Spirituality and Religion

·         Spirituality without words is silent. Spirituality without acts is impotent. Religion without spirituality is false. The entire, complete experience of what is considered to be the most important in all of life is a spiritual experience that energizes the words of those that dare to speak and motivates the actions of those who act for the common good of all. Both the inner experience and the words and actions of the prophet are needed for a vibrant religious faith.

Creativity and Hope

·         49 years ago our family moved to a little town in Florida, Jupiter. We lved in a house on Pinetree Circle. In front of the house was a small hedge of Ixora under the front picture window. As I grew and the Ixora grew, I learned how to care for that little hedge. Making sure it had the right nutrients to have wonderful blooms and trimming it so it looked neat and tidy.

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·         Occassionally, I have the privilege of trimming the small Xiora hedge that grows in front of my house in Miami,FL. That simple act reminds me of the past and gives me hope for the future, ever grateful to be able to cooperate with all of the creativity that surrounds us. Join with me in celebrating the guidance of creativity that draws near to each of us and finds us in these kinds of miraculous moments of remembering andpri privilege of trimming the small Ixora hedge that grows in front of my house in Miami, FL.  That simple act reminds me of the past and gives me hope for the future, ever grateful to be able to cooperate with the creativity that surrounds us.  Join with me in celebrating the guidance of creativity that draws near to each of us and finds us in these kinds of miraculous moments of remembering and hope.

• Many different views related to sex can be found in the group of writings that we call the Bible. From a Christian standpoint, many of them would be judged to be wrong. Examples:


1. Executing those who engage in sexual intercourse during the seven days of the menstrual period.

2. Stoning for both the man and woman for adultery.

3. Toleration of polygamy.

4. Levirate marriage.

5. Endogamy.

6. Cutting off a woman's hand for touching a man's private parts.

7. Social regulations surrounding adultery, incest, rape, and prostitution considered mainly from the perspective of male property rights over women.

8. A bride found not to be a virgin should be stoned to death.

Some Christians, exercising their religious liberty and the right of personal conscience along with a Christocentric interpretation of their Christian faith, now assert that passages in the Bible related to homosexuality have either been misinterpreted or are simply wrong. These Christian may be wrong, but those that follow a more traditional view may also be wrong just as some Christians in the past were wrong about their interpretation of the Bible regarding slavery.