A New Year, A Renewal of An Old Idea

Good early morning, everyone. A new year is upon us and I have decided to renew my blog as my one resolution for 2013! Just this morning I read two internet stories which have me eager to implement a revised version of Spiritual Conversations. First was a story involving the Newark mayor Cory Booker's evolution about his change on gay rights; second was the story about the strangers who defended the gay couple and their community at the pizza truck from the offending customer calling names. Also, the situation I mentioned in my last post is ongoing and has led me to want open up and talk more because, as my best friend recently told me, not talking is the problem. I want this blog to be a hospitality center, in the Jesus sense of the term, where your stories of human rights can be posted and commented on, but not debated, preached, or advised about. These are to be your stories and I want this blog to be a welcome refuge for telling your stories. It is not to be used as a political forum or an agenda-promotion of any kind.

Strangers and friends are invited and welcomed just as Jesus did at his table. Romans 14 is my model for hospitality. If you are interested in this type of blog, please post. I am eager to read your stories. One note before I go, your stories do not have to be on just one human right, but on any that are your passion, that are being misused, misrepresented, abused. If you read something that sets your hair on end, comment. If something happens to you that leaves you frustrated, comment. We will start a conversation about it.

Excited about meeting friends and future friends at this conversation table.

Optimistic Contrarian Conversation #2

Hey, everybody. On a friend's facebook page is a thread about God, human rights (translated homosexuality), biblical definition of marriage, and sense of humor/joking. It is giving me a headache and I would like to read comments on any of these concepts. The best, kindest, and most compassionate supervisor I've ever had was an HIV-positive young gay man. He treated everyone with respect, honesty, and integrity, whether with me (an older gray-haired heterosexual female) or the pompous older heterosexual CEO or the bisexual consumer that frequents the business. His character is one of the most godlike images I have experienced. Do you have a story to tell related to one of these issues? I'd like to hear.

This is a creed I can recite!

What a great read this is! Today I read a creed created by missionaries working with the Masai people in Kenya and Tanzania. It covers so much more than any of the creeds that mainline Christians recite. I am going to adopt it as my personal creed. You need to be aware that my denomination does not generally recite any creed. "We believe in the one High God, who out of love created the beautiful world and everything in it. He created man and wanted man to be happy in the world. God loves the world and every nation and tribe on earth. . . . We believe that God made good his promise by sending his son, Jesus Christ, a man in the flesh, a Jew by tribe, born poor in a little village, who left his home and was always on safari doing good, curing people by the power of God, teaching about God and man, showing that the meaning of religion is love. He was rejected by his people, tortured and nailed hands and feet to a cross, and died. He was buried in the grave, but the hyenas did not touch him, and on the third day, he rose from that grave. [pp 32-33, Pagitt]

Optimistic Contrarian Conversation #1

A Christianity Worth Believing: Hope-Filled, Open-Armed, Alive-and-Well Faith for the Left Out, Left Behind, and Let Down in Us All. -- Doug Pagitt, 2008

Having only read the Foreword and Preface to this book, I realize that I am going to again put off my housekeeping chores because I will be up all night befriending a new author. Doug Pagitt, in six pages, has given me new terminology for my quest to become a joyful spiritual renegade. If you are willing to join the journey with me by having respectful and meaningful conversations about our lives with God, you have an open invitation to post to this blog. I look forward to our time together.