Everything You Need

In the ancient Nag Hammadi text, “The Gospel of Thomas,” the students ask their teacher,

When does ‘rest’ for the dead begin, and when will the cosmos arrive? (Logion 51)

These are perpetual questions that lurk around the edge of our consciousness: When do we get to rest? What does the future hold?

From Homosexuality to Hell

In case you haven’t noticed, a small shift seems to be taking place in certain Christian circles. A vocal subset of Christians who have spent the last twenty years fighting the battle against the heretic hoards who dare to suggest that homosexuality might not be an abomination against the Lord, have quietly dropped their crusade against gays.

Fear in the Bible (see Fear #3 – March 3, 2011)

The Bible talks a lot about fear. Unfortunately, when scholars translate verses relating to fear, they seem to be lacking in imagination.

Francis Chan – Fear Monger #2

The hell debate ignited by the publication of Rob Bell’s controversial Love Wins, does not seem to be slowing down out there in Christian land.

Francis Chan is the latest soldier to take up arms in defense of the “Truth” about hell against Bell’s “heresy” about love.

Francis Chan is writing a book to be published by David C. Cook in July. In preparation the publisher has released a 9 minute video in which Chan pleads for the prayers of his viewers as he works on Erasing Hell: What God Says About Eternity, and the Things We’ve Made Up.

Fear Monger

When Harold Camping recently recalculated his failed End Times prediction to propose that the Apocalypse that didn’t materialize on May 21 is actually, really, certainly, and definitely coming on October 21, I must admit, even I began to lose interest in the prophet from Oakland, California.

Boomer Cynics Don’t Evolve Love

This past Monday night I attended a test screening of a rough cut version of “Evolve Love,” Velcrow Ripper’s documentary film in progress. Ripper’s newest documentary is the culmination of a twelve year journey that began with the release of “Scared Sacred” in 1999.

Harold Camping Bible Reading

If you think you have been hearing the sound of hoofbeats in the Christian world over the past few weeks, do not worry. It turns out it is not the sound of the four horsemen of the apocalypse coming to reign down terror on the earth. The sound you think you have been hearing is the sound of a stampede of Christians rushing to distance themselves from Harold Camping and his abuse of the Bible.

What To Do When Rapture Doesn’t Come

Keith Bauer took time off work last week. There was no point in showing up on the job because he knew at the end of the week he would not get a pay cheque for his work as a tractor-trailer driver.

Instead of going to work, Bauer travelled 4,830km, from Maryland to California, to be near the heart of the action when the world came to an end and the true believers were caught up into heaven.

I Will Stay With You

I am a little fuzzy on the details. This admission may disqualify me in your mind from serious consideration as an authority on the spiritual life. But I stand by my confusion and uncertainty over the rock solid convictions of some who claim to exercise authority in the spiritual realm.

According to one of these authorities, May 21 is going to be a big day in the history of the world.

Today is the day Mr. Harold Camping has decided, based on the clear, precise, undeniable evidence of his Bible, that Jesus is going to return to earth.

For the rest of this post, please visit:

http://communities.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/blogs/spirituallyspeaking/default.aspx

Am I Fundamentally Good or Bad?

The following post (sorry early morning Thursday guys, it is way too long – but it’s a complex issue) grew out of an early morning men’s Bible study yesterday.

The place you start has a lot to do with where you end up.

A foundational dividing point in Christian theology begins with our understanding of what it means to be human.