Hi there, my name is Tony Burgess (my friends call me T-Bird) from Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA. I am a believer, bleeding heart, idealist, and blogger. I'm married to Laura the Soup Diva and a dog dad to Frankie, Cody, and Mikey. Daily I work for a blood bank recruiting donors. My blog is where I chronicle and curate the sacred, serious, and silly things in my life. I am a member of The Episcopal Church. Thank you for connecting with me. Grace, peace, and love!
I have thought the problem with the church universal is that people know what it’s against versus what it’s for. There is the problem a lack of grace and love among its believers. There is also a problem with some seeing people as sinful before getting to know them. I know many gay and lesbians who are some of the best people of faith who have a calling on their lives too. One man I know is one of the best scholars on scripture I know.
There is also the problem with many in the church thinking they are above sin and can cast judgement on the lives of others and they see no speck in their eyes. I personally think the church needs to figure out inclusion because the LGBTQ community isn’t going away and the church could be stronger with some diversity. I am of the opinion that everyone is imperfect and there are loads of people who aren’t doing what they need to do to live with others in a faithful community. Jesus prime directive was to love one another as I loved you.
From Wikipedia: Set twenty-two years after the events of Jurassic Park, Jurassic World takes place on the same fictional island of Isla Nublar, where a fully-functioning dinosaur theme park has operated for ten years. The park plunges into chaos when a genetically-modified dinosaur, Indominus rex, breaks loose and runs rampant across the island.
I wasn’t sure what to think about this 4th movie but I enjoyed it. There was a lot to think about in this movie and it continues on the themes of the first movie. They do a great job of linking the past with the present with some differences. Jurassic World is everything the park would be in the future. It makes a commentary on the human condition where we have the need to be entertained in bigger, bolder ways.
Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard are great in this movie along with the rest of the cast that includes Judy Greer, Vincent D’Onofrio and BD Wong. Jimmy Fallon makes a cameo too. Friends I say go see this if you were a fan of the original movie. Expect to be more terrified instead of grossed out. You will sort of know what is coming but there are still some surprises and lots of chaos at times.
No two people will agree on 100% of all issues. I live in a area where I am a a minority in terms of my liberal leanings. Granted there are others who are more liberal than me so I might come across as a moderate. Getting over the fear of disappointing people when they find out what you think is something I have to deal with. My friends I want there to be a place for people like me in the community I live in but the last thing I want is conflict. People who think like me face ridicule for thinking different, divergent. In the back of my mind is there is a chance some friendships might end but if they can’t deal with a different point of view then are they worth keeping around in the first place?
I am seeing the LGBTQ community today and their elation of the events of the day and I see the joy and love happening here…then I compare that to the Christian community and I don’t see that so much. Many are so mired down in their dogma and the things they have been taught from time and memorial and they just seem so sad. They feel that what is happening is the downfall of society and that wrath will be unleashed.
I am a believer in God’s story being written daily and that maybe love is more important than theology or doctrine so perhaps we should celebrate that fact. People get to love who they choose and I know God has brought them together for a purpose to change the world for the better. Maybe Christians should learn from the LGBTQ community and figure out how to find joy like that so they too can do amazing things like inclusion and justice.
The Tony Burgess Blog 