Showing all posts in The Letter

There are two types of Christians: those who base their Christian beliefs entirely on “only Bible” (AKA Sola Scriptura) and those who base their Christian beliefs, at least partially, on “dogma” (most famously from the Roman Catholic Church, though dogma can come from anyone seeking to inject his own ideas and fashion his own circular worldview).

The ultimate question between Sola Scriptura and dogma is about whether to function effectively with a good quality of life or whether to think comfortably, regardless of quality of life.

The strong argument for Sola Scriptura is one of the best kept secrets on establishment Sunday Morning. God gave the idea behind Sola Scriptura to Joshua. Peter and Paul explained it. The Declaration of Independence refers to the idea as truths that are “self-evident”. Scripture is Scripture because it claims to come from God and the fact that it works proves that it is what it claims to be.  · · · →

I have a friend who’s had a rough life. And, he hasn’t been alive that long. Trouble with marriage, he blames it on drinking… I really can’t be his judge because, frankly, I haven’t had that rough of a life.

I grew up in the Church. My grandmother led Sunday School and taught Bible lessons. I knew who Jesus was and which way to walk with my heart since before I could walk with my legs. What do I know about people who have difficulties?

My friend grew up quite differently. His parents were divorced. Though he had money, his sister gave the kids baths and did the laundry. He didn’t get involved in the Church until well after 12 years old. At that point, he had a lot of pressure.

See, Sunday Morning Segregation Hour is about applying an appealing veneer. People like me, who grew up understanding certain things, get showcased as the “roll model”, with little to no instruction on what actually makes for a good, glad life.  · · · →

Look at nature. If you believe that molecules just happened into being without an outside force, you need to look more.

Nature has rules that are as complex as they are consistent. If you pay attention, keep an open mind ’till the day you die, and work regularly to hone some sort of skill, you can “prosper”.

Prospering is different from stealing. Theft is part of the worldview of a “zero sum game”. Prosperity is what happens on an apple tree: The tree has apples without stealing apples from another tree. Not every rich person got rich through prosperity nor does every rich person get rich through theft, but every rich person could have made either choice.

One of the biggest keys to prosperity and success is not whining about problems that aren’t your fault. We have such problems all the time. Carry on without complaint and without distraction. Then, you’ll get stronger, smarter, and you’ll prosper.  · · · →

Let’s get more “animal whisperers” at zoos. Sea World does it.

Viral animal videos are all about positive relations between animals and humans. The bossy, heavy-fisted, one-way relationships of the Builders’ generation is gone and done. They imprisoned animals and considered it cute. They imprisoned their children, the Baby Boomers, and called it “parenting”. Let’s move past their way of seeing the world. Let’s kindly and openly suggest—not through some stupid, heavy-handed, hare-brained law—let’s suggest that it’s a matter of business smarts and marketable survival—that zoos seriously consider putting “animal whisperers” in with all the animals.

No animal whisperer, no animal. I think it would thrive as a business model for zoos. And, I think the animal cruelty question, as well as the animal danger question, would both be over and done with.

As for Harambe… Darnit! No one wanted that gorilla to die. Everyone should examine his own ways. The police should sit down that child and say, “You didn’t follow the rules.  · · · →