Diwali, also called Deepavali or Deepawali, is the Hindu festival of lights, with variations celebrated in other Indian religions such as Jainism and Sikhism. It symbolizes the spiritual victory of Dharma over Adharma, light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. This festival is as important to Hindus as the Christmas holiday is to Christians.
To all celebrating, may you lead us all into the light and to celebrate light over darkness in these times in which we live.
This Last Supper outrage is stupid. First, it’s not the Last Supper, it’s something else. Also, Jesus is more concerned about how his children treat one another and how we care for creation. Get mad about kids going hungry, clean water, violence, and hate. Ultimately it’s just an artist’s imagination that tells the story of Jesus and his bros having dinner for one final time at a table where everyone sitting on just one side. Just saying.
My name is Tony and I have been a religious person all my life. My spiritual journey has been one of faith and doubts. My belief in God is a part of who I am but not all that I am. As I have said before I am in no way a perfect believer. No one should be because it requires lots of practice and sometimes you fail but that is OK.
I know that Jesus loves me for who I am as a unique creation. My spiritual life is based on the notion that God is with me and has given me free will to make my own decisions and to make mistakes along the way. I am grateful to be with my missus who is traveling the same road.
My personal practice is based on loving God and my neighbors. Attending worship and having fellowship with fellow believers. I attend the rites and rituals of The Episcopal Church which is a part of the Anglican Communion. From there I find comfort and purpose to make the world better through loving those in my community who are different and even those who are not religious themselves.
As a religious person, I have made it my vow to be respectful to all. God would like it if all his kids would do that. However, when you see injustice you gotta call it out. That means you can’t always be nice and not everyone will like you.
All I ask for is understanding. My faith practice is not up for debate. I will answer questions to the best of my ability. I hope we can still be friends.
Everyone has something they have doubts about. It’s human nature I believe. As a person of faith, I have them all the time and that doesn’t make me less of a believer.
My God is big enough to understand. There is a story of a man named Thomas in the Christian tradition who had doubts about the return of Jesus after his crucifixion. It’s those doubts that made Thomas’ faith stronger. Doubt does not mean one stops believing it can mean getting more information in hopes you can be a better person.
It’s OK to have doubts based upon experiences in life. It’s easy to doubt when you have been let down about something. Doubts can help us make wise decisions about things. My friend’s doubt is a good thing. It’s a tool that can help you be a better person.
Today is Good Friday which is the day in which Jesus Christ was crucified. Considering all the bad things that people do why would a good man like Jesus die a painful and shocking death so that people would have an avenue for life everlasting? I believe it’s all about love. Jesus taught us to love one another, love our neighbors as ourselves and so much more. He healed the sick, fellowshipped, got angry, and did so many more things all in the name of love. We are all worthy of that love. No matter who you are, who you love, people of all races and faces and who you have been in your past it’s that sacrificial love that matters the most. So this is indeed a Good Friday where we celebrate love. As U2 sings once more in the name of love.
This is St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Chattanooga, Tennessee. For the last five weeks we have come here on Wednesdays to participate in the Thorne Sparkman School of Religion that is a series of lectures on matters of faith. We have talked about religion in the public square this year and have had some great speakers talk about that heady subject. It’s been a blessing to be here at Lent where we have worshipped and fellowshipped. Thanks to our friends John and Connie for sponsoring us.
The Tony Burgess Blog 