quoting william - page 7

 

"Doing something solely because a church or religious organization tells you to, is just puppetry at best, or slavery at worst, it is not true worship and praise."

 

 

Scripture tells us that all of creation praises God.  How do animals, birds and insects, or how about soil and rocks, do that?  My pastor once told me they do it by simply being what they were created to be.  If that is so, then just being who God created each of us to be is what real worship is all about.  For we are a part of His creation.  Discover and live it.   

 

"Our American work ethic, in and of itself, is not the problem.  Lack of harmony and balance is the problem."

 

"Frequently, those identified as 'good Christians' end up living a facade, afraid of the day their shortcomings or sinfulness might be revealed.  I would rather live the truth of my life, working things out with God as I go, while the overtly religious count me to be among those who are wayward or even scoundrels." 

 

"Judging others makes absolutely no sense.  It is a great waste of mental energy and no one benefits."

 

Giving myself the freedom to seek the truth, necessarily extends that grace to others. When I hear someone criticize another, or I begin to do it myself, I am reminded and share, that is just where they are at in their own journey.  It is always the truth. 

 

"Sometimes the experience of finding out what you do not want to do in life is as important as what you do want to do."

 

"I like nudity. I like sex. I really like photography. Therefore, it has never made sense to me when other Christians expect me to act as if I abhor nudity or sex in photography,
in print or on a screen."

 

"God created our bodies. He is the One who decided to make us male and female, which makes Him the Author of our sexuality. As I recollect, in the first chapter of Genesis, everything God created, He saw as good."

 

"I am in agreement that we cannot pick and choose from Scripture as if it were a 'mall where we look for the best deals, the lowest prices and the most convenience.' What I am not in agreement with is any proposal that we are smart enough to get all of what God is telling us straight. The Pharisees and the Sadducees did not."

 

The full quote partly used in mine above is "The Bible has become our mall where we look for the best deals, the lowest prices and the most convenience." [attributed to Brent Riggs] 

Photo note: In the next box, I altered the background shot of a stained glass window by adding two effects (glass blur once and fog twice) with my MGI photo program.  I would have preferred using the original picture, and tried, but I could not find a text color which had a readable contrast with so many multiple colors present in the untouched image.  

 

"In some traditions you are not supposed to take communion when things are not 'right' between you and God.  Personally, that is when I think we need it most, and it should be particularly sought out."

 

"It is just a new normal."

 

The above quote comes about most of the time when people ask me how I am doing, and I say "I am."  Then I add, "it is what it is. It is just a new normal."  My heart surgery was a year and a half ago, as of this writing, and the full sense of touch has not returned to my chest muscles.  There is still some numbness.  I now notice minor aches and pains I do not believe were present before.  A cardiac exercise routine dominates my mornings three times per week, and my diet has changed significantly.  Beyond the physical, many of my life attitudes have been impacted by this faster pace at which I am required to move.  Is it bad?  Not in particular - it is just different - it is a new normal to get used to.  For some of it I still pray for continued natural healing.  The rest is likely here for the duration. 

 

"Most of the time, people do not see you, they see an image of you reflected in their own mirror."

 

"Viewed as a whole group, Christians are a pretty screwed up lot.  About the only thing we really have going for us is Jesus.  But then, the good news is, Jesus is the only thing you truly need to have going for you."

 

This final quote which I have used a great deal since the mid-1980's, was often followed by the admonition that simple and easy are not the same.  For instance, one of the things we do not do very well as a people is understand that present circumstances and consequences are related to our past choices and actions, or lack thereof.  So, it is simple enough to say that if you want a better life, world, or whatever, make better choices.  And, if we truly know a "right" choice and do not make it, shame on us.  But, at any given moment, with the limited information at hand, a broader scope right may not be so evident.  Still, I truly believe . . . 

 

"Life is simple
  when you let it be."

 

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