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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.

Continue reading “Separation of Church and State — Taxes”

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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…

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Eternal Peace…

RJ Walters

Several years ago I came across a small book entitled Quaker Spirituality – Selected Writings. I’m still not sure what made me pause on the title but I am glad I did. Inside that book was an essay by Thomas R. Kelly (1893-1941) talked about the “Eternal Presence”. I didn’t know it then but this essay put me on the path to learning much more about Quakers. It gave me the most complete understanding of who God was that I have ever had in my life up to that point. Here are some of the words from that essay. I am … Continue reading Eternal Peace…

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Eternal Presence….

RJ Walters

Several years ago I came across a small book entitled Quaker Spirituality – Selected Writings. I’m still not sure what made me pause on the title but I am glad I did. Inside that book was an essay by Thomas R. Kelly (1893-1941) talked about the “Eternal Presence”. I didn’t know it then but this essay put me on the path to learning much more about Quakers. It gave me the most complete understanding of who God was that I have ever had in my life up to that point. Here are some of the words from that essay. I am just … Continue reading Eternal Presence….

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I’m Just a Blue Collar Guy…..

RJ Walters


I don’t know if everyone who reads my blog knows what a “blue-collar guy” is (or at least my definition of it)? In my middle years in the 1960s, 70s, and early 80’s that meant the guy who got out of high school and managed to get a good paying job in a factory.  He could count of the company to payed pretty well for his work and to be there when he or his family had medical emergencies. He could count on being employed for years to come and then retiring with a manageable pension. Continue reading “I’m Just a Blue Collar Guy…..”

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Saving Jesus — (Part 5) Heaven and the Threat of Hell….

RJ Walters

This is the fifth post on the book Saving Jesus from the Church: How to Stop Worshiping Christ and Start Following Jesus  by Robin Meyers.  While I could go on and on I am going to stop this review here. The following will serve as the focus for this post: Some belong to churches that explicitly emphasize the hope of heaven and the threat of hell. Others belong to churches that seldom or never mention hell. But even for many of them, the hope of a blessed afterlife is what Christianity is most centrally about. How important has the promise of heaven … Continue reading Saving Jesus — (Part 5) Heaven and the Threat of Hell….

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Amber Lights…

RJ Walters

  But every one of us write our own history. If it sounds better the way we want it than the way it might have been why that don’t stop us any more than an amber light. – September17, 1933  Will Rogers Will’s quote here is still pretty much true today except to maybe change the word amber to red. The number one cause of accidents now are people running red lights. Being a senior citizen I have lived in historical times. I personally saw the Civil Rights marches not in person but on TV.  I was a naive teen … Continue reading Amber Lights…

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A Real Leader Leads……

RJ Walters

Source: Boehner’s GOP Problems Complicate Deficit Negotiations – ABC News. House Speaker John Boehner is about to begin another attempt at a grand bargain deficit reduction deal with President Obama, a high wire act in which he will be buffeted by demands from the White House as well as from House Republicans It looks like total gridlock may again happen coming out the gate of the new year. Mr. Boehner in some of his words seemed to say that he was open to compromise but soon took those words back after some in his party chastised him. The sign of a … Continue reading A Real Leader Leads……

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Saving Jesus — (Part 4) Science is Not the Enemy…..

RJ Walters

This is the fourth post on the book Saving Jesus from the Church: How to Stop Worshiping Christ and Start Following Jesus  by Robin Meyers: One thing every pastor knows is that knowledge is not redemptive. Indeed, sometimes we can know the truth, and it will not set us free…. One of the great divides in the church could be overcome if we got one thing straight: the truth of which Jesus speaks is wisdom incarnate, not intellectual assent to cogent arguments made on behalf of God. … Having said this, it is not the case that faith is more … Continue reading Saving Jesus — (Part 4) Science is Not the Enemy…..

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The World is Ending….

RJ Walters

Here is my favorite cartoon about the 2012 election results. Whenever the minimum wage is raised there are those who claim it will cost millions of jobs and basically cause the end of the USA. Now that President Obama has been given four more years the same rhetoric bumped up by a factor of ten is echoing now. These guys just seem to be totally shell-shocked! Some one needs to tell them that the world goes on no matter who occupies the Oval office. After all, we survived Reagan and baby Bush didn’t we? :) Continue reading The World is Ending….

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Thank Heavens The U.S. Is Not a Democracy….

RJ Walters

Source: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_form_of_government_does_the_US_have#ixzz24fhg3VC9 Thomas Jefferson said, “A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine.”  Thomas Jefferson, March 11, 1790: “The republican is the only form of government which is not eternally at open or secret war with the rights of mankind.”  f Alexander Hamilton, in debate, said: “Real liberty is neither found in despotism or the extremes of democracy, but in moderate government.”  Alexander Hamilton, in Senate: “It has been observed that a pure democracy, if it were practicable, would be the most perfect government. Experience has … Continue reading Thank Heavens The U.S. Is Not a Democracy….

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Saving Jesus — (Part 3) About the Gospels….

RJ Walters

This is part three of my review of the book Saving Jesus from the Church: How to Stop Worshiping Christ and Start Following Jesus by Robin Meyers. This is somewhat the continuation of the study of the pre-Easter Jesus and the after-Easter Jesus mentioned in the previous text. Here is the quote for this post: The simple fact, that the Bible came to us through a process of review and selection by human beings who condensed an enormous amount of material down to four gospels, a pseudo-history we call the Acts of the Apostles, and the letters that complete the New … Continue reading Saving Jesus — (Part 3) About the Gospels….

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The Cliff……

RJ Walters

Now that the national elections have finally played out there is much talk about the financial cliff. That is the mandated 10% budget cuts and letting the Bush administration tax cuts expire. It seems most of the media treats this event as some sort of catastrophe but in my usual contrarian ways  I just don’t see it that way. Even though I am strongly a social progressive, I am also a fiscal conservative. So here is my take on this matter. Continue reading “The Cliff……”

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Saving Jesus — (Part 2) Post-Easter Jesus

RJ Walters

This is a continuation of my review of the book Saving Jesus from the Church: How to Stop Worshiping Christ and Start Following Jesus by Robin Meyers. Here are the quotes we will look at on this post: Adoration of the post-Easter Christ so dominates the language and liturgy of the church that the wisdom of pre-Easter Jesus is all but lost. We know that Saul of Tarsus, who never met Jesus, became the apostle Paul through a completely mystical experience and seemed to care nothing for the earthly teachings of Jesus, only his “adoption” as the Son of God … Continue reading Saving Jesus — (Part 2) Post-Easter Jesus

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Is The World Still There??

RJ Walters

One of the first things I do every morning when I get up is to look out the back door to make sure the world is still there. What I see now that my neighbor in back has stripped (he says harvest) all his mature trees is a lone Sycamore proudly standing by itself. It used to be hidden by a large oak tree but is now left to sway majestically in the wind untethered by that mighty oak.  I will continue to watch it in the coming years. It has now become one of my daily friends. Continue reading Is The World Still There??

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Frustrations Of a Soup Kitchen Volunteer…….

RJ Walters

I want to focus this post on the unseen and the unheard. I apologize in advance as I am in a somewhat dark mood right now and I am sure it will show up here. Sometimes even Will’s words can’t lift me up. Continue reading “Frustrations Of a Soup Kitchen Volunteer…….”

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Saving Jesus….(Part 1)

RJ Walters

I am going to spend several posts discussing some of the insightful words from a book entitled Saving Jesus from the Church: How to Stop Worshiping Christ and Start Following Jesus  by Robin R. Meyers. This book gave me some pretty profound re-enforcement of my belief that the words of Jesus have been losing focus in the church. Here are the words for today. Strangely, we have come to a moment in human history when the message of the Sermon on the Mount could indeed save us, but it can no longer be heard above the din of dueling doctrines. … Continue reading Saving Jesus….(Part 1)

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The End Justifies The Means….and Thomas Jefferson

RJ Walters

I recently read an article in the October 2012 Smithsonian magazine about Thomas Jefferson and slavery.  I think most of us remember his infamous words that “All men are created equal”. That seems to give him an emphatic view of slavery but this article showed that has now been found to not be the case. It ends up that after studying the numerous documents left by him that he viewed slavery very much as a profitable situation to be engaged in. In 1792 he wrote Washington the now famous, at least among historians, “4% Letter” in which he talked about just how profitable being a slave owner was. He also recommended to some of this friends and relatives to move away from tobacco farming (he said it destroyed the land) and get into the more profitable area of owning slaves. Continue reading “The End Justifies The Means….and Thomas Jefferson”

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Sheer Christianity….

RJ Walters

I came across an article entitled Sheer Christianity in the November 2012 Sojourners Magazine that moved me. I want to tell you a little about it and quote some of the inspiring words. It is by Wesley Granberg-Michaelson who is the general secretary of the Reformed Church of America. I have to admit that I don’t know much about this organization.  Here is a quote that got me to thinking about the issue. The article is basically about another article in Newsweek cover story entitled “Christianity in Crisis” My sense is that people are leaving organized Christianity because it has left … Continue reading Sheer Christianity….

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Who Can I Trust?????????????

RJ Walters

Here we are on the eve of election day and I am strangely somewhat calm. I have confidence that the people of this country will put the good of the country above partisan gain. To me it comes down equally between “who can I trust” and “who will promote the common good“. I, like many of us, have been watching Mr. Romney for months now and the thing that bothers me the most is how he has flipped on issue after issue. He was against the UN and then he was for the UN. As a governor he was for universal … Continue reading Who Can I Trust?????????????

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God’s Will…

RJ Walters

I live in Indiana which is pretty much a red State.  Senator Lugar, who was our long-time representative in the U.S. Senate was defeated in the primary by Richard Mourdock who proudly announced that he is a loyal Tea Party candidate. His stated view on compromise is when the Democrats finally come to agree with everything Republicans want!  I really haven’t been paying much attention to his campaign but I imagine he is a Christian fundamentalist of one flavor or another. Here is a quote I just came across : Mourdock could see both fade after telling a live television … Continue reading God’s Will…

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And Its All Small Stuff…..

RJ Walters
This is a post that I have carried over from my other blog at RedLetterLiving. It is about an epiphany I had several years ago about my spiritual beliefs. I wanted to share it with my readers here.

Posted on October 22, 2012 at RedLetterLiving.net

In 1997 Richard Carlson wrote a very popular book entitled Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff…. and it’s all small stuff. In that book he listed one hundred things to make our lives more peaceful. Some of those topics that I took to heart included: Continue reading “And Its All Small Stuff…..”

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A slightly Changed Quote….

RJ Walters

via Obama, Romney promise change as election winds down. “Candidate Obama promised change, but he couldn’t deliver it. I promise change. I will change my mind almost daily about everything I say or even believe.” Thanks heavens the election is now only three days away. After President Obama is re-elected  the flip/flopping will finally stop. At least the reporting of it. I did something above that I have wanted to do on numerous occasions and that is to “correct” a quote from Mr. Romney. If you really don’t know what I changed look at the original quote in the source above. … Continue reading A slightly Changed Quote….

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Flip……Flop………Flip…….Flop

RJ Walters

Flip……Flop………Flip…….Flop……..Flip……Flop………Flip…….Flop…….. Source:  Mitt Romney offers answer on his FEMA stance And so it turns out that after superstorm Sandy battered the East Coast, Mitt Romney is far more supportive of the government agency in charge of coordinating disaster relief. Only last year, as Romney hewed to the right while battling for the GOP nomination, he seemed to downplay the federal government’s role in disaster response. “Every time you have an occasion to take something from the federal government and send it back to the states, that’s the right direction,” Romney said at a debate last June. “And if you can go even further, and send it … Continue reading Flip……Flop………Flip…….Flop

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On Ward Christian Soldier????

RJ Walters

Today Christian families are often also military families but at the beginnings of our religion that was definitely not the case. Up until about the time Constantine made Christianity a State religion (about 350 CE) to be a Christian meant you refused military service. Of course Augustine in the fifth century disavowed this belief and put forth the first rationalization of a “just war”. After that this belief, like so many others, was all but thrown out the window by many future church leaders. Here is a story by Diana Butler Bass from her book  A People’s History of Christianity: The … Continue reading On Ward Christian Soldier????

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The Three Legged Stool…..

RJ Walters

Being in an engineering school in college I didn’t take too many business courses but the one I did take emphasized the three-legged stool as the foundations for our capitalist system.  The three foundations for business at that time were: employees, customers, owners.  It was commonly acknowledged that as long as each of these three groups were given equally importance the operations of a business remained on a level plain. I’m not sure when this theory was thrown out the window but it seems to have virtually disappeared from our financial landscape. Continue reading “The Three Legged Stool…..”