Today is National Free Thought Day, according to the calendar of unusual holidays.
This holiday was created by several different groups including the Secular Coalition For America, the Freethought Society, and the American Humanist Association. It’s observed every year on October 12th. And “encourages people to gather their facts from trusted sources and make their decisions based on reason, logic, and science.” Continue reading
“Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports,” opined President George Washington in his 1796 farewell address.
Apparently 65% of Americans disagree with our Founding Father. Continue reading
Last week the well known Baptist preacher, Dr. Charles Stanley, died at age 90.
Christianity Today announced his passing with this headline: “Died: Charles Stanley, In Touch Preacher Who Led with Stubborn Faith.”
The description “stubborn faith” grabbed my attention and prompted reflection. It was not meant as a criticism, but a compliment. Stanley was well known both within his denomination and without as a conservative Continue reading
Filed under Discipleship, Faith
Several years ago Christianity Today featured a story about Rob and Kristen Bell, who founded a church in Grand Rapids, identified with a movement known as the “Emerging Church.”
The article relates the Bells increasing discomfort with their faith and the church. “Life in the church had become so small,” Kristen says. “It had worked for me for a long time. Then it stopped working.”
Furthermore, they questioned their assumptions about the Bible itself– “discovering the Bible as a human product,” as Rob puts it, rather than the “product of divine fiat.” Continue reading
Filed under Faith
One night a family’s house caught fire and they were forced to run outside. However, the fire blocked their path to the upstairs bedroom where their son was sleeping. The father yelled for the son to open his bedroom window.
On the ground below the boy’s father knew his son had to jump to save his life. “Jump!” hollered the frantic father, “Jump, I’ll catch you!”
All the frightened little fellow could see, however, was smoke, flames, and the darkness of the night. He was scared to jump.
His father kept pleading, “Jump! I’ll catch you.” Continue reading
Filed under Faith
“People need to see our faith, not merely hear about it,” wrote Bob Buford in his book, Halftime.
“When our beliefs are personal and privatized, practiced only inside a building one day a week,” Buford observed, “we Christians miss out on that glorious opportunity to be salt and light. Worse, I believe that when faith continues to be directed inward, we become one-dimensional, uninteresting, and wholly self-centered persons.” Continue reading
Filed under Faith
Dr. Doolittle, the classic children’s book, tells the story about the British veterinarian who had an array of exotic animals. And how he learned to speak to them in their own animal language.
Included in his menagerie was a Pushmi-pullyu ((pronounced “push-me—pull-you”) with two heads, one on each end of its body. It was a cross between a gazelle and a unicorn, although in the movie it’s pictured as a llama. The two heads had a mind of their own. And sometimes they opposed each other, which resulted in a tug of war. Continue reading
In 1959 Walt Disney began looking for land to build a second resort to complement his Anaheim, California, park. Supposedly he was not happy with the many businesses that sprung up around Disneyland and wanted enough land to control the development around his next park.
It wasn’t until 1963 that Disney flew over the Orlando, Florida, area and finally decided on this location. The process of acquiring the land and building the park took 9 years. Disney died in 1966 before The Magic Kingdom opened in 1971. Continue reading
Filed under 20/20 Vision Series, Faith, Vision
This morning while reading Matthew 14, I was reminded of our recent trip to Israel and our boat ride on the Sea of Galilee.
We boarded and crossed on a beautiful morning. The sun was shining. The Sea was smooth. And the wind was calm. However, Matthew’s narrative describes a different scene.
Jesus sent the disciples ahead on a boat while he went to a mountain to pray. During the night in the middle of the Sea, the wind and waves began to beat upon the boat. Continue reading
Filed under Faith
A “Doubting Thomas” is a skeptic. He’s someone who refuses to believe unless he can see it. Touch it. And experience it.
It is forever the nickname of the apostle, Thomas, who was not present when Jesus first appeared to the other disciples following His resurrection.
“We have seen the Lord,” they exclaimed to Thomas. Continue reading
Filed under Faith
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