Down through the centuries opinions have differed as to the best way to nurture, care for and protect the human soul. One tragic sign of the times in which we live is that the care and feeding of a healthy human soul is neglected or ignored across broad swathes of the populace, all around the globe. Some would not even agree that a human being has a soul. Others argue over when a new human life acquires its soul. Still others, intent on pushing moral,…
Before sitting down to write this column, I arranged five items on my desk: a Bible, a concordance, my laptop computer, a cup of coffee and a cookie. Once settled into a chair, I prayed that the Holy Spirit would guide me to choose the Scriptures and the words He wanted me to use. Immediately afterward, I went right to work—on the cookie and the coffee. As I did, a line in the middle of the cover of the concordance caught my…
Many if not most Americans, even those who have read little or nothing of the Bible, have probably seen or heard the 23rd Psalm. It appears on a host of mass-merchandized products from embroidered pillows and wall hangings to table trivets and coffee mugs. It’s a staple in television shows when the setting is a church service or funeral and pops up in disaster flicks whenever the script calls for a stereotyped religious character to start spouting churchy stuff. Part of its allure…
The war against Christ has been going on for as long as anyone in the underground church can remember. It seems to its members to be as old as the Church itself. After Christ was killed, His followers became targets. The first persecutors mockingly called them “Christ-ians,” meaning partisans of Christ. They were then and are now, hunted relentlessly. Only today, the pursuers have technology. Each day, that technology for identifying Christians and tracking them down gets better and better. Meanwhile, anti-Christian hatred has grown strong and…
Today I’d like to have a conversation on a topic that virtually no one wants to talk about. It’s time for a frank discussion about death. Let’s begin with its nature and consequences. In plain terms, death is the cessation of all bodily functions. Death separates the non-physical part of a person’s being (a.k.a. the soul), from the body. Death brings an end to worldly passions, plans and preoccupations. Death severs all ties with the living, cutting off interaction and contact with the deceased. “Then…
Little children it seems, are fascinated by tales of an age-old struggle of good and evil, by mythical creatures, mad scientists, villains and heroes—especially heroes. Kids love the idea of a champion, someone strong, reliable and good, who always comes to the rescue in the nick of time, routs the bad guys and triumphs in the end. If the wicked wizards resort to magic, no worries! Our hero just happens to have supernatural abilities that trump them every time. You would…
For anyone who is not a Christian, the experience of attending the typical church service as a guest must be pretty baffling. And no, I’m not referring to the traditions, the jargon, knowing when to stand, sit or kneel, or how to find the right page at the right time. Such things can be anxiety producing or downright annoying (no one wants to look out of place or like they don’t know what they’re doing, to feel awkward and self-conscious when they…
The slang term, “epic fail” means a truly spectacular failure—one from which a comeback is virtually impossible. It is the kind of event that people can’t seem to resist telling others about. It yields a form of schadenfreude (perverse pleasure) to record it on cell phones and share it on social media. People who fail publicly and on a grand scale are rarely given a second chance. Often, they become the butt of jokes. No one wants to get too close to them, for fear…
“May I help you?” asked the officer behind the desk, in a bored but polite tone. “I hope so,” answered the man standing before him. “I’d like to report a missing person.” “Name?” “Bill. Bill Jones.” “How long has Mr. Jones been missing?” asked the policeman. “Oh, sorry officer. That’s my name. I’m Bill, er, William. William Jones. It’s my boss who’s missing.” “What’s your boss’ name, Mr. Jones?” “You’ll find it right there on the form. I started filling it out while I was waiting, but didn’t…
According to published reports, serious plans are being made for public and private (governmental and commercial) missions to Mars, as milestones of manned space exploration in the 21stcentury. Not so long ago, this was purely the stuff of fiction. H. G. Wells’ novel War of the Worlds, appearing around the turn of the 20thcentury, was instrumental in sparking imagination concerning all things Martian. Then came the famous radio dramatization of October 30, 1938 by Orson Welles and his Mercury Theater Company—a live broadcast…