Thanksgiving – Page 2 – Beguine Again

Nov92017 by jrcowlesNo Comments

Thoroughly Thinking Through The Thorny Theology Of Thankfulness And Thanksgiving

"Life" Issues, Abrahamic Traditions, Atheism, awareness, causality, Christianity, community, Compassion, conflict, conservatism, critical judgment, culture, efficient cause, Ethics, faith, generosity, Gratitude, Hebrew Scripture, Hospitality, Ideology, monotheism, prayer, Scripture, Thanks, Thanksgiving, Thinking, Uncategorized

Today's "Skeptic's Collection" column is rendered all too relevant by recent tragic events at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, TX. Over the last several years, I have gradually developed what some religious folk might well consider a bad personal tradition -- though I think it is a very good one! -- of occasionally dropping a turd in the ideological punch bowl of monotheistic, especially Christian, belief, not by denying any orthodox Christian teachings, but on the contrary, by thinking through those teachings’ logical implications more consistently than most Christians are willing to do. So, e.g., the Jesus of the Incarnation is fully God, not only because He loves to play with little kids, but also because on occasion he loves, or at least is willing, to slaughter...

A Thanksgiving Prayer? – Prayerful Tuesday

Abundance, anger, Broken Heart, Comfort, comforter, Compassion, conflict, Creation, Creator, dance, faith, faithfulness, Fear, gift, gift of Gods, God, Gospel of Matthew, Grace, Gratitude, Grief, hate, Healing, Holy Mystery, justice, kindness, Lament, Love, mercy, prayer, Refugee's, Spiritual Practice of Giving, spiritual practices, Thanksgiving

for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, Matthew 25:35 Giver of abundant gifts, on this Thanksgiving we celebrate . . . we celebrate. Ah what are we celebrating God? It seems to me that we have nothing to celebrate, nothing to be thankful for, except empty hearts and soulless comments. Too many children are dying before our eyes on beaches, in stormy seas, in mountain passes, and refugee camps. Too many are blinded by their fears, unable to see the path to your love. I don’t know God, I can’t really think of something to be thankful for this year, you see my eyes are clouded with tears and my heart is screaming in pain for those who are being denied entry into our so called circle of love. By the...

Marcus Borg & Gratitude for our Mentors—Prayerful Tuesday

Blessings, Challenge, Change, Creation, Creator, curiosity, Discernment, doubt, Education, faithfulness, Friendship, gift, Grace, Gratitude, Grief, Holy Mystery, Hope, humor, in memory of, inner peace, journey, Joy, listen, Mystery, Nature, peace, prayer, Sacred Writing, Scripture, spirit, spiritual practice, Spirituality, Thanks, Thanksgiving, Theology, Uncategorized

This last week I heard of the passing of Marcus Borg. I was sadden not just at his passing but because I have learned so much from his writings. I will miss reading his words and having them open up my understanding of Jesus as both human and Divine. Marcus Borg’s writings were instrumental in changing how I came to look at Jesus, the apostles, and the first century Christians. He made me think and doubt what I have always believed to be true and to take that doubt and turn it on its head by searching for answers and being comfortable with finding only more questions. Because of Marcus Borg I began to read scripture, questioning the standard interpretations, searching for what the words printed in the Bible meant to those they were written to, the first century believers in Jesus. Bo...