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The Stolen Mind
This past week I had the chance to sit down and try a project I’ve been eating to do for a while: rewrite an old, public domain science fiction story from Project Gutenberg and update it for 2015. The Stolen Mind is a story that appeared in “Amazing Science Fiction” Volume 7 in 1930, and I’ve rewritten it below. It was a fun experience for someone like me who’s never done fiction before, like writing with training wheels on, and I might try another in the future to learn more about writing fiction. The Stolen Mind By M. L. Staley …
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Why I Go to Church Even When I Don’t Feel Like It
So I’ve slowly learned that going to church can be about something other than moral requirement, fear of punishment, social connection, getting spiritually fed, or even looking for likeminded people with whom to pursue justice in the world. Going to church can be about holding this space in which to experience the grace of God together, learn together, fail and forgive and stumble forward together… http://www.relevantmagazine.com/god/church/why-i-go-church-even-when-i-dont-feel-it
What Jesus Meant When He Said, “I Didn’t Come To Bring Peace, But A Sword”
I believe in this passage Jesus is pointing to a reality that many of us are becoming familiar with: his teachings aren’t exactly popular. Following his teachings? Doing the things that Jesus did? Loving the way Jesus loved? Well, at a minimum that’s going to invite conflict into your closest relationships… http://www.patheos.com/blogs/formerlyfundie/what-jesus-meant-when-he-said-i-didnt-come-to-bring-peace-but-a-sword/
I serve a branch of Christianity that has lost about two thirds of its members over the past few decades, consists mostly of churches with less than 100 members, and is currently fracturing over issues such as gay marriage, LGBT ordination, and – of course – money. It’s often lambasted for being liberal and its members are called “the frozen chosen.” So why would I choose to stay within this denomination? Because there’s no place I’d rather be. There is no doubt in my mind that our denomination has been facing a crisis in its identity and how it relates…
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