E D Skinner

Fiction, facts, and philosophy

Theology

I Suppose We Could Excuse This Because …
Posts
10/13/12

Paul, a late-comer who “got the word” on the road to Damascus rather than directly from Jesus but was then sanctioned by His Disciples, wrote to the early Christian Church in Corinth and said a lot of things.

First Person Gospels, Revised
Posts
9/5/12

After a first pass through my previous list of “first person Gospels” – those written or dictated by those who directly knew Jesus, see HERE – my gut told me some of these were somewhat less than direct. For example, the three numbered John books (I John, II John and III John) have a significantly different focus than the Gospel According to John.

Direct Books in the New Testament
Posts
7/31/12

Note Added Later: My list of “direct books” is revised in a later post on this topic. Look here for that update.

Today’s Plan
Posts
7/27/12

Help me this day to become aware of the opportunities you put before me. Give me the strength to act upon them, the patience to see them through, and help me find the humility to accept your plan over mine.

Evil and Suffering
Posts
6/4/12

A parent, watching their child take its first steps, knows it may fall. As a result, we stand ready to catch them when they do.

Origin of the Universe
Posts
6/3/12

Everything I can see, touch, hear, find in fossils or discern in the extreme reaches of the most distant super galaxies and quasars all tell me that everything changes according to “cause and effect”.

God Chooses
Posts
5/10/12
"That is, if this being is omnipotent, then every occurrence, including every human action, every human thought, and every human feeling and aspiration is also His work; how is it possible to think of holding men responsible for their deeds and thoughts before such an almighty Being? In giving out punishment and rewards He would to a certain extent be passing judgment on Himself. How can this be combined with the goodness and righteousness ascribed to Him?"

Now, I am hardly going to purport myself smarter than Albert Einstein nor wiser than all of humanity which has struggled with issues of God and man’s role in a larger plan, or even that such a plan exists. But I am going to say that I differ from the conclusion above because it results from assumptions that are, in my opinion, incorrect. I think anyone who ascribes to scientific method and the application of logic might follow my thinking in this.

Doubting Thomas
Posts
4/8/12

Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

To Do
Posts
3/14/12

Several years ago I adopted a three-tiered organization. To Do’s were divided into Must, Should and Could categories. And within each, things were in priority order.

Joe
Posts
12/1/11

I asked him, “When you’re not traveling, Joe, where’s home?”