Category: Religion

The Non-Intervening God 

My god, my god, why have you forsaken me? --Psalms 22, quoted by Jesus on the cross. Many years ago, I turned away from organized religion. It was not an easy decision on my part, and learning to live with that decision has been an ongoing process in my life ever since. When people speak … Continue reading The Non-Intervening God  →

End Times

As a child, growing up in a conservative Christian household and an evangelical church in the South, I was exposed to end times prophecy throughout most of my formative years, and I must admit, I found it very frightening. The thought that, at any minute, people were going to be called up into the heavens, … Continue reading End Times →

Real Bible Studies: Judges, The Levite and his Concubine

The book of Judges concludes with a rather gruesome story about a Levite and his concubine, which appears to have contributed elements to or borrowed elements from the story of Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis. Initially, it starts out as another meandering tale highlighting the overwhelming customs of hospitality exhibited by denizens of the Middle … Continue reading Real Bible Studies: Judges, The Levite and his Concubine →

Real Bible Studies: Samson

As a child growing up in the Methodist Church, I learned about Samson, the legendary strongman from Judges, in Sunday School. This Biblical hero looms large in the imagination of believers and non-believers alike both for his strength and his amazing head of hair. What I learned then is that he was really strong, devoted … Continue reading Real Bible Studies: Samson →

Kurt Vonnegut and Romanticism

The problem with rapid advances in society and technology is that often we're so concerned with answering the question, can we, that we forget to ask, should we. This question is much more difficult to answer, and in the rush to develop the next big breakthrough, people raising legitimate concerns are often drowned out in … Continue reading Kurt Vonnegut and Romanticism →

The Metaphysical Why

For as long as I've been around, I've heard people say that things happen for a reason, that there's always a purpose behind what happens to us and those around us, and it's just a matter of sorting out why something has happened and what we're supposed to learn as a result. As I've gotten … Continue reading The Metaphysical Why →

Real Bible Studies: Sodom and Gomorrah

So far in Genesis, we've been following the adventures of Biblical patriarch Abraham, but now it's time to return to his ne'er do well nephew Lot. When last we looked in on Lot, he'd just been captured by one of the four powers who fought against a coalition of five nations led by the King … Continue reading Real Bible Studies: Sodom and Gomorrah →

Real Bible Studies: Abraham’s Covenant

Genesis 15 through 18 concerns itself with Abram's covenant with YHWH, which is first revealed to Abram in a vision. Abram is skeptical, since he has no sons to inherit anything, and any rewards would need to be bestowed on his distant relatives. In Genesis 15 YHWH spends most of the time convincing Abram that … Continue reading Real Bible Studies: Abraham’s Covenant →

Real Bible Studies: Abram and Lot

Previously in Genesis, we learned of Abram's lineage and his connection to Noah by way of Shem, and information on his family, including his wife, Sarai. We also met his nephew, Lot, who has separated from Abram, so as not to cause any conflicts between their combined holdings. Throughout the story of Abraham in Genesis, … Continue reading Real Bible Studies: Abram and Lot →