Tag Archives: Religion and Spirituality

Apr 14

OPEN MIND OF WONDER or CLOSED MIND OF BELIEF?

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WHICH IS BETTER: OPEN MIND OF WONDER, OR CLOSED MIND OF BELIEF?  

When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.

SANTA CLAUS? Closed Belief:>ALWAYS THE SAME. Open Wonder:>ALWAYS LEARNING AND CHANGING FOR THE BETTER DAILY. 1stChrntns13.

Mar 27

ERR ON THE SIDE OF SAFETY………

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WHEN IN DOUBT, THINK IT OUT. @35 educated, mnstr of greatess church; @45 Registerd Rep, $100,000 income: rejected for $1mil insurance, health failing; @55 Crashed, manic depressive; @65 cancer. Lost everything, began to err on side of Good; @71 cancer in remission, living each moment aware of the Spirit of the Universe in my inner being.

If there is anything I wanted to share with you it is what I am sharing with you now from 1st hand experience.  Although no one agrees with everything one person shares, I hope there is something here that will light up a part of your life as many have done mine.-mackie +++++++++++++++++++++++++++

‘I had some business on the North Shore one morning last month, and decided to go a bit earlier to watch the waves and shoot some pics. As it always happens, the surf the day before was epic, with a Hawaiian-scale 10′-12′ WNW swell firing up the outer reefs. I’d heard that Pipeline was in all-time early season form. But this day, a new and increasing N swell was competing for space with the declining westerly component, making for huge, but gnarly and crossed up surf. The trades were blowing hard side offshore, making for deep rib-like chop across the giant wave faces. Every break from Laniakea to Uppers were just washed out whitewater cauldrons. “Boy,” I thought to myself, “I’m glad I didn’t bring my board today. You’d never catch me out there!”‘ (#1)

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“I’m a pretty safe driver. I’m a safe driver for a lot of reasons. One reason is that I hate the idea of getting a ticket. I’ve gotten pulled over for speeding before, and it sucks. It’s expensive. It’s a pain. You know that feeling you get when you drive past a squad car going a little over the speed limit, and then you look in your rear view mirror, hoping it doesn’t pull out? I hate that feeling. This, combined with the simple fact that I don’t want to die, is the reason I drive safely. I get passed a lot on the interstate……..The Bible can be interpreted a lot of ways. With any given issue, people of faith can go to the same Bible, pray to the same God, seek out the same Holy Spirit, and come up with very different answers. Take any issue: homosexuality, immigration, the treatment of the poor, abortion, gender roles, warfare, capital punishment, gun rights, euthanasia, the environment, education, etc. and people of faith will come to very difficult conclusions.

Some try to group these things into neat little packages like liberal and conservative. I’m not a fan of those labels, or of any labels really. I think most people are more complicated than our labels. I know that the world is.” (#2)

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“If something smells fishy it probably is. You should make a habit of simply choosing the ethical high road if you have any doubt in the matter. Don’t wait. Do it quickly before you talk yourself out of it. How much mental and emotional energy do you spend in mind games and moral debates when you should have just said “no” in the first place?” (#3)

For much more click on:

#2- http://fatpastor.wordpress.com/2011/11/15/erronthesideofgrace/

#3-  http://www.character-ethics.org/articles/erronthesideofgood.htm

Proverb quotes

Thinkexist.com

Proverb quotes,Proverb, author, authors, writer, writers, people, famous people
 P. S. DON’T FORGET GLOBAL WARMING, CLIMATE CHANGE, EVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION, RACE RELATIONS, ETC.
ERR ON THE SIDE OF SAFETY…
Mar 03

THE LONG VIEW OF “WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT…”

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Most people think that we never believe everything one person states; but through reading, listening, meditating, etc. from many we begin to sense a ring of truth as a whole.  The following comes the closest for me to what it’s really all about. -mackie (source cited below).
“Some day, after we have mastered the winds, the waves, the tides and gravity,
we will harness for God, the energies of love. And then,
for the second time in the history of the world,
man will have discovered fire.”
For me there is something mesmerizing about these words of the scientist/philosopher and theologian, Teilhard De Chardin. As a scientist of the 20th. Century, he exults in the achievements of science but he points to a greater energy, stronger than nuclear power, greater than anything we have yet been able to tap. He says, “Just wait. We haven’t seen anything yet. Just wait until the day comes when we harness the energy of love — then we will, for the second time in the history of the world, discovered fire. That’s pretty powerful stuff.
But wait a second. We already know all about love, don’t we? We know exactly what it looks like. Love leaps out at us when we see a mother caressing her newborn; in the way a newlywed couple gaze at one another, in the silent vigil of an old man at the deathbed of his wife. We witness love in the self-sacrifice of a Mother Teresa and in the way people give of themselves and their resources to alleviate the suffering of people in impoverished countries. Love is what makes Moms and Dads put away their savings so that their kids can go to college. Love makes a perfect stranger risk his own life to save the life of a child. It is the glue of long lasting marriages. A silent presence at the birth of a child. Love makes a child pick up a fallen sparrow and try to nurse it back to health. So what does De Chardin mean when he says “Some day we will harness for God the energies of love?”
Feb 22

MANY ASKING IN DEBATES: “ARE YOU, OR IS HE A CHRISTIAN?”

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C. S. Lewis wrote a great answer in “Mere Christianity” that has help many people, including me.- Enjoy. mackie 

“If conversion to Christianity makes no improvement in a man’s outward actions – if he continues to be just a snobbish or spiteful or envious or ambitious as he was before  then I think we must suspect that his ‘conversion’ was largely imaginary;

 and after one’s original conversion, every time one thinks one has made an advance, that is the test to apply. Fine feelings, new insights, greater interest in ‘religion’ mean nothing unless they make our actual behavior better; just as in an illness ‘feeling better’ is not much good if the thermometer shows that your temperature is still going up. In that sense the outer world is quite right to judge Christianity by its results.
 
Christ told us to judge by results. A tree is known by its fruit; or, as we say, the proof of the pudding is in the eating.
 When we Christians behave badly, or fail to behave well,
we are making Christianity unbelievable to the outside world.
 
The war-time posters told us that Careless Talk costs Lives.
It is equally true that Careless Lives cost Talk.
Our careless lives set the outer world taking;
and we give them grounds for talking in a way that
throws doubt on the truth of Christianity itself.”
 
 
 
 
 
Feb 18

MISSING EYES AND TEETH…………………………..

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Saturday, February 18, 2012 10:46 AM
“AN EYE FOR A EYE LEAVES THE WHOLE WORLD BLIND.”
Mahatma Ghandi
 
“You have heard that it was said, ‘AN EYE FOR AN EYE, AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH.’ But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. “If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. “Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two.” “Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.
 
“You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’ “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. “For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? “If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Jesus Mtthw 5:38-42
 
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.
 
But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” Jesus Mtthw 7:13-14
more later-mackie
 
Oct 20

2nd look: WHY SHE QUIT BEING A CHRISTIAN?

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One of the first things I would do as a minister called to another church is to ask for a list of members who no longer came.  I would call, setup an appointment with each one of them and go to their homes.  I told them everything would be in confidence.  I just wanted to know why they no longer came.  I heard things like: “the preacher played favorites,” or “I took on too many responsibilities and just burned out,” or, “the trustees or deacons tried to run the church,” or “there was too much quarreling, gossip,” etc. 

  I assured them that I never played favorites, that I would be open to any concerns they had, etc. We had prayer together.  I would leave with this: ” I heard it said that a new broom sweeps clean.  I am glad to be your pastor and hope that you will give us another chance.  Regardless, please call if I can help in any way.”  mackie

+++++++ source cited below.

 ‘On July 28, bestselling author Anne Rice officially left the Roman Catholic Church. The writer has had a fairly tumultuous religious history. Although she was raised Catholic, Rice rejected the church for the first time when she was 18.

 But in 1998, Rice — who’s famous mostly for writing steamy, gothic, decidedly un-Christian novels such as Interview with the Vampire — had a religious awakening. She converted to Catholicism and began to write exclusively Christian-themed novels, like Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt.

In July, Rice decided she had had enough. She announced her decision on her Facebook page:

“For those who care, and I understand if you don’t: Today I quit being a Christian. I’m out. I remain committed to Christ as always but not to being ‘Christian’ or to being part of Christianity. It’s simply impossible for me to ‘belong’ to this quarrelsome, hostile, disputatious, and deservedly infamous group. For ten years, I’ve tried. I’ve failed. I’m an outsider. My conscience will allow nothing else.”

But, the decision wasn’t an easy one.’

 For much more click on:  http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128930526&ps=cprs

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SEARCHING FOR RELIABLE SOURCES,
not hearsay, rumors, or falsehoods.
Sep 27

IS GOD ANYTHING TO YOU?

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IF YOU ARE ANY WHERE BETWEEN ATHEIST TO “I don’t know” to Bible thumper to extreme Fundamentalist this video will share with you the journey of an honest seeker who finds the answer to “WHAT GOD IS,” to him and what God may be to you. ~mackie

fora.tv

Jacob Needleman talks about his latest book, What Is God?. In this deeply personal work, religious scholar and philosopher Needleman cuts a clear path through todays debates over the existence of God, illuminating an entirely new way of approaching the question of how to understand a higher power.N…
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Want to change your city, state, country and world? Following is your best way:

CALL YOUR CONGRESSPERSONS: http://www.contactingthecongress.org/
Even if you get a voice mail, leave a message for they count the “For/Against.”
Vote for the candidate who WILL BE FAIR TO ALL because
 
ON ANY DAY WE COULD GO FROM WELL OFF TO POOR.
Aug 27

ACT OF GOD? means

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SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS OUTSIDE OF HUMAN CONTROL

The phrase is used religiously and legally.  The Bible and other ancient texts cite the Acts of God.  Legally, there are lawsuits against God.  When a cow breaks through a fence, goes out to a road and is hit by a car, it is legally called an Act of God.   One can’t sue the ownerof the cow for damages, unless the driver of the car can prove that it wasn’ t an act of God, but the act of the cow owner that caused the accident.  Example: if the car owner can prove the cow owner did not use proper care of maintenance the fence, the cow owner will have to pay damages to the car; unless the cow owner can prove the car owner was reckless in his driving.   Sense we believe that everyone that is agrieved should have their day in court to find justice, many times it  takes a long period(see #1).

ARE HURRICANES, ETC., CONSIDERED ACTS OF GOD?

The two essential ingredients in every hurricane are warm water and moist warm air. That’s why hurricanes begin in the tropics. Most Atlantic hurricanes start to take shape when thunderstorms along the west coast of Africa drift out over warm ocean waters that are at least 80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 degrees Celsius), where they encounter converging winds from around the equator.
Hurricanes start when warm, moist air from the ocean surface begins to rise rapidly, where it encounters cooler air that causes the warm water vapor to condense and to form storm clouds and drops of rain. The condensation also releases latent heat, which warms the cool air above, causing it to rise and make way for more warm humid air from the ocean below.   This continuing heat exchange creates a wind pattern that spirals around a relatively calm center, or eye, like water swirling down a drain.

Some scientists believe that the increase in global warming is a result of  pollution caused by humans, corporations and countries through out the world that generates more hurricanes. etc.  Others believe its just natural causes of the survival of a vibrant earth.

It’s interesting: the more we find out through science  the causes and effects of humans, the earth and the entire universe, the less we BLAME GOD.

1- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Act_of_God

2- http://environment.about.com/od/globalwarming/a/hurricanecauses.htm

Aug 18

ABOUT ME…..

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Many have asked who I am, my training and experience.  Here it is:

In my teenage yrs I joined the Youth For Christ and became a follower of evangelist Billy Graham. At that age I played church, read and preached his sermons on Sunday mornings in our yard.  My childhood friends would come dressed up for church.  I preached and we sang songs.

At 17 I joined the Navy and learned a lot about the other side of life.  Once most of my oats were sown I returned home and went into  business with my father.  I later joined a local church and became a choir director, sunday school teacher, and deacon and began to lay preach.  I entered college, was ordained, called,  and served several churches while becoming envolved with a multi-level company.

Becoming aware that I would need to make more money to support my family I studied for and became a Chartered Financial Consultant at The American College, Bryn Mawr, PA.

As I had learned more about religions and philosophies I became aware there were similarites in their beliefs about a diety or dieties but far apart in who or what they were, expected and did.  This led me to believe that there was a higher power, the Ground of all Being, the Eternal One, the Holy Spirit, the “I AM” who lives within us who came to us that we might have life more abundantly and continue to live forever in  His Spirit, love and truth.

I grew up in Florence, SC; in the Navy 58-64; have BA from Baptist College, Charleston, SC 65-69 (now Charleston Southern University); MDiv from Southeastern Seminary, Wake Forest, 70-73; DMin from Union Seminary, 77-79; served pastorates in Allendale, Sycamore, and Kline, SC, Charlottesville, VA, Louisburg and Williamston, NC; minister and counselor 70-83; ChFC and CLU from American College, Bryn Mawr, PA 87-89; was in financial services and part time  ministries 83-08.  My wife and I are still in part ministries: preaching, singing, writing, guest speaking, seminars, counseling, personal consultant, etc.  My wife, Glenda, has worked with me for over 35 years in our part time ministries, is an accomplished musician (piano and organ), served as secretary at several churches, Dept. of Agriculture, restaurant catering manager, etc. and has worked (part time)  helping the unemployed find training and internships at Piedmont Technical College.  Now we are both care givers for her active 91 yr old mother who is of sane mind, goes shopping, likes to read the paper daily, cooks, etc. and puts together jigsaw puzzles at night.  Of course, we have to support her in many ways.

~mackie

Nov 26

A BETTER UNDERSTAND OF THE STORY OF JESUS…

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Many Christian preachers, teachers and members believe that the story of Jesus WAS CLOSED, SEALED AND DELIVERED 2000 YRS AGO IN THE BIBLE.  The following shares the latest insights on the story of Jesus for those who are not religious or do not understand. -mackie

 (quoted)

“Most Christians seem to assume that the details of their faith system dropped out of heaven in a fully developed form. Nothing could be further from the truth.

 The creeds began as baptismal formulas in the 3rd century and did not receive the shape we now recognize until the 4th century. Doctrines like the Trinity and Incarnation were still being formed in the 5th century.

 Moving closer to the life of Jesus, scholars now suggest that miracles were added to the Jesus story only in the 7th and 8th decades of the Christian era. The Virgin birth and the suggestion that resurrection meant physical resuscitation are products of the 9th decade, and the account of Jesus’ ascension enters the tradition only in the 10th decade. Perhaps the biggest gap in our knowledge of Jesus, however, occurs in those years between 30 C.E. when Jesus’ earthly life came to an end and 70 C.E. when gospels began to achieve written form. Today, by lining up the gospels in chronological order with Mark first (ca. 70 C.E.), then Matthew (ca. 80 C.E.), Luke (ca 90 C.E.) and finally John (ca 100 C.E.), we can see how the miraculous was heightened; the details become more graphic and supernatural activity more pronounced.

 If the story could grow as dramatically as it did from 70-100 C.E., is it not reasonable to assume that it also grew from 30-70 C.E.? Yet with no written sources, entering that time of oral transmission is a problem.

 For the past year that forty-year oral phase of Christian history has been the primary focus of my study. In a series of columns not necessarily on successive weeks, but as a theme to which I will return often during the next six months, I want to begin to share this study with my audience under the general topic of “Jesus for the Non-Religious.”
 For much more click on: http://johnshelbyspong.com/bishopspongon_jesus.aspx

 
 
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SEARCHING FOR RELIABLE SOURCES,
not hearsay, rumors, or falsehoods.