June, 2023

Crescent Beach Panorama 05/24/2009 Oil Paint Rendered — Ecola State Park, Canon Beach, Oregon
If we take the parables of the prodigal son 
and the good Samaritan seriously, 
hell has no place in our life--
and purity 
(represented by the elder brother, 
and the people walking past) 
itself is a stumbling block, 
and Christianity has no foundation
or reason for existence.

So, there's that.

And spirituality is free to develop
its own ground-of-being
in the places where we find
our own vitality,
enthusiasm,
gladness,
joy,
radiance
and life.

So that it is no longer 
fleeing from the punishment of hell
and the terrors of "an angry God"
that move us,
but the goodness of our experience
with each other
and the wonder of life and being
that provide us with the sustenance
and love of being alive.

Which the people who know
have known for thousands of years.

And we will all feel lighter
with the burden of sin
thrown out to sea. 

–0–

Published by jimwdollar

I'm retired, and still finding my way--but now, I don't have to pretend that I know what I'm doing. I retired after 40.5 years as a minister in the Presbyterian Church USA, serving churches in Louisiana, Mississippi and North Carolina. I graduated from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, in Austin, Texas, and Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana. My wife, Judy, and I have three daughters, five granddaughters, one great granddaughter, and a great grandson on the way, within about ten minutes from where we live--and are enjoying our retirement as much as we have ever enjoyed anything.

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