On Spirituality*

I suppose it is about time for a little ramble on my beliefs (and this may or may not be spurred by the collection of scandalous words over there). While discussing religion, God, and spirituality with a dear friend of mine, I decided that I can not say that I am "Baptist" or "Catholic" or anything else for that matter- my views just do not fall squarely into any one denomination. So here goes- a list of what I believe. Any objections should be taken up with me in "the back room"- that is to say, privately.

1. God is all love. He does not cause sickness, death, pain, etc. These things come from the Great Villain.
2. And thus, God does not "test" us. Why would someone who loves us so unconditionally place obstacles such as adultery, illness, unemployment in our paths? Once again, these come from the Great Villain, who slips in when we turn away from God.
3. Hell may exist, but it was never meant for humanity.
4. When people die, they do not go to heaven, and they most certainly do not go to hell. When one dies, one is dead. There is nothing there. When Christ returns, those bound for heaven will rise and go there, and everyone else will stay dead. Think of a number line- we can only hit zero (death); negative numbers (hell) are not meant for us.
5. Sin is sin- none is greater than any other.
6. Yes, homosexuality is a sin, but so are many other things. For instance, lying. If we took lying so seriously, the news would be plastered with stories of politicians being attacked, their houses vandalized, and of riots and mobs outside their workplaces.
7. Just because there is not a hell, and just because sin is sin, and just because God is love and will forgive us just as readily the hundredth time as the first- these are not good reasons to let immorality reign. We should be good people because we want to be, not because we are scared into it by some idiotic fire and brimstone sermon.
8. God has a sense of humor- I mean, have you EVER SEEN A PLATYPUS?!
9. I sincerely doubt that God cares if we drop curse words occasionally. It is all in the usage; the 'f' word, damn, bitch- these are often much less hurtful and offensive than words like fat, promiscuous, and many racially derogatory terms.
10. As my dear friend put it, God sees who is going to be saved and places the necessary elements in that person's walk towards and through spirituality in order to assure the individual's success.
11. God works with all elements, good and bad alike.
12. Prayer is private.
13. Dancing does not make you pregnant, and instruments do not degrade worship.
14. My body may be a temple, but it is my body.
15. Religion is of man. Spirituality is of God.
16. The Trinity is a river near my hometown- not a logical spiritual concept.
17. Confess Jesus as your savior, and guess what? You are saved. End of story.
18. It is more important that heaven exists than that we ever get there. (CS Lewis)
19. "Family" is centered around husband and wife, not the idolatry of children.
20. We will always benefit from the truth. It may take years for the usefulness of such to come about, but it will. It always does.
21. Sexuality is not evil, but can be used for evil things.
22. Morality may be something we have to work for everyday, but that is no excuse to not try.
23. Spirituality is a vital part of humanity- without the sheen, the glitter if you will of the spiritual, we are quite dull and without interest. It is what quickens us, what makes us breathe deeper and ponder everything.

-Clair

"Intellectual suicide"

Chiaroscuro

In art, a strong contrast between dark and light.

It is quite strange to sit in Starbucks, completely zoned out, and realize with a start that the design of the cafe is such that the colors, and the placement of everything, really, is to create the illusion of far more depth than what actually is there.

Ratiocination, elenchus, maxim, enlightenment, distention, remarkable, expression, atheism, sabbath, anthropological, ammunition, intoxicate

From the writings of CS Lewis, a new favorite of mine.

"It is not settled happiness but momentary joy that glorifies the past." -CS Lewis