Jesus and Christianity
Scroll to the bottom of this article for links to more articles about Jesus &/or Christianity.
Jesus the Christ has come to represent many things to many people. For some he is an enlightened teacher - someone to emulate. For others he is the son of God, and even more, God himself, and he is to be worshipped. For yet others it may be something in between these two, or none of the above.
While it is not our intention or purpose here to debate one or the other of these beliefs, our focus tends to be on the teachings of Jesus - basically to seek to practice what he preached. Love thy neighbor, take the mote out of thine own eye, forgive seven times seven, etc. etc.
The Universal Teachings of Jesus
It is our contention that if we all -- whether Christian, Jewish, Muslim, agnostics, or atheists -- practiced the teaching of Jesus, the world would be a much better place. In the same way that one does not have to be a vegetarian to eat vegetables, or a professional singer to sing a song, one does not have to be a Christian to put into practice the teachings of Jesus.
Perhaps if we all endeavored to learn more about the inspirational teachings of Jesus, of Buddha, of Mohammed, of the Tao, we would begin to put into practice the teaching that is common to most of the religions and religious masters. It is known as the Golden Rule: Do unto others... or love thy neighbor... or practice compassion...
In God's Garden: Living the Good News in a Changing Climate
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by Norman Wirzba, Ph.D. The people of the Bible, including some of their teachers and prophets, were farmers and shepherds. This means that the God they worshiped was daily encountered as the life-giving power at work in soils, plants and animals...
Passion & Prayer
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by Alan Cohen.
Veronica declares, "I confess... I confess that I find more ecstasy in passion than in prayer. Such passion is prayer." For those of us who have been taught that prayer or spirituality requires denying our passion, Veronica’s statement may come as a shock. But, as Phillip Brooks noted...
Healing Prayer Allowing Jesus to be Real
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by Ron Roth, Ph.D.
One night many years ago when I was struggling with my spiritual journey -- still a Catholic priest but not at all certain I would remain one -- I realized that I had grown weary of the dryness of conventional prayer. Following that approach, I usually did all the talking but felt little sense of genuine communion. There must be a better way, I thought, and then I just let go and sat still. Soon I felt a stirring within me, as if someone or something were trying to get my attention.
Experiencing God
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by Karen Holmes Taylor. One of our most ingrained belief systems, and one that evokes the most fear whenever challenged, is our religious beliefs. Conflict will surely arise every time anyone challenges our programming regarding religion. In the beginning, I was told what to believe about God, salvation, and eternity, by people I trusted...
