Tag: sin

If You Believe In Magic

Magical powers

Were not in God’s playbook to

Eliminate sin

“A miracle, my friend, is an event which creates faith.”

George Bernard Shaw

The Christian religion would have a multitude of followers if God was powerful enough to eliminate the sins of man. He thought that he could do it with the Great Flood. That didn’t work! And killing his own son hasn’t been proven to work either. Of course, we’re told that we must wait and see until after Jesus comes back to judge us – the ones who are totally sinless because he died for our sins. I’m not at all confused.

Beauty and the Beast

Born into beauty

Taught to believe in their God…

We become ugly

“Indeed, I was born guilty, a sinner when my mother conceived me.”

Psalm 51:5 NRSV

All babies are born beautiful in the eyes of their parents. We then teach our children about a God who teaches us that all babies are born into sin passed on by the original parents. We then become ugly and unacceptable in God’s eyes. His only son must give his life to make us acceptable to him. But, even then, only a few will be accepted.

Image by Barbara Jackson from Pixabay

Gambling On the Praying Team

Gametime on Sunday

Wonder what team God favors

Players praying works

I found that prayers work best when you have big players.

Knute Rockne

It’s Sunday and I’m wondering if Jesus really has a favorite football team. But, doesn’t he already know the outcome? That wouldn’t be much fun watching a game and already knowing the final score. I ask because sometimes I’ll see players kneeling in groups before kickoff. I’m sure they pray for a lot of different things, like not getting hurt or making it with a certain cheerleader. But, if it’s a chance to go to the Superbowl, I’m gambling that they’re praying for the big WIN!

Image by Keith Johnston from Pixabay

Hot Dogs With Jesus

You say God wants a

Personal relationship…

Bar-b-que’s at four!

The people who give you their food give you their heart. 

Cesar Chavez

The phrase having a “personal relationship” with Jesus is not an explicit verse in the Bible. Many can point out verses that may lead you to believe that we should have a personal relationship with Jesus, but what exactly does that mean? Jesus has never said anything to me nor has he shown his face. So, I thought I’d invite him over to my hot dog bar-b-que to see if he’ll show up. By the way, I prefer brats over hot dogs. But who knows! He may miraculously turn my dogs into brats! That would certainly make me a believer.

Image by Jim Walker from Pixabay

A Pint of Guinness For Me Please

Original sin

Means that hell is our default!

Does Gandhi drink beer?

“God has no religion.”

Mahatma Gandhi

From what I know about Mathama Gandhi, he was totally against any type of alcoholic beverage. And I don’t mean any disrespect to Gandhi at all. He was a great man! This has been a joke between me and my wife for years – not about Gandhi, but the Christian religion. Gandhi wasn’t a Christian and according to Christian doctrine, he’s going to hell along with two-thirds of the world’s population (and all of mankind before Jesus came to earth), just as soon as Jesus comes back to judge us all. It’s gonna be crowded down there! Anyway, I’m pretty certain that I’m going to hell just for writing this haiku. To continue the joke, I tell my wife, “I wonder if Gandhi drinks dark beer so that I could have a beer with him and maybe have a philosophical discussion about nonviolence, or something.”

Image by Roy Brockman from Pixabay

Veterans In Limbo

Weeping moms wonder

If suicide is a sin

A veteran son

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, getting professional help is the first and most important step.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255

There is no explicit Bible passage about suicide.

Over 30,000 veterans have taken their own lives since 9/11 compared to 7,000 who died in combat. Of course, it is highly debated among Christians whether suicide is a sin or not. Some say that it is sinful and an act of blasphemy (an unforgivable sin). And others say suicide is not an unforgivable sin. Another one of those mysteries that we’ll probably never know.

Image by Francine Sreca from Pixabay

Aborted But Not Stoned

Abortion is not

A sacred top ten command…

Adultery rocks

– Exodus 20:14, Exodus 31:18, Mark 10:11-12, Ten Commandments List, Texas Abortion Ban

The original Ten Commandments were written onto stone tablets by “the finger of God.” And yes, Adultery is one of the ten! Can you imagine if Texas banned Adultery like they did Abortion? Jesus is clearly against adultery and it happens to be on God’s Top Ten List of no-nos for humankind! I have a hard time understanding why some Christians are so up in arms about abortion (and gay marriage) and are so forgiving when it comes to adultery. Our lawmakers struggle to have the stone tablets on their front lawn and other public places. But, God’s words have no real meaning for them.

Image by Ralf Seemann from Pixabay

Abolishing Sins Is a Piece of Cake

Snapping his finger

Would be so easy for him

To rid all our sins

Omnipotent

I’ve always been told that God is omnipotent – that he is able to do anything! Then why does he make it so complicated to forgive our sins or to design humans so they never sin? Snapping his finger is so much simpler than making his son suffer and die on the cross because we sin. It would be a piece of cake for him.

Image by StockSnap from Pixabay

Eve Takes a Ribbing From God

A tree that gives one

Knowledge of good and evil

Is full of serpents

– Genesis 3:1-24, Original Sin

God made his first humans without brains? Or at least not knowing the difference between good and evil? How was Eve to know that the serpent was tempting her into doing something evil that will become the doctrine of Original Sin and the destruction of mankind? As it turns out, the serpent must have already eaten the fruit from the tree of knowledge because it was smart enough to get Eve to do the same.

Judging the Sinless

He cleanses our sins

To assure our salvation

Until judgment day

– John 3:16, Revelation 1:5, John 5:26-29, 1 Corinthians 3:8, Mark 3:28-29

God does not like sinners and allowed his Son to be sacrificed on the cross to pay for all who sin (Revelation 1:5). Well, at least for those who were believers (John 3:16) making that a condition of being saved. I was always told that my sins were abolished by this act of kindness. So, if my sins are wiped clean, why is Jesus coming back to judge the “living and the dead? (John 5:26-29)” Is there some kind of reward ranking in heaven (1 Corinthians 3:8)? Or maybe I have committed the Unforgivable Sin (Mark 3:28-29) and didn’t realize it. That’s possible!