-
DELICT
Those of you who have followed my career know that I have spent my full time in study and in contemplation of the great theological works. In spite of the fact that I have spent nearly 88 years in the study of theological works, I was astounded to find that there was a religious word…
-
D.A.D.T. – R.I.P. ~~
In the year 1867, the Marquess of Queensberry published some rules concerning the sport of boxing. I am told that the fellow who has the title of marquess ranks below a duke and above an earl in the British peerage. The rules contained the essentials of good sportsmanship. There was to be no hitting when…
-
PARADISE AND MARTYRS AND VIRGINS
I realize that talking about religion is often considered a third rail in the public discourse in this country. The following essay is a dispassionate view of the Muslim belief that martyrs, such as those blowing up dozens of their fellow citizens, both Muslims and Christians, will go directly to Paradise. I am not an…
-
FRANCESCO’S QUESTION
Every nine weeks I visit a podiatrist associated with the Summit Medical Group. He takes care of ingrown nails and all of the other problems that afflict the feet. Francesco is a nice fellow in his early forties who laughingly mentioned that if his children remained in parochial schools, he would have to be working…
-
HEY, MICHELE, PLEASE ANSWER THE QUESTION
This essay is being dictated on Sunday, the morning after the straw poll in Iowa was taken. In the straw poll, Michele Bachmann and Ron Paul each finished with about 30% of the vote. She was fractionally better than Ron Paul, so she claimed a victory. Mind you, this is 30% of the vote in…
-
THE POWER OF PRAYER
A casual observer reading the title of this essay might conclude that it is a religious essay. But that is not the case at all. I believe that upon further examination, the contents of this essay will be revealed to be totally political. I have nothing against doing religious essays, but in this case it…
-
JOSEPH RATZINGER, POPE EMERITUS
It has been about 600 years since a pope resigned. Consequently, there is some confusion about what the former Pope should be called. At the moment, he is simply known as the Pope Emeritus. Whether he adopts this title as his formal title remains to be seen. Joseph Ratzinger had been the Pope of the…
-
THE POWER OF PRAYER TWO
You may recall that a few months ago an essay was dictated at this desk that had to do with Bishop Eddie Long who was pastor of the New Birth mega-church in Atlanta. It seems as though Bishop Long had thousands of followers and they clung to every word that he uttered. Not to tell…
-
REVIVAL DAYS
This morning’s New York Times had a long story coming from Kansas City having to do with the ultimate in revivals. It described a “perpetual religious revival” which seems to be attracting a large number of followers. Unfortunately the sponsors of the perpetual revival entitled their efforts as the International House of Prayer. For this…
-
ETERNAL LIFE
The title of this essay might lead some people to assume that in my later years I have succumbed to the teachings and the blathering of Christian preachers. That clearly is not the case. It is my intention in this instance to review what might take place if a few or many of us were…