Monday, December 22, 2014

Torture: To Sin Against God

Follow some simple logic with me now:

The ultimate message of Jesus is love. Jesus wanted his followers to be loving.
Hurting people is not loving.
Therefore, Jesus did not want his followers hurting people.

Torture hurts people. If we follow Jesus, we cannot torture. If we torture, we are not following Jesus.

See how this works?

It is very simple. It does not matter what evil a person has done. It does not matter if they are a sociopath. Torture is inexcusable. Torture is anti-Christian. Every time. All the time.

If we are to love our neighbors, and our neighbors are even those culture tells us to hate, we cannot torture. The moment you torture - The moment you commit violence or cruelty against a fellow human - you have turned against God. You have turned against Jesus. You have begun your own descent into wretchedness.

Instead, forgive your neighbor. Treat them as you would a friend or a sibling or your own beloved child. Show them the path of love and compassion. This is the will of God. Do this, and God's light is realized in you. There is nothing more beautiful. There is nothing more Christian.

Thursday, December 4, 2014

Let It Shine

I have to help us all with something...to remind myself and everyone:

The world is dark. There are many evils here, but there are twice as many beauties, wonders, and joys.

The smallest things give us delight: a flower, a good meal, a soft clean shirt, a laugh, a smile, a hug from a friend. We create beautiful things. We imagine true marvels. We give deeply of our spirits, changing everything we touch.

True the night is long in winter, but dawn comes. A new birth is around the corner. This is not the end of things. Do not be blinded by darkness. Do not miss the beauty and joy around you. Do not forget you are loved. Keep these things in your heart. Carry them in your thoughts.

Each one of us holds God's spark. Do not smother it. Hold it against the darkness, in concert with so many sparks. Let it be a great flame - a burning sun - casting rays across the world. Let your love, beauty, and joy fill that light. Let it shine.