The Cynic at Large
Meandering thoughts and spiritual nudges of a tamed cynic
Welcome to my blog. It expresses my thoughts, opinions and biases on issues, ideas, mindful theology, peace and justice that filter my mind and being. Nothing is off limits.
My hope is to engage you in conversation that doesn’t necessarily solve anything but clarifies our positions on given issues. We can agree to disagree and still respect one another’s point of view. I have no intention to make you believe as I do. My truth is formulated on my experience and reason and always subject to change. I welcome your comments. This is an “as the Spirit moves” blog confined only to my whim and need to say something.
Where Do We Go From Here?
It seems odd to be thinking about the year 2023, wondering what happened to 2022. The days seem to fly by stopping not for naught, with little consideration for my personal agenda. Nonetheless, it’s keep [...]
What Do We Do With the Christmas Story
My December blog comes out of my book, “Confessions of a Christian Cynic,” Essay 15, on what do we do with the Christmas Story? This essay has been edited and updated. ESSAY #15: WHAT DO [...]
Dominionism and the Christian Right Movement
I recently read an article in the November issue of The Christian Century magazine, titled “The Quiet Rise of Christian Dominionism” by Dr. Keri Ladner. Ladner’s article took me back to my evangelical days. It [...]
What is Truth?
I’ve been thinking a lot about truth. At this point it seems to me that truth is subject to perspective, which in turn provides opinion, and often opinion is not necessarily the truth! In John’s [...]
Pulling People In, Or Pushing Them Out?
From Father Richard Rohr, Center for Action and Contemplation, March 21, 2022: “The disciples aren’t sent out to create an institution fortified by uniformity, just another tribe highly defended against all outside forces. Certainly, Western [...]
A Tolerance for Ambiguity
Back in the early 70’s, I produced a worship songbook titled, “Gonna Shout For Joy.” It included several pages talking about the work and make up of worship, plus some original songs to be used [...]
Homosexuality and the Biblical Tradition
In the 13th century, the Bible was used to defend the Divine Right of Kings against Democracy. But contrary to that belief, the Magna Carta was formed, and Democracy was born. The Divine Right of [...]
The Buzzard, The Bat and The Bumblebee
Based on a scripture from Romans 12:1,2. This story has been floating around the internet for several years. I share it with you because it brought a new insight to me after seeing it again [...]
Book Banning. Much Ado About Nothing?
Many historians point to Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin as the first book in the United States to experience a ban on a national scale. Some go as far to say that it was an instrumental [...]
Rumors of War
I’m trying to wrap my head around war. I don’t think I get it. I abhor war. It goes against every cell in my body. The first war I remember was the Vietnam War. I [...]