Comments for The church is a whore, but she is my mother.

Comment on New Year’s Resolution by Jessica Friesen

Jessica Friesen — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 13:28:17 +0000

Great verse. Great writing. Great thoughts. Well done. miss ya.

Comment on Next Is Now by meanderings from the attic :: 722 and church done different :: November :: 2008

meanderings from the attic :: 722 and church done different :: November :: 2008 — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 19:35:03 +0000

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Comment on Halloween by The Green Witch

The Green Witch — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 16:00:36 +0000

No problem at all – the reaction to Hallowe’en is interesting to me for two reasons, one of which you’ve touched upon; it’s hard to see what other festival traditions are ‘pagan’ in origin (Christmas trees, anyone?) and therefore if they’re going to ban one, they should for consistency’s sake ban them all. The other is a purely child-psychology thing – ban a child from doing something and they’re going to want to do it, simple as that. Dress up Hallowe’en as a big woooooh! scary-fest and the child’ll go for it like ants to sugar.

I celebrate the family togetherness and assistance to others of Christmas – and do my ritual observance at Yule. Same elements, different chap under the hat.

Blessings, TGW

Comment on Halloween by jdjones

jdjones — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 20:48:11 +0000

Thanks for your input.

Some people are more than willing to point out Halloween’s connection to non-Christian religions simply because there is no relationship to Christianity (other than All Saints’ Day, which most Western Christians don’t celebrate). I’m willing to accept the beliefs of someone who doesn’t celebrate Halloween because of personal conviction if they also reject non-Christian parts of Christmas and Easter, but few are willing to make that sacrifice.

I believe Christ called His followers to be missional, which is why Christmas and Easter have some pagan elements. This is why I’m okay with churches that have “Halloween alternatives”, especially in today’s culture. You never know what some idiots will try (think tampering with candy). But what exactly is the problem with visiting a haunted house or watching horror movies? I have one friend who’s house at Christmastime resembles The Griswold’s house in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (stringing lights, albeit with candles, was a Roman tradition that was celebrated during their Solar festivals which predated Christ’s birth and fell on December 25), yet he forbids the students in his youth group from visiting the local haunted house/attraction.

Seems to me that his students could go to the attraction while wearing shirts that advertise their youth group.

Comment on Halloween by The Green Witch

The Green Witch — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 20:14:12 +0000

Thanks for posting this – I think it’s important to discuss shared ground between faiths, and lines of belief.

Ill give people a starter for ten: Easter is from the Saxon EOSTRE, the name of the great mother goddess of those times, mentioned by The Venerable Bede in the 7th Century CE. The timing of Easter is still ruled by the moon, and therefore changes every year.

Death and resurrection being major themes both in Jesus’s Story and that of other mystery religions – and pagan worship! – it must have seemed an appropriate time to celebrate his death and resurrection. It may have made Christianity more accessible to local populations by providing a similarity with extant pagan worship.

Like you I love Samhain (Hallowe’en). For me it is a chance to quietly remember the dead that I loved and who have gone ahead, and to plan to make myself better and brighter in the year to come. It is also the time I plan my garden for the coming year.

Commercialism of this and any other festival in the calendar presents more of an evil and a threat to our youth than dressing up as a witch and having a family party, I believe!

Blessings,

The Green Witch

Comment on A Few Questions by jdjones

jdjones — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 18:15:07 +0000

I was half awake when I posted this.

I meant to ask “Why do we Christians treat homosexuality worse than other sexual sins?”

But I do agree completely Red; I just didn’t word my question properly.

Comment on A Few Questions by brored

brored — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 14:56:58 +0000

Hey Jonathan, Just surfing through. I was intrigued by your questions. My humble response: Greed/homosexuality… never heard one, but it is an expression of a self-focused, self-governed life.
Question 2: Homosexuality is adultery, which is a perversion of God’s design for sexual relations… thus a sin.
Question 3: I believe that the reason it is “high” on the list, is because homosexuality attacks the image of God. Since man was created in His image, the “imageo dei” this sin attacks the very nature of God and thus our perception of God. Most would say that because homosexuality is on God’s abomination list, that that is why they protest; I think that it is deeper than that. Since we all have a inborn tendancey to sin, some to lust, lie, steal, gluttony, etc., etc.; there are some sins, homosexuality being one, that most would not entertain, but know that somewhere down inside is the idea that because of our sin nature, any could succumb to it. It is out of this fear, that many “doth protest too much.” All sin is unrighteousness… the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God.Thanks, Bro. Red {brored.wordpress.com}

Comment on About the Author by P. Dan

P. Dan — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 01:59:21 +0000

Dude,

Really miss ya man. I think about a all the time. Praying that God continues to lead your journey. Hows everything going.
Oh! Finally got internet hooked up at the house, will be able to make more online post now on our various DoX sites and I am breaking away from the family blog (i think jess is going to run it) and start my own…slowly but surely.
Call me when ever you get free

Comment on Sacred vs. Secular, pt. 2 by arvilogle

arvilogle — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 20:21:28 +0000

I am so proud of you and your journey in the Kingdom of God. I honor you sacrifice for the dream of planting a God-honoring life-giving church!! Wow, I truly thank the Lord for you! I also have said or written things for shock value, relevance, and cultural context. I think you know from our few interactions I am not a “wet blanket”. But in retrospect I realize my willingness to say things or write things for emphasis were usually to make me feel good about me. They probably had little effect on the people I wanted to reach or the people I wanted to change. I will be a faithful reader for the content.

I am so encouraged by people like yourself who will make the sacrifices you have made and will make for a Kingdom Dream. I love you!

Arvil

Comment on Sacred vs. Secular by Sacred vs. Secular, pt. 2 « Lights and Sounds

Sacred vs. Secular, pt. 2 « Lights and Sounds — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:52:54 +0000

[...] thanks to everyone who posted a reply to the original Sacred vs. Secular post. I had some great discussions with people because of their comments, and even a few who [...]