Muslim Hajj

What is it about religion – about our innate desire to worship – that makes so many people go bonkers? People can show remarkable, or at least reasonably sound judgment in every area of their life, yet when it comes to religion become unreasonable and flighty.
Suicide Cults, Suicide Bombers, the Taliban, the Ku-Klux-Klan; these are extreme examples of misplaced religious passion fueled by ignorance and fear, religious fervor and foolishness. Being zealous for God is a good thing, being fanatical is not. Some false teaching is relatively harmless; other false doctrine is blasphemous, treacherous, deadly and damnable. For instance, to consider a suicide bomber a martyr is ludicrous, yet many seriously embrace this notion and are whisked into eternity and judgment, not as martyrs, but as murderers.
The latest frenzied foray into religious fanaticism left 350 pilgrims trampled to death during the Muslim Hajj. People invent the most bizarre rituals imaginable in the name of religion. Sanction their delusion with sincerity, nurture it into a tradition, and then defend it as being God ordained.
God created us to have fellowship with Him, and He is not hard to find. By in large, what most people cannot comprehend about God, and what will prove to be their undoing is this, God is humble.
It’s easy to envision a who God is Omnipresent, Omnipotent, Omniscient, but humble — no way. Jesus said, “If you have seen me, you have seen the Father.” Being found in the appearance as a man Jesus chose to humble Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2)
The character trait you must possess if you are to have fellowship with God is humility. God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

Homosexual Marriage

Should a constitutional amendment banning same sex marriage be enacted? If the amendment is ratified, a fight to have it repealed would soon begin. Homosexual marriage is bound to be legalized sooner or later, it’s just a matter of time.
As children develop their sexual identity, the question that haunts their young mind is, “am I normal?” Well, who’s to say what’s normal? There is no normal, erogenous zones and fetishes abound and are as unique as the people who hold them. How and why certain sexual appetites develop is still a mystery. Theories and speculation abound of course, but we still have more questions than answers. Human sexuality is one of the most multi-faceted and complex issues we face.
We have all experienced loneliness, and many, far too many, spend a lifetime painfully alone. To find comfort and security in the arms of another human being is what we all want. But here’s the caveat, just because nothing is abnormal sexually, does not mean everything is moral. Throwing sexual restraint to the wind in complete abandon is shortsighted.
I wish I could claim it’s my rock solid resolve that keeps me celibate. Truth be told I’ve never been much of a ladies man; I have never needed to beat twenty-eight year old super models away with a stick, that’s for sure.
Even so, I have traded my birth right as a child of God for a bowl of stew more times that I care to admit. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death. Praise be to God, who has hidden my life in Christ. (Romans 7:24)
I’m not trying to rain on your gay parade. Homosexuals want fair and equal protection under the law; this seems reasonable to me.

Where is Wisdow Found?

Most would agree that, “The Bible isn’t a textbook for public education.” (Russ Lemmon, 9/17/06). If a school board decides to teach the bible and the bible only, I would wholeheartedly agree with Mr. Lemmon. However to offer a course in “Religions of the World,” would be most fitting, and necessary in a high school setting if we hope to offer a well rounded education to our young.
Educating our young is a process of preparing them for reality. To study the history of world religions doesn’t need to be a soul saving crusade, but could be viewed instead as a fact finding mission.
If we could instill in our youth a critical thinking process, the ability to evaluate a problem by applying careful and sound judgment, devoid of prejudice and unrestrained emotion our society would benefit. That won’t happen without the free and unencumbered flow of ideas and beliefs.
America is the great melting pot of civilization; we work and play with people from all cultural and religious backgrounds. With the world unraveling at our feet some are suggesting we invite our Muslim and Jewish neighbors over for a cup of tea! It’s about Jesus, the Son of God, nailed to a tree. All the tea in China will not change that.
The bedrock of eternity is found on the hill of Calvary. The vocal point of eternity is the Cross of Christ. Wisdom begins with the fear of God.