Snapshots and Synapses

I read an interesting statistic: 60% of professing born-again Christians believe that Buddism, Islam or Hinduism are equally valid paths to heaven, no belief in Jesus required. This is in stark contrast to historical Christian doctrine. Is it a heresy or an evolution of thought?  Now I don't doubt the sincerity of people on either side of this topic, those who believe Jesus is the only way to heaven and those who believe in multiple paths. I have friends who I know desire spiritual growth who are not Christian and would not profess to be Christian. I don't doubt their sincerity. The truth is by it's very nature exclusive, so anything that is not true is false. So sincerity only goes so far, and if not aligned with the truth, some people are sincerely wrong. This is written with no disrespect for others, but it is meant to challenge thoughts that maybe people have accepted without thinking. There are many other religious belief systems, and I don't plan to focus on any o...

Christian Unity is a beautiful thing, but should it be the goal of Christian Communities? A couple years ago I wrote about Christian Unity , and having just re-read that blog post, I believe it still relevant. So I’m going to ask a question and request that you take a few moments to ponder an answer before reading further: Will a Christian community be more likely to find Unity if the people love one another, or would people be more likely to love one another if seeking Unity? Take a few moments to consider before reading further.  I believe that Unity for the sake of Unity is a symptom of a religious spirit , something that can draw us away from who we are called to be. Focusing on Unity as a goal will instead destroy the love that should characterize an healthy community of believers. The call for unity could easily silence individuals who may feel like they are unable to express a different viewpoint from others or ask a difficult question. Remaining quiet is to remain unknown, ...

This isn’t one of my more typical posts. I’ve decided to share personal observations after more than half a century on this earth. I was visiting a friend in the hospital, and as I was signing out with the receptionist, a woman with a young teenage daughter asked my opinion: do guys like false eyelashes? She was trying to make a point with her daughter about being genuine. I gave her my opinion, talked a little bit, and walked to my car reflecting on how hard it is to be a teenager, especially with all the many voices that often offer contradictory advice.  It caused me to wonder, so I did an internet search on what guys find attractive. Finding more opinions than scientific conclusion, I decided that my thoughts were just as valid as any one else. So I’ll give you the bottom line up front: guys are attracted to what they perceive as healthy.  Physical Attraction I realized at a relatively young age that what I found attractive, another guy might not and vice versa. There is a...

I struggled with the title of this post. I wanted it to be simple and honest because I believe many people struggle with the problem of pain: how could a fully good, all-knowing, and all-powerful God allow suffering? Or perhaps a more honest and vulnerable question: why does God allow me to suffer? By it's very nature suffering is painful, and we naturally shy away from pain. Pain challenges our belief in who God is.  Whether it's physical pain, financial hardship, loneliness, or some other form of suffering in our lives, pain challenges our belief in who God is: Does He not know about my suffering? Can He not stop it? Does He not care about me ? Truly, the essence of all our questions about God come down to how God is relevant to our lives. Who is God for me ?  So when we are hit with a painful situation, our first response can easily be to blame God. I have known more than one atheist who rejected God because of a painful situation in their life. The rationale explaining aw...

I've heard more than one well-meaning person claim that a husband and wife should not go to bed until they've reconciled. Citing Ephesians 4:26 as their source, they claim that this is God's design for a happy marriage. So let's look at this verse within it's scriptural context: Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.  ~ Ephesians 4:25-27 I believe it's great advice to not go to bed angry. It's biblical wisdom. Holding onto anger is exhausting and unhealthy, eating away like a cancer inside. How do we let go of anger? First, recognizing that anger is a secondary emotion, we need to identify the emotion behind the anger. Is it sadness? Betrayal? Loneliness? Frustration? Embarrassment? Confusion? Fear? The source of our anger can be so many things, and identifying the ...

Whether you listen to the podcast or read the transcript in  Part 1 , I hope it's clear that there is a difference between being compassionate and being loving. Compassion without reason is a poison that kills despite it's desire to help.  In a similar way, the truth is a blunt instrument that can bludgeon a person if is not tempered with loving compassion. Immature Christians can sometimes beat others over the head with truths that are void of compassion, but that is not how we are called to represent God's Kingdom. Ephesians 4:15 in context tells us that we grow in maturity as we speak the truth in a loving way. I find it hard to read verses 11-18 and not understand that truth and love must be knitted together.  Can we truly love another without knowing them? Sure, we can never fully know another, just as the most self-aware person can never fully understand themself. We are complex and influenced by a myriad of past experiences, personality traits and cognitive biases...