Category Archives: Uncategorized

March 7, 2014

Gun Insurance

By Ed Anderson

Gun insurance. Why? What for? For the same reason I need to carry homeowner’s insurance on my property should someone injure themselves.

Gun insurance is needed for those who carry since injury to another person is always possible once a weapon is present. Why should a person carrying a gun be any less liable for its use than a homeowner who happens to have a swimming pool in their backyard?

Additionally, one must not carry a gun without gun insurance. If you are stopped by law enforcement and do not have proof of insurance your weapon is confiscated. Can’t think of a better way to manage guns given that 2nd amendment supporters aren’t going to relinquish their right to carry. If I had my way I’d vote for mandatory compliance in all states.

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , | posted in Uncategorized

February 3, 2014

Tolerance and Intolerance

By Ed Anderson
After being scolded with the following message (name withheld), “Wish we would have known the Real Ed about 25 years ago. You put on a good show I will give you that.”I responded with these words: “Though you may not like where I am on my personal journey, it is patently unfair to insinuate that what I preached and believed was a fake. That is untrue. During most of my life I was convinced that the Evangelical way of looking at things was correct. I don’t believe that anymore. My views have always leaned to the liberal side. If I had been, as you say, “the Real Ed” (I take that to be as I present my thinking today) then what difference would that have made? Only because one believes the same as you do is/was the criteria for gaining access to family and friends who are Christian? If so, I am offended.” (Some of the above was edited from the original message due to a few minor grammatical and syntax errors.)

Truth is hard to come by. There seem to be those who believe the truth they espouse is the only truth and that attempting to understand one’s faith from a different perspective is somehow worth insulting with little understanding. Though the above is mild by comparison to several others I have received from “friends”, I find it interesting that one would be inclined to distance themselves from my perspective without asking why or attempting to understand. I can only conclude there is little or no interest in exploring faith’s foundations, except as taught within the system. “It must be so because I have been told it was so”, and if one has always been told one thing there cannot be another.

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , | posted in Migrant Soul, Uncategorized

January 9, 2014

The Do’s and Don’ts About Prayer

By Ed Anderson

Leave a comment | posted in Uncategorized

December 20, 2013

Denying My Christian Faith So I Can “Carry” and Go to War

By Ed Anderson

One of the most perplexing issues to me as an observer of those who call themselves “Christian” is the rationalizations put forward by the “washed” to carry, conceal and make war (not necessarily defensive but preemptive or aggressive war). I am also confused by the attitude that would take down or frustrate those who think, look or act differently than themselves, such as Muslims, Gays and atheists. How is this kind of thought and behavior process Christian? Blindly following one’s own desires at the expense of true discipleship seems to me far too common among those who would call themselves followers of Christ. I see it as hypocritical and worthy of damnation.

Where are the true believers, the one’s who are consistent with their faith and platform? Where are the lovers of men and women who reach out without agenda to those who pose a religious and philosophical difference to their own? And, who are those who set themselves up as authorities regarding the truth, who argue passionately and arrogantly that they know anyone else’s religion is specious when compared to theirs? I am appalled and angered by the lack of compassion for those who see, hear, feel and think about religion, politics and living one’s life different than the professed masses of Jesus followers. This kind of prejudicial and convenient/inconvenient thinking has to stop or we will be at each other’s throats until we are no more, or is that what Christians want?

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , | posted in Uncategorized

December 19, 2013

Coercion and Universalism

By Ed Anderson
There is a tendency in the religious community to universalize spiritual experience. As if to say that when one comes to a new revelation it is imperative everyone/many/most have a similar or identical awareness. This is what most disagreements amount to and is the foundation of most wars. It is unfortunate that when one sees a glimmer of spiritual light in a different color one finds themselves looking into the stained glass window rather than out.

For some reason, human beings cannot tolerate differing viewpoints without mild to major frustration and feel the need to use coercion on those judged apart. Latent to blatant use of tactics made to impress, manipulate or force harmonized thinking are implemented to bring back those who have “fallen away.” Independent thinking and personal responsibility are sacrificed for the comfort of the larger group. Trusting one’s self to have determined a path, that for them/us is the right path, even in the face of opposing and often contrary traditional and sentimental thinking is very difficult and often results in self-doubt. Often the end result is conceding to those who, because of their greater numbers, appear to know the truth. 

I encourage exploration into one’s faith and thinking, even if it takes you on paths you never knew existed and feel unprepared to explore. Find them out for your self. Do not take the word of others, including this writer, but explore the “truth” by asking the basic questions. Finding the truth for yourself is not easy work. It will be a challenge. The easy way out is to accept what you have been told without raising questions about it. Don’t succumb to that line of reasoning as you will have nothing in the end.

 

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in Uncategorized

November 26, 2013

You Believe What?

By Ed Anderson

The following argument is in response to a person proposing a proof of God he had recently discovered, finding it to be a satisfactory proof. John Loftus responds as follows:

“Is this why you believe? Surely not, because you believed before ever hearing of this argument. So tell me why you first believed. That is much more interesting to me. I want to know what brought you to believe in the first place. Which religious or non-religious options did you consider before choosing Christianity? What program of study did you follow in doing so? What works of a skeptical nature did you consider before making your choice?” – John Loftus

Merely accepting what parents, friends and family believe is not proof of anything, let alone Christianity.

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , | posted in Uncategorized

October 21, 2013

Piety

By Ed Anderson

“The existence of pious feeling, in conjunction with intolerance, cruelty, and selfish policy, has never ceased to surprise and perplex those who have viewed it calmly from a distance.” 

Lydia Maria Child, The Progress of Religious Ideas Through Successive Ages (1855)

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , | posted in Uncategorized

October 16, 2013

Death need not be feared

By Ed Anderson

Hopi Indian Prayer: An encouraging prayer when facing death…

Leave a comment | posted in Uncategorized

September 14, 2013

Economic Meltdown

By Ed Anderson

A video about the current and past economic conditions of our world has me doing some major thinking. I recommend it to you below on Bill Moyers site. It is called “Capitalism Hits the Fan”. The lecturer is Richard Wolff from the University of Massachusetts. If you are a capitalist you will be challenged. If you are a socialist you will be challenged. Guaranteed!

‪’Capitalism Hits the Fan’: A Lecture by Richard Wolff on the Economic Meltdown‬

 

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , | posted in Uncategorized

August 26, 2013

From Tomorrow Can We Borrow?

By Ed Anderson

DSC_0926

 

A song about a 1963 kind of hope… I’ve left the text set up for recording.

1963 HOPE: From Tomorrow Can We Borrow?

 4/4 135

Intro:  ∞Am           ∞=riff, |=break

Am                 F                                          Am

1. A bullet from a gun, laid out a man named Jack.

F                                           Am

Blood smeared on a dress, soft tissue made a place.

E7                       F       |                                   ∞Am

Jack’s body grew cold, Our nation mourned his soul.

Am                  F                                  Am

2. Boots reversed, sorrow leading Black Jack,

F                          Am

Veiled lady dressed in black, a nation’s long night.

E7                                F       |                          ∞Am

Two children wonder where? Their father isn’t there.

C ✓                      G                         F                  Am

Cho.: So can we borrow from tomorrow? When this madness is past?

E7                                F           |                                  ∞   Am

We’ve had too much of sorrow. From tomorrow can we borrow?

Bridge: E7-F-C-E7-Am

Am                           F                                                    Am

3. Years have left us weary, family, friends, preparing graves.

F                                              Am

Viet Cong to Taliban, we’ve spent our nation’s face.

(Viet Nam/Afghanistan)

E7                                         F       |                                      ∞Am

Will there come a time for easing? Will there come a time for peace?

Cho: (Repeat as above and fade)

© 2012, Ed Anderson

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , | posted in Uncategorized