SHOULD WE ABANDON HELL: Click for a comment about our need to abandon the idea of hell.
SPIRITUAL BUT NOT RELIGIOUS: Click for a blog of one writer’s opinion that being spiritual without being religious is dangerous.
POLITICS & JESUS: Click for a post (about a book) that discusses the possibility that Christians should stay out of the political arena. Interesting to consider as we are 5 weeks from another election in our country.
INTROVERTS UNITE!: Click for a cartoon about introverts. The Journey tries to be very intentional in reminding ourselves (and each other) that the church should be a place for introverts to feel welcome, even in large group settings.
WHO WAS MOTHER THERESA: Click for some interesting information on Mother Theresa.
FANTASY, SPORTS, & BOB DYLAN: Click if you care about Fantasy sports (or maybe just about Bob Dylan). Either way, the article is interesting and Klosterman is always a great read.
WHITES, EDUCATION, & DEATH: Click for an article about the life-expectancy of low-educated whites. Hint: 4 years less in America than just 20 years ago.
SCIENCE AND GENDER BIAS: Click for a look at how gender bias is still alive and well in the scientific community. It is changing, but far too slowly.
ARE NEANDERTHALS HUMANS?: Click for an article on neanderthals and whether they are human or not.
I agree with the idea of the church not being involved in politics (maybe it’s related to my Mennonite roots) and I tend to describe myself as apolitical. I’d avoid politics altogether, but I feel guilty if I don’t at least vote in presidential elections, since not all countries have this right. I’d love to hear from others at the Journey and what they think about the issue. I wasn’t quite sure what the book being reviewed was all about, especially since I have not read that book, but the reviewer’s opinions resonated with me. Was Jesus every really political? Did he do anything through politics and government? My view is that he didn’t and we will make a much greater impact on this world through personal relationships than politics, but I’d be interested to hear other viewpoints.
I never really saw Jesus as political. Through the teaching I have heard and read, or to my small bit of knowledge, Jesus never really became a political figure taking sides on one issue or another. Of course the main political party was the Roman Empire, so there was not a lot of elections going on for people in that area. But I feel you are right that Jesus was more about personal relationships, empathy, acceptance, and viewing things in a larger realm than specifying individual positions on a political way. Was more personable, which you are right, has a much greater impact.