Sharp IronSharp IronMy hope is that Sharp Iron can be a friendly enough place that you would feel comfortable sharing your thoughts and opinions on a variety of topics. I am very interested in spirituality and how that affects every aspect of our lives. Articles
Part 2: Crossan on the Meaning of Christ?s Sacrifice
2009-08-06 18:16:00 The following is excerpted from John Domonic Crossan?s book, ?God and Empire?: “THE MEANING OF SACRIFICE” Apart from narrativity, let alone historicity, there is the deeper question of the theology within which Jesus ’s execution is understood then and now by Christian believers. For The Passion of the Christ and millions of Christians, it was a theology of ... More About: Religion , Christianity , Faith
Part 1: Robert Wright on the Roots of Religious Sacrifice
2009-08-06 17:05:00 In his expansive work, “The Evolution of God”, Robert Wright talks of ‘primitive’ religion, as observed among the Polynesians of the 18th and 19th centuries, and how it compares to modern society: If you compare modern life with life in a hunter-gatherer society, the differences are big. We have a complexly productive economy, featuring division of ... More About: Roots , Part , Sacrifice , The Roots
God?s Exact Words: Bothered by the Good Book
2009-07-28 19:00:00 In an earlier thread, Logiopath and I shared this exchange: Logio: The next time your boss tells you something, try and read a double meaning into the words. In other words, if the Gospel texts have any reflection of Jesus’ words, then what is said is probably what is meant (regardless of the accuracy of the ... More About: Words , Book , Good , The Good
Shameful Revelation
2009-07-23 15:36:00 Thank God , I will get a view of the Battle of Armageddon from the grand stand seats of the heavens. All who are born again will see the battle of Armageddon, but it will be from the skies (Carl McIntire, 1965) What then should be the believer’s attitude to the destruction of the world by fire? ... More About: Religion , Christianity , Jesus , Bible
The Gospels and Anti-Semitism
2009-07-21 00:15:00 In his book, ?God and Empire?, John Dominic Crossan makes a good case for the claims that the popular portrayals of Jesus ’ passion is at the root of anti-Semitism: The residents of the Bavarian village of Oberammergau have staged a Passion Play every decade on the decade and also on special anniversaries in gratitude for protection ... More About: Religion , Christianity , Church , Culture
Jesus? Radical View of Divorce
2009-07-17 19:10:00 Next to homosexuality the issue that seems to be most contentious for the Christian church is that of divorce. I?ve heard people say, when arguing for Christian tolerance of gays, that in the Bible Jesus never spoke out against homosexuality but he did specifically condemn divorce, a practice widely accepted within (if not a prime ... More About: Divorce , Religion , Christianity , Theology
All My Taste Is In My Mouth? I Wish!
2009-07-16 03:23:00 Is there a doctor in the house?! Or maybe someone else expert in physiology? Or maybe someone who has experienced something similar to what I am going through right now? Because a funny thing happened to me two weeks ago; I lost my taste. Now before you start in with the jokes about my obviously pre-existing ... More About: Cuisine , Mouth , Taste , Culinary Arts
God is Good to the Last Drop. Maybe.
2009-07-08 23:43:00 I?m in the middle of an interesting book; ?Ready for Rapture? by Daniel Radosh. I doubt it is a book that many Christians will pick up – but they should. Radosh, a practicing Jew that happens to be agnostic (?) brings an outsider?s fresh perspective to the inside of Christian pop culture. And that is ... More About: Good , Drop
Tired of Waiting for the Beginning of the End Times?
2009-07-01 23:13:00 If you ever get one of these letters then..uh-oh? Dear Floyd; This message has been sent to you by a friend or a relative who has recently disappeared along with millions and millions of people around the world. The reason they chose to send you this letter is because they cared about you and would like ... More About: Religion , Christianity , Jesus , Theology , God
Now I Get It?.The REAL Trinity
2009-06-30 02:54:00 Ah. It just struck me this evening. There IS such a thing as a Trinity that is supported by church doctrine, tradition and history. But it is none too holy. Posted in Christianity , God , Gospel , Orthodoxy, Religion Tagged: Babylon, Caesar, Doctrine, Holy Trinty More About: Real
In His Own Image
2009-06-27 04:23:00 Posted in Christianity, Fundamentalism, Religion Tagged: Genesis 1:27, Joel Osteen, Paula White, religious hypocrites, televangelist More About: Image
Must Christians Believe in Miracles?
2009-06-23 21:52:00 The four Gospel narratives are filled with examples of Jesus performing miraculous acts. According to Matthew’s version, even his life began supernaturally, in that his conception was not the result of a sexual union. For most Christians , the picture of Jesus working miracles seems to be exactly what one would expect of a divine being -the ... More About: Miracles
God Appreciates a Little Back-Talk Once in a While
2009-06-12 19:13:00 In her sermon last Sunday, Heather addressed the different ways in which people approach scriptures, especially those parts that we tend to find disturbing. The scripture in question that day was John 3:18, the often overlooked verse that follows the famous John 3:16-17. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so ... More About: Talk , Back
Murder: The Invevitable Result of Racism
2009-06-10 23:45:00 The most popular post I’ve ever written has been “The Black Jesus”. I don’t think it’s because it’s particularly well written or even that controversial, per se, but it gets a tremendous amount of hits (for me), probably just because of the title. I was amazed to find that, as of 5:30 pm EST , this ... More About: Murder , Racism , Result
And Much Cattle?
2009-06-10 18:27:00 In the Robert Wise’s classic sci-fi movie, “The Day the Earth Stood Still”, an alien visits Washington DC with an important message for the world: repent of your evil ways or face annihilation from above. Which sort of reminded me of the story of Jonah and his warning to Ninevah. In the movie we never are ...
The Uncertainty of God
2009-06-05 16:33:00 We all know the story of Moses’ encounter with God through the burning bush, where God first tells Moses who he is: Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what ...
In Case of Rapture, Check I.D.
2009-06-02 19:20:00 In Isaiah 46 the author talks of two of the ancient Babylonian Gods, Bel and Nebo: 1 Bel bows down, Nebo stoops low; their idols are borne by beasts of burden. The images that are carried about are burdensome, a burden for the weary. 2 They stoop and bow down together; unable to rescue the burden, they themselves go off into captivity. I ... More About: Religion , Christianity , Jesus , Fundamentalism , Bible
Fundamentally Opposed to Spirituality
2009-05-29 15:42:00 “A spirituality revolution is taking place in Western and Eastern societies as politics fails as a vessel of hope and meaning. This revolution is not to be confused with the rising tide of religious fundamentalism, although the two are caught up in the same phenomenon: the emergence of the sacred as a leading force in ... More About: Spirituality
Does the Doctrine of Penal Substitutionary Atonement Promote Torture?
2009-05-26 18:33:00 Not for the first time have I been perplexed by the Church ’s long affair with torture. Is this just a case in which flawed and sinful men, having taken control of the Church, used brutal and violent means to achieve their own ends? Or is there some warped thread woven into the very fabric of ... More About: Religion , Christianity , Theology , Promote
American Gospel: The Parable of the Strong Goats and the Weak Sheep
2009-05-21 15:55:00 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the goats ... More About: Religion , Christianity , Church , God , Faith
Bad Christians Not Welcome
2009-05-20 21:40:00 Most teachers and parents have long understood that the positive reinforcement of desired behavior is a much more powerful learning tool than any punishment for undesired behavior ; Behavior modification assumes that observable and measurable behaviors are good targets for change. All behavior follows a set of consistent rules. Methods can be developed for defining, observing, ... More About: Christians
10 Things Your Doctor Doesn?t Know (or Won?t Tell You)
2009-05-15 18:37:00 In an earlier post, Is Your Doctor Killing You? , I mentioned Gary Taubes? excellent book “Good Calories, Bad Calories”. I just finished it and it is one of the most important books I have ever read. It’s a fairly deep and dense book, filled with large amounts of scientific and epidemiological information. Rigorously researched, ... More About: Food , Things
Postmodernism for Dummies (by a Postmodern Dummy)
2009-05-13 16:42:00 What’s it all about, anyway? Is postmodernism a good thing or a bad thing? Some people accuse others of being ‘post modern’, using it as an epithet. Others wear the mantra proudly. But what does it mean? There are plenty of opinions on this, from the pedestrian to the scholarly. But I often find that they ... More About: Christianity , Culture , History , Dummies , Emerging Church
Funny Fundamentalists?
2009-05-11 21:49:00 … are pretty hard to find. Except for the ones who are funny by accident. Someone told me these fundies were pretty funny so I went to their site. Yikes! They think that the Emerging Church is a real hoot. Here’s a sample: And that was one of the funny ones. (I thought I was an ... More About: Funny
Is God Displeased with Dancing? Really?
2009-05-11 18:22:00 I doubt it. But apparently some people know exactly what kinds of things will push the divine buttons. At least they have their priorities straight. Ohio Christian school tells student to skip prom Buzz Up Fri May 8, 12:05 pm ET FINDLAY, Ohio – A student at a fundamentalist Baptist school that forbids dancing, rock music, hand-holding and kissing will ... More About: Dancing
Jesus with a Gun (Dissonance Within the Cognitive Christian)
2009-05-06 18:37:00 Gary Taubes talks about Cognitive Dissonance, which is, as he puts it: …the tension that results from trying to hold two incompatible beliefs simultaneously……When the philosopher of science Thomas Kuhn discussed cognitive dissonance in scientific research- “the awareness of an anomaly in the fit between theory and nature” – he suggested that scientists will typically do ... More About: Christian , Jesus
God Says; Skip the Salad but Bring On the BBQ!
2009-05-05 15:23:00 Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain ... More About: Salad
Is Your Doctor Killing You?
2009-05-02 11:53:00 This is a story about Bob. There are millions of people who have stories just like his. When Bob was 35 years old he had his blood cholesterol checked. The results indicated that his total cholesterol was through the roof – 351 mm/dl. The conventional wisdom said that anything over 200 was indicative of a high ... More About: Doctor , Killing
What?s Good for the Goose?
2009-04-17 23:00:00 This is happening near my home town: Columbia restaurant vandalized for second time Restaurant had previously been targeted for serving foie gras By Don Markus | don.markus@baltsun.com 11:58 AM EDT, April 13, 2009 A Howard County restaurant that was vandalized last month in an apparent protest against the serving of foie gras has been hit again. Steve Wecker, co-owner of ... More About: Culture , Current Events , Cuisine , Goose , Good
The Dead Pirates Society
More articles from this author:2009-04-16 23:01:00 I feel like shouting “Huzzah!” for the Navy SEALs and their superb marksmanship on the Arabian Sea earlier this week. But should I? As a Christian, shouldn’t I feel just a little bit guilty about that? Well, I don’t. Not in the least. I am proud of the SEALs who took the shots, the officers who ... More About: Society , Pirates , Dead 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
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