father. All possess the conscious inner spark of Holy
Spirit. And because of this, the good
news exclamation is that ALL have the capacity to know and express human
goodness as the presence of Christ in our lives in spite of the crosses and turmoils
we face. This is our salvation and feast!<o:p></o:p></div>
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“<i>In Christ there is neither Jew
nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, neither male nor female, [neither
religious nor secular, neither believer nor skeptic,] for you are all one in
Christ</i>” –Galatians 3:28.<o:p></o:p><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07386921732976247115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714206958361580790.post-37761906186964406652013-08-23T11:16:00.003-07:002013-09-05T12:42:54.349-07:00This I Trust<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
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<u>This I
Trust<o:p></o:p></u></div>
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Why must I
believe certain spectacular or supernatural things in order to participate in
Christian gospel? Can’t the fullness of Christian
gospel be preached also in secular tongue?<o:p></o:p></div>
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For I trust the
experience of a divine embrace in the universal embrace of existence itself.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I trust the experience
of a holy presence in the still and profound inner light of my soul.<o:p></o:p></div>
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And I trust the
experience of healing in life through the teachings of Jesus and the stories
about him.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In
short: I trust the presence of God in the
temple of existence around me (as <b>Father</b>). I trust the presence of God at the altar of consciousness
inside me (as <b>Spirit</b>). And I trust the incarnation of God in the blessings
and on the cross of the human condition (as <b>Son</b>). Moreover, I trust the rebirth
of life that comes from connecting the divine centers of our hearts to the work
of our humble mortal hands (i.e. <b>Resurrection</b>). And I trust that all humans share some kind
of faith like this for the collective cause of creating more compassion,
justice, and peace in our world (as <b>Kingdom</b>).<o:p></o:p></div>
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So I ask, what
set of spectacular beliefs could make this salvation more complete?<o:p></o:p><br />
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Indeed, trust
even in a blessed afterlife if you choose.
But surely that would be found likewise in an open experience of trusting,
not as a reward that can be earned for holding certain sets of beliefs.<o:p></o:p><br />
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As for me, I
plan to embrace death as I have embraced life, with trust. At the end of a lifetime of experiencing the
sure but always tentative embrace of existence and consciousness I hope to experience
death with the same full and open trust which I have found to transcend all guarantees
in the first place.<o:p></o:p><br />
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For I have found that the promise of Christian gospel is in the experience of trust itself.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07386921732976247115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714206958361580790.post-45307019533820777802013-08-07T17:19:00.002-07:002013-08-07T17:26:36.465-07:00Holy Spirit, in Every Tongue<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix34KKbiRR7w7jcCBXJNP-uoPZQsLOBwdcjUITQKqCIsupf0ASzoSnPgyy8El_dRNtjj_fcC-hf8-2udmXoEc_ThHsu6cgKpQwGzME0h2u0qGY0PP81and9o59cCrHAHWa8YR_ycLB2xQ/s1600/Holy+Spirit.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix34KKbiRR7w7jcCBXJNP-uoPZQsLOBwdcjUITQKqCIsupf0ASzoSnPgyy8El_dRNtjj_fcC-hf8-2udmXoEc_ThHsu6cgKpQwGzME0h2u0qGY0PP81and9o59cCrHAHWa8YR_ycLB2xQ/s320/Holy+Spirit.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
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Holy Spirit invites us to get past the pissing contest between Jew and Gentile, between my religion and yours, and just start living out the universal way of Love that Jesus lived.<br />
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Those who wish to once again limit Holy Spirit to Pharisitical litmus tests do a disservice. They reduce the Love of Jesus down to the size of their own. But that’s okay, love is still love regardless. Better some love than none. Yet, better still FULL love than just some.<br />
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Holy Spirit takes the compassion, justice, and peace for which Jesus died and names it and resurrects it in every tongue and tribe. In this way the Spirit and Gospel of Christ is spread to all the corners of the earth, not by making doctrinal ditto heads, but by making his universal Love grow in ever greater diversity.<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07386921732976247115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714206958361580790.post-22128143814800364632013-04-28T15:43:00.001-07:002013-04-28T15:43:06.242-07:00Faith is like having sex<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Faith
is like having sex</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">You
gotta feel it to do it</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">And
you gotta do it to feel it</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Anything less is just fakin'.</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07386921732976247115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714206958361580790.post-13226772669273038412013-04-28T14:51:00.004-07:002013-04-28T15:06:13.715-07:00Do you believe in God?<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Do you believe in
God?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Great!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">What if I told you that I
believe in God too</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Just not in the way you
might </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Would that be okay?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But what if my belief in
God</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Is too different</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">From your belief in God?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Would one of us need to
give up rights to the term?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Are
you an unbeliever?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Great!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">What
if I told you that I don’t believe in God either</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">At
least not in the conventional sense</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Would
that be okay?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But
what if my unbelief</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Was
more nuanced</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Than
your unbelief?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or yours more than mine?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Would
one of us have to concede a belief in God after all?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Yet what if belief or
unbelief is completely irrelevant</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">To the reality of God’s
existence or nonexistence?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">What if faith still works
like faith</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Regardless if we believe
in a God or not?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">What if right is still
right, wrong is still wrong</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Grey is still grey, and
“beats me!” is still “beats me!”?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">What if hope is still
hope, love is still love, and trying is still trying</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">No matter how we use our
faith?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>–as long as we use it</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">What
if faith is as universal</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As
our limits and shortcomings</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">And
learning to love was the only real choice we ever had in the first place?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Would
that give us an all-inclusive meaning to the struggles of life?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Would
that pretty much describe God in a nut shell?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Or
humanity?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Or
grace?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Or
all of the above?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In
the end words DO have meaning</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">And
‘God’ is no small word</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Question
is, is there a Word</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Bigger
than how we might think about ‘God’?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">If there is, do any of us
really have the right to define it?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">To color it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To wrap it up in a box?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Postmark it for Jews and
gentiles</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But not for heathens or
heretics?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Given what “God” means
simply by us saying it</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Isn’t it still the holy
grail of human language?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">An utterance for every
knee and tongue</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Too sublime to bow or
confess a thing</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Other than what faith
would give us</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In the very moment of its
sudden and glottal stop!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So
what if faith took living</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Rather
than believing?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">And
God took faith</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Rather
than confessing?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Perhaps
that would give us all</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Only
one thing left to do:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Live
by loving others</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Die
in the throes of struggle</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">And
hope to God that <i>that</i> was more important</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Than
what we believed.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07386921732976247115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714206958361580790.post-88310192523402010672013-04-28T11:55:00.001-07:002013-04-28T15:29:37.963-07:00Immovable Text<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtPuccOAojg2TnLkFxUGFHkyU6A2W3WGRQu2BHjGmv6zXC-hlhsfNkWJwTd1BrvIDqpTu0a4hnT2e78iin1gSpSCDreOo4EjoEW9rH1oDo27-k0snJJDjlAWIDPc8_4AEc4NMnlMELoqo/s1600/stone+tomb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtPuccOAojg2TnLkFxUGFHkyU6A2W3WGRQu2BHjGmv6zXC-hlhsfNkWJwTd1BrvIDqpTu0a4hnT2e78iin1gSpSCDreOo4EjoEW9rH1oDo27-k0snJJDjlAWIDPc8_4AEc4NMnlMELoqo/s400/stone+tomb.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Scripture
is not authority</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Its
inspiration</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Otherwise</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Why
keep quoting it and not just do it once and for all?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I
know the love of Jesus</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Not
because the Bible tells me so</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But
because I feel it in my heart</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">No
book can do that</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It
just so happens</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">That
what I read resonates</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">With
what’s already in me</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In
deed, Divine Love transcends</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Not
only scripture</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But
the Christian story itself</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So
to be truly inspired</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Holy
Word must be borne in every trough</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It
must bear the deepest and darkest plot of love</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Not
just for some stories, but for all</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">And
when this Love has done its work</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We
nonetheless insist that it must die</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">On
ink and paper, buried inside immovable text!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">And
yet the Gospel truth</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Is
that between the blowing and crinkling pages of life</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This
Word rises to live again and again</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Each
day in our hearts.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt;">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07386921732976247115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714206958361580790.post-5897001641940825682013-04-28T10:32:00.000-07:002013-04-28T10:43:07.150-07:00Faith is a Two-way Street<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJZmezC6qWjQZs9ie_GyUNGRvmMzZ8TkdjBUmEMQwsKyERlV2Jv21KXik6IN0MmstlWYfOgQ36gFsy41ndVD72Yvu-N55BiyKMLdhLTfksRVMmefy5XYrQggxaPq-1fs9NUaMXHTUmMXk/s1600/two-way-street1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJZmezC6qWjQZs9ie_GyUNGRvmMzZ8TkdjBUmEMQwsKyERlV2Jv21KXik6IN0MmstlWYfOgQ36gFsy41ndVD72Yvu-N55BiyKMLdhLTfksRVMmefy5XYrQggxaPq-1fs9NUaMXHTUmMXk/s400/two-way-street1.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">To
be clear</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We
atheists don’t reject</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">All
the truly amazing and wonderful things about God</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We
just feel</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">That
all these amazing and wonderful things</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Are
freely available without a God</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">If
you want to accuse us atheists</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Of
still believing in SOME kind of God</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">On
account of this</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I
suppose then we DO have the right</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">To
say critical things about God after all</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">All
in all, faith is a two-way street</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">What
you praise</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I
might scoff</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">And
I’m sorry if that rubs a sore spot</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But
the rules say we all got to drive here</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So
let’s at least mind the center line shall we</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">By
the way, what if ‘God’ is the road itself?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07386921732976247115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714206958361580790.post-22475584054927167232013-04-28T09:38:00.002-07:002013-04-28T09:39:04.320-07:00“G” “o” “d”<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSjb3avb_BApZGK2GsQHnhj6ohy5gp0JdhBknUkBZfpw4Om7AaGkGT1J0yPq5CA9_KgSa5ESjwpIMj8lHm8R_NsnzuUHqsyHkNwcdQecVvWJY594yhliZn414oBuILvRJca33Y6S1Xx9Q/s1600/god-is-a-four-letter-word_350_350.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSjb3avb_BApZGK2GsQHnhj6ohy5gp0JdhBknUkBZfpw4Om7AaGkGT1J0yPq5CA9_KgSa5ESjwpIMj8lHm8R_NsnzuUHqsyHkNwcdQecVvWJY594yhliZn414oBuILvRJca33Y6S1Xx9Q/s320/god-is-a-four-letter-word_350_350.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://www.rutherford.org/product/god-is-a-four-letter-word">https://www.rutherford.org/product/god-is-a-four-letter-word</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">God
is a word</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">That
names the object of our faith</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Believe</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Or</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Don’t
believe</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Just</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Be
good to your faith</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">God
will thank you for it</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">And
the rest of us will too.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Peace.</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07386921732976247115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714206958361580790.post-27359228053789597122013-04-28T09:35:00.001-07:002013-04-28T10:45:36.558-07:00Religious Journey<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://greatmiddleway.wordpress.com/2012/03/31/two-kinds-of-doubt/">http://greatmiddleway.wordpress.com/2012/03/31/two-kinds-of-doubt/</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Religion
itself is a good thing</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But the kind of unquestioning literalistic certainty</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Is what
turns our religious ideas of God</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">From
a loving creator</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Into
a bigoted tyrant</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">And
us into his unwitting accomplices.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So
make doubt part of your religion.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Doubt
everything that doesn’t sit right with you</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">And
especially those things that sit TOO well</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">And
then hold on</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Your
idea of God is going to start doing cartwheels</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But
don’t worry</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Religious faith is made for this kind of journey.</span></div>
<br />
"<i>no one puts new wine into old wineskins</i>" -Mark 2:22<br />
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"<i>we should not think that the nature of the divine is like gold or silver or stone, an image which can be formed by the art and thought of humans</i>" -Acts 17:29 <br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07386921732976247115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714206958361580790.post-64396007537568669032013-04-25T16:53:00.001-07:002013-04-28T09:50:05.618-07:00when heaven comes down to earth<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaBjnvWAVzAY2UA5nKQR4FBqryM21d2pQE5ZQ-YYp16MqA2Gj48rdxBcewvMdGefS7mtBZE1Rhn8faXQ41uDTOcHFBsH9pVHXsvV-88G0nOiMRhZHS138zSNZF97w5Az4LQ5wq3kgQsIw/s1600/when+heaven+comes+down+to+earth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaBjnvWAVzAY2UA5nKQR4FBqryM21d2pQE5ZQ-YYp16MqA2Gj48rdxBcewvMdGefS7mtBZE1Rhn8faXQ41uDTOcHFBsH9pVHXsvV-88G0nOiMRhZHS138zSNZF97w5Az4LQ5wq3kgQsIw/s400/when+heaven+comes+down+to+earth.jpg" width="305" /></a></div>
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</xml><![endif]--><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://createvisualculture.wordpress.com/2011/01/11/1911-heaven-comes-down-to-earth-and-why-that-matters/">http://createvisualculture.wordpress.com/2011/01/11/1911-heaven-comes-down-to-earth-and-why-that-matters/</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt;">In today’s world</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Why should religion still be defined by superstition?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Why should spirituality still require a belief in the
supernatural?</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Today</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">We know we have an inner world, and an outer world</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Our conscious minds, and our cosmos</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">At long last, that’s all we have data for; thoughts and
things</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">And so our inner data has given us the insights of
psychology</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">And our outer data has shown us the laws of physics</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">And yet science itself has shown us</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">That these are not two worlds, but one</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">One coin, with two sides</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">So why should we still imagine an extra <i>third</i> world</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">To make sense of the amazing two-sided one we’re clearly limited
to?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Why should we keep imagining some extra heavenly realm
that we have no data for?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Isn’t it about time we found religion without
superstition?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Isn’t it about time we found spirituality without the
supernatural?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Isn’t it about time we found God right here, right now,
gleaming with reality?</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Can’t God just be the great unity of the reality <i>inside</i>
us with the reality <i>outside</i> us?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Can’t God just be the way the majesty of the universe
relates to the wonder of our hearts?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">And vice versa?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Can’t we just be still and know that God is simply the <i>reality</i>
of reality?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">And that reality itself will always hold and reveal the
truth and goodness we seek</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Even though we may lose track of it sometimes –inside or
out</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Thus, in today’s world</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Shouldn’t religion simply be the <i>outer </i>practice of the
<i>inner </i>good we find and cherish?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">And spirituality, the collective science of how we can do
this together on one planet?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Perhaps today</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Can finally be the day</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">When heaven comes down to earth</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">But then again, this has been preached for two-thousand
years</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">So maybe, could this, just maybe, be the return of Christ
for our age?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Last time:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>freedom
from the legalistic trappings of Law and sin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">This time:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>freedom
from the literalizing of Lore and superstition!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">And yet at all times the same Kingdom, always at hand. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“<i>Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age</i>.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>-Matt. 28:20</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07386921732976247115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714206958361580790.post-37904372204292297592013-04-24T18:38:00.002-07:002013-04-28T09:50:14.102-07:00Backwoods Redneck Un-believin’ Gospel<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ5JcV3GXSRmIjh7UK9jOzqMSzsQXlIFef5i1WKcL8NShXhyGAvBATTvv0jKYaOnWY72GSHc_A7J0jIoC98f00U78QczOz0-QIyCtp-QMv5zyp7HXwKOOiTTI2tWqoAKW5moWDRwvky7w/s1600/there-is-no-god.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ5JcV3GXSRmIjh7UK9jOzqMSzsQXlIFef5i1WKcL8NShXhyGAvBATTvv0jKYaOnWY72GSHc_A7J0jIoC98f00U78QczOz0-QIyCtp-QMv5zyp7HXwKOOiTTI2tWqoAKW5moWDRwvky7w/s1600/there-is-no-god.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://berto-meister.blogspot.com/2010/09/penn-jillette-this-i-believe-there-is.html">http://berto-meister.blogspot.com/2010/09/penn-jillette-this-i-believe-there-is.html</a></span></div>
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</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Ain’t nothin wrong with your soul</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Only thing corruptible is the mind</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Nothing but a brain’s belief</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">In a tricksy curse-love God that wrecks a soul's sedan </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Ain’t no stain on your heart neither</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">For the most part, sin’s just a occupational hazard of learnin is all</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">And what we learn is, well –we gotta lot of growin to do</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Tell you a little secret, sin’s but a prerequisite to love</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Ain’t no hell either, nope</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Hell’s just a place made up by grudgeful folks</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Tryin not to feel that way</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Shucks, hell ain’t nothin more than just a bad way to be</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">And there ain’t no God, sorry to say</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Well… none ‘cept the one you believe in I 'spose</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Just so happens we all gotta believe in somethin</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">So, I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Deal?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">And I do hate to tell you, there ain’t no pearly gates neither</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Heaven’s just a kind blissful band-aid on account of our petrified fear of death</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Nobody wanna die. That’s the God's-honest truth</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">But ain’t nobody ever come back I know of, to holler out an "all-clear!"</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Sheeit!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They say there was this one guy</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Somethin bout a holy death wish on account your wretched soul</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Say he’s un-dead as Elvis too</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Just if’n you believe</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Problem is, ain’t no belief sly enough to really fool the heart</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">But you feel free to confess it so; go on up to heaven when you die, go on now</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Me, I’ll take my heav’n right here, with all its bumps and bruises if’n you don’t mind</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Heaven's just a matter of being right with the world as it is, yup, right down to your bones.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Well, I suppose there ain’t no point in belaboring all this</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I ‘spect you’ll get along alright, spite this little ol’ talk from me</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Cain’t help it my friend</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I likes to ruffle feathers a bit is all, I find it keeps a soul honest</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Heck!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For what its worth, I’ll say this too</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">God bless you my friend, God bless.</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07386921732976247115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714206958361580790.post-78140827826691342522013-04-24T12:50:00.001-07:002013-04-24T12:52:54.682-07:00No one has ever seen God<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:DoNotOptimizeForBrowser/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyiUMrN6zdvchFoaHM5mUY_EUZ9dyZAAVgnrjGnjrT3lhCm3atCqZ7-icfVp6vXbPtsgcCFLmvZc6extx5YZE4og50eaV23WifI-LuvP22c3kMO8DUJDEsou9JYzCko7VRUZX2kkAVS3I/s1600/shining-light2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyiUMrN6zdvchFoaHM5mUY_EUZ9dyZAAVgnrjGnjrT3lhCm3atCqZ7-icfVp6vXbPtsgcCFLmvZc6extx5YZE4og50eaV23WifI-LuvP22c3kMO8DUJDEsou9JYzCko7VRUZX2kkAVS3I/s1600/shining-light2.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="yiv5821242817msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<u><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt;"></span></u><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt;"></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv5821242817msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt;">I.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 7.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt;">To say who or what God <i>is</i></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv5821242817msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt;">Is like saying you know what’s beyond the edge of the universe</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv5821242817msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt;">Or what’s smaller than a subatomic particle</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv5821242817msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt;">Its like saying you know what’s straighter than a line, or rounder than a circle</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv5821242817msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt;">II.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 7.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt;">The term ‘God’ can be used literally</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv5821242817msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt;">Only to refer to the great necessity of existence</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv5821242817msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt;">As for who or what God is <i>beyond</i> existence</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv5821242817msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt;">No person, or book, or thing can truly say</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv5821242817msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt;">III.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 7.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt;">All we can say is what God is <i>like</i></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv5821242817msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt;">Thus ‘God’ is the greatest metaphor of all existence</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt;">To affirm the reality</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt;">Of both our private and shared divine experiences</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv5821242817msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt;">IV.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 7.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt;">For to deny divine experience as genuine</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv5821242817msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt;">Is to make God but a caricature of goodness</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv5821242817msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt;">But to say what ultimately makes divinity itself</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv5821242817msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt;">Is to make God an idol of our minds</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt;">V.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 7.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt;">The mistake is that we end up worshiping a mere idea of God</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv5821242817msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt;">Rather than wondering at existence</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv5821242817msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt;">Basking in our blessings</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt;">And living a life thankful for all we touch and feel</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv5821242817msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt;">VI.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 7.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt;">This is why I follow the Way of Jesus</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv5821242817msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt;">For Jesus was the great iconoclast of all our idols of God</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv5821242817msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt;">He saved us from the follies of any law-bound or likewise captive God</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv5821242817msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt;">And for this he became our liberating Messiah, our living Christ</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv5821242817msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt;">VII.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 7.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt;">Thus our sacrifice of faith</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv5821242817msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt;">Is that we bury our best ideas of God with Christ</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv5821242817msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt;">And when in two or three days time we find that life divine still rises in our midst</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv5821242817msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt;">We finally believe</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt;">VIII.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 7.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt;">That nothing on earth nor in any heaven can separate us from the love of God</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv5821242817msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt;">Nothing</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv5821242817msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt;">And certainly no idea of God, wrathful or holy alike</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv5821242817msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt;">Can banish grace or shackle our souls</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv5821242817msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt;">IX.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 7.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt;">For the Spirit of Christ is not only the resurrection of life itself</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv5821242817msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt;">It is the perennial re-birth of goodness in all that exists, that is –in God</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv5821242817msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt;">And for this we worship, in spite of <i>What</i> we do not know</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv5821242817msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt;">And work to build a just and peaceful Kingdom of these limited yet living stones!</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">“<i>No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.</i>”<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span> - I John 4:12</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07386921732976247115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714206958361580790.post-18488608387783094622013-04-18T14:46:00.002-07:002013-04-18T14:52:42.212-07:00Altars, not Idols – a Repurposing of ‘God’<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGaDvJZKEeHX59oknCAImC7P5w4puW-mTqDBY-oyBcTigrt_HSdACL32hbY70izDsnXaaLIFjO3ZLUeoyHeYwlt_7qMqmx1hPv6DCaqlvOfU0ZLcXE2sO8il9yhToI0fk_J6E0yuEa2M4/s1600/stone_altar_by_petzk-d5aqas8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dua="true" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGaDvJZKEeHX59oknCAImC7P5w4puW-mTqDBY-oyBcTigrt_HSdACL32hbY70izDsnXaaLIFjO3ZLUeoyHeYwlt_7qMqmx1hPv6DCaqlvOfU0ZLcXE2sO8il9yhToI0fk_J6E0yuEa2M4/s400/stone_altar_by_petzk-d5aqas8.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 8pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://petzk.deviantart.com/art/Pre-Ice-Stone-Altar-320354072"><span style="color: purple;">http://petzk.deviantart.com/art/Pre-Ice-Stone-Altar-320354072</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; letter-spacing: -0.1pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">For me, atheism is not about intolerance toward other people’s belief in a God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nor is it about rejecting all theology out of hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, I consider myself a Christian-atheist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And as an atheist, it is my desire to see the term ‘God’ repurposed upon the very faith we find in Christ.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">How can ‘God’ be repurposed?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; letter-spacing: -0.2pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">For me, atheism is simply a protest against all mental idols of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is a rejection that any belief in a God can be held as holding God itself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Atheism denies a ‘God up there’ by affirming only what is right here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If anything divine can be found right here, so be it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it cannot be held as God. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nor can we synthesize a God from what we find, for this is the definition of what an idol is.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">So what are we to do with the divine experiences we <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">do</i> know?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In lieu of mental <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">idols</i>, I suggest instead we as humans make mental <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">altars</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">What is a mental altar?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whereas a mental <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">idol</i> claims knowledge of a God beyond our natural human limits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A mental <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">altar</i> simply acknowledges and affirms divine experience and mystery as at hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Upon a mental altar we may affirm our most heart-felt and holy experiences, both for ourselves and for each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And yet we may or may not use the notion of ‘God’ to reference such phenomena.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Either way, ‘God’ must not become an idol to us, nor a counter-idol against human faith.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For no human altar is absolute.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Moreover, a mental altar accepts the distinct limits of the dualistic nature of our human condition. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The studies of epistemology and metaphysics show this duality clearly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In short, this duality is that we may experience the divine both <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">inside</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">outside</i> ourselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet neither our world <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">outside</i> nor our hearts <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">inside</i> are ever sufficient to encompass what divinity might be in and of itself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The repurposing:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And yet it seems there must be an ultimate unity to this duality we are limited to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Otherwise this duality should not appear so consistent upon what we know, what exists, and how we find ourselves diced up in it all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Alas such ultimate unity is only a guess.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But if we can accept our duality, then perhaps ‘God’ can be this unity to us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That only by denying God upon our own negating duality do we transcend the limits of our altars.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In this way our soul-fledging altars become our sacred space for all spiritual seeking and sacrament.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; letter-spacing: -0.2pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Thus faith in God is admitting that we know our altar <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">only</i>, and not God per se.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And yet the amazing grace is that this altar is our very point of contact to whatever the divine might be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This altar becomes the faith-point from which to live life more fully and pursue the good in spite of what ails us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After all, isn’t this what the New Covenant is all about?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Grace, by faith. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">If we as humans can train ourselves and our religions to accept these limits and work within these tensions, then I believe God can become a very real way for us to share and live-out our spiritual journeys in love and in harmony with one another.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">So let us each place our struggled notions of God squarely upon the altars of our lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let us stand courageously in the cleft as our certainties are sacrificed in pure and open faith.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let us rise with scented smoke as our shackles are accepted by the flame and consumed. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For we ourselves become this living sacrifice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And as the embers of grace glow gently in our hearts, let us at last be free of our idols of God.</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07386921732976247115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714206958361580790.post-38299262314737066182013-01-24T19:54:00.003-08:002013-01-24T19:58:14.626-08:00An ode to atheism<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">It is important for us to deny God</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">To deny the conventional theist, monotheistic God</span><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Because only in this way</span><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Can we be proven wrong</span><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">So to be fully cleansed of all our mental idols</span><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">And begin to find God instead in the nearest and most
natural of ways</span><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">To find God immediately</span><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Where our universe and our experiences blink</span><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Where our bodies and our minds make us humanly one</span><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Where our flesh and our faith truly incarnate a divine
spirit</span><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">We must deny God beyond the stars</span><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">So to grasp God at our finger tips</span><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">We must berate God in the throes of ecstasy</span><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">So to breathe God in all our mundane moments</span><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">For the <i>denial </i>of God</span><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Is the beginning of wisdom</span><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">How else but in this way</span><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Can such loss become the very greatest of what we <i>fear</i></span><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">It is important for us to deny God</span><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">For only in this way can we
in deed find, as Tillich said, God above God.</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07386921732976247115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714206958361580790.post-28462636197955401712012-12-20T08:29:00.000-08:002013-04-24T16:09:00.682-07:00To speak the word God<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">To speak the word God<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">If we say that God deliberately <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">allows</i> all things<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">We might imagine a God who holds Tuesday morning briefings<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">On who shall get sick and raped and shot this week<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">We imagine a God willfully signing off on the world’s worst horrors<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">For this we might agree with Job<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">God’s apparent double standard on who may or may not test whom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">If we say that God merely <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">holds</i> all things, good and bad<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">This might get God off the hook for direct responsibility<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">But we cannot help but imagine this God as a little boy<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Helplessly crying with a precious broken toy in his hands<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">For this we might agree with the Psalmist<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">God’s bitter <i>in</i>justice of any justice left undone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Even if we say that God impartially <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">cares</i> for all things so purely<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">That he himself should not interfere with our own just deserts<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">We are left imagining a God perfectly detached in our darkest of hours<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">We imagine an aged Father whose grayish wisdom is not quite beyond rebuke<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">For this we might agree with Jesus<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“My God!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My God!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why have you forsaken me?!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">In the end, it seems that any time we speak of a God<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Who is clothed in these kinds of contingent conundrums<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">We blatantly admit we have imagined a God<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Which is not really above our image of ourselves<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">For this, we must in all sobriety beware<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">That on this cliff there stands a cross our faith to bear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">---<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Yet then how to speak of God?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">In short, I submit a three-fold imagination; a Father, Son, and Spirit of sorts<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">That God is none other than the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ground of Being</i> itself<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Our metaphysical foundation<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The unmediated universal attribute of all existence; the ‘I AM’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">II.<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I submit with Hegel, a Son<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">That God is the <i>Living Word</i> that<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"></i> remains and resurrects in spite of all that comes to pass<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Our phenomenological temple<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">With an altar flowing with new life rising from every death<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">III.<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">And I submit with Campbell, a Spirit<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">That God is the inner meaning of <i>Myth<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; letter-spacing: -0.1pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Our shekinah glory streaming out through the curtains of mystery<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"></i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Alas the holiest sanctum of our faith<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">For this is our gospel proclamation:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">That we have sought and found</span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Our deepest Concern, our Living Reason, and our truest Tale<o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">That we may live into a Love and Justice greater than we may imagine.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07386921732976247115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714206958361580790.post-38245328494541982312012-12-19T13:34:00.003-08:002012-12-20T17:27:15.029-08:00It’s personal<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">It’s personal<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">When the morning sun shines on a child’s face<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">It’s personal<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Not because the sun is a person<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">But because the child is.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">When the cold winter wind whispers Christmas carols in our ears<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">It’s personal<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Not because the wind is a person<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">But because we are.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">When deafening shots ring out across the nation<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">It’s personal<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Not because our guns are persons<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">But because we are<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Even as we wear the wounds of our devices.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">When God holds the precious flicker of each budding life<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">It’s personal<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Not because God is a person as such<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">But because we are<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Even as we witness these lights snuffed out for no reason <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">any</i>one can fathom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> To do, or not to do<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">To shoot, or not to shoot<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> To hold a gun, or hold a hand<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> To safe guard life, or neglect its least among us<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> To be, as compassionate human persons, or not to be<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> These are the questions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">But, I’m sorry to say, these are not God’s questions<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">For what God could ponder to permit the pierce of a child’s beating heart<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">No, these questions remain, as always<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Our sacred and solemn concern and duty as persons.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">For God simply is, God always is<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">God is our great and everlasting embrace of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">all</i> that is</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.5pt;"><o:p>God is our morning resurrection of all that comes to pass</o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.5pt;"><o:p>God is our sacred and everlasting story of hope</o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.5pt;">And we are reminded in this our time of senseless loss and deepest sorrow<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Of those mysterious words</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.5pt;">Which speak a transforming power</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.5pt;">Of rest and peace in God’s unending embrace</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.5pt;"><o:p>And for us</o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.5pt;"><o:p>This eternal embrace</o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.5pt;"><o:p>O</o:p>f those we have lost, and of we who remain<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">profoundly</i> personal.</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07386921732976247115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714206958361580790.post-84165698848714048252012-12-19T12:53:00.001-08:002012-12-25T21:24:32.429-08:00We’ve got blinders on<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">We’ve got blinders on, and they're four layers thick!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s admit it, we all have those times when its hard to tell the difference<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Between our sense of ourselves and who we really might be</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">We have a <i>psychological duality</i> between what our senses tell us and what our heart tells us</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">2.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Moreover, we can often find it difficult to keep straight the difference<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Between our inner models of the world and the world as it is out there</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">We have an <i>empirical duality</i> between subjective and objective ways of knowing things</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And gol dern it when we fail to navigate the difference<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Between what it means to know and love another’s soul and still to love them bodily</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p>We have a <i>metaphysical duality</i> competing between the values of matter and mind</o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">4.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To top it all off we can’t ever really be sure the difference<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Between your worldview and mine, no matter how same or different our expressions</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">We have a <i>social duality</i> of 'us' and 'them', and it's compounded by these prior dualities</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">What a four-fold pickle!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What a four-cornered cage! How ever can we see?!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Luckily it seems we’ve poked a few pin holes in these blinders<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">And if we can just find the faith to peer around a bit</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">We might be able to connect a few daring dots<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Let’s see if we can:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Psychology has shown us our unconscious selves</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">We have seen an <i>interdependence</i> between our awareness and our being</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Alas we are who we are in spite of how partially we see our own reflections<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">2.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Science has shown us a verifiably consistent universe</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">We have found an <i>interdependence</i> between stones and stories, between data and theory</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Alas the world is what it is in spite of all the ways we experience it<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Love has shown us a more excellent way</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p>We have witnessed an incarnate <i>interdependence</i> between heaven and earth</o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Alas love is the only thing which ever remains in spite of all our fears and failures<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">4.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> And myth has revealed our collective souls</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">We have identified an <i>interdependence</i> between the worlds of Self and Other</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Alas from ancient times till now, miracles and myths have stirred and stilled our hearts <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">In spite of the existential expanse between our souls<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">For what else do we ultimately have to see and share with one another but<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">1. A transcendent twinkle of an eye</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">2. The grit between our teeth</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">3. The healing touch of a hand</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">4. Or a whispered word of wonder?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">---<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The cosmos it seems, as best we can tell, is alive and burning<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">All things are moving out, mixing up, coursing and coming to pass<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Our selves, our world, our loved ones, even our precious paradigms are entropic<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">All is like smoke<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">And yet in spite of this, something remains, and this is the realest miracle of all</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">That what remains is that very something without which</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">We could not even stand here to witness these flickering flames<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">What is this something?!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What is it that lasts in spite of all which comes to pass?!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Well I’m sorry to bring you this far<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">If only to say the answer I may not truly tell<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">That is, given our collectively compounded blind-fold condition<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I dare not try to speak it with my sorely split and sutchered tongue<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Yet, given our shared pin holes, perhaps all we may say for now<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Is that it is right here, right now, piercing this present darkness<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Right here, passing by our four-fold cleft<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Right now, continually incarnating at hand<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Can you feel it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can you stand it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">If you can<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Can you find a way<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To see it in your <i>self<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">2.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To see it in your <i>world<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To see it in <i>others<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">4.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To see it even through a <i>stranger’s</i> eyes?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">If you can, if <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">we</i> can<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Then I believe we already know what God is<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">And we need not necessarily talk about particular theologisms<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Instead<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Let us go break bread together my friends<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">For it is the evening of our human condition<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">And we’ve got a lot of life to bear in the morning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07386921732976247115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714206958361580790.post-51616093616566056052012-12-19T05:43:00.001-08:002012-12-20T18:11:08.203-08:00Engaging myth, loving souls<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">All myths<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Contain the nutrients<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Of shared human values<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">And all genuine myths<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Are originally made from scratch<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Even as later versions may come in a box</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The historical Jesus<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Was the raw ingredients<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">For our nutritious Christ<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">God himself<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Is a recipe<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Peaked and stirred in our hearts<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">But myth is not just some delicacy<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Make no mistake, myth is vital<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Vital for tasting and sharing our most important human values<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">So as a Christian<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I promise to sit down and break bread with you<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Whoever you are, whatever your myth<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Even if the recipe tastes like death to me<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">It’s you I love<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">And for this love, I too would give my body and blood.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07386921732976247115noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714206958361580790.post-28895945488096869262012-12-13T15:04:00.003-08:002012-12-19T13:43:03.718-08:00our Papa and our Sacred Heart<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> God is that explanation which accounts for everything</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Everything thought, everything touched</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Everything good, everything bad</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Everything known, everything unknown</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> Everything is <u>IN-God</u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">This is the answer to everything</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">And therefore ultimately answers nothing</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> Except</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> That God is also what remains in spite of all that comes to pass</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">In spite of mortal life IN-God, what remains is being</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">In spite of weariness IN-God, what remains is newness</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">In spite of every fear and failure IN-God, what remains is love</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> For everything that lasts IN-God is <u>OF-God</u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">And this answer too is often above our heads</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Yet this is just within our reach!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> IN-God / OF-God, perhaps a heady explanation</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">For our Great One, and our Redeemer</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Our Papa, and our Sacred Heart.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07386921732976247115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714206958361580790.post-38167613139961566982012-12-10T16:23:00.002-08:002012-12-10T16:29:07.273-08:00Still Speaking<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR8QxuoNTd5TGj6GZ_sdL4lRAuWL_OAHtCelvnYTQLNUXo3Butm6CPXbxQUCs6SaLHiZDBYiCGgEpc3b6PaUbx82OosxQHd9M5td-yDiWZw0IPLTrlZ8EG3Kx2wm1yGWT8b5zuPHw_IK0/s1600/God+is+still+speaking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR8QxuoNTd5TGj6GZ_sdL4lRAuWL_OAHtCelvnYTQLNUXo3Butm6CPXbxQUCs6SaLHiZDBYiCGgEpc3b6PaUbx82OosxQHd9M5td-yDiWZw0IPLTrlZ8EG3Kx2wm1yGWT8b5zuPHw_IK0/s400/God+is+still+speaking.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt;">The
Christian Bible</span><span style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">Is but
one way that God is still speaking</span><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">And we
call it the Word of God</span><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">Not
because God speaks in human tongue</span><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">But
because God speaks in human heart</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">And we
have written in trembling hand.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07386921732976247115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714206958361580790.post-43870392065127308612012-12-04T09:05:00.001-08:002012-12-20T17:54:28.895-08:00Christmas Greeting<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOijHTmaZahRBI68LFA1W1HZvX3xS6vtjJZhlAQFF6XLwUMgczCnObOha91HtL0RpAxmMY5QQ7nTgtLQRjOs1Muj2BOxouOudda_Q_O4BMqtp7uUBJNCA61X0KpqcX_jnbqz7aIxzux70/s1600/Christmas-StarOverManger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOijHTmaZahRBI68LFA1W1HZvX3xS6vtjJZhlAQFF6XLwUMgczCnObOha91HtL0RpAxmMY5QQ7nTgtLQRjOs1Muj2BOxouOudda_Q_O4BMqtp7uUBJNCA61X0KpqcX_jnbqz7aIxzux70/s400/Christmas-StarOverManger.jpg" width="271" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Peace. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Be still. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nobody is taking Christ out of Christmas<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Just because we have woken up to a great big world<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">That has more than one wintertime religious holiday<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Doesn’t mean anyone is taking Christ out of Christmas<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">As Christians we embrace Christ as the ‘Anointed One’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Not by competing with other religions for a top holiday seat<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">But by welcoming all people’s holiday sentiments<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">With radiant arms and hearts as big as that of a babe in a manger<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Jesus came humbly into the world<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Not with demands for the top holiday spot<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">But ready to serve and love all peoples<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">And humbly he remains. Can you feel him even now?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Christ can never be taken out of Christmas<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">As long as we remember that God’s gift in Jesus<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Is big enough for a whole world of different faiths<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">I mean, even the wise men from religions of the East knew this<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Peace. Be still. There is no secular Herod trying to murder our sweet baby Jesus<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; letter-spacing: -0.3pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">The universal gift of Love has come, and you can’t put that back in a box<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; letter-spacing: -0.3pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">So greet Christmas how you will this season, to Jews, to Muslims, to fellow Christians alike<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">But please remember to say it, not defensively, but openly from the heart<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Like trembling shepherds in a field<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">May we settle our fears about the Christmas Greeting<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">And come, simply come to the stable in awe<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">With Mary let us ponder these wonderful things in our hearts<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">This Christmas, may we each find our own way<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">To speak Peace and Joy to <u>ALL</u> this happy season of holidays!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07386921732976247115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714206958361580790.post-86128506093233944132012-12-01T10:54:00.001-08:002012-12-01T10:54:33.218-08:00Breath and Earth<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">There is no God who deliberately
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Nor is there a God to pull them
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Which is the God OF which
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>breath and earth we are becoming.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Mfc1QMcevqlYeWumdbRjNkKn8bFwi20bjhDKPJyFj7w5-KzEmFFZmDChRQVkP1kl0ZhXOj9t1b8brszc8D-Ny493Q7HMmnR5gMoWkwQDdN6oIIVFeocb2fBVAgUVoDgQrX0fQi5q0-M/s1600/deep-breath1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Mfc1QMcevqlYeWumdbRjNkKn8bFwi20bjhDKPJyFj7w5-KzEmFFZmDChRQVkP1kl0ZhXOj9t1b8brszc8D-Ny493Q7HMmnR5gMoWkwQDdN6oIIVFeocb2fBVAgUVoDgQrX0fQi5q0-M/s320/deep-breath1.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07386921732976247115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714206958361580790.post-72957748118149021712012-11-30T16:19:00.001-08:002012-11-30T20:20:37.508-08:00Faith is Like a Baby<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Faith is like a baby</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Who
already knows all it needs to know</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">To live
in the warmth and care of its mother</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">And yet cries and cries</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">If only
to feel her touch again and again.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt;">- </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 7.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://love-villa.blogspot.com/2011/04/sad-baby-girl.html">http://love-villa.blogspot.com/2011/04/sad-baby-girl.html</a></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07386921732976247115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714206958361580790.post-14310465682027095862012-11-29T11:13:00.001-08:002012-11-29T13:40:15.403-08:00grace in the face<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 3pt;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8bMkE-0C3VA2MzCSw5-hC6FChbUAZoeo-xzxKSf-uNeRKDClzbhTib65Mhhv9Bmu40gINWsmNgbUMLmheeGlrtcfX7TwR9I16hp9L1_vNWKPTFpIkXnFxLuvsA0Net8kaiIFwmQ9cPyw/s1600/pie_in_face.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8bMkE-0C3VA2MzCSw5-hC6FChbUAZoeo-xzxKSf-uNeRKDClzbhTib65Mhhv9Bmu40gINWsmNgbUMLmheeGlrtcfX7TwR9I16hp9L1_vNWKPTFpIkXnFxLuvsA0Net8kaiIFwmQ9cPyw/s320/pie_in_face.jpg" tea="true" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">For those who say </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">you are going to Hell<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">But God loves you</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Make no mistake<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">They have been trained to condemn you in their hearts<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">To fill the gaps where God still eludes them<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Yet have compassion with them, they know not what they say<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Alas, their kind of judgment is common to us all<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">And who knows, you may yet dispel their hell with grace in their face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07386921732976247115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714206958361580790.post-90396488540643017072012-11-29T08:52:00.000-08:002012-12-10T16:38:54.762-08:00Stitching the Bible of our Hearts<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5-YCIbiiSxVMghP3Eb8U5bBNc83YLqqKXB_KxDLnKocTYZD_b4gC3iUSSSHKiEs7f9qbcLCg5in0sdaD7NePr-iMWVNLAOnlTNHfLkOdDM-ST43j8gUg6eGXMg0lR_a8aVyTd6RRkfQU/s1600/life+is+a+book.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5-YCIbiiSxVMghP3Eb8U5bBNc83YLqqKXB_KxDLnKocTYZD_b4gC3iUSSSHKiEs7f9qbcLCg5in0sdaD7NePr-iMWVNLAOnlTNHfLkOdDM-ST43j8gUg6eGXMg0lR_a8aVyTd6RRkfQU/s320/life+is+a+book.jpg" tea="true" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">IN God<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">IN Christ<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">IN our Hearts<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The Bible bleeds</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt;">A living story of spiritual struggle<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Filled with ancient tales told by people just like you and me</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt;">Struggling to see ourselves IN God<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Struggling to live our lives IN Christ<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Then struggling once again</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt;"> to meld our sacred stories<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>with our daring deeds<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> all in the crucible of our Hearts<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Yet to literalize these Bible stories</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt;">To make them either trivial or truer than our own trodding toes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt;">Is to break trust with the hearts and voices of our ancestors</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt;">And lose the stories' soul as much as our own</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Objectifying God<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Mystifying Christ<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">And jading our Hearts<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Into thinking that stories on ink and paper are somehow more exacting<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>than the double sided pages of our own lives of faith and flesh</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">For in myth we boldly stand IN God<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Yet in deed we make our move IN Christ<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Thus in both we stitch the bravest and best binding of our Hearts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07386921732976247115noreply@blogger.com0