Jesus does some necessary house cleaning in this Sunday’s Gospel. “Jesus found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, as well as the money changers seated there. He made a whip out of cords and drove them all out of the temple area, the sheep and oxen, and spilled the coins … Continue reading “Physical Exercise”
Tag: God
Circumstantial or Systemic?
Job in the Old Testament is a good man, evidenced by Job being a rich man, blessed by God, “Job owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen,” “and a very large number of slaves.” Job’s circumstances change though, because “the Lord” says to “satan,” “All that Job has is in your control satan.” … Continue reading “Circumstantial or Systemic?”
God as Father
Yahweh is a deity within the religion of Militarism. He is the fictional War Lord deity invented by Hebrew warmakers. Yahweh sanctifies Old Testament rulers who dominate over the people. Yahweh cannot be compared to the historical peacemaker Jesus of Nazareth in the Gospel. Attempts to connect the two, however, are sometimes made. One attempt … Continue reading “God as Father”
Who Knows?
Jesus knows the teachings of the Jewish tradition. After he has been away for a while he returns to the local synagogue and reads from its teachings. He is thus known again by the men of his village as being one of them. However, Jesus then goes on to interpret the reading. He does so … Continue reading “Who Knows?”
Sacred and Profane
Jesus cleanses the Temple in today’s Gospel reading. The Temple represents a division instituted by religion, specifically the division between Divinity and the natural world. Gods were once believed synonymous with the forces of nature. Those forces could be deadly and were feared. So too the gods assigned to the forces were deadly and feared, … Continue reading “Sacred and Profane”
Mystery
What is the leap of faith we make to believe in… God? Such a leap moves us into the realm of mystery. The mystery of God is not revealed in beliefs about being judged or punished – or being magically ‘saved’ from them. Judgments and punishments are not so much beliefs as they are observations … Continue reading “Mystery”