Why, No! No, It Doesn’t At All!

Dear Dayton Church of the Brethren,

Hello, I am your neighbor. I live not far from your church, which sits on the main road in to our small town. I drive by your building multiple times a day. I see your billboards (both of them; one in front of the church, and this one which sits behind the church along the main highway that borders our town). 

Revised YMCA Mission Statement

I love the YMCA. I love supporting them and their commitments to fitness, healthy living and social responsibility.They do great work. I used to enroll my kids in many of their programs. It is a Christian organization and yet it is inclusive with regard to sexual orientation and also actively cultivates diversity. I travel often and I almost always grab a temporary membership wherever I go so I don’t have to interrupt my workout routine. I am working out at the Y just outside of Portland, Oregon this week and they have little posters all around the place that put forth their vision and mission statements. 

Love, Not Religion, Is the Big Umbrella

The Pope made quite a stir last week when he said that even atheists are redeemed and can meet Catholics on the bridge of good works and love. To a former Catholic like me 

Spiritual But Not Religious

Those who have ever made use of an online dating website know that part of signing up involves filling out a questionnaire that often includes stating one’s religious preferences.  Besides the usual denominational and sectarian choices there is probably also an option for “Spiritual But Not Religious.”

Reason in Iraq – An Interview with Faisal Saeed Al Mutar

It would be an understatement to suggest that we take some things for granted here in the United States.  The freedom to practice our diverse religions is one example, as is the freedom to reject faith altogether. We discuss and debate these matters regularly. There is the alleged war on Christmas, claims of attacks on religion institutional and otherwise, that Christians are being oppressed and victimized, whether or not Shariah law is a national threat, and questions of the role of religion in government and government in religion. 

Love, Only For The Sake of Love

“’See,’ they say, ‘how they love one another,’ for themselves are animated by mutual hatred.”

I’ve been kicking around an idea for some time and I want to kick it around a little in public. The idea is simple, perhaps self-evident, that if there is such a thing as unconditional love then it might best be described as love for love’s sake.