Rev Kathlyn James and words to think about for the New Year

[peacebird]

"As the Advent story unfolds, Luke poses the question to us: which, do you think, is more powerful, evil or goodness? Is God still at work in this world, or not? In which kind of news are you participating? And where will you pin your hopes?

The philosopher Alfred North Whitehead once observed, "The most important thing you can say about evil is that is has no power to endure." Evil overpowers, crushes?but what is left by the work of evil is always something that has no life. Evil cannot be sustained except by violence, and violence ultimately destroys itself. Every evil empire that has ever existed in history has collapsed. There never has been one that has endured.

Goodness, on the other hand, has the power to endure. It is persistent. Goodness, according to the gospels, should not be thought of as some titanic force that will match the forces of evil violence for violence, and ultimately win out. Goodness doesn't work that way. Goodness doesn't try to crush its opponents. It simply goes about the business of serving the cause of life.

Evil is flashy, a bomb going off in a parking lot. Goodness is unassuming, a group of kids planting flowers along the curb. Evil writes history in terms of criminals that come and go, regimes that rise and fall. Goodness is the underground river that turns the wheels of history, moves life forward, and carries it along. While all the uproar of evil is taking place in the evening news, thousands---millions---of decent people are quietly, day by day, turning the world to God's purposes, loving their families and caring for their neighbors."

http://www.firstchurchseattle.org/yourti93187.html


i'm not a christ worshipper, too many so-called christians are hate spewing bigots and i am sickened by their hypocracy and self-righteousness. but this woman is my kind of Christian. A Christian with a capital "C", one who walks her talk. i respect that, and find her sermons to be somehow comforting in this day and age.

if only more Christians would speak out this way, here's an earlier sermon where she describes the difference as she sees it between the fundamentalists and the open/inclusive Christians.

"We are disciples of Jesus Christ, who came into this world not to condemn, but to open the path to justice and peace. We seek to follow in Christ's way of treating all people with the love, dignity and respect worthy of children of God. Bigotry and discrimination in the name of Christ, and in the supposedly free society in which we live, is simply wrong."

http://www.firstchurchseattle.org/yourti92273.html

peace.

[whistle]

1. Perhaps, but listening to such stories on the nightly news...

...then going to church on Sunday and having them repeated once again from the pulpit for the shock value speaks volumes about why evil persists. Psychological conditioning, imaging, repetition, reinforcement, repeated a thousand times a week in the media, then hammered home by spiritual leaders in their sermons right before the basket is passed -- it works every time! Homeland Security's color alert system, politicians speaking to the constituency about the never-ending threats from enemies outside and with-in our borders, the military, law enforcement and the justice system all thrive on violence, crime, poverty, perpetual human ignorance, unfulfilled economic wants, needs and uncontrolled human passion. Solve these problems of the human condition and the need for religion, war, politicians, economic control and the distribution of wealth simply disappear. Jesus Christ knew this and said to those who would listen, "Love one another". For 2,000 years that commandment more than any other has threatened every civilization, society, community, tribe, family, leader and relationship who has sought power and control and dominion over other human beings.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. a shadow has no substance

It merely indicates the presence of light. Even so, shadows can be so dark and intimidating that people can get frightened, and change their behavior accordingly. Evil is the shadow; goodness is the light. And all comes from the same Source.

[Joe Chi Minh]

3. Thank you, peacebird.

I found your post, its stories and commentaries unbelievably moving and profound. I will treasure them all my life.

[peacebird]

4. both links will take you to Rev. James homepage

where you can read more thoughtful, compassionate sermons

[Joe Chi Minh]

7. Thank you again.

I should add, though, having since reads the second URL, that, while many passages in Christian scripture are sometimes difficult to understand to the point of being paradoxical, it seems clear that Christ was unequivocally conservative in sexual matters, (as indeed were his apostles, the early fathers and the long thread of mainstream Judaeo-Christian tradition).

And on that score, I would take issue with the Reverend James' use of the term, "mainline", to describe her "open and affirming"/liberal emerging church. To this day, official Roman Catholic doctrine, despite an abundance of liberal churchmen in its ranks, is absolutely unyielding on the unacceptability, not by the churches, themselves, so much as by individual human beings wishing to worship him in spirit and in truth. In saying this, I acknowledge the otherwise, very careful way in which the Reverend James expressed herself on the subject. There is no question but that engaging in homosexual behaviour is a serious sin. The fact that Stalin was a homophobe has no bearing on that truth, only on the care that must be taken by Christians to avoid being personally judgemental.

Primordially, today, unlike in the days of the pristine, less muddied early Church, when higher standards would have been expected, it is admittedly less a Church matter than a personal one. Christ addressed the faith/faithlessness of individual persons, never, I believe, making reference to the synagogue in that connection. If dissenting from Christ's express teaching, a person must take issue with Him, not his Church. And to condone deviant sexual behaviour is as much a betrayal of Christ's position on the matter as to condone promiscuity; but more than that, it is a betrayal of the many victims of false belief in the matter, who rightly aspire to be viewed by Christ as his brethren. The Church has certainly failed in that it has failed to teach that the Christian life should be *expected* to be a form of martyrdom; not an accessory to the American Dream, shall we say. "Take up your cross daily and follow me".

I think it is fair to assume that there will be many former, non-church-going, rough diamonds, probably more than ex-churchgoers, in Heaven, because, in their lives her on earth, they prioritised love of their fellow-human beings above everything. But that does not mean that Jesus would not be disappointed and hurt by teachers of his who apparently relegate other precepts he intended that his followers should respect, to effective oblivion.

[Roaming]

5. Not a Christ-worshiper?

i'm not a christ worshipper, too many so-called christians are hate spewing bigots and i am sickened by their hypocracy and self-righteousness.

But if you're not a Christ-worshiper you are NOT a Christian (the word Christian means "little Christ," or follower of Christ). And why decide to follow or not follow Christ based on some others who claim to follow Him?

It's like saying you're a Muslim but don't believe in Muhammed because too many Muslims are terrorists.

It just doesn't make sense to me.

[peacebird]

8. i'm not a christian/Christian - never claimed to be one.

my statement was "i'm not a christ worshipper, too many so-called christians are hate spewing bigots and i am sickened by their hypocracy and self-righteousness. but this woman is my kind of Christian. A Christian with a capital "C", one who walks her talk. i respect that, and find her sermons to be somehow comforting in this day and age."

i am not a christ-worshipper. but i can appreciate people who strive to live an honest, moral life and i appreciate those who believe that our actions matter more than our beliefs.

As this Reverand clearly states in the second sermon i linked.

As for me - i try to treat others as i would have others treat me. i believe in equality for all regardless of race, creed, religion, sexual preference or gender. i believe it that the haves should extend a helping hand to the havenots. Not being a worshipper of christ doesn't mean i cannot read and appreciate the words of a compassionate intelligent woman who fervently follows him.

where's the disconnect?

[SharonAnn]

6. Thank you! What a great way to start the New Year.