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Bondage in Religion

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  Photo by  Hasan Almasi  on  Unsplash I was refreshing my recollection in the reading of the epistle today, especially, these words: “See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ.” What are all these things, and especially, “according to the elemental spirits of the universe?” And what is the captivity? That would imply some sort of bondage and anti-freedom, the kind that religions are often tempted to enforce and reinforce. Two keys emerge from the context of the text. The first is simple and clearly stated: “… not according to Christ.” That is, it has no accord with Christ. It does not factor in Christ. It excludes the liberating gospel of God in Jesus Christ. It is specifically contrary to Christ. The other hint for defining these elemental spirits is what they do in the life of believers: They bring on condemnation and nullify our freedom in
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We All Suffer

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  The psalmist either had a short sighted view of God, an over-inflated sense of his and his people's own righteousness, a limited perspective, all of the above, some of the above mixed together, or an insight into how things are in the real world -- that both the righteous and the unrighteous suffer. Some suffering comes inevitably as a natural consequence of making poor choices. Some suffering comes because we make right choices. MLK called that redemptive. Some suffering comes because we all breath common air or because other people make poor choices in a world where we breath common air, or because we wore purple on Friday or for some other random or intentional purpose. Some suffering comes to shape, better, or enrich us. In any event, we all suffer and no one theological, philosophical, biblical, moral, or scientific explanation can account for all of it. " All this has come upon us, though we have not forgotten you, and we have not been false to your covenant. Our heart
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Into the Darkness Where We Find Light

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  Most of us are reluctant to enter the darkness. It intimidates us because it is unknown and frightening.     Moses approached it and entered it after uttering the summary to the Law to the people of God in the wilderness.     Why?     Because that is where God was. God was within and behind the curtain of darkness.     That is where Moses wanted, needed, and was called to be. That is where he could find and experience authentic light. That is where the mystery resided and where holiness enveloped all that is common and superficial.     The people heard the very down to earth, common words of the Law, but knew they had come from within the cloud of awesome holiness. They knew that there was something deeper, greater, and vastly incomprehensible behind them and within them.     They trembled with fear, but Moses, wisely told them not to be afraid. These words had come to them as a gift.     Through them, they would be trained and tested, developed, and refined.     These words would
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