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by Rev. Paul M. Turner
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August 22, 2011 11:15 |
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If there is one thing that's as sure as the rising or setting of the sun, it's that Christians don't like to be called out on their crap.
After my last blog, I caught more then my share of grief from folks who think the Christian faith is the one and only answer in the universe – there is nothing they could do that could be considered terrorism.
They hide behind theology that says the only way to God is through Jesus the Christ. They measure a person’s worth by whether they are “saved” or not. They say they help those who are hungry, homeless or on society’s edge because it's the right thing to do. Lurking behind that hypocrisy is the real reason: to win souls for Christ.
It is precisely this kind of arrogance, questionable traditions and just flat out power and control issues that have left churches empty, struggling to pay the bills and worship services looking more like a Hollywood production than actual worship.
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by Rev. Paul M. Turner
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August 04, 2011 14:13 |
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"I like your Christ; I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ." — Mahatma Gandhi
Maybe it is because I am getting old and my ability to just blow things off takes more energy then I have or it may be because Mahatma Gandhi’s observation of Christianity is right on the mark. Sadly in this day to call oneself a Christian has become embarrassing in the world we find ourselves living.
So if this blog today seems like a rant, maybe it is. However, I would like to think it is a call to those in the Christian faith who see the teaching of Jesus as far more important than the institution of the church, to start speaking loudly and clearly, as it seems the extremists now own the faith. I really think it is time for those who follow the teaching of Jesus to take back the conversation rather then letting the extremists destroy us.
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by Rev. Paul M. Turner
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July 18, 2011 16:28 |
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As the whole Eagle mess took another turn as if it were some kind of horror soap opera, I was looking for something different to write about. I posted on my Facebook page a request for topics and was caught off guard by this particular request: “queer-on-queer violence (mental, emotional, and/or physical)”
This is a subject that does not get much press or community attention but as some research this afternoon made clear this is definitely an elephant in the room and it seems we have good reasons and are doing a good job of ignoring it.
Why?
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by Rev. Paul M. Turner
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July 01, 2011 11:56 |
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There is an old story that has been around for a long time and told with many variations to the moral of the story and so today this story sums up the raid on the gay Midtown bar the Atlanta Eagle, the Atlanta Police Department and some of our brothers and sisters in our community.
One day three blind men encountered an elephant.
Upon touching the elephant's tail, the first blind man exclaimed, "I declare, an elephant is exactly like a rope."
The second blind man, bumping into the elephant’s side, said, "No sir, you are wrong. An elephant is exactly like a wall."
Then the third, having grasped the elephant's trunk, declared, "You are both mistaken. The elephant is exactly like a snake!"
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by Rev. Paul M. Turner
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June 07, 2011 16:09 |
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A blog or two ago, I wrote a piece entitled “Forgive Me if I Don’t Raise a Toast” in response to the over-the-top partying and Super Bowl-like mentality of the killing of Bin-Laden.
I never know what's on the mind of someone who makes a comment. Some posts get a lot of response and others get no response at all.
This particular blog post had exactly one comment:
“You ask me to "forgive you".... sorry, I refuse. He got much less than what he deserved. I wish they could kill him once for each life he took.”
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