Inappropriate Conversations

Walk The Earth 28

Whether a sense of patriotism invalidates the separation of church and state or similar founding principles in the United States of America?

"O Master, Let Me Walk With Thee" (Washington Gladden, H. Percy Smith)

168: Epistles From Gay Christians

Strident Christian views about homosexuality have compromised any defense of infallibility, causing some to question the existence of God. Certainly there is justification for denying the validity of their anti-LGBTQ worldview. After all, in less than a decade “religious right” speakers presuming to represent Christianity have moved from there is no such thing as sexual orientation to homosexuality is just a choice to maybe it isn’t a choice but there can’t be anything inherent to it to if it is inherent in some way it still cannot possibly by “natural” to either way it’s just a behavior that represents a rebellion against God to those people can attend church but they can never be members of our congregation to perhaps they can join us in Christian fellowship but only if they take a vow of involuntary celibacy to perhaps it is inevitable that some of them will live together but we don’t want to know what that intimacy entails to God can forgive all sins but not the sin of those people wanting to get married. Frankly, it is dizzying how many times a perfect and never-changing God has put a completely different idea, or strategy, into the mouths of those who purport to speak on behalf of deity. This Inappropriate Conversation is going to give the soapbox to a totally different group, gay Christians. "Why worship a God of love if doing so means denying the possibility of experiencing love?" (N.T., Australia). What do we do if some Christians don’t want LGBTQ people worshiping God in the first place? Where do we find either the Great Commission or the Great Commandments in that Christian worldview? Perhaps, the Spirit of the living God is pointing us in a different direction. We should listen.

Different Drummer: John Shore

167: Speaking Truth To Power

On June 22, 1633,  Galileo was sentenced by the Roman Inquisition for being "vehemently suspect of heresy." He had told the truth, that the earth revolved around the sun according to astronomical evidence, but he was forced to recant that truth. There is a great deal of scientific knowledge we either would not have today, or would have obtained in very different ways, if Galileo had chosen a different course, if he had been "silenced" by more violent means. Speaking truth to power, as the saying goes, is rarely as clear as it sounds. Sometimes it doesn't require formal speech at all. A simple smartphone video can have the same impact today.

Different Drummer: Galileo Galilei

Walk The Earth 27

Whether sanctuary means the same thing today as the center of Christian worship has in the past?

166: One-ders

Most music fans these days are very comfortable with just one song from an artist. I'm not. I tend to be a collector, almost an archivist. For that reason, I was very surprised at the number of "one song only" artists there are on my MP3 player, although I was not surprised at how deeply I love those lonely songs.

Different Drummer: Joseph Haydn

165: Memorial Music

"I'll remember you, though," the title character of Lilo & Stitch says to the other as the alien leaves her home, "I remember everyone that leaves." How is the question. How do we remember those who leave? I've turned that question toward myself and provided some possible answers with songs.

Different Drummer: Joseph Henry Burnett

Walk The Earth 26

Whether the Holy Spirit deserves more recognition as God working in our lives?