Thousands of speeches have passed through my ears and countless millions of book leaves--endless writing into my eyes, all mentally swallowed, digested, and then later chewed like the proverbial cud. True, some of all this learning I couldn't digest, couldn't stomach, and so spit out rapidly. Other learning seemed so boring it was forgotten before I heard it.
But some writing/ideas/reflections became part of me, like Ecclesiastes says, “well-driven nails” hammered deep into my psyche, truths so powerful they are permanent.
One such lecture I heard online several years ago explained there are various levels of commitment for us humans. In the brilliant talk the speaker described the various levels of perception from the superficial to those so inner bone-deep, the ones which go to the deepest heart of things.
Here’s my own very different adaption:
#1: NOTIONS/LIKES:
I am very “low-church.’ Like small group Bible studies, spiritual sharing, active social concern projects, etc. I get next to nothing out of ritual, liturgy, repetition, tradition, hierarchies, etc.
All of those latter activities which so enthrall many, leave me wondering, what’s the point? Ritual activities seem outward, superficial,impersonal and boring.
I want the inward, the deep, and the intimately personal--the charismatic. Maybe this has a little to do with my history. I was one of the early “Jesus people.”
So I like loud Christian rock music, lots of worship action, dramatic sermons with visual illustrations, vivid art, inspired communities that meet in shopping malls, not in old traditional spired buildings, etc.
But all of these preferences--while 'luv'd dearly'--are just notions, personal likes, subjective enjoyments. I could easily leave them behind if need be, if God called me to a different way.
#2: OPINIONS:
The Friends/Brethren denomination is, in my opinion, the best one to commune with other followers of Jesus. I greatly appreciate/like/admire/think the Friends and the Brethren (Brethren in Christ, Anabaptists, Mennonites, etc.) do represent well/best the Truth.
Though these denominations have their own smelly feet historically and locally, too. If a Christian leader could show me there was another denomination closer to the Truth, I would change immediately.
#3: SPECULATIONS:
Based on my many years of studying philosophy, theology, church and secular history, geology, anthropology, biology, etc., I agree with some Christian scholars who think that God is Ultimate PROCESS, not Ultimate Substance, very relational, not immutable. Not so much 'being,' as 'BECOMING.'
That makes the most sense to my limited understanding. But it’s all only interesting speculation.
How can any human possibly know or understand the ONE who spangled the Cosmos into becoming before Time?
Besides how many hungry children did abstract theorizing ever feed? How many abused women rescue? How many confused teens helped to feel loved?
Too often, theological speculation divides and destroys, rather than heals. If in doubt, read a book on Christian history such as Jesus Wars by John Philip Jenkins.
The next deeper level of commitment concerns beliefs, some of which rose out of theological speculation.
#4: BELIEFS:
The Virgin Birth. This belief is an important one for Christians and one I used to subscribe to, for about 55 years while I was a committed Christian. Christianity has a very large number of other beliefs which form various Church creeds, but I am not a creedal person, never was a believer in the Christian Church Creeds, didn’t even know of these theoretical abstractions until I reached college.
Instead, I grew up in a non-creedal denomination: American Baptist. We were moderate fundamentalists, but primarily concerned, devoutly, with helping every human being accept Jesus as Leader and Deliverer, and then live for him daily, following his ethical commandments. Doctrines only existed to help save humans.
But if Christians insist that I must adopt a creed (as many do) in order to be a follower of Christ, I would say while I identified as Christian, that I agreed/held to The Apostles’ Creed.
However, that was only a belief, meaning that I held it lightly.
If it had been proven by scientists and historians that the Virgin Birth never happened, it wouldn't have bothered me (other than wonder why Scripture claims otherwise/to the contrary).
Beliefs come and they go. As far as I can see, all of them or the vast majority of them have no impact, or very little, on day to day living for Jesus.
And since first writing this blog article, some of my beliefs have gone...
Very central beliefs up the ante to essential doctrines.
#5: DOCTRINES:
I trust that Jesus was inspired by God, that God is One, that God created us in his-her image, that the Bible has value, etc.
If one of these central doctrines were shown to be false, it would devastate me, leave me confused and uncertain what to think. But, probably, eventually I could experience recovery and move onward in my spiritual journey.
However, when it comes to the next level, convincements, if one of these were proven untrue, my life would never recover, at least not to any degree of worth.
#6: CONVINCEMENTS:
I used to be committed to the view that Christian faith is the GOOD NEWS to every single human being, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, because God so loves the world and isn't willing for anyone to perish, that Jesus died for every single person who has ever lived, and for every single person who will ever live, that God wills only what is Good, what is True, what is Loving.
But then Augustinian/Lutheran/Calvinistic leaders took over most Christian churches and hark their prove their limited theological determinism as the Gospel. Like Charles Spurgeon claimed and now Matt Chandler, John Piper, Albert Mohler, etc. proclaim.
You know the poisonous T.U.L.I.P. of Reformed religion, the one that burned other Christians at the stake, drowned Anabaptists for refusing to baptize their infants, and foreordained most humans to eternal damnation, that slaughtered millions in wars, etc.
This version of Christianity claims God has a hidden will contrary to his revealed will. Supposedly, God has two contrary wills!
For instance, God really wanted/desired/willed for humans to sin; yes, God secretly plans every evil action and every destructive sin and all for "his own glory" and his own "good pleasure"!
It’s all about him. God is ultimately self-centered. God is essentially not love as various Scriptures such as 1 Corinthians 13 claim.
Rather God is essentially sovereign power; and God has foreordained most humans to eternal damnation, again for "his own glory." Yes, God even planned the Jewish Holocaust for his own sake, etc.
Since Augustinian-Reformed religion has been shown to be what Christianity really is, (beneath the Madison Avenue slick advertising of the apologists)...has been shown to be the "Gospel" (like Spurgeon claimed), that is why I came to realize this year that Christianity can't be true.
Yes, I oppose this horrific blasphemous view of God with all of my heart, all of my mind, and all of my soul.
Like John Wesley said, I would rather be an Atheist than believe in the Calvinistic view of God which makes God into a moral monster, little different from Satan.
Then, there is the deepest level of commitment--convictions, views which shape my inner heart.
#7: CONVICTIONS:
Those values one holds/trusts in/lives by/views so deep one would die for. For instance, I think and trust that
the GOOD, Truth, Justice, Love are the Ultimate Truths of the universe.
If this were proven wrong, beyond a shadow of a doubt, I wouldn’t know how to live.
I suppose I would then exclaim, “Even if Love (meaning Altruism, Mercy, Kindness, Cherishing, Generosity, Patience, Meekness, Humbleness, Honesty, Equality, etc.) isn’t true, it OUGHT to BE!
That’s how deep this ethical conviction is within me. Much deeper than Notions/Likes, Speculations, Beliefs, Doctrines, and Convincements.
Love (Altruism) is Life’s blood.
Take away that and we only have a meaningless corpse called humankind, and an indifferent purposeless, absurd universe.
*Allusion to the philosophical autobiography of the theist and skeptic Martin Gardner
(This is a major essay I am working on... which is in process, so I would appreciate any suggestions as to how I can make it better and more lucid.
Thanks.)
In the Light,
Daniel Wilcox
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Droning On....Or Singing the Good News?
Droning On…Or Singing the Good News?
[Consider] “…the story of a little church in Memphis, Tennessee, the “buckle of the Bible belt.” During the ruckus over the so-called “Ground Zero Mosque” in Manhattan, this little church learned that an Islamic center was being built next door so they put a sign saying “Heartsong Church Welcomes Memphis Islamic Center to the Neighborhood.” The Muslims were amazed, and deeply moved, and soon a friendship developed between these two neighboring congregations.
During Ramadan the Christians let the Muslims use their sanctuary for prayers since Islamic Center wasn’t finished. This story got world-wide coverage. One night Muslims from Kashmir called the pastor of the Heartsong church to let him know: “God is speaking to us through this man” and “We love you.” The Muslims of Kashmir said there was a little Christian church in their area and they cleaned it, inside and out, and vowed to take care of it for the rest of their lives.
Wallis asked: 'What is more likely to bring peace to the world, drones or what this Memphis church did?'” [in the new book On God’s Side by Jim Wallis of Sojourners’ Magazine]
From L A Quaker
What a witness of God's love for everyone that small church gave.
Part 5 of my series on marriage as covenant will show up next time.
In the Light,
Daniel Wilcox
[Consider] “…the story of a little church in Memphis, Tennessee, the “buckle of the Bible belt.” During the ruckus over the so-called “Ground Zero Mosque” in Manhattan, this little church learned that an Islamic center was being built next door so they put a sign saying “Heartsong Church Welcomes Memphis Islamic Center to the Neighborhood.” The Muslims were amazed, and deeply moved, and soon a friendship developed between these two neighboring congregations.
During Ramadan the Christians let the Muslims use their sanctuary for prayers since Islamic Center wasn’t finished. This story got world-wide coverage. One night Muslims from Kashmir called the pastor of the Heartsong church to let him know: “God is speaking to us through this man” and “We love you.” The Muslims of Kashmir said there was a little Christian church in their area and they cleaned it, inside and out, and vowed to take care of it for the rest of their lives.
Wallis asked: 'What is more likely to bring peace to the world, drones or what this Memphis church did?'” [in the new book On God’s Side by Jim Wallis of Sojourners’ Magazine]
From L A Quaker
What a witness of God's love for everyone that small church gave.
Part 5 of my series on marriage as covenant will show up next time.
In the Light,
Daniel Wilcox
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Part #4: The Heart of Romantic Love
Love is friendship that has caught fire.
From sparks of sharing and caring
and cherishing come great light
in the lives of 2 individuals.
And that light overflows beyond the couple,
enlightening, helping, bringing hope and goodness
to others.
And often creates new unique new little beings:-)
To use a different analogy,
Love grows like a glowing vineyard in the sunrise,
takes root and develops one day at a time.
First, the exuberant bursting forth of new love,
then the gradual increase and budding of succulent grapes.
Sensuously, phrases from the Song of Songs in the Hebrew Bible
express this wonder.
"Kiss me with the kisses of your mouth, for your love is more delightful than wine." Song of Songs 1:2
Then love in maturity is like fine wine, improves with age.
Loving commitment is quiet understanding and mature acceptance
of imperfection. Love gives strength and creatively opens
in new ways to your beloved.
You are warmed by your beloved’s presence, even when your lover is away.
Miles do not separate. You want your beloved nearer. But near or far,
you know your lover is yours, and you are your beloved's.
Love means patience and trust. Love springs up; you and your beloved feel more whole.
Love fills the empty spaces in your hearts, leads you both to look up, and to give out to others, welling over with caring and compassion. Love is creative, compassionate, gentle, and kind, coming from the deep heart of God.
Love is choosing again and again, daily to love your beloved even in the hard times.
Love is wider than the widest, deeper than the deepest, closer than the closest--a fire of chosen passion.
--Anon and adapted
"Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous and does not boast; love is not arrogant 5 or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; Love is not irritable or resentful; 6 Love does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7Love covers all, trusts all, hopes all, endures all.
13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
Love never ends."
1 Corinthians 13 Adapted, New Testament
7 "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.
...18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love
...let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth
1 John 4: 7-12, 18, 1 John 3:18
Next Time--Marriage as a Covenant
covenant (n.)
c.1300, from Old French covenant "agreement," originally present participle of covenir "agree, meet," from Latin convenire "come together" (see convene). Applied in Scripture to God's arrangements with man as a translation of Latin testamentum, Greek diatheke, both rendering Hebrew berith (though testament also is used for the same word in different places).
Online Etymology Dictionary
To be continued--
In the Light,
Daniel Wilcox
From sparks of sharing and caring
and cherishing come great light
in the lives of 2 individuals.
And that light overflows beyond the couple,
enlightening, helping, bringing hope and goodness
to others.
And often creates new unique new little beings:-)
To use a different analogy,
Love grows like a glowing vineyard in the sunrise,
takes root and develops one day at a time.
First, the exuberant bursting forth of new love,
then the gradual increase and budding of succulent grapes.
Sensuously, phrases from the Song of Songs in the Hebrew Bible
express this wonder.
"Kiss me with the kisses of your mouth, for your love is more delightful than wine." Song of Songs 1:2
Then love in maturity is like fine wine, improves with age.
Loving commitment is quiet understanding and mature acceptance
of imperfection. Love gives strength and creatively opens
in new ways to your beloved.
You are warmed by your beloved’s presence, even when your lover is away.
Miles do not separate. You want your beloved nearer. But near or far,
you know your lover is yours, and you are your beloved's.
Love means patience and trust. Love springs up; you and your beloved feel more whole.
Love fills the empty spaces in your hearts, leads you both to look up, and to give out to others, welling over with caring and compassion. Love is creative, compassionate, gentle, and kind, coming from the deep heart of God.
Love is choosing again and again, daily to love your beloved even in the hard times.
Love is wider than the widest, deeper than the deepest, closer than the closest--a fire of chosen passion.
--Anon and adapted
"Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous and does not boast; love is not arrogant 5 or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; Love is not irritable or resentful; 6 Love does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7Love covers all, trusts all, hopes all, endures all.
13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
Love never ends."
1 Corinthians 13 Adapted, New Testament
7 "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.
...18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love
...let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth
1 John 4: 7-12, 18, 1 John 3:18
Next Time--Marriage as a Covenant
covenant (n.)
c.1300, from Old French covenant "agreement," originally present participle of covenir "agree, meet," from Latin convenire "come together" (see convene). Applied in Scripture to God's arrangements with man as a translation of Latin testamentum, Greek diatheke, both rendering Hebrew berith (though testament also is used for the same word in different places).
Online Etymology Dictionary
To be continued--
In the Light,
Daniel Wilcox
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Part #3: What's Love Got?
Before we were so rudely interrupted by most of life, I was starting to explain the nature of everything;-)
Not really…but rather meditating, reflecting, and ruminating on what is marriage and what is love?
Ruminating means in the 1530s, "to turn over in the mind," also "to chew cud" (1540s), from Latin ruminatus, past participle of ruminare "to chew the cud, turn over in the mind," from rumen (genitive ruminis) "gullet," of uncertain origin. Online Etymology Dictionary. Rather a strange action to do when considering marriage and love, unless one is a cow, maybe.
So we need to be gentle with ourselves and others, and not become too legalistic and jottled (as in obsessing on every jot and tittle) like so many are doing of late when considering this hugely important topic.
Love is such an empty -bucket word that it means almost everything and anything and nothing.
That is why I had us look at the denotative meaning in Part 2.
Now onto the nuances and the connotative meanings…
#1 Love of Things: I love pizza, blackened salmon, my Chevy van, Mountain Dew, my HP computer…
#2 Love of Places: I love Hawaii, Huntington Beach, Sierra Nevadas, Grand Canyon, Yosemite…
#3 Love of Activities: I love to play basketball, backpack, travel, write, take pictures…
#4 Love of Animals and Plants: I love our cat, dog, hamster, lizard, roses, Redwood trees, Palms…
#5 Love of Groups: I love Book Club, the meetinghouse.com, America, humankind…
#6 Love of Infatuation: I love a person I am attracted to but don’t know well…
#7 Love of Admiration: I love rock stars, sports figures, historical heroes, theological leaders…
#8 Love of Self: I love myself (in the sense Jesus meant, caring for, not in the selfish or egotistical
sense)…
#9 Love of Family: I love my dad and mom, my brother and sister, my aunt and uncle, my cousins…
#10 Love of Friends: I love ___________, a buddy, companion, comrade…
#11 Love of Affection and Physical Desire: I love touching, feeling valued, experiencing passion…
#12 Love of Romance: I love one friend and she loves me, so much we like to spend deep time together…
#13 Love of Commitment: We love each other so much romantically that we want to/will to spend the
rest of our lives together in a covenantal commitment…
#14 Love of Altruism (sometimes spoken of as the Greek word, agape): I love all people, even those
different from me, even those who hate me—like Jesus said to do in the Sermon on the Mount and when
he forgave the Roman soldiers who had invaded his country, tortured, and now were executing him on a cross….
#15 Love of the Ultimate: I love Truth, Justice, the Principle, Goodness, Love, Reason, God, the Divine...
And, of course, there are also distortions of most, if not all, of these forms of “love”…
Distortions and Twisted Versions of Love:
#1 Lust: When a person wants to treat another human being as an object to be used…
#2 Obsession: When a person fixates on another person, idea, worldview, or thing to the exclusion
of everyone else, treating them as an idol to worship or abuse…
#3 Polyandry/Polygamy: When a person thinks he/she can have an equal/humanly ultimate relationship
with more than one other person for life…
#4 Divorce: When a person who commits to a covenant for life with another person betrays his
relationship…
#3 Perversion: When a person twists and distorts what is true and good and right and loving…
#4 Pride/Egotism/Nationalism: When a person thinks he or his worldview or his group is more
important than anyone else…
#5 Idolatry: When a person substitutes himself, others, groups, an idea or thing in place of
Ultimate
Truth/God/the Divine…
As is obvious, we are going to focus mainly on the #13 version of love in this series of articles,
but other types of “love” will probably crowd in, too.
To Be Continued…
In the Light,
Daniel Wilcox
Not really…but rather meditating, reflecting, and ruminating on what is marriage and what is love?
Ruminating means in the 1530s, "to turn over in the mind," also "to chew cud" (1540s), from Latin ruminatus, past participle of ruminare "to chew the cud, turn over in the mind," from rumen (genitive ruminis) "gullet," of uncertain origin. Online Etymology Dictionary. Rather a strange action to do when considering marriage and love, unless one is a cow, maybe.
So we need to be gentle with ourselves and others, and not become too legalistic and jottled (as in obsessing on every jot and tittle) like so many are doing of late when considering this hugely important topic.
Love is such an empty -bucket word that it means almost everything and anything and nothing.
That is why I had us look at the denotative meaning in Part 2.
Now onto the nuances and the connotative meanings…
#1 Love of Things: I love pizza, blackened salmon, my Chevy van, Mountain Dew, my HP computer…
#2 Love of Places: I love Hawaii, Huntington Beach, Sierra Nevadas, Grand Canyon, Yosemite…
#3 Love of Activities: I love to play basketball, backpack, travel, write, take pictures…
#4 Love of Animals and Plants: I love our cat, dog, hamster, lizard, roses, Redwood trees, Palms…
#5 Love of Groups: I love Book Club, the meetinghouse.com, America, humankind…
#6 Love of Infatuation: I love a person I am attracted to but don’t know well…
#7 Love of Admiration: I love rock stars, sports figures, historical heroes, theological leaders…
#8 Love of Self: I love myself (in the sense Jesus meant, caring for, not in the selfish or egotistical
sense)…
#9 Love of Family: I love my dad and mom, my brother and sister, my aunt and uncle, my cousins…
#10 Love of Friends: I love ___________, a buddy, companion, comrade…
#11 Love of Affection and Physical Desire: I love touching, feeling valued, experiencing passion…
#12 Love of Romance: I love one friend and she loves me, so much we like to spend deep time together…
#13 Love of Commitment: We love each other so much romantically that we want to/will to spend the
rest of our lives together in a covenantal commitment…
#14 Love of Altruism (sometimes spoken of as the Greek word, agape): I love all people, even those
different from me, even those who hate me—like Jesus said to do in the Sermon on the Mount and when
he forgave the Roman soldiers who had invaded his country, tortured, and now were executing him on a cross….
#15 Love of the Ultimate: I love Truth, Justice, the Principle, Goodness, Love, Reason, God, the Divine...
And, of course, there are also distortions of most, if not all, of these forms of “love”…
Distortions and Twisted Versions of Love:
#1 Lust: When a person wants to treat another human being as an object to be used…
#2 Obsession: When a person fixates on another person, idea, worldview, or thing to the exclusion
of everyone else, treating them as an idol to worship or abuse…
#3 Polyandry/Polygamy: When a person thinks he/she can have an equal/humanly ultimate relationship
with more than one other person for life…
#4 Divorce: When a person who commits to a covenant for life with another person betrays his
relationship…
#3 Perversion: When a person twists and distorts what is true and good and right and loving…
#4 Pride/Egotism/Nationalism: When a person thinks he or his worldview or his group is more
important than anyone else…
#5 Idolatry: When a person substitutes himself, others, groups, an idea or thing in place of
Ultimate
Truth/God/the Divine…
As is obvious, we are going to focus mainly on the #13 version of love in this series of articles,
but other types of “love” will probably crowd in, too.
To Be Continued…
In the Light,
Daniel Wilcox
Part #2: Marriage: What Does the Covenant Mean?
Ready for the really bizarre?
Here’s a strange quote from a Christian leader on marriage:
“Let me get right to the point - the making of marriage has nothing to do with love."
"Love does not make two people married. According to the law of His Word, God,
who marries couples, does not marry them based on love.”
From “Marriage: What’s Love Got To Do With It?”
By Edward Ridenour*
Huh? Wait a minute, please…
Has there been anything more off-the-wall wrong than this? Claiming that “making a marriage has nothing to do with love”?*
Sometimes a reflection, meditation, article deeply moves one, invites one into the presence of God, and leads to a transformative change in my life,
BUT
such is NOT the case with Ridenour’s article.
Now keep in mind that Ridenour may be partially playing “gotcha,” using a hook attention-grabber, because later he does qualify his bizarre, untrue words: “Love that labors and is sacrificial is true marital love in its best form, and is "agape" (Godlike).
When a man and a woman come together and make a marriage, their underlying principle for making that marriage should not be for their own self-satisfaction, but to serve one another and God in that union, exemplify His love, and build His Kingdom. This is true love.”
Definitely yes and no.
It is true that much of what passes for “love” in modern society has little to do with love in the transcendent/compassionate/ultimate ethical sense.
But it is also true that much of what passes for “love” and “marriage” in Scripture, Christian history, and modern religious groups has little to do with love either.
If in doubt spend a couple of days researching “marriage” as practiced in parts of the Bible and in church history.
It’s enough to make any spiritual individual puke and wretch—just as Jesus is said to do with the false religious ways of so many humans (Revelation 3: 1-22)
For years now—at least 21 of them—I’ve been seeking clarification and insight on the meaning of the word and act called “marriage.”
But even after attending and participating in many weddings, after reading a tome of books, endless essays and biblical studies,
and spending a lot of time in prayer and reflection, I still am confused/uncertain/grieved--
seeking further clarification from the Light of God before I speak my mind with strong conviction.
So, if all that is true, why am I sticking out my neck now to have it chopped off repeatedly by all the opposing guillotines of modern dystopia,
by all the theological fire-breathers of various opposing camps from Indiana Yearly Meeting to the U.S. Supreme Court?
Let’s say, Ridenour made me do it;-)
Not that he’s the devil, but the latter is definitely in the details.
Well, maybe not; maybe in the end the truth of all this is only found in the ideal truths and essences, inherent in the ultimate love of God.
Now there’s an idea—that our finite minds aren’t the ultimate judge of truth, but God who is Love is.
As it says in Ephesians 4: “...walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love...
14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.
15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ...” ESV
SO...before we can tackle the vital issue of marriage, what it means and what it doesn’t mean—
and set all the modern ethical jousters correct;-)—
we must first look at the definition of this wily character/characteristic/attribute/behavior/emotion/value/ethic/act called "love"
#1 Define the terms (what philosophers always emphasize so as to avoid semantic chaos like what is happening in modern secular society and religion).
Love:
love (n.)
Old English lufu "love, affection, friendliness," from Proto-Germanic *lubo (cf. Old High German liubi "joy," German Liebe "love;" Old Norse, Old Frisian, Dutch lof; German Lob "praise;" Old Saxon liof, Old Frisian liaf, Dutch lief, Old High German liob, German lieb, Gothic liufs "dear, beloved").
The Germanic words are from PIE *leubh- "to care, desire, love" (cf. Latin lubet, later libet "pleases;" Sanskrit lubhyati "desires;" Old Church Slavonic l'ubu "dear, beloved;" Lithuanian liaupse "song of praise").
Meaning "a beloved person" is from early 13c. The sense "no score" (in tennis, etc.) is 1742, from the notion of "playing for love," i.e. "for nothing" (1670s). Phrase for love or money "for anything" is attested from 1580s. Love seat is from 1904. Love-letter is attested from mid-13c.; love-song from early 14c.
To fall in love is attested from early 15c. To be in love with (someone) is from c.1500. To make love is from 1570s in the sense "pay amorous attention to;" as a euphemism for "have sex," it is attested from c.1950.
Love life "one's collective amorous activities" is from 1919, originally a term in psychological jargon. Love affair is from 1590s. The phrase no love lost (between two people) is ambiguous and was used 17c. in reference to two who love each other well (c.1640) as well as two who have no love for each other (1620s).
love (v.)
Old English lufian "to love, cherish, show love to; delight in, approve," from Proto-Germanic *lubojan (cf. Old High German lubon, German lieben), from root of love (n.). Related: Loved; loving. Adjective Love-hate "ambivalent" is from 1937, originally a term in psychological jargon.
Online Etymology Dictionary
To Be Continued--
In the Light,
Daniel Wilcox
*Part 1 was published as “The Twisting…” April 2, 2013
* Well, maybe the twisting of God’s character and essence by modern Christian leaders who claim God is self-centered, that everything he does is for his own glory! How sick and totally wrong, as any reading of the NT will show. Try 1 John first.
* http://blogs.christianpost.com/marriage/marriage-whats-love-got-to-do-with-it-151/
Here’s a strange quote from a Christian leader on marriage:
“Let me get right to the point - the making of marriage has nothing to do with love."
"Love does not make two people married. According to the law of His Word, God,
who marries couples, does not marry them based on love.”
From “Marriage: What’s Love Got To Do With It?”
By Edward Ridenour*
Huh? Wait a minute, please…
Has there been anything more off-the-wall wrong than this? Claiming that “making a marriage has nothing to do with love”?*
Sometimes a reflection, meditation, article deeply moves one, invites one into the presence of God, and leads to a transformative change in my life,
BUT
such is NOT the case with Ridenour’s article.
Now keep in mind that Ridenour may be partially playing “gotcha,” using a hook attention-grabber, because later he does qualify his bizarre, untrue words: “Love that labors and is sacrificial is true marital love in its best form, and is "agape" (Godlike).
When a man and a woman come together and make a marriage, their underlying principle for making that marriage should not be for their own self-satisfaction, but to serve one another and God in that union, exemplify His love, and build His Kingdom. This is true love.”
Definitely yes and no.
It is true that much of what passes for “love” in modern society has little to do with love in the transcendent/compassionate/ultimate ethical sense.
But it is also true that much of what passes for “love” and “marriage” in Scripture, Christian history, and modern religious groups has little to do with love either.
It’s enough to make any spiritual individual puke and wretch—just as Jesus is said to do with the false religious ways of so many humans (Revelation 3: 1-22)
For years now—at least 21 of them—I’ve been seeking clarification and insight on the meaning of the word and act called “marriage.”
But even after attending and participating in many weddings, after reading a tome of books, endless essays and biblical studies,
and spending a lot of time in prayer and reflection, I still am confused/uncertain/grieved--
seeking further clarification from the Light of God before I speak my mind with strong conviction.
So, if all that is true, why am I sticking out my neck now to have it chopped off repeatedly by all the opposing guillotines of modern dystopia,
by all the theological fire-breathers of various opposing camps from Indiana Yearly Meeting to the U.S. Supreme Court?
Let’s say, Ridenour made me do it;-)
Not that he’s the devil, but the latter is definitely in the details.
Well, maybe not; maybe in the end the truth of all this is only found in the ideal truths and essences, inherent in the ultimate love of God.
Now there’s an idea—that our finite minds aren’t the ultimate judge of truth, but God who is Love is.
As it says in Ephesians 4: “...walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love...
14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.
15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ...” ESV
SO...before we can tackle the vital issue of marriage, what it means and what it doesn’t mean—
and set all the modern ethical jousters correct;-)—
we must first look at the definition of this wily character/characteristic/attribute/behavior/emotion/value/ethic/act called "love"
#1 Define the terms (what philosophers always emphasize so as to avoid semantic chaos like what is happening in modern secular society and religion).
Love:
love (n.)
Old English lufu "love, affection, friendliness," from Proto-Germanic *lubo (cf. Old High German liubi "joy," German Liebe "love;" Old Norse, Old Frisian, Dutch lof; German Lob "praise;" Old Saxon liof, Old Frisian liaf, Dutch lief, Old High German liob, German lieb, Gothic liufs "dear, beloved").
The Germanic words are from PIE *leubh- "to care, desire, love" (cf. Latin lubet, later libet "pleases;" Sanskrit lubhyati "desires;" Old Church Slavonic l'ubu "dear, beloved;" Lithuanian liaupse "song of praise").
Meaning "a beloved person" is from early 13c. The sense "no score" (in tennis, etc.) is 1742, from the notion of "playing for love," i.e. "for nothing" (1670s). Phrase for love or money "for anything" is attested from 1580s. Love seat is from 1904. Love-letter is attested from mid-13c.; love-song from early 14c.
To fall in love is attested from early 15c. To be in love with (someone) is from c.1500. To make love is from 1570s in the sense "pay amorous attention to;" as a euphemism for "have sex," it is attested from c.1950.
Love life "one's collective amorous activities" is from 1919, originally a term in psychological jargon. Love affair is from 1590s. The phrase no love lost (between two people) is ambiguous and was used 17c. in reference to two who love each other well (c.1640) as well as two who have no love for each other (1620s).
love (v.)
Old English lufian "to love, cherish, show love to; delight in, approve," from Proto-Germanic *lubojan (cf. Old High German lubon, German lieben), from root of love (n.). Related: Loved; loving. Adjective Love-hate "ambivalent" is from 1937, originally a term in psychological jargon.
Online Etymology Dictionary
To Be Continued--
In the Light,
Daniel Wilcox
*Part 1 was published as “The Twisting…” April 2, 2013
* Well, maybe the twisting of God’s character and essence by modern Christian leaders who claim God is self-centered, that everything he does is for his own glory! How sick and totally wrong, as any reading of the NT will show. Try 1 John first.
* http://blogs.christianpost.com/marriage/marriage-whats-love-got-to-do-with-it-151/
Monday, April 22, 2013
New Song Adaption--"Jesus Doesn't Love Us, This We Know..."
"Jesus doesn’t love us! This we know,
For the Bible tells us, no.
Little ones by Him reprobated long
They are damned, by Him so wrong.
Yes, Jesus doesn’t love us
The Bible tells us, no.
Jesus doesn’t love us! This we know,
As he ordained so long ago,
Forsaking children by His decree
Saying, “Let them be damned , see.
Jesus doesn’t love us. He who died
Heaven’s gate to close aside;
He won’t wash away our sin,
Let limited children come in…"
*Famous children’s song
according to John Calvin, A.W. Pink, etc.,
the bad news of Calvinism’s poison T.U.L.I.P.
*“I again ask how it is that the fall of Adam involves so many nations with their infant children in eternal death without remedy unless that it so seemed meet to God? …because he had so ordained by his decree. John Calvin (Institutes of the Christian Religion Book 3, Sec. 23, 7)
* “Those, therefore, whom God passes by he reprobates, and that for no other cause but because he is pleased to exclude them from the inheritance which he predestines to his children.” John Calvin (Institutes of the Christian Religion 3:23:1)
*"The reprobate like the elect are appointed to be so by the secret counsel of God's will" (Calvin's Institutes III, xxii, Page 11) and " . . .their doom was fixed from all eternity and nothing in them could transfer them to the contrary class..." John Calvin(Institutes of the Christian Religion III, iii, Page 4)
*"We call predestination God's eternal decree, by which he compacted with himself what he willed to become of each man. For all are not created in equal condition; rather, eternal life is fore-ordained for some, eternal damnation for others." John Calvin (Bk 3, ch 21, s. 5)
*"One of the reasons that God makes human babies small is so they won’t kill their parents in their sleep.
They’re evil."
Calvinist preacher Voddie Baucham
*The Puritan Michael Wigglesworth in his infamous poem “The Day of Doom” says God sends infants to the least worst part of Hell.
Weird and despairing:-(
Versus
GOOD NEWS:-)
"Jesus loves me! This I know,
For the Bible tells me so;
Little ones to Him belong;
They are weak, but He is strong.
Refrain:
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.
Jesus loves me! This I know,
As He loved so long ago,
Taking children on His knee,
Saying, “Let them come to Me.”
Jesus loves me still today,
Walking with me on my way,
Wanting as a friend to give
Light and love to all who live.
Jesus loves me! He who died
Heaven’s gate to open wide;
He will wash away my sin,
Let His little child come in.
Jesus loves me! He will stay
Close beside me all the way;
Thou hast bled and died for me,
I will henceforth live for Thee."
By Anna B. Warner
And ALL grandchildren,
especially our two little grand children who are so dear to our heart, ALL loved by God.
In the Light,
Daniel Wilcox
For the Bible tells us, no.
Little ones by Him reprobated long
They are damned, by Him so wrong.
Yes, Jesus doesn’t love us
The Bible tells us, no.
Jesus doesn’t love us! This we know,
As he ordained so long ago,
Forsaking children by His decree
Saying, “Let them be damned , see.
Jesus doesn’t love us. He who died
Heaven’s gate to close aside;
He won’t wash away our sin,
Let limited children come in…"
*Famous children’s song
according to John Calvin, A.W. Pink, etc.,
the bad news of Calvinism’s poison T.U.L.I.P.
*“I again ask how it is that the fall of Adam involves so many nations with their infant children in eternal death without remedy unless that it so seemed meet to God? …because he had so ordained by his decree. John Calvin (Institutes of the Christian Religion Book 3, Sec. 23, 7)
* “Those, therefore, whom God passes by he reprobates, and that for no other cause but because he is pleased to exclude them from the inheritance which he predestines to his children.” John Calvin (Institutes of the Christian Religion 3:23:1)
*"The reprobate like the elect are appointed to be so by the secret counsel of God's will" (Calvin's Institutes III, xxii, Page 11) and " . . .their doom was fixed from all eternity and nothing in them could transfer them to the contrary class..." John Calvin(Institutes of the Christian Religion III, iii, Page 4)
*"We call predestination God's eternal decree, by which he compacted with himself what he willed to become of each man. For all are not created in equal condition; rather, eternal life is fore-ordained for some, eternal damnation for others." John Calvin (Bk 3, ch 21, s. 5)
*"One of the reasons that God makes human babies small is so they won’t kill their parents in their sleep.
They’re evil."
Calvinist preacher Voddie Baucham
*The Puritan Michael Wigglesworth in his infamous poem “The Day of Doom” says God sends infants to the least worst part of Hell.
Weird and despairing:-(
Versus
GOOD NEWS:-)
"Jesus loves me! This I know,
For the Bible tells me so;
Little ones to Him belong;
They are weak, but He is strong.
Refrain:
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.
Jesus loves me! This I know,
As He loved so long ago,
Taking children on His knee,
Saying, “Let them come to Me.”
Jesus loves me still today,
Walking with me on my way,
Wanting as a friend to give
Light and love to all who live.
Jesus loves me! He who died
Heaven’s gate to open wide;
He will wash away my sin,
Let His little child come in.
Jesus loves me! He will stay
Close beside me all the way;
Thou hast bled and died for me,
I will henceforth live for Thee."
By Anna B. Warner
And ALL grandchildren,
especially our two little grand children who are so dear to our heart, ALL loved by God.
In the Light,
Daniel Wilcox
Monday, April 15, 2013
Light and Love
Reflecting backward on my posts of the past few months, I see how much I’ve become preoccupied with fighting against the ocean of darkness and death which drowns much of modern life, especially, and ironically, so much of Christianity which has become “bad news,” rather than the Good News to every single human dearly loved by God.
But I remember there have been many other times in history when evil in church and society got the upper hand such as the 30 Years War, when Christians not only got almost everything wrong theologically but as a result slaughtered each other for 3 decades. At least we’re not there; thank false religion for small favors.
Thankfully, we can instead look to the Living God as revealed by Jesus and listen to words of wisdom from his followers.
And this, I’m going to do…focusing in this meditation on the ocean of Light and Love that flow from God’s Spirit to drench us in hope.
“To pray…means to think and live in the presence of God…Thus prayer asks us to break out of our monologue with ourselves and to follow Jesus by turning our lives into an unceasing conversation with our heavenly Father…in the simple trust that through his love all will be made new.
The Father’s love does not force itself on the beloved. Although he wants to heal us of all our inner darkness, we are still free to make our own choice to stay in the darkness or to step into the light of God’s love. God is there. God’s light is there. God’s forgiveness is there. God’s boundless love is there. What is so clear is that God is always there, always ready to give and forgive, absolutely independent of our response. God’s love does not depend on our repentance or our inner or outer changes.”
Henri Nouwen
“That we can experience this Divine Presence…that changes and transforms everything in life--this is Friends' main message to the world….So the most important…can in fact be accomplished now--not in some indefinite point in the (uncertain) future. That is to say "yes" to God's Divine presence in my life.
Having once discovered this wonderful secret, this new dimension of life, we don't live any longer simply in time, we also live in Eternity. The temporal world is no longer the only reality we're aware of. A new Reality arises that enlivens and excites us, that moves us toward action, fills us with energy, breaks into our souls and with love embraces us--along with all those who find themselves in the Presence.”
Johan Maurer
“7Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.
13By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.
15Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.”
I John 4:7-16 ESV
In the Light,
Daniel Wilcox
But I remember there have been many other times in history when evil in church and society got the upper hand such as the 30 Years War, when Christians not only got almost everything wrong theologically but as a result slaughtered each other for 3 decades. At least we’re not there; thank false religion for small favors.
Thankfully, we can instead look to the Living God as revealed by Jesus and listen to words of wisdom from his followers.
And this, I’m going to do…focusing in this meditation on the ocean of Light and Love that flow from God’s Spirit to drench us in hope.
“To pray…means to think and live in the presence of God…Thus prayer asks us to break out of our monologue with ourselves and to follow Jesus by turning our lives into an unceasing conversation with our heavenly Father…in the simple trust that through his love all will be made new.
The Father’s love does not force itself on the beloved. Although he wants to heal us of all our inner darkness, we are still free to make our own choice to stay in the darkness or to step into the light of God’s love. God is there. God’s light is there. God’s forgiveness is there. God’s boundless love is there. What is so clear is that God is always there, always ready to give and forgive, absolutely independent of our response. God’s love does not depend on our repentance or our inner or outer changes.”
Henri Nouwen
“That we can experience this Divine Presence…that changes and transforms everything in life--this is Friends' main message to the world….So the most important…can in fact be accomplished now--not in some indefinite point in the (uncertain) future. That is to say "yes" to God's Divine presence in my life.
Having once discovered this wonderful secret, this new dimension of life, we don't live any longer simply in time, we also live in Eternity. The temporal world is no longer the only reality we're aware of. A new Reality arises that enlivens and excites us, that moves us toward action, fills us with energy, breaks into our souls and with love embraces us--along with all those who find themselves in the Presence.”
Johan Maurer
“7Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.
13By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.
15Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.”
I John 4:7-16 ESV
In the Light,
Daniel Wilcox
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