Recently, I’ve gotten into the habit of walking early in the morning before the sun rises. It’s cool, traffic isn’t bad, and there aren’t a lot of people around. Plus, by the time I finish walking, it’s only seven- or eight-o-clock, and I have my exercise in for the day. On several occasions, recently, I’ve … Continue reading Leash Laws
Category: Essays
A Soldier’s Story
Note: This essay is reprinted from The Cheese Toast Project available from online bookstores, and in Kindle format from Amazon.com. An earlier draft appeared on this blog 5 August 2014. On the freezing morning of Sunday, 29 November 1863, Union soldiers defending Fort Sanders in Knoxville, Tennessee leveled their rifles at advancing Confederate soldiers and … Continue reading A Soldier’s Story
The End of History
While many might believe life on Earth would be simpler if we could all be brought together under a single, unifying philosophy, no one can come to any sort of agreement on what that should be. Every social, political, economic, and religious movement since the dawn of civilization has sought to unite people under a common set … Continue reading The End of History
Here and Now
I was raised in a conservative Christian household, in an evangelical church, in the Southern United States, in the 60s and 70s. It's doubtful anyone can tell me anything about Jesus I haven't already heard. People ask when and why I lost my faith and my response is, I didn't. I never really had any … Continue reading Here and Now
The Bible Tells Me So
Some years ago, the Reader's Digest caused quite a stir by issuing a condensed version of the Bible. Televangelists were up in arms, some going so far as to burn the book and calling for an all out boycott of the Reader's Digest organization. Despite all the outrage, no one seems to care that there … Continue reading The Bible Tells Me So
Real Bible Studies: Genesis, Isaac
Isaac is almost a footnote in the history of Israel. He's born; he's almost sacrificed by his father; he marries Rebekah; he buries Abraham; he fathers Esau and Jacob; he almost gives Rebekah to Abimelek; he's tricked into giving away Esau's blessing to Jacob; then he reconciles with Jacob and dies, all in the span … Continue reading Real Bible Studies: Genesis, Isaac
Big Bang
Trying to discern the origins of the universe from within the universe is like trying to figure out how a cake was made using only the evidence of the finished cake. It's there; we see it, but deciphering all that went into it is difficult, because the finished product is more than just the sum … Continue reading Big Bang
Real Bible Studies: Genesis, The Birth of Isaac
Throughout the book of Genesis, YHWH has been telling Abraham that his descendants will one day possess the land of Canaan, which usually meets with skepticism from Abraham. His sometimes sister, sometimes wife, Sarah, is barren and said to be well beyond the age when women could produce children. YHWH has gone so far as … Continue reading Real Bible Studies: Genesis, The Birth of Isaac
Two-Party Tyranny
Democrats are just as much to blame for what happened in 2016 as are the Republicans, and in my view more so. They had a golden opportunity against a divided and rudderless Republican party to put forth a candidate from among their younger (meaning less seasoned), more progressive field of politicians, and had they done so, … Continue reading Two-Party Tyranny
Sol Invictus
To disseminate a new belief system, it's sometimes necessary to employ the trappings of an earlier system to help followers make the transition. The early Christian church realized that people were unwilling to give up their feasts and celebrations surrounding the Solstices and Equinoxes, so rather than force them, the Church redefined the celebrations to … Continue reading Sol Invictus
