Heavenly Life

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

Less intelligent/conscious species have not learned to make weapons. Maybe we could train them…

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy Child,

We can’t miss the signs of preparation for the Christmas holiday.
Sales, decorations, advertising, songs of the season, lights, trees.

What do we notice as preparation for your advent?
What gifts should we prepare for your arrival?

Help us reclaim Christmas from its hijacking by commercial interests.
Bring us once more in devotion to your manger.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“You like the one about the reindeer, kids? With the red nose? But Sarah thinks my imagination goes beyond ridiculous.”

[Jesus! No.]

D. Blog: Heaven on Earth

I don’t know about a heaven beyond. I believe there is something more than wishful thinking involved in the idea. Sadly, however, religion has emphasized it so much that we tend to overlook the heavenly invasion into this world, the eternal that includes the present, the mingling of after-life with this life.

Too often religion has overturned the divine affirmation in the Genesis creation story: “It is good,” such that religion has emphasized fall, sin, suffering, law, punishment, discipline, self-sacrifice – at times to the point of actually saying: “This world is evil.”

Count me among those who reject such a “religious” perspective. I agree whole-heartedly with that Genesis writer. I agree with the movie title: “It’s A Wonderful Life.” I agree with one of my personal inspirations whose motto was: “Life is good. Yeah!”

Heaven coming to Earth, in other words, is not just something I anticipate at some point in the future. It is a blessing I experience every day. Despite the pain and difficulty, life brings amazing pleasure, joy, love, beauty and fulfillment. I call it heavenly.