Month: November 2012

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A Real Sweet Deal…

RJ Walters

Source:  Hostess to Seek Approval for Executive Bonuses – ABC News. Hostess Brands Inc. plans to ask for a judge’s approval Thursday to give its top executives bonuses totaling up to $1.8 million as part of its wind-down plans It seems in the upper echelons of the business world you get a big bonus if your workers work hard and the profits come in.  But it also seems that if you screw up the company and turn it into a tear-apart bankruptcy you also get a big bonus to stay around to rip it apart. The little guy just can’t … Continue reading A Real Sweet Deal…

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The Third Great Rummage Sale — The Reformation

RJ Walters

I think most people, especially those who call themselves Christian, are at least a little familiar with the third great rummage sale in Christianity which was the Reformation.  I will only give a very brief look in this post. Martin Luther, a monk with an incredibly low self-image, started it in 1517 when he nailed his list of 95 complaints about the workings of the church on the Wittenberg church door.  Martin’s initial goal was to try to turn the church from corruption of its day. But, due to bruised egos he ended up causing the second great schism in … Continue reading The Third Great Rummage Sale — The Reformation

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They know it is painful; they know it is damaging but….

RJ Walters

Some call them sexy; some call them erotic. I call them gross!!!! I’m sorry ladies but I simply can’t understand why you torture yourselves so much? Do you think if you are six inches taller people will be more attracted to you?  Do you really think they make you look sexier? Here is what I think and of course since I am just an old guy I’m sure you could care less but I am going to have my say anyway.  I kinda believe the a woman’s IQ is inversely proportional to the height of her heels.  When I see … Continue reading They know it is painful; they know it is damaging but….

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Those Words….

RJ Walters

Source: Sojourner Mail November 16, 2012 The day after the election, Southern Baptist Seminary President Albert Mohler said, “I think this was an evangelical disaster.”  Not really. But it was a disaster for the religious right, which had again tied its faith to the partisan political agenda of the Republican Party — which did lose the election. But Nov. 6 was an even deeper disaster for the religious right’s leaders, because they will no longer be able to control or easily co-opt the meaning of the term “evangelical.”  During this election, much of the media continued to use the word as a … Continue reading Those Words….

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The Second Great Rummage Sale — The Great Schism

RJ Walters

The Great Schism is basically when the Christian church split in the Roman Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church. This happened around 1054CE.  What had once been a single church slowly separated into two distinct identities.  Most of the differences that caused the split were almost nit-picking about what to believe and had little or nothing to do with how to “be” a Christian. This shows us that the belief vs action dilemmas have a long origin. The Eastern Church (Orthodox) used Greek as its language; The Western (Roman) Church used Latin. Eastern clergy could marry and wore beards; Western … Continue reading The Second Great Rummage Sale — The Great Schism

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About The Debt…

RJ Walters

We are three billion in the hole and will be three billion more next year, and not a Congressman has got the nerve to ask voters to pay part of it.  —  January 29, 1933    Will Rogers Obviously this quote was said long before even Grover Norquist’s parents were born but it is equally true today as it was in Will’s time. The fact of the matter is up until President Bush, taxes have always gone up to help pay for our wars. But when so many  from the GOP crawled up to the altar of Mr. Norquist with … Continue reading About The Debt…

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Power to the People…..

RJ Walters

source:  Nonwhite voters and changing values make 2012 election pivotal – Los Angeles Times. The 2012 election marked the point at which a new American electoral coalition solidified its hold on politics, one built on the country’s growing nonwhite population and on cultural changes that have given younger voters of all races a far different outlook on political issues from that of their elders. It is still not clear just who made up the majority that swept President Obama into a second term and seemingly muted the Tea Party’s power in today’s politics. But it is obvious that the $1 … Continue reading Power to the People…..

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The First Rummage Sale – The Dark Ages (con’t)

RJ Walters

In this second post about the first major reconfiguration of the Christian church I will be covering some ancillary info about just who was affected by the Dark Ages and will be talking a little about the person “saved” the church for a later resurrection. First of all I have found that the term “Dark Ages” has many definitions and stated causes. For purposes here I will define the period as between the fifth and the tenth centuries. Many, looking at different cultural aspects, expand it to include four hundred years beyond that. Generally speaking this was a very dreary … Continue reading The First Rummage Sale – The Dark Ages (con’t)

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Intolerance….

RJ Walters

Many times Will Rogers’ words are an inspiration to me. Of course he saw a lot of prejudice in his times. Maybe more so than even I do today. When I found these words from him about intolerance I found them indeed inspiring.  No explanation is needed. These words stand on their own today as much as they did in Will’s day. I have sometimes wondered if the preachers themselves have not something to do with intolerance. You hear and read a sermon nowadays, and the biggest part is taken up by knocking or trying to prove the falseness of … Continue reading Intolerance….

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The First Rummage Sale ….The Dark Ages…

RJ Walters

Continuing with our study of the “rummage sales” within the Christian church every five hundred years lets look at the first one.  Before we start I will admit that I didn’t know much about this period of time before this study so I relied on several books on the shelves behind me and in my Kindle to help me understand.  I will put those references at the end of the last post on the topic for those who are interested. The first great rummage sale happened when the church moved from the late Roman period into the Dark ages. When … Continue reading The First Rummage Sale ….The Dark Ages…

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I Got Some Explaining to Do……

RJ Walters

I have some explaining to do here. In alignment with making a new design for this blog and this morning’s post about remaking ourselves I am making a new commitment to going back to the roots of this blog.   In other words I am turning over a new leaf. (I got to figure the origin of that phrase sometime) The words of Will Rogers have been a significant part of my life and of this blog. Regrettably I have been straying from that general area lately but I intend to make a course correction going forward. That does not … Continue reading I Got Some Explaining to Do……

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Remaking Ourselves….

RJ Walters

As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world — that is the myth of the atomic age — as in being able to remake ourselves. — Gandhi When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood  behind me.  — 1 Corinthians 13 Looking back on my life Gandhi’s quote above inspires me with its wisdom and the second quote from the Bible mirrors the same message.  Being able to see … Continue reading Remaking Ourselves….

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Happy Thanksgiving….

RJ Walters

While this post is being automatically published I am busy working in the Backstreet Soup Kitchen preparing a Thanksgiving for those homeless and financially challenged in my area.  I can’t think of a better place I would want to be. Thank you Lord for showing me my purpose in life. Caring for others is MUCH more rewarding than focusing on myself. Thank you for the many blessings in my life…. Continue reading Happy Thanksgiving….

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A Giant Rummage Sale…

RJ Walters

Anyone who has visited this blog in the recent past know that I am pinning great hope on the “emergent” church being able to rescue the current Christian establishments from their focus on believing things about Jesus as opposed to of “being” a Christian through our actions. I was very disheartened when I discovered the statistic that almost no one can tell the difference between a Christian and anyone else in the population. People who call themselves Christians live their lives pretty much like everyone else. In fact they actually divorce more often than non-Christians! Something has to change to … Continue reading A Giant Rummage Sale…

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What Happened To You John???

RJ Walters

John, I can’t tell you how unhappy I am to see what you have become. I so admired you in the past.  You were the self-proclaimed “maverick” in the senate. You were a moderate when so many of your GOP colleagues were turning to the right fringes of your party.  You did not strictly tow the party line when so many other were afraid not to.  I actually looked up to you as the person who would bring the GOP back to the center.

But then in 2008 you seemed to start unraveling.  When you chose Sarah as your running mate I began doubting your wisdom.  I couldn’t have dreamed of a worse choice, that is until Romney’s choice. (I just don’t understand why the GOP guys pick such radicals to be “a heartbeat away”?)  Then came the campaign season where like so many others in politics you mutated into something completely unlike the original you. You seemed to bend in whatever direction your handlers instructed you. I couldn’t understand why you did not hold to your principles. Continue reading “What Happened To You John???”

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Turning Human???

RJ Walters

The whole thing seems too good to be true, but the whole world is changing, so maybe they are going to turn human. – May 18, 1933    — Will Rogers

Sometimes I like to “talk” with my heroes. The following in my imagined soliloquy to Will Rogers about his quote for today:

Will, I must admit that I don’t really know where you are going with this quote? Maybe you are talking about how people came together with common support during the Great Depression when you said these words.  I too see the whole world changing and probably more rapidly than you ever did.  Although you did live through most of the Great Depression so maybe I am wrong in that regard.  But I seem to see the exact opposite this time around in the changing world. Continue reading “Turning Human???”

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Following the Examples of Jesus….

RJ Walters

Here is a quote by Philip Gulley in his book entitled The Evolution of Faith – How God is creating a better Christianity that will be used for this discussion. To be sure, if one believes Christianity is primarily about worshipping Jesus, a faith that incorporates other religious traditions will be considered heretical. But if one believes Christianity is primarily about following the example of Jesus, then it is easy to imagine a faith informed by men and women of goodwill, though of diverse traditions. If the future of the Christian faith is creedalism and believing the right things about … Continue reading Following the Examples of Jesus….

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Separation of Church and State — Taxes

RJ Walters

Source: Churches and Taxes – ProCon.org.

US churches received an official federal income tax exemption in 1894, and they have been unofficially tax-exempt since the country’s founding. All 50 US states and the District of Columbia exempt churches from paying property tax. Donations to churches are tax-deductible. The debate continues over whether or not these tax benefits should be retained.

Proponents argue that a tax exemption keeps the government out of church finances and thus upholds the separation of church and state. They say that churches deserve a tax break because they provide crucial social services, and that church tax exemptions have been in place for over 200 years without turning America into a theocracy.

Opponents argue that giving churches special tax exemptions violates the separation of church and state, and that tax exemptions are a privilege, not a right guaranteed by the US Constitution. They say that in tough economic times the government cannot afford what amounts to a subsidy worth billions of dollars every year.

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The Separation of Church and State — The Founders Views…

RJ Walters

I am going to do a couple of posts here on a pretty controversial topic and that is church and State. I just finished three months worth of political posts so I thought I might as well tackle another difficult issue before my blood pressure  finally goes down to normal. Being a U.S. history buff I have read quite a bit on Jefferson and his views of the separation of church and State. The primary information about this topic comes from his writing called “An Act For Establishing Religious Freedom” written in 1786.  Another writing prominently mentioned in this area … Continue reading The Separation of Church and State — The Founders Views…