Sermon 3

I like to ask questions. Wonder. Do you like to wonder? The questions I ask are not contingent on my existence and are not necessarily my views. So…

Is this sound advice?

“Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.”

Does this include criticism of the belief Jesus is divine? Would that be persecution? If it is persecution doesn’t that help insulate the belief Jesus is divine and possibly cause division and not foster an arena for cooperation? If Heaven is the goal isn’t persecution a good thing? So is this good advice from a divine being?

Sermon

And Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” (‭Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭3-6‬ NIV)

Is Jesus saying, “No matter how dire things may seem here on Earth, and the more dire the better, one is rewarded with the ultimate goal, Heaven”? So a child born into poverty with horrible access to fresh drinking water, good healthcare and diet is better off than a child born into the opposite of that? Isn’t that the claim Jesus is making? And if that claim is true should one become as poor as possible, therefor, guaranteeing a spot in Heaven?

Based in what?

What are honor killings based in? What is the denial of homosexuals having marriage equality based in? What is circumcision based in? What were witch burnings based in? What is the command to kill apostates based in? What is denying women an education based in? Believing  family members will burn for eternity for having differing beliefs is based in what? Or believing family members will not be rewarded with eternal bliss for having differing beliefs is based in what? Disowning a child for rejecting a claim about how the universe works simply for demanding evidence is based in what? Demanding my child be subjected in school, where they are a captive audience, to undemonstrated claims about how the universe works and infringe on my child’s First Amendment right is based in what? Being expected to remain silent and accused of being “angry” or “militant” or breaking a taboo or protesting too much by challenging ideas  about how the universe works is based in what? Being forced to deny the Theory of Evolution and providing no evidence to the contrary is based in what? Being forced to deny the Big Bang Theory and providing no evidence to the contrary is based in what? Being forced to deny Climate Change and providing no evidence to the contrary is based in what? Embracing an anti-science attitude in the face of mountains of demonstrable evidence while you post this attitude on the internet, brought to us by science, is based in what? Believing one is broken, vile, unworthy and expected to prostrate oneself, begging for forgiveness for “wrongs” committed, not by them but by someone who had no idea what the difference between right and wrong are in the first place is based in what?