Faith Challenges: It Ain't All Comfort

The devil made me do it. That is of the devil. Don’t fall into the devil’s snares! We do an awful lot of blaming the devil in ways that are completely unjustified. Generally, blaming the devil has just been an easy way to rationalize a gut reaction against what we don't understand, makes us uncomfortable, or possibly fear. In the 1600s, women who could swim were witches and thus of the devil. Through the 1800s, people who were left-handed were sinister (siniestra = left) and thus of the devil. Galileo was seen as doing the devil's magic when bending light with glass lenses, making objects appear unnaturally clear. Rhythmic music was of the devil at one point. (Gregorian chants, anyone?) Only music written in 3/4 time was holy, as it spoke of the Trinity. Music in 3/4 time was of the devil, because people danced the waltz, in which partners touched hands. Rock music was of the devil; women wearing pants was of the devil; make-up was of the devil; reading and writ...

I had lunch with fellow interpreters and delegates from the UMC General Conference (official meeting of the United Methodist Church, akin to a regular constitutional congress). We were speaking of transportation around the world, and a question was raised about transportation in Mozambique. An interpreter from there began addressing the difficulty of transportation outside of the cities. When Mozambique gained independence in 1975, war for independence gave way to a civil war. As a child in this war, this interpreter saw 6 of his brothers gunned down. Like many others, the family fled their rural home, heading to the relative safety of the cities for survival. The cities offered the hope for jobs, for survival. Soon, returning home to their rural subsistence farms became impossible, due to a proliferation of land mines. Those lands that once supported life now promised death. War. How can we talk about the glories of war when we pause even a moment to consider ...

[Comments to Monroe, NC City Council, 09 April 2024] As clergy, prayer is important to me. Jesus taught us to pray. Jesus modeled prayer. Jesus also talked about performative prayer, prayer wielded as a public promotion of one’s piety. He said that kind of prayer short-circuits prayer’s validity. Rather than directed to God, it is directed only to a human audience. He did not mean all public prayer is performative. He warned us of praying to be seen, praised, applauded. Jesus prayed in private. Jesus prayed when performing miracles. Jesus prayed with and for his disciples. He invited them into his dialogue with the Father. He deemed prayer conversation with God, taking multiple forms in diverse settings. Jesus’ other public prayers were from the cross. Those were communication with God inviting people to bear witness to that communication for their benefit. Before the Sanhedrin, Pilate, and Herod, Jesus does not pray. He never coerces his understanding of God u...

I’ve been hearing ramblings that being a Christian means voting Republican. Some have stated, “If you vote for a Democrat, you can’t be a Christian.” That is bunk. It is an outright lie with no basis in Christianity at all. Even so, I’ve heard multiple reports of pastors saying things along this line, as well as a national political figure making such a statement in a church sanctuary. Jesus does not play partisan politics. In the history of political parties, there has never been one that stood for Jesus’ priorities. Jesus himself never dipped his feet into politics. He actually refused to become a military or political leader. That was one of the temptations he faced as recorded in Matthew’s gospel. Telling people there is only one party that stands for the principles of Christianity brushes over numerous issues on which political parties are divided or united in contrast to Jesus’ values. It might make for a great campaign sticker, but it is as worthless as the grime we w...