Generation X.

Generation X (born 1960 - 1970) have many of the characteristics of Narcissism:

They judge others but they never look at themselves.

They are the self-appointed judges of humanity.

They think they are agents of God's punishment.

They put themselves first. (Me-first)

They expect others to solve their problems for them.

Their favorite word is hate.

They think that hate gives them power.

They have big egos.

They love the devil.

They think they are above reproach.

They invariably wear all black.

They love the darkness.

Because this hides their evil nature from themselves and others.

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Narcissism.

Narcissistic Personality Disorder has five major characteristics:

They are never wrong.

They never apologize.

They blame others for their own mistakes.

They steal territory.

They change the rules when challenged.

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Cupidity.

The sin of the political right is that it justifies cupidity.

Cupidity is greed for money and possessions.

It is the daughter of materialism.

And it is the way of the world.

But Jesus said that the way of the world was evil. (John 7:7 )

And so the religious right is in the business of justifying evil.

They "call evil good and good evil."  Isaiah 5:24 (NRSV)

And they claim it in the name of God.

[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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Exploitation.

You might think that exploitation is the smart thing to do.

But to take advantage of God's good nature in order to get money, possession, and status for yourself is the greater sin.

For God says: "'You fool!  This very night your life is being demanded of you.  And the things you have prepared, who's will they be?'  So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich towards God."  Luke 12:20.21 (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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Fears.

When I am afflicted with negative thoughts or feelings that cannot be attributed to my own fears I pray for help.

I lay down the sword and cry out to God!

And the answer is always the same:

It is fear in the people around me.

These fears affect us across the collective and many of them are unconscious.

Fear of homosexuality, fear of AIDS, fear of punishment, fear of sex, fear of change..... 

We cannot expect these fears which blight humanity to be overcome overnight.

But if we can dissolve them one fear at a time we will make a difference.

God's Light can bring these fears into focus.

And we can deal with them.

So when you are feeling bad or negative pray to God for help.

He will hear.

And He will show you the fear that is causing it.

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Substitutionary Atonement.

Substitutionary Atonement theory states that Jesus' suffering and death on the cross was punishment from God for the sins of humanity.

This is not only appalling but offensive to our sense of justice and our image of God as a loving Father.

There are theories of Substitutionary Atonement in the Jewish scriptures but they only apply to minor sins.

These relate to things like the Pascal Lamb, the animal sacrifice system, and the suffering servant (Isaiah), and extends to some martyrs.

But the Christian Church has expanded these concepts to apply to all humanity.

How could a loving Father require punishment for our sins and transfer this punishment onto His Son?

God is merciful and forgiving.

He is not a punisher of men and women. 

That being said Jesus' suffering and death may satisfy those who require a ransom for our souls.

Human beings who demand punishment for sins.

But I do not believe that God requires this.

And so Substitutionary Atonement theory is bankrupt.

It no longer applies to humanity.

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Punishment.

The problem with the Old Testament is that it assumes that negative experiences in our lives are caused by divine punishment for sin.

This is not true. 

Our negative experiences are mostly caused by other human beings acting in ignorance and fear.

It is not punishment from God.

And so natural disasters like earthquakes and drought are part of the autonomous functioning of nature not divine acts of retribution.

God waits for us.

He watches over us.

But He will not be compromised.

In the end God is Love.

"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love."  1 John 4:18 (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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Adam and Eve.

If the story of Adam and Eve and Original Sin is true why do other cultures not replicate it?

There is no Original Sin in Hinduism or Buddhism.

Neither is there Original Sin in Chinese or other Asian cultures.

Each culture has its own stories of creation.

The Greek culture explained the events of our world as conflicts and interactions of the gods.

So we are free to reject Original Sin as we have rejected Pantheism and Legalism.

We are not cursed or separated from God.

We are only immature beings imprisoned by our selfishness.

Beings that in time will realize our interconnectedness and our relationship with all life which is God.

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