It Is NOT Hate

Recently, Kenneth Howell,  an adjunct faculty at the University of Illinois was removed from teaching the two classes that he taught on Catholicism.  He had been accused by a friend of one of his students of “hate speech”.  Specifically, he had stated that he agreed with the Catholic doctrine that homosexual sex is immoral.

So he was fired for saying he agreed with Catholic doctrine?

What happened to religious freedom?

What happened to free speech?

What happened to academic freedom?

The case is under review and I certainly hope that he is reinstated.

Perhaps it would be better if it was called a sin, rather than immoral.  Calling it a sin would clearly identify it as a religious position.  We all know that we have religious freedom in this country.  No one accuses the Mormon church of  hate speech for their position that drinking caffeine is a sin.  If you don’t believe it to be true, it shouldn’t bother you.

Of course, Dr. Howell has no control over what the Catholic church teaches. They have their position.  He was hired to teach the class.  He has the right to  believe in what Catholicism teaches.  He has the right to say so.

It is not hate.

The Search Continues

“Think carefully, you only get to spend your money once.”

This is advice that I gave to my children when they were young.  To begin with they got an allowance and they were allowed to spend it however they wanted to spend it.  Then when they were sixteen they got part-time jobs.  Again they were allowed to spend their money however they wanted to spend it, but we no longer gave them money.  We provided a place to live, food to eat and some basic clothes.  They had their own money for gas, entertainment and stuff.

You only get to spend it once.

We are currently in the market for a black leather studio couch.  It has been hard to find.  We are also looking for a travel trailer.  We have specific ideas about what we are looking for and it has not been easy.  At times it has been discouraging but we hold off on our purchase because we too, can only spend our money once.

Do you wait for what you want, or settle for what you can find easily?

There are many things in life that we have to choose.  How we spend our money and our time, are important decisions.  Sometimes we have to choose quickly.  Sometimes we can afford to wait.

Choose wisely.

Trading Freedom for Security

Last night at Bible study, a women shared that she had quit her job even though she did not have another one lined up.  Someone else commented that  she had traded security for freedom.  She needed the income, but had been discontent for a while at her place of employment.

It got me thinking.

The health care bill is supposed to provide security by providing coverage for everyone, but it has mandatory obligations.

Air travel is much more restricted, for security purposes.

Banking regulations will probably soon be in place, hopefully providing greater economic security.

These are three recent examples of decreasing freedom for increased security.  I suspect that as we examine our lives we would find that there is often a tension, or a trade-off, between freedom and security.  I am certain that there are times that the trade-off is worthwhile.  There are other times that I suspect we have made a poor bargain.

Deal? or No Deal?

Freedom?  Or Security?

What Do You Want?

In Exodus 33:18, Moses asks God “Please, show me Your glory.”

This is an amazing passage because by this time Moses has already experienced the burning bush, the exodus from Egypt, the revelation at Mt. Sinai, multiple miraculous encounters and the daily presence of the column of smoke by day and the pillar of fire by night.

What more does he expect?

He recognizes that, even with all that he has experienced, there is still more to God and he wants more knowledge of God.

What about us?

I am concerned that far too many of us are quite content with the little, bitty, revelation of God that we have received.  We have received a taste, and it is enough for us.

Instead of desiring more of God, we want more stuff.  We want a new computer, phone, television, or some other thing of this world.  We have an insatiable appetite for the material, but are content with a small dab of the spiritual.

That is exactly reversed from what it should be.  We should be content with a dab of the material, and hunger for more of God.

I know that I have been challenged by these thoughts, and just wanted to share them with you.

Time to Begin

I have now been blogging for two years.  This will be my 375th post, there have been over 1000 comments.  For the most part, I have written something every morning Monday-Thursday.  It has simply become a part of my morning routine.

That is about to change. 

I will still blog on those morning when I wake up with something on my mind that I want to share with those in cyber-space.  On those morning when I do not have something to write about, instead of sitting at the computer until some idea strikes me, I am going to use that time to begin writing a book expounding on my philosophical views.  I have been thinking about doing this for over ten years and I am not getting any younger. 

It should be done in about ten more years.

If  you want to be notified of when I do post a new article you can subscribe by email and you will be contacted by the site.  

It’s not goodbye, it’s see you less often.