Maggie's FarmWe are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for. |
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Friday, August 9. 2024Swimming in a Christian sea
I have Holland's viewpoint, but still stick with the the idea of the divine. The "Y" axis of existence. I can't live entirely on the X axis. This is smart:
Sunday, March 31. 2024Christ the Lord is Risen Today! Happy Easter"Be not affrighted. Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him." Mark 16:6 Christ, the Lord, is risen today, Alleluia! Love's redeeming work is done, Alleluia! Vain the stone, the watch, the seal, Alleluia! Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia! Soar we now where Christ hath led, Alleluia! The wonderful tune which brings back every Easter in one's life, and a few tears, too. Composer? Unknown. Words by Charles Wesley, 1739. The verses were written for the opening of the Wesleyan Chapel in London, in an old foundry. Hence the term Foundry Collection of hymns.
The rest of Wesley's verses of the song are on the continuation page, below. Continue reading "Christ the Lord is Risen Today! Happy Easter" Friday, March 29. 2024Good FridayGood Friday is a Christian day for prayer and reflection - not that every day is not. A quote from Kevin McCullough:
Image: El Greco, 1695 Sunday, March 24. 2024Palm Sunday: "The stones would shout out"
Giotto, 1304 Luke 19: 28-40 28After he had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29When he had come near Bethpage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, 30saying, Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31If anyone asks you, Why are you untying it? just say this, The Lord needs it. 32So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them. 33As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, Why are you untying the colt? 34They said, The Lord needs it. 35Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. 36As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. 37As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, 38saying, Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven! 39Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, Teacher, order your disciples to stop. 40He answered, I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out. Sunday, March 3. 2024Updating an Old Bible Post 2011
Sorry, been extremely busy and traveling this past week. Many visits to my doctors and updates on starting my chemo and radiation tonight and tomorrow. Hoping for some extensions from benefits. The reason I am adding this was an hour with my Pastor. I'll write more about that meeting. However, we spoke about 1 Samuel 8, politics (and my specific reason for leaving masses due to political statements often misguided due to not speaking about 1 Samuel 8, and he admitted he was behind on it) and the fact I've written versions of this 3 times. Once in college for a class that earned me zero grades. Once in grad school which led to a shift in a former leftist set of professors who often misstated Biblical versions of political views. And the third was in 2011 here on Maggie's. Enjoy and feel free to comment. It will be my 5th writing (since I sent this and some updates) to all my friends recently).
The first political systems, from an institutional standpoint, were monarchies. Monarchs either considered themselves gods, chosen by 'the gods', or "Chosen by God". In almost every sense, the political system was tied somehow to the spiritual beliefs of the nation. During a college course on Democracy, my professor spent the better part of an hour and a half discussing the implications of this concept. He pointed out that God Himself chose Israel's first king, and approved of their choosing a king. I immediately raised my hand and asked "But God didn't want Israel to have a king, did He? He considered Himself their king and allowed them to have Judges which acted as their spiritual and moral guides on earth." Continue reading "Updating an Old Bible Post 2011" Sunday, February 18. 2024Quick Questions PleaseI have emailed my local Pastor. I will be meeting with him, and possibly (if she chooses) Mrs. Bulldog will join me. Open to anything anyone might want to suggest or offer as potentially useful. I don't know what I might ignore or avoid - probably nothing, but sometimes not sure what may be enjoyable. So if you have thoughts, questions, views, ideas - please feel free to share your thoughts. I'm open for ideas of any kind! Why did God lay me low?It is Lent. This hymn/praise song was new to me recently, by John Newton (who wrote Amazing Grace). I feel it is powerful and tough. Friday, February 16. 2024God and Knowing An OutlookBrief, and funny, talk this morning. Knowing my probability is very short and I am taking things very specifically engaged, I had a very funny conversation with my 29 year old son about God and how "He" is managed and what "His"names are. I reminded my son we've spent thousands of years of men misusing names and genders for God - and we've adopted a lot (all with the most positive and forward thinking views, of course) but that in reality God isn't male or female - we don't have a clue. LOL We don't even know if "HE" has a name. So many great names to raise, use and alter or employ. And not to be upset, angry or needing to revise it at all. Just fun to talk about it all! I took many religious courses in college. Buddhism, Protestantism, Catholicism, Buddhism, Muslim/Islam, etc. I remember the Judaism 2 were with a very good friend (sadly struggling with her name which I'll remember eventually) and watching her apply the standard Jewish restrictions on the spelling and length of the use of "God", "Yahweh" and other utilizations. She'd limit its use and spelling in notes and usage. I'd just use it! LOL. All great fun and use - lots of differentiations and conversations and so many laughs from time to time. Of course, we had different lives, raisings and usage - but it was so enjoyable engaging these conversations (even if sometimes MAYBE we got a little too emotionally engaged in differences). In the end, it was always great love and learning. It's even fun having jokes and conversations with my son - far less religious than even I was or am slowly adopting again. But I appreciate the views and outlooks. Life is a great way to adopt and learn why we may need or use religion. Or not need and use it. I am certainly non-judgemental. But always appreciative!!! Thank you all! Tuesday, February 13. 2024Why I appreciated Tim Keller so muchFrom one of his talks about holiness:
Sunday, February 4. 2024Sunday Prayer
Too late have I loved you, In my weakness I ran after the beauty of the things you have made. You have called, You have sent forth your fragrance, Saturday, December 23. 2023Reborn
Yes, it is a story about being reborn but remarkably keeps religion mostly out of the tale. Here's the real deal:
Friday, January 27. 2023EpiphaniesSaturday, December 17. 2022A Christmas CarolThe only version worth watching, 1951 with Alaistair Sim. They sure packed a lot into a short movie about rebirth. The only essential Christmastime film.
Sunday, May 29. 2022The Ark of the CovenantThe meaning of the Ark of the Covenant. This 7-minute piece is a stunning summary of the metaphysics of Christianity (via American Digest)
Wednesday, April 13. 2022Christmas is easy. Easter is complicated.WSJ: The Challenge of Easter - Whether you’re a believer or not, there is no way to ignore the radical claim of the Resurrection
Sunday, February 13. 2022Been to church today?We occasionally attend our friends' church's Sunday service (streamed). It is called The Church of the City New York. Fired up for Jesus - lots of praise music. Pastor is as compelling as Tim Keller. He begins talking around the 45-min mark.
Thursday, October 14. 2021The Christmas "Risk"Today I received a note from a friend about the Christmas "risk" and it gave me pause. After all, we humans tend to think so linearly at times, we tend to miss the bigger picture. I'd never actually fallen for the 'Christmas is at risk' story, though for reasons entirely different than what I'm about to share. Her note is as follows: "The latest fear tactic is saying that "Christmas may be at risk" due to supply chain issues. Christmas is not at risk. The ability to buy a bunch of crap no one needs or knew they wanted may be at risk, but Christmas is not at risk. Let's not allow these fear-mongers to screw with our joy, please. The joy of Christmas isn't stuff, it's family and tradition and celebrating love. And, if you're religious, it is about Jesus' birth. Not STUFF. Christmas is not at risk. Christmas will go on. Maybe in a different way for now, but... The real story of Christmas won't be the TV we couldn't get on time, or the doll your daughter didn't get. It's going to be the time we spend together with friends and family and enjoy each others company. That isn't at risk, though Fauci is trying very hard to push it, and we should continue to look forward positively and set aside most of the fear-mongering that the Democrats and Democrat-oriented media push our way. Her note has altered how I was thinking about the upcoming holidays in a very positive way, and I am 100% in agreement with this point of view. Wednesday, August 11. 2021Let GoI'm re-reading Let Go . It is a short compilation of letters written by Fr. Francois Fenelon in the 1600s. Most of them were written to parishioners or to his spiritual advisees. One of his main themes is to do what you can to let go of self to make room for God in your heart.
Sunday, July 25. 2021R.C Sproul
Here's a sample: Christians are called to live differently from the rest of the world. That requires a different way of thinking. Lots of his 20+ minute sermons on that website. Give him a try.
Thursday, December 24. 2020A Damaging Change in Posture
It seems WHO has descended fully into madness. Herd immunity seems to have shifted from being acquired to being delivered by Big Pharma.
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Thursday, October 22. 2020Is the Pope Catholic?Is the Pope Catholic? Francis’s new encyclical reads like a UN mission statement. The RC Church has a long and ancient history of being politically-involved and taking sides. Politically, and financially. It's their strength and their weakness. Mind you, spoken as an olde-tyme Protestant. However, after many years, even Protestants have gotten into political games. It is a shame, in my view, for church to become too worldly.
Sunday, June 14. 2020The Old TestamentThat's what Christians call it. At The Great Courses, Prof. Amy Levine does a wonderful job with it. Only $45 right now. She's a fast talker, so she keeps you engaged.
Sunday, April 19. 2020Not from today's Lectionary: Be wise as serpents and innocent as dovesMatthew 9:35-10:33 35Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness. 36When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37Then he said to his disciples, The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. 10Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness. 2These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him. 5These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: "Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, 6but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7As you go, proclaim the good news, The kingdom of heaven has come near. 8Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment. 9Take no gold, or silver, or copper in your belts, 10no bag for your journey, or two tunics, or sandals, or a staff; for laborers deserve their food. 11Whatever town or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy, and stay there until you leave. 12As you enter the house, greet it. 13If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town. 15Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town. 16 See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 17Beware of them, for they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues; 18and you will be dragged before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them and the Gentiles. 19When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you at that time; 20for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; 22and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 23When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next; for truly I tell you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
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