Aquarius.

The Age of Aquarius brings with it a Utopian vision of the future.

It envisages a world where everyone is equal.

Where everyone has enough to eat.

Where help flows freely to those in need.

Where governments reflect the will of the people.

Where people give generously to the poor.

Where businesses and governments are honest and work towards the common good.

Where people are enlightened and live in peace.

And where unconditional love guides God's family of humanity.


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Homophiles.

I suggest that instead of calling us homosexuals that we refer to same-sex attracted people as homophiles.

The reason for this is that because sex is part of the descriptive term given to same-sex attracted people it makes people think that we are more sexual than others.

Whereas if we call gay people homphiles then it means that we love people of the same gender.

This is closer to our real experience.

And it may help defuse some of the residual homophobia in our world.


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New Wine.

"'Neither is new wine put into old wineskins; otherwise, the skins burst, and the wine is spilled, and the skins are destroyed, but new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved.'"  Matthew 9:17 (NRSV)

The new revelations from God that will lead us into the Age of Aquarius do not cancel the old covenant that was established through Jesus of Nazareth.

Nor does it cancel the original covenant established with Jewish people.

In fact the new covenant includes all religions.

It respects established religions.

And it provides new light.

So do not think that Progressive Christianity will destroy the old religions.

It will not.

"'Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.'"  Matthew 13:52 (NRSV)


[Scripture quotations (marked NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission.  All rights reserved.)

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Equals.

When we hear the word Christians in the media it always refers to extreme right-wing Christians.

But there is a Religious Left.

The Religious Left is largely a demographic that lives outside of the institutionalized Churches.

It includes, however, Progressive Christians many of whom are involved in Churches.

The Religious Right believes that it has a monopoly on the Divine.

But this is not true.

The Religious Left is equal with them before God.

And it is the Religious Left that will lead us into the Age of Aquarius.

So when you hear the word Christians be aware that it does not just refer to right-wing extremists.

The Religious Left is equally justified.


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Fear.

So what is it that corrupts the tenants of God's House?

By making Jesus the Christ they created an absolute which gave them absolute power.

And absolute power corrupts absolutely.

But I believe that the major problem is fear.

Fear of God, fear of sin, fear of sex, fear of women, fear of homosexuals, fear of punishment, fear of judgement, fear of humanity, fear of hell.....

These are the things which cause all the trouble.

But, you ask, why does not God tell them?

The answer is that He does.

Periodically God sends a messenger who has developed a better understanding to prophesy to them.

But they won't listen.

They attack the messenger and kill him.

"'Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it!'"  Matthew 23:37 (NRSV)

This is what Jesus meant when he said: "'For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, "Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord."'"  Matthew 23;39 (NRSV)

So, if we are to instigate an improvement, we must address their fears.

One of which is fear of criticism.

We must proceed gently with constructive criticism which does not trigger fear of challenges to their authority.

This is itself based on fear - fear of being wrong or of displeasing God which would result in hell.

Which is fear itself.

But there is no hell.

God does not punish our mistakes.

God forgives our errors.

And God shows infinite mercy.

God is All-Good.

He is our loving Father.

And we are His children.


[Scripture quotations (marked NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission.  All rights reserved.]

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God's House.

The church is God's House.

Ideally it is a refuge from the harsh realities of our world.

A place where people find sanctuary in the protective Love of God.

It is also a House of Prayer.

It is a place where people can come to petition God for help.

Unfortunately the tenants of God's House are prone to corruption and vice.

"Ah, you shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves!  Should not shepherds feed the sheep?  You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fatlings; but you do not feed the sheep.  You have not strengthened the weak, you have not healed the sick, you have not bound up the injured, you have not brought back the strayed, you have not sought the lost, but with force and harshness you have ruled them."  Ezekiel 34:2-4 (NRSV)

In Matthew 23 Jesus denounces the Pharisees for pride, hypocrisy, and extortion.

And in Luke 20 Jesus tells The Parable of the Wicked Tenants. 

All these refer to God's priesthood - His representatives on Earth.

And it is these representatives who killed Jesus.

So when you enter God's House be aware that you are not merely encountering God but His priesthood also.


[Scripture quotations (marked NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission.  All rights reserved.]

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Face Facts.

The Church cannot afford to continue to hold a nostalgic view of the past.

To romanticize Christendom and pretend that because most people went to church the world was perfect and spotless is tantamount to delusion.

It was not.

The Churches were full of hypocrites and pedophiles.

It was "a jungle out there".

And there were two world wars.

Christian missionaries abused thousands and destroyed indigenous cultures all over the world.

When will they face facts?

To continue to congratulate ourselves on how good we are in the face of a public image which is morally bankrupt is the road to disaster.

The Christian Churches are dying.

When will we wake up and face facts?


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