Sky Nelson

This was filmed locally by a young musician/activist.  I thought he did a great job so wanted to pass it on.

Following God

I've been thinking about the people I knew during my time as an associate pastor in a charismatic church.  

People who were friends. 

People I laughed with... cried with... worshiped with.  

People who believe what they are told to believe, unable or unwilling to question authority. People who live in fear, even though they say "anything that is not of faith is sin".  

Is fear faith?

Is worry faith? 

Is looking to the government rather than God, faith?  

I am angry with them....I don't understand them...I wonder what the F@^* is wrong with them... 

And I remember..I laughed with them...cried with them.... worshiped with them.

What is it that made us go in seemingly opposite directions?

All of us following God....

Fr. Geoffrey Farrow

I had posted something else on this but I came across Fr Geoff's Blog and thought I should just post the link to his blog rather than news interviews and comments from other folks blogs.

Please check this out he is an amazing man

Just click on the title to open the blog.  I'm still getting used to adding links.

charismatic episcopalians

So, one of the church growth methods taught was "Signs and Wonders" AKA the Christian Psychic Network. The experience was about as unpleasant as my life in the charismatic movement. And to make things worse the guy was about 10 years behind what is happening in those churches today.
The 'priest' spent a lot of time talking about kids being transformed by the Holy Spirit. I raised my kid in that crap until she was 12...She is 17. She doesn't want any part of it, neither do her friends who were raised in it. They are looking for contemplative worship and actually doing things for people without shoving the '4 spiritual laws' down their throats. Being Christ to those they meet and finding Christ in everyone.....What a concept.

next post...Sara Palin...the sweetheart of the religious right.

long time no post

This weekend I went to an Evangelism Conference hosted by an Episcopal Church. OMG I thought I was back in the charismatic church. So the music was 'cringeworthy' smarmy praise stuff. The worst being The Sanctus done to the tune of the theme song of the movie MASH. For those of you who don't remember the original words it went something like this.
Suicide is painless
It brings on many changes
and I can take or leave it if I please
I try to find a way to make
all our little joys relate
without that ever-present hate
but now I know that it's too late, and
The game of life is hard to play
I'm gonna lose it anyway
The Sword of time will peirce our skins
it doesn't hurt when it begins
But as it works its way on in
The pain grows stronger watch it grin but
suicide is painless..........

Anyone else have a problem with this?
more to follow

OMG

Okay I really don't care what other people believe as long as no one gets hurt. Todd Bentley is acting like a thug. I think the legal definition of what he is doing is battery. At first I thought well there is implied consent but in settings like the one Bentley is in the people do not question gods 'anointed'

I work as a telephone triage nurse and if someone called me and said a preacher kicked them in the gut I would file a police report.

Not much shocks me anymore...this does

found this on Mad priest's site

Mad Priest is my blogging hero....
I found this on his sight and thought it worth passing on.
The last paragraph troubles me though.

“What’s most tragic about this cycle, though, is the fact that there’s always a constituency for guys like this. I fear that it’s more than just P.T. Barnum’s famous old maxim about the gullibility of the American public. I fear that there’s something missing in our churches that drives even some of our people to charlatans. Might there be less of a demand for these traveling health-and-wealth revivalists if our churches spent more time on our knees in prayer for sick and hurting people?”

Perhaps it isn't was is missing from our churches perhaps it is the fact that critical thinking isn't taught much in schools in the US. I mean look at who "we" have for a president. Yes there are some teachers who still teach critical thinking, but being underpaid and lacking supplies some are just hanging on afraid to buck the system.

Perhaps it is because so many Americans lack health insurance, or aren't covered for so called pre existing conditions I read in the NY Times that the US ranks last in preventable deaths in industrialized nations.
So maybe we might get off our knees and work to improve education and health care.

I will stop now.

WTF

"Russia has invaded a sovereign neighboring state and threatens a democratic government elected by its people. Such an action is unacceptable in the 21st century," George W Bush
to quote Cartman in south park
f@@k f#*kity f&&k f--k

a joke about walking on water

A church called it's first female Priest, something which the two male members of the vestry were dead set against. These two men enjoyed an annual fishing trip that traditionally the Priest always attended. These two didn't really want to ask her but did "knowing" that she would decline after all women don't fish. Well she accepts and goes with the group. When they have gone a ways from the shore the realize they have forgotten the bait. The Priest jumps up says she will get it, steps out of the boat and walks across the water to the shore-as if it is nothing. "I told everyone it was a mistake to call a woman", said one of the vestry men, "she can't even swim....."

okay it's old but I always liked it

God save me from your people

I haven't blogged for a really long time 8 months...I figure no one reads this anyway...

But I found on another blog the following You-tube video and it made me crazy. .  So this guy (Todd Bentley) does all of this "christian psychic network" crap but if a psychic showed up at his meeting you better believe he would be "casting the demon of divination" out of them.  I am not being critical of his beliefs I mean you can believe whatever you want.  What I am being critical of is the hypocrisy. I am tired of the lying and manipulation done in the name of Christ.    

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