As the Speare Shakes…

We all know William Shakespeare, right, one of the biggest balls in the whole white, Y-chromosome-ladened round of the Western canon… Now, I’m far from being a Shakespeare aficionado, and even farther away from being one who has read and/or watched all the great Bard has, apparently, plumed for us, but I’m no Shakespearean slouch … Read more

God only knows…

Ostrakon with Biblical Text

Suppose two men are fighting and hit a pregnant woman, causing the baby to come out. If there is no further injury, the man who caused the accident must pay money—whatever amount the woman’s husband says and the court allows. But if there is further injury, then the punishment that must be paid is life for … Read more

Does it matter if our soul* is eternal?

Leaving religion with its heavens and hells and golden-paved avenues and abiding virgins and doting angels and disinterested saints and other high-ranking, hifalutin gods and demigods aside, is there an actual evolutionary and/or functioning purpose for an eternal soul? In other words, does the fact that our souls are eternal matter to our day-to-day struggle … Read more

The River and the Bed

The river winds around my head, Fish before my eyes. I lay my cheek upon its bed and Contemplate the skies of Morning’s red, of Midday’s blue, of Twilight’s pink aglow, that Filters through the rushing stream Born of mountains long ago. Where does it go in such a rush from Rushing ’bout my mind? … Read more

A Pebble is a Rock is a Mountain is Me

I look at the little pebble at my feet and can’t help but think But for the grace of god go I And then laugh Not out of humor But of fear Because he’s nowhere But within the magic of my mind The madness For, but for the grace of chance goes that pebble at … Read more

If You Believe It, You’ll See It

I really, really wish I could believe all the bizarre hocus pocus things like astrology and palm readings and other pseudo-sciencey, pseudo-religiousy things so I could lay all my blame for all the unpleasantries going on all over this pretty yet petulant planet of ours (those dang locusts in Africa are biblically unrelenting) on a … Read more

Any “Weird Christians” Out There?

When I was a kid a buddy of mine would occasionally drag me along to a Catholic church service with him, seeing how misery loves company, especially as a child. Even though I hadn’t a clue what was going on — being raised Protestant — I was always mesmerized by the outlandish garb, the thick … Read more

Proverbs and a Poem

How long, you simpletons, will you insist on being simpleminded? How long will you mockers relish your mocking? How long will you fools hate knowledge? Proverbs 1:22, New Living Translation O, but the mockers’ cry Makes my heart afraid, As though a flute of bone Taken from a heron’s thigh, A heron crazed by the … Read more

No Mind, No Attachment

The Mind in its dimensions is broad and great, like empty space. It has no sides or limits, it is neither square nor round, neither large nor small. It is neither blue, yellow, red, nor white; it has neither upper nor lower; it is neither long nor short. It knows neither anger nor pleasure, neither … Read more

Screwed

Did thine Savior truly say,
Blessed are those who do not doubt me,
Ere His mounting upon that skull-shaped hill?

If so, then needs must be to Him I pray
On a bended and shaky knee
Begging for Him to bless me, still.

For, while I have no doubt today
That the Son of God is He,
Tomorrow, without a doubt, I will.
 

#ofthejournals