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May 2006 Archives
May 1, 2006
May 2, 2006
Any dissenters?
"Most evangelical Christians will usually shy away from discussing hell as a destination for those they think have rejected their beliefs -- or even for those who have embraced what they consider an immoral lifestyle -- lest they be labeled unloving, or worse, fanatical," writes Paul Chesser in The American Spectator.
"But as one of those unapologetic Jesus freaks, I don't think it bothers too many people, other than the infidel-haters, to state that Zacarias Moussaoui can't be cast into the fiery pit fast enough."
Next up, female clergy?
Catholicism and the real world: "Church officials recently confirmed that Pope Benedict XVI had requested a report on whether it might be acceptable for Catholics to use condoms in one narrow circumstance: to protect life inside a marriage when one partner is infected with H.I.V. or is sick with AIDS."
Reaching people 'where they are'
The Rev. Ken Kroohs, Rector at St. Christopher’s Episcopal in High Point, chuckled a little when first told that there would be a Hip-Hop Episcopal mass in Chapel Hill, Charlotte and Durham.
"It is not the packaging that matters – it is the product," says Kroohs, whose church will carpool to the Chapel Hill mass. "It does not matter whether the Gospel message is proclaimed to Mozart or Hip Hop. Some people will hear and respond to both." He went on to reference St. Paul’s comments that for the Jews he would become like a Jew, if that helped people hear about Jesus Christ. (I Corinthians 9:20)
Want to attend?
May 3, 2006
A plot as thick as Da Vinci?
Is there a plot to undermine the Episcopal Church -- or is it every member's right, even the wealthy ones, to influence his or her faith?
Who says?
A "Letter to the Editor" today criticizes the writings of a self-described atheist on the religion page -- it shouldn't be there, the letter says. Here's what the writer, Eric Harrington, had to say:
"The feature title is "Faith Matters." Even to us atheists, faith does indeed matter. It affects our lives every bit as much as those of the believers we live and work with. It just affects us differently, and it can't hurt for people of faith to learn about our experiences. You never know. Might even help a little."
What do you think?
May 5, 2006
'terrorist bomb"
May 9, 2006
WWJG*?
Faith healing at a Florida strip mall? It's raised a few eyebrows... "Books about healing diabetes through prayer...are sold in an adjacent room."
It's definitely going out into the world, even if it's the world of commerce.
*Where Would Jesus Go
May 10, 2006
The easy target
Are we picking on illegal immigrants because we need an enemy? Why can't we see them as "your tired, your poor -- the masses yearning to be free?" Or is the letter writer right -- how can you criminalize something that's already illegal?
May 15, 2006
Just a matter of time
Could there be a day when people don't care about the same-sex lifestyle? While one retired Episcopal bishop says yes, influential Baptists say no way.
The words of Jugis
Peter J. Jugis, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Charlotte, the spiritual leader of local Catholics, isn't in a tizzy over The Da Vinci Code. His advice in a statement released today ...
"The DaVinci Code" is a work of fiction. The author of the book and the producers of the movie have no claim to a factual basis for their story. All who read the book or view the movie should understand that they are not experiencing any eternal or divine truth and that what they are seeing is the creation of one man's imagination.
Answers to questions that arise from viewing the movie or reading the book can be found by reading Sacred Scripture or the Teachings of the Catholic Church. One excellent website that also answers these question is www.jesusdecoded.com.
May 16, 2006
America...the land of the facist?
Could this really be our America, where dozens of members of Congress and many federal judges belong to Christian-nationalist groups?
"A few days before Bush's second inauguration, The New York Times carried a story headlined "Warning from a Student of Democracy's Collapse" about Fritz Stern, a refugee from Nazi Germany, professor emeritus of history at Columbia, and scholar of fascism. It quoted a speech he had given in Germany that drew parallels between Nazism and the American religious right. "Some people recognized the moral perils of mixing religion and politics," he was quoted saying of prewar Germany, "but many more were seduced by it. It was the pseudo-religious transfiguration of politics that largely ensured (Hitler's) success, notably in Protestant areas." Salon.com
May 19, 2006
Monsignor Marcaccio and Da Vinci
So I wanted to know if Monsignor Anthony Marcaccio of St. Pius the Tenth Catholic Church was headed to the theater this weekend to see THE MOVIE. The Da Vinci Code. No, he's involved with a convention this weekend. But he's going, eventually. He's already read the book and enjoyed it -- as fiction. Highlights of our conversation about the controversy:
"One of my parishioners handed me the book (about a year ago) and said, "Monsignor, this is going to be big."
May 23, 2006
Madonna, Madonna
Just another whining Democrat?
Or does Madeleine Albright have a point?
"I worked for two presidents who were men of faith, and they did not make their religious views part of American policy," she said, referring to Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, both Democrats and Christians.
May 24, 2006
An odd place to find something about religion.
And tough language, too: "The decision is a major victory for the multiculturalists and Islamic apologists in California and across the country who've never met a culture or religion they didn't like -- with the exception of Western civilization and Christianity. They are legally in the clear to indoctrinate kids into the "peaceful" and "tolerant" religion of Islam, while continuing to denigrate Judeo-Christian values."
May 30, 2006
The pope and the Holocaust
Why was God silent?
religious freedom vs discrimination?
Who should prevail?
"Arlington gay activist Lilli Vincenz just wanted to copy a film she made of the nation's first gay pride parade back in 1970. Tim Bono was just a small county businessman trying to run his film production company in line with his Christian values.
When Bono declined to make copies of Vincenz's work because he did not want to "partake in any gay agenda," she filed a discrimination complaint with the Arlington County Human Rights Commission -- and won."
I was stopped outside a convenience store once by a couple of teenagers who wanted me to purchase beer for them. I said no on several grounds, including the fact that they were too young to drink beer and the fact that I didn't buy beer for myself. My example is kind of apples and Pomegranates...but can you blame the business owner?
May 31, 2006
Da Vinci going nowhere
Christian anger has been red hot for The Da Vinci Code -- not only is it raking in millions, but there's talk of a Code 2.
The faithful aren't going anywhere either: From a sign in front of a Whitsett church...
PRAY FOR:
RONNIE HOWARD
TOM HANKS
DAN BROWN
From God's mouth to pastor's ear?
Hmmm...I'm not sure if I should make lite of this or not. (If you don't want to register to read, continue below, where the entire story is posted.)
Anybody out there with a better "God/higher power told me this" story?
6-6-06
I can remember hearing lots of sermons as a youngster about "666," being the mark of the beast, how Christians needed to be diligent in their walk with Jesus because that relationship would be the only thing them keeping from accepting the devil's mark before the coming Rapture. If you didn't accept the mark you would die.
People have long been leery of the number -- this story says Ronald and Nancy Reagan reportedly had their address changed from 666 to 668 because of their uneasiness. It's rattled others.
Now, the Rapture Index says it's time to "Fasten your seatbelts."
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