There are many different Christian sex beliefs which people will claim to be right and wrong. The problem is, there are some who believe one particular practice is wrong, while another group will find the practice perfectly acceptable. So how do you discern who is right and who is wrong? Here’s how to get to […]
Organized religion and the standards of marriage have been intertwined for centuries but in the early Roman period the Catholic Church eliminated other forms of marriage and established monogamy as the appropriate marital relationship. As Christianity took root in Europe so did monogamy and other forms of marital relationships receded to the fringes of societies. […]
Mormon fundamentalism is decidedly hierarchal as are many organized religions but in the case of Mormon fundamentalism there are also the factors of polygamy and patriarchy which are not merely cultural elements but are actual tenets or requirements in order to receive salvation. There is much dysfunction and mismanagement of power because of the lack […]
Today we are living in a world where conflict is raging out of control and all are seeking ways of making peace, resolving conflict in the world, their families and personal relationships. The practices of both Judaism and Zen, have time tested practices which lead us to become balanced, positive and clear, no matter what […]
While some sections of the Bible are designed to give a historical perspective of drinking, and others use drinking to help illustrate a point, there are some places in the Bible that specifically deal with the ethics of drinking. One of these that stand out is Proverbs 31: 29-35. It says:
“Who […]
If there is no question as to what the Bible says about wine and drunkenness, it leaves you to wonder just what sort of wine this is. There is no doubt that it is alcoholic, though it was probably much less so than a strong drink we know today.
However, the wine does appear to […]
Palm Sunday is the last Sunday of Lent. It is always the start of Holy Week and the last Sunday of Lent. It is one of the events that is mentioned in all four Canonical Gospels. It would seem according to the Gospel of John that just a week prior, Jesus was in Bethany having […]
How does a person become Catholic? The short answer is to contact the local Catholic Church in their community and ask to speak with the RCIA director or the Adult Education Dept. They will explain the process and periods. The process can take about a year unless you have some type of issue that will […]
The idea that evolution (macro evolution) is anti-God or anti Christian is a falsity too often purported by the creationist movement. Evolution is soundly grounded by science and is accepted by many mainstream Christian faiths most notably the largest and oldest Christian denomination the Roman Catholic Church. Charles Darwin himself attributes the evolutionary process to […]
The best reincarnation stories not only entertain us, but offer examples of how reincarnation may impact our own lives, and keys to see our own past-life influences.
Here is a reincarnation story that does all three. It has to do with an experience I had many years ago.
“I was a tourist in England at the time […]
If you ask any Catholic, they will tell you the season of Advent is a period of penance and preparing their heart for the coming of the Baby Jesus. But although not part of the Holy See’s opinion on Advent, the advent wreath, advent season and the family activities helps families stay focused on the […]
A Celtic Advent Wreath may be one that uses tradition advent candles or some use dark and light green tapers in place of the purple and pink. The Celtic Advent and the Easter Orthodox Advent or Nativity fast last for 40 days and starts mid November but most Advent wreaths have a maximum of 5 […]
What is a Trail Thought? To me it is what happens when you venture outside on a clear, cold winter night and gaze into the heavens. It happens when you stop to see millions of tiny stars speckle the dark expanse, lighting up the world in all its glory, beauty and mystery. It happens when […]
We often think of wisdom in the abstract — as if it represents a human philosophy, constructed by the hands of men, with only a theoretical application to everyday life. But according to scripture, wisdom pre-existed the creation of the world and comes from the heart of God. (Jeremiah 10:12) For us, therefore, living wisely […]
In the preface to Trail Thoughts, I describe my early life of career building as a pursuit of the youthful dreams common in those times: “…I was drawn to Manhattan because of its magnetic energy, its endless promise and its aura of mystery.” But while the initial trajectory of my life there seemed to be […]
Jesse Tree and Advent are tied together where as the Jesse Tree has biblical root. Some parishes defer the use of a Christmas tree to a Jesse Tree in the Altar or sanctuary area. Of course some of the Christmas Tree roots do go back to Pagan believes around the time of Constantine, who added […]
As a young man, I was drawn to Manhattan because of its magnetic energy, its endless promise and its aura of mystery. To me, Manhattan was an imaginary city of glittering majesty, the city described by Fitzgerald as a place that has all the “…wild promise of all the mystery and the beauty in the […]
The news is not good. A Governor of a large state throws everything away for a few hours of hidden pleasure with an expensive prostitute. Common sense would suggest such behavior is insane, but is it? Or a presidential candidate spins a tall tale about her brush with sniper fire on an official trip to […]
Our culture is obsessed with the acquisition of material goods and worldly status. However, in the race to attain these temporal things, people forget to pursue spiritual riches. When we spend the best days of our lives chasing after fame or wealth, then we are to be pitied, for in the end, nothing of lasting […]
From time to time, music seems to take a decided style change, with listeners demanding music that allows them to get back to the basics. This certainly seems to be the case now as three priests have recently signed a recording deal with music legend Sony BMG. The deal is expected to be worth one […]
