Tag Archives: authority

The Authority Song

While I was having dinner tonight, I chatted with the bartender about a variety of matters, but especially about some of the enduring aspects of American culture. From time to time I have discussed my own family history, but despite … Continue reading

Posted in Bible, Christianity, Musings | Tagged , | 2 Comments

The Enemies Of Our Existence

Earlier today I was watching some online videos about Columbo, a popular series mainly (but not only) in the 1970’s that had a particular approach to it. In the show, the audience knew who (and why) the murder was committed … Continue reading

Posted in Church of God, History, Musings | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Are We To Be Governed by Laws Or Men?

Do laws and rules exist as common standards to govern our conduct, to be enforced as fairly and justly as is possible, or are we to be governed by people based on questions of identity? We have at present in … Continue reading

Posted in Musings | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Don’t Believe Your Eyes And Ears

One of the unfortunate truths of competition is that incompetence tends to lead people to suspect that what was once seen as honest competition was in fact rigged. Once this suspicion is formed, it is hard for trust to be … Continue reading

Posted in Musings | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Monkeys With Backers

There is a common cliche that people use as a means of discussing probability and statistics that ponders how many monkeys with keyboards it would take to create the works of Shakespeare, and the answer is usually some sort of … Continue reading

Posted in Musings | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Kings And Priests In The Bible

[Note: The following is the prepared text for a Bible Study given to the Portland congregation of the United Church of God on September 28, 2022.] This is a busy time of year for all of us as we prepare … Continue reading

Posted in Bible, Biblical History, Christianity, Church of God, History, Musings, Sermonettes | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Long Live The King?

If one either feels rapturous or hostile feelings towards a person or institution, it seems easy to write about it, but my own feelings about monarchy, whether based on my own limited and unpleasant personal experience with the institution thus … Continue reading

Posted in History, Musings | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Representation In The Writings of Paul: Part Four

[Note: Parts One, Two, and Three of this paper can be read through the provided links.] Having examined representation in the writings of Paul as far as the relationship between husbands and wives and the role of women in the … Continue reading

Posted in Bible, Biblical History, Christianity, Church of God, History, Musings | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Representation In The Writings Of Paul: Part Three

[Note: The previous parts of this series may be found here and here.] Having examined, at least briefly, the way that Paul uses representation when it comes to matters of ethnicity and political identity, it is worthwhile to ponder the … Continue reading

Posted in Bible, Biblical History, Christianity, Church of God, E Pluribus Unim, History, Love & Marriage, Musings | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Representation In The Writings Of Paul: Part One

Yesterday, as I write this, I had a conversation with a deacon from a nearby congregation whom I happen to know fairly well who was talking about a paper he was working on concerning the contentious issue of women’s roles … Continue reading

Posted in American History, Bible, Biblical History, Christianity, Church of God, E Pluribus Unim, History, Love & Marriage, Musings | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments