Partitioning of Church Groups

One of the things I have not liked in most churches is how segmented it can become. It seems there’s a group for everything. Women’s groups, men’s groups, married groups (even young marrieds), singles groups, college groups, young adults, youth groups are also often sub-divided into high school, middle school, upper and lower elementary school, preschool, etc.

I remember being asked, why did I hang out with some of my married friends (with and without children). Once a friend who was married had been told that she shouldn’t spend time with me simply because I was single with no children. I supposedly had nothing in common with them.

Yet what my friends and I had in common were bible studying, outdoor activities, playing games, books we were reading, volunteering at a non-profit, etc.

In years past, all the women in a community would gather together to do an activity or project. Quilting, sewing, canning, cooking, etc.

The older women would pass down practical knowledge, as well as spiritual wisdom and insights. The younger women shared energy, creativity, and a fresh way to look at things. Those who were married shared about married life and those who were single would gain insight. Those who had already raised children offered encouragement and tips to those just starting a family.

Now, I see people of all walks of life trying to get answers to questions from social media, Wikipedia, Google or YouTube.

The key to good gatherings is to have a common task or project to engage in.

And contrary to modern thought, people without children can often offer insights and perspective to those with children. The same holds true when it concerns marriage. If this wasn’t true then much of the wisdom of the saints would have to be eliminated as well as most of the New Testament. Yet God’s wisdom can shine through any individual, no matter if they are married or single, with children or without, young or old, no matter their culture, background, race or gender. And as we have heard before, God uses the foolish and weak to confound the wise and strong.

We are the Body of Christ and each member of the body is important for the health of the whole. We are part of God’s family and each has an important talent to contribute.

Christian Fantasy Books I Recommend

What does a Christian read after reading the great classic fantasy books by J. R. R. Tolkien or C. S. Lewis? (Yes, I have indeed read John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, Hannah Hurnard’s Hinds Feet on High Places, Madeleine L’Engle’s books (A Wrinkle in Time, A Wind in the Door, A Swiftly Tilting Planet, Many Waters, An Acceptable Time) and Calvin Miller’s The Singer Trilogy, I did enjoy those as well.

Not too many of my friends like reading Christian fantasy books. Quite frankly many books in the genre are not as well written as the secular fantasy genre. However, there are some really good ones if you search.

So I thought I’d create a list of the ones I have found well worth the read. Feel free to comment or add your own favorites as well, but keep in mind only list Christian authors. I have purposely left off any of J. K. Rowling’s books because I don’t want to engage in the controversy or debate of whether or not she is a Christian, let alone her books. I will not be the one to judge on those, so I’ll leave it at that. I also might add, I don’t like books with too much romantic scenes and definitely not ones that get heated. Neither do I appreciate foul language. The books on this list I can say follow those guidelines. One more thing to note, most of these books can be read by young people and adults just like Tolkien or Lewis.

Here are my all-time favorites first. These books I still have and probably won’t part with.

L. B. Graham’s The Binding of the Blade series (5 Books) 1st Book: Beyond the Summerland

I love L. B. Graham’s books and have enjoyed his latest series, The Wandering, but he has not finished the series and it leaves you hanging after the first 3 books. I do hope he continues this series!

Patrick W. Carr’s Trilogy The Staff and The Sword. 1st Book: A Cast of Stones

Patrick W. Carr’s The Darkwater Saga.

Patrick W. Carr’s Christmas book: The End of the Magi

Jaye L Knight’s Ilyon Chronicles (6 books, plus some smaller additional e-books) 1st Book: Resistance.

I’ve also enjoyed reading books by the following authors:

Wayne Thomas Batson has several series out. His last series, The Myridian Chronicles, by far, is one of his best series. Unfortunately, I gave these books away and the last book in the series left the ending as a cliff hanger and I’ve no idea when he plans on finishing the next book. One could read the first three books and be satisfied. It’s when you read the fourth book that leaves you hanging. 1st book: Sword in the Stars. It was previously called The Dark Sea Annals. I’ve read a number of his other books including The Door Within Trilogy.

Jonathan Rogers’ The Wilderking Trilogy was good too. The first book: The Bark of the Bog Owl

Stephen R. Lawhead’s Dragon King Trilogy. 1st Book: In the Hall of the Dragon King

Although, I’d be cautious of Lawhead’s other books. His writing is good but some of his later books are questionable in content or at least more adult oriented. Lawhead had some clear Christian undertones to his earlier stories that get lost in his later books, so stick with early Lawhead series like this one. I did enjoy the first 3 books in the Pendragon Cycle, books 4-6 got a bit too dark for my taste. I enjoyed his books, Byzantium and The Celtic Crusades Trilogy, (these have elements of secret societies, Templar Knights and sacred relics.) I did not like his book called Patrick (fictional story of St. Patrick). I have not read The Song of Albion Trilogy, The King Raven Trilogy (loosely based on the legends of Robin Hood), The Bright Empires series, nor The Eirlandia series.

Jill Williamson’s The Kinsman Chronicles. First Book: King’s Folly

R. J. Larsen writes in an interesting style. Her books are Christian fantasy but makes you feel as though you’re in an ancient Biblical world and has similarities to the Biblical Old Testament stories. The first series is called Books of the Infinite. The second series is called Realms of the Infinite. I enjoyed all of the books and look forward to reading her most current series, Legends of the Forsaken Empire.

These others listed below I’ve enjoyed and either have passed on to others or will pass on.

Bryan M. Litfin’s Chiveis Trilogy. Book 1: The Sword

D. Barkley Briggs’ Legends of Karac Tor Book 1: The Nameless

R. S. Gullett’s Chronicles of Aletha (3 books although I only have the first two.) Book 1: The Heir Comes Forth

Nathan Keys is a new author, his first book is called: The Epic of Marindel- Chosen. The second one: Redemption is due out November 2023. He does have a short story prequel available from his website or Facebook page called Champions of Dantoneia

I’ve read a few of Morgan L. Busse books. In particular, The Ravenwood Saga that was interesting but not necessarily in my top favorites but still good. I just received the first book in another of her series The Follower of the Word, so I’ll let you know what I think.

The following books are more for younger readers. Yes, I love to read children’s books!

Years ago I read John White’s The Archives of Anthropos (6 book series) and as I recall I did enjoy them, although mainly written for young people.

M. I. McAllister’s The Mistmantle Chronicles were excellent and I still have all 5 books in this series.

S. D. Smith’s The Green Ember series.

Dragon Keepers Chronicles by Donita K. Paul

The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson

The Songkeeper Chronicles by Gillian Bronte Adams

I’ve read some others over the years and many I didn’t find memorable and others either I didn’t like or had no depth.

Finally, listed below are some decent books that are not necessarily classified as Christian but have good values, the battle between good and evil, and are good wholesome reading.

Redwall series by Brian Jacques I believe there are 22 books in the series.

Castaways of the Flying Dutchman (3 book series) by Brian Jacques

Guardians of Ga’hoole by Kathyrn Lasky

The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini (although be aware has a bit of eastern mysticism).

Ranger’s Apprentice by John Flanagan

Brotherband Chronicles by John Flanagan

Ranger’s Apprentice: Royal Ranger by John Flanagan

Hope you enjoy this list. If I run across any others, I’ll be sure to add an update.

A Christian’s Response in the Midst of Pandemics, Politics and Chaos

I’m so tired of all the controversy over the pandemic, politics, riots, chaos, and controversies. As Christians, we are to seek the middle path the “Royal Way” as St. John Cassian (who lived in the 4th century) encourages us to do. Not be led by extremism on either side.

Let us not live in fear and neither let us live in anger, rebellion, pride, or be distracted by “our rights”, “our “freedoms” or the “cares of this world”. As Christians we are called to lay down our rights, the only true freedom is found in serving Christ. The cares of this world will only entangle and snare us.

Rather let us live in love for God and love for others. There are some who will live carelessly, there are some who live cautiously. Let us walk in love, dying to self, surrendering our lives to Christ & giving ourselves in service and love to our neighbors.

Speaking specifically about all the videos, these facts and statistics are outdated and incorrect almost as soon as they’re posted. There are so many videos and messages spreading information and misinformation that causes either dissensions, accusations, fears, and doubts.

The bigger picture is that we do not battle flesh and blood but spiritual powers and principalities. We are facing a greater spiritual battle, one in which the enemy of our souls wishes to cause divisions, fears, protests, distrust, self-preservation, self-interest, materialism, and more.

Please don’t get caught up in all this stuff. The Lord God, King of the Universe, has allowed for these rulers over us at this time in our lives. Let us obey the laws of the land so long as they do not violate the law of God which is love. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the eternal things, the fruits of the Holy Spirit, in Galatians 6 and the love as explained in 1 Corinthians 13.

Scriptures encourage us to look out for the “weaker” brother, to be examples for the children, to not be a cause for them or anyone to stumble. As Christians we must ask ourselves, how can I care for the “least of these”. If our fellow brother or sister is fearful, how can we put them at peace? If I have a sickly relative or an elderly parent how can I protect them? If I have a friend out of work and needs help, how can I be a servant to them?

All this other “stuff” is nothing compared to the eternal values of the Kingdom of God. We must ask ourselves constantly if what I say, think or do is profitable for my soul and the soul of my brother or sister.

I fail everyday with this, but I keep pressing on to the upward call in Christ Jesus.

There is nothing new under the sun, says the writer of Ecclesiastes. During the time of the book of the Acts of the Apostles, there was famine, plague, persecution. We must follow the example of the apostles who didn’t get involved in the things of this world, but rather went about the work of the Kingdom sharing the Gospel in spite of the turmoil in the world.

They didn’t share the political news, they didn’t share social media news, they didn’t share the latest controversies. They shared the Gospel, the Good News, and they died to self, sharing their very lives and laying down their lives for the sake of others.

In this world we will have tribulations but be of good cheer for Jesus has overcome the world and gives us peace. (John 16:33)

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

(Philippians 4:8 NIV)

Be at peace, live in peace my friends and family. Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God.

In addition to the scripture quotes already mentioned, here are some quotes from St. Seraphim of Sarov to ponder and put in practice:

“Acquire the Spirit of Peace and a thousand souls around you will be saved.”

“You cannot be too gentle, too kind. Shun even to appear harsh in your treatment of each other. Joy, radiant joy, streams from the face of him who gives and kindles joy in the heart of him who receives.”

“All condemnations is from the devil. Never condemn each other…instead of condemning others, strive to reach inner peace.”

“Keep silent, refrain from judgment. This will raise you above the deadly arrows of slander, insult, and outrage and will shield your glowing hearts against all evil.”

Amen

The Blessing of Babel and Pentecost

Pentecost, the birth of the Church (unknown artist, Catholic Icon/Painting)


On Sunday (June 18th, 2019), was Pentecost according to the Eastern Orthodox Church. (It was Pentecost the previous Sunday in the Catholic & Protestant Churches). Pentecost was the day the Church was born; the day the Holy Spirit descended like tongues of fire & empowered the followers of Jesus to preach & spread the Good News, the Gospel of Jesus and His healing, redemptive work. (Acts 2:1-11)

As this special Sunday came closer in the days that had followed Easter/Pascha, I began to remember and reflect on a message I had heard at a conference a few years ago, (October 4th, 2015) by speaker/preacher Micah Bournes.

In this message, Micah addresses racism, cultural diversity, and unity in a very thoughtful and compelling manner full of respect, humility, humor and sensitivity. It is also a message that is very challenging and from a perspective unlike others I had heard before.

So I emailed Micah and inquired if there was any video or audio recordings of this message, based on the Biblical text of the story of the building of the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9).

Hendrik van Cleve III, Tower of Babel, 16th century
Micah Bournes, Fight Evil with Poetry


I felt as I did then, this message is desperately needed and necessary even more so than just a few years ago.

Please take the time to listen to this message and ask God what He might say to you personally.

Here is the link to the audio recording The Blessing of Babel that was presented at a conference in Redding, California at The Stirring Church.

Micah Bournes is from Long Beach California.He is also a graduate of The Moody BibleInstitute. Ever since I encountered Micah’s unique talents, I have followed and enjoyed his unique methods of sharing what God has placed in his heart to offer to others.

Micah is a creative man of faith. In addition to performing poetry, the “Spoken Word” and music, he often speaks and teaches on creative writing, pursuing justice, and the way of Jesus. Micah has been able to share his passions and gifts all over the world.

His website can be found at: MicahBournes.com.

His YouTube channelis: https://www.youtube.com/user/micahbournes.

He can alsobe found on BandCamp at: https://micahbournes.bandcamp.com/

and finally his Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/MicahBournes/

Immigration-Stop the Blame Game! Have a Heart!

A good deed done in silence is more valuable - St. Nicolai Velimirovich

A good deed done in silence is more valuable – St. Nicolai Velimirovich

We have spent decades trying to deal with this immigration issue. Whether or not you like Trump or his administration this problem has been around since the Clinton administration, and the Bush administration, and the Obama administration and has been exacerbated by numerous elected officials on both sides of the aisle.

It was Obama (who also said all he could do was enforce the law & never signed an executive order to fix this), who militarized the border and opened the way for kids to come from the south. He created secret detention centers that housed around 4,000 kids until they age out at 18. Where was the outrage and protests then?

Here’s an investigative report by the Washington Post from BEFORE Trump took office:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/obama-administration-placed-children-with-human-traffickers-report-says/2016/01/28/39465050-c542-11e5-9693-933a4d31bcc8_story.html

I am thankful we are finally seeing the injustice and the failure of our immigration system.

We process asylum seekers from Middle Eastern, European or Asian areas of the world much differently than how we treat our neighbors south of the border.

Or do we simply leave it to the Christian Missionary to carry on the often thankless work (but rewarded by God) in these places where they’ve even endangered their own lives and families for the sake of others. But after all, Christian Missionaries are horrible with their ideas of right & wrong and morality. Never mind that they build homes, drinking wells, schools, teach literacy, help with clothes, food, farming & medical care — all through donations and volunteers.

Wouldn’t our millionaires & billionaires, politicians, sports heroes, music stars & acting artists of Hollywood consider putting their money where there mouth is? Shouldn’t these “talking media heads”, go to these countries and try to implement creative solutions to help these people be able to stay in their home country instead of just taking pictures and interviewing these people in their pain? How can someone film this stuff and NOT give, do, act… give up even 1/4 of their salary and contribute to a solution. It’s so easy to gripe, so hard to labor in the fields.

Now that Trump signed an executive order, people are still griping because the situation still exists. Do these people really expect a massive re-unification of families to happen over night? Many are critical that Trump changed his mind… who cares? At least he saw the problem, the protests and the outrage and he changed his mind and DID at least something. It takes guts to change a position to attempt to make things better.

People are just letting their feelings run wild without knowing the facts and the complexities, pointing fingers and pontificating, including religious leaders and politicians spouting Bible verses to justify their various positions.

Unfortunately we have officials trying to follow the law and congress has yet to fix our broken immigration system.

Did you know that thousands of children have been sent to the US borders by themselves, with no parent? What are we to do with these children, just release them into the packs of ravenous sex slave traffickers & work slave traffickers just waiting to snatch them up. It’s going to take time to pair up parents with children. Yes, it shouldn’t have happened but it did, and it will not be an overnight solution.

This recent video from ABC News talks about how big the complexities of this problem have become.

https://youtu.be/nmKhrd1GYS8

I hope we will look at ALL the facts before we begin to protest and judge others so harshly and publically shaming them. You may not agree with what you read but it all comes down to enforcing our laws. There is no justification here at all for what’s going on. So our elected officials continue to kick the can down the road or play dodge ball, or catch me if you can, or “oh no, not me, it’s not my fault.”.

As in politics and religion everyone has an opinion and everyone feels theirs is the “right” of it. I do agree that the system is broken. I do believe in enforcing our laws. I however also believe in COMPASSION. I personally don’t see anything wrong with children staying with parents until they are deported. Many refugee camps allow families to stay together. Must our detention centers look like prison?

I am not looking at it from a political stand point, I am looking at it as a compassionate, Christian, human being. I want us as a country to do the right thing but still have heart. Is that so hard? Why can’t there still be compassion? Remove politics & religious rhetoric and imagine the trauma of children missing their parents. Imagine the trauma of you not knowing where your child is and barely getting any answers? Yes, it’s risky & terrifying traveling from a war torn, or crime riddled, or leave your home because of persecution for whatever reason. As a parent it is a huge undertaking to uproot one’s family from a home often from roots that go back generations, to SAVE your family from starvation, kidnapping, rape, drug lords, murder, & other atrocities. To entrust your family & pay a smuggler who promises help & freedom. Some come in cargo boxes or trucks. If they make it here alive, they hope they’re not left to die, crammed, suffocating in 100 degree weather, packed like human sardines.

Then to finally arrive to America, land of the free, home of the brave, land of endless opportunities, and then they face what we now know as a horrifying situation… separation of families, parents deported without their children, and the children left in squalor conditions that resemble cages.

I don’t care which party is to blame. Let us truly treat others as we would want to be treated if we were in their shoes. Once again, let’s remove politics out of this situation and let’s have a heart. Thanks for taking the time to read this. Blessings on you.

ANOTHER VOICE HEARD AT CHRISTMAS

C73B3BBC-3A16-42B0-A99B-6399F178FE3F(This is a revised version of an article first  published in a monthly newsletter of CareNet Pregnancy Center and Medical Clinic © December 1995)

In the Christmas carol, “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day”, the first verse stars out with a positive note, but as the verses progress, the author grows discouraged with the condition of the world. However, the final words are ones of triumph and rejoicing. This Christmas carol reminds me of a book in the Old Testament of the Bible called Habakkuk, which starts with the current gloom and destruction surrounding the prophet but later ends with words of comfort and hope.

This article is one that goes along the same line of thought. Bear with me, for it too will end with: “God is not dead, nor doth he sleep… the wrong shall fail, the right prevail…”

The more I know about abortion, the more my heart grieves not only for unborn babies but the women and mothers burdened by situations with seemingly no way out. Bruised, wounded, broken women. Life snuffed out. Life killed — both women and babies!

I had trouble sometimes sleeping at night during the times I taught crisis intervention counselor training or when I discussed the various types of abortion procedures. I have vivid pictures in my mind of pieces of aborted babies from D & C’s and suction abortions. I have vivid pictures in my mind of burned babies from Saline abortions, I have a very vivid picture in my mind of the Partial Birth (D & X) abortions and scissors puncturing a baby’s head and brains being sucked out, and the skull collapsing. The unheard cries of terror, fear and pain of the unborn child. The unseen scars and wounds that women carry in the deepest recesses of their heart.

A woman, who was a former abortion clinic worker and had routinely examined the fetal tissue, one day while waiting for her pregnant daughter in our office who was receiving a free ultrasound, said to me, “I know for a fact that it is just tissue up to about 12 weeks.” She said, “there is nothing there but tissues, maybe a hand or foot but it’s just tissue. It’s not a baby yet, after 12 weeks it becomes a baby.”
“A hand… a foot… just tissue???” I thought, “how could she be so blind?” I thought about the conversation for the next several days. My thoughts kept going back to my brother, who died in a car accident.

I went to identify the body. Looking at the dead body, in a very real sense, it was no longer my brother. It was not the brother who I loved and adored. It was an empty shell, it was a dead body, it was just tissue.

I then understood. Looking at aborted babies is truly just tissue, by then death has occurred, the baby has gone on, thankfully, to be with the Lord. Of course it would look like just tissue after it was in pieces.

Death has a way of making us blind to reality. Corruption has a way of pulling a veil over our eyes. Evil has a way of making death seem so normal, so ordinary, “that’s life, that’s the way it goes.”

Satan and his pawns have been trying for centuries to pull the death veil over our eyes. Satan tried to kill the newborns and prevent Moses from being the deliverer of the people of Israel.

Satan tried to kill the infant Jesus, and hundreds of babies died as Herod went on his killing rampage.

Hitler killed thousands of Jews, elderly, handicapped and babies. Not to mention all the ethnic cleansing and other atrocities committed against another human being. Once upon a time, in the USA, people of color were not counted as a “whole” person.

Today, the killing continues. In many other countries in our current world, where humans can be “rated” as”less than” because of religion, class, caste, gender, race, or whatever the “powerful” declare as less than themselves or a threat to their ideas or status.

The death veil is now upon our elderly, our handicapped, the unwanted, the unlovable.

Society calls it just tissue.

The question comes back to me, “What is life?” Is it material things we can see or feel or touch? “What is life?” Jesus posed this question, “is not life more than the body, what we shall eat, drink or wear?”

What is so heinous about killing a person more than pulling a tooth, or removing our tonsils, isn’t it just tissue? We know that killing people already born is not just killing tissue. Words like “freedom of choice”, “right to privacy”, “my body, my rights”, are the death veil being pulled over our eyes, and we buy into the politically correct way of thinking that “this is life”.

NO!!! Life is not like that! Life is breathing, moving, loving, caring, touching, reaching. Life is reality. Life is living. Life is not just of flesh and blood.

Science tells us that when sperm meets egg, a human being has begun it’s journey of growing, changing and ultimately ends at death.

Science, however, cannot tell us when that mass of cells becomes a living soul, when it can think, when that mass of tissue has “life” with personality, character and compassion.

Our hearts would tell us when “life” begins if we would only listen. More than our hearts — the Bible tells us that God is the author of life and God has said that “life” begins at conception. Man becomes truly a living being at that miraculous moment… when sperm unites with egg…when the two become one… a new life is created in the image of our Creator.

3B33B61B-FFAB-4E3F-BFC9-3B9915D4475F.jpegChristmas is a time to remember the awesomeness of the miracle called conception.

The miracle of Christmas is the incarnation when God, Himself, became flesh and dwelt among us. The Word became flesh, in all ways, all of God, became fully human — the incarnate Christ, Jesus, fully God and fully man.

If he was not fully man at conception then, exactly who was John the Baptist in Elizabeth’s womb responding to when Mary entered their home. Was John, a 6 month old fetus, truly human or “just tissue”? Did John truly herald the arrival of his Lord and King? Elizabeth acknowledged the Lord’s presence, was she acknowledging only “tissue” or was this “tissue” the living Messiah?

The miracle of the incarnation is that Jesus was present in that room in the fullness of God and in the fullness of humanity. John a six-month old baby in the womb, not just tissue, was leaping for joy at the arrival of Jesus the Messiah.

Life was rejoicing over LIFE… NOT just tissue.

As you hear the bells this Christmas day, remember the incarnation and birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. As we celebrate the coming of the Messiah, remember that His human life began before his birthday, it began in the womb at conception.

Remember that before the angels announced his birth, John the Baptist, still in his mother’s womb was announcing the arrival of Immanuel, God with us.

Then, may you also think about the millions of unborn babies yet to be born. The millions of women who need a support system of others reaching out in compassionate, active care. Millions of people in poverty, prejudice, and persecution needing to be recognized as human beings made in the image of God, worthy of “Life”.

Even as the shepherds were sharing the good news of Jesus’ birth and the wise men offered gifts, Satan tried to snuff out the life of the baby Jesus. Remember how Satan continues to try and snuff out lives today.

Our Lord is looking for this generation of shepherds to share the good news of Life, and God wants to use this generation of wise men to offer gifts and protection to those who have been given life.

Life is more than just tissue, more than just flesh and blood, more than the body. For this little baby, grew to be a man and poured out His blood and allowed His flesh to be crucified, killed and buried.

Then this man, Jesus, proved that He, alone, is the One who is worthy and has the power and the keys to life and death, because He conquered death and openly displayed that life is more than what we can see or touch.

Let us join with the angels, the shepherds, the wise men in sharing the good news that the Author of Life has come, Immanuel, God is with us, has dwelt among us, the Prince of peace, wonderful Counselor, Everlasting Father, Almighty God is come to offer LIFE, LIFE ABUNDANT, LIFE ETERNAL.

Seasons, Thanksgiving and it’s “traditions”

(Note: this was originally published on my other blog site… which I’m gradually moving all things over to this blog.)

I love the “holidays”. Especially when Thanksgiving comes. For me it signals the beginning of the circle of the seasons. Beginning with Giving Thanks, the height of the fall/autumn/harvest season, the beginning of Advent, the soon coming winter Solstice the “darkest, longest night” of the year, followed by the birth of the Bright and Morning Star, the Sun (Son) Eternal, followed by Epiphany, the Lenten Spring, culminating in the Feast of Feasts, Pascha, the Resurrection of the Son of Man and Son of God, with the blessings of Pentecost where out of many tribes, tongues and nations we have the opportunity to become united in one Body, healing the divides between human beings and God, and between one another.

Tied up in Thanksgiving, I’m once again bothered by the “political correctness” that grips our American culture to the point of guilt, strangulation and making us prisoner to hide our desire to celebrate. This year’s disturbance caused me to jump on my “soapbox” because of reading a Facebook post which referenced another blog by Kathy Escobar, which you can read hear, A More Honest Thanksgiving.

I must say I do agree with much of what Kathy says,

“I don’t feel guilty for celebrating.

Gratitude is usually always a good thing. It heals. It helps bring light into darkness. It binds us together. It’s a spiritual practice.

But I also think it’s important to be more honest about the roots of Thanksgiving.

I read the Doctrine of Discovery a few years ago and the words have been embedded in my mind every since. Papal decrees in the 1400’s, it laid some of the tracks for what we live with today—oppression, discrimination, separation, and prejudice. All in the name of Jesus. The destructive roots of Christian colonialism are deep and strong.”

As many of you know I’m not one to keep quiet… (okay, you can stop laughing now). I did make my comments on both Facebook and her blog.

However, I thought I would post my more lengthy thoughts here…

Yes, what was later known as the “Doctrine of Discovery”” was a power grab, land grab, conquering grab. (It originally started out as a series of Papal Bulls between Spain and Portugal over territorial disputes.)

But remember it was a time of those in power to conquer or be conquered. It was s time of state formations and migrations of large people groups.

Much of the lands of Christiandom had just come through an assault by the Saracens/Turks/Islam with the bulk of Christians martyred and killed for their faith and the ancient lands of Christianity and Judaism, much of North Africa and into a large portion of Europe were overrun by the Saracens.

Unfortunately it was also a time where Eastern Christians had already split with the West and unless they bowed to Rome they could expect no help with the Saracens. It is in this climate where Christians began to make protests against the abuses in the church by those in authority and often in collusion with Rulers of other countries (the beginnings of the Protestant Reformation), thus sojourner/pilgrims began traveling from one country to another to freely worship God yet they were ignorant that they were still slaves to a “superiority” mindset over “barbarians” engrained from the culture in which they were raised.

On to North Americans…

I finished reading a book called “1491” by Charles C Mann (2nd Edition) based on the most current archeological artifacts and narratives of the Americas. It has a very different point of view that I had not heard in this dialogue and may upset some of the “politically correct” narratives. His follow-up book 1493 is also fascinating.

It mentioned there was quite a bit of tribal warfare between opposing tribes along with disease wiping out entire tribes brought by European traders & slavers.

Another good read is “Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War” by Nathaniel Philbrick.

The basics of the back history to the Thanksgiving story is Chief Massasoit had been playing a political angle for better positioning and protection from an opposing tribal group. And there were two rival interpreters Squanto and another man (I can’t remember his name at this time) playing rival factions which all erupted in violence.

Chief Massasoit (smaller/weaker tribe) actually gave land with promised conditions of “my enemies are yours” so when another tribal group attacked, (a set up by one of the interpreters) the “pilgrims” were obligated to kill the opposing party. War broke out, and as in all wars there is decimation and devastation on both sides, but ultimately the settlers were the victors.

Long story short, rival tribal groups continued to play opposing sides with various European factions all the way up to the war of 1800’s. England was hiring one tribe to fight the newly formed United States of America who hired other native tribes to fight back.

Both European Americans and Native Americans were making promises that went unkept.

Along with European Americans having no idea that they brought diseases that native Americans had no immune system to fight against. They had a presumptuous false belief that God was blessing their “superior race” and punishing the heathens. Although many white people died from the small pox and influenza that swept through the colonies it did not wreck the devastation as it did on the natives.

As I mentioned before, we often forget this was a time period of European colonialism which spread across the globe. New political States/Countries we’re forming and boundary lines new constantly being redrawn.

Very different mindset and culture than we have today. The rise of Feudalism and “landed” people vs. “peasants”. It’s easy for us to slip into judgement of how “evil” the Western Caucasian Europeans were. But we should be cautious to label one “group of people” as the sole blame for “colonialism” when around the world it was s time of great upheaval and migration.

Let us also remember the conquests of the Asiatic cultures throughout Asia of one warring faction against another… names like: the Mongols, Genghis Khan, Attila the Hun, the Sultans of the “tribes” of Central Asia, the Saracens, Turks & Islam conquests eventually known as the Ottoman Empire.

Maybe let us go all the way back to the various warring tribes since the time of Cain and Abel, the Tower of Babel, “Ishmael against Issac”, Africans warring against and enslaving each other, all over the world where differing tribes try to conquer other tribes, including Europeans against Europeans (English vs. Irish, Catholic vs. Orthodox, French vs. English, etc.) up to the present day where we have Shiite’s vs. Sunni’s, Zulu’s vs. Hutu’s, and more.

Us against Them… we are still fighting over resources and differences.

Thanksgiving is a reminder we all are part of, in some way, a guilty tribe of one or the other.

Thanksgiving gives us the opportunity and a time to lay down our “arms” and open up our “arms” to “embrace the other without loss of the self” as Miroslav Volf would say in the latest book I’m reading, “Exclusion and Embrace” (given to me by my sister, Dr. Deborah Dunn, PhD, professor at Westmont College, Santa Barbara).

Thanksgiving is a time to remember how one “tribe” (Native Americans) decided to help another starving “tribe” (European settlers fleeing persecution, exclusion or annihilation) to survive.

At that time and place, having a meal together to celebrate and give thanks, was to recognize the benefits of the mutual survival of both tribes, a time of peace and diversity and sharing a common table and giving thanks.

Perhaps we can still learn from the “first thanksgiving” and not just about the food, and football and Macy’s parades.

Perhaps we can still seek the image of our creator God in the face of the other person, including one we would deem as our enemy or “not like us”.

Truly, each individual is made in His image, each one has unique gifts, talents, skills to enhance our own lives as much as we have to enhance theirs. Their is a universal law of the Sanctity of a Human Life.

Let us remember, let us repent, let us forgive, let us let go of the pain, let us embrace, let us heal, let us give thanks for each other and the God who created us all and longs to embrace us into One Body… His Love!

Let us celebrate and give Thanks for each other, our blessings, our God. Happy Thanksgiving