Monthly Archives: March 2013

A Little Bit Country

I grew up in a country home in the suburbs of America. What I mean is, my parents were both country people, mountain born and bred. However, when they met they were living in the city, and continued to live in urban or suburban environments for the rest of their lives. When they married they were both living in Richmond, Va. That’s where they stayed, and that’s where I grew up. We lived in a northside residential area known as Lakeside, average family dwellings, but with no lake. Our upbringing (by “our” I mean myself, my sister and my brother) was in many ways typically suburban and middle class. But there was a difference…

You see, though living near the city, my parents never became completely citified. Oh, they probably appeared that way to the kinfolk still living back in Bacon Hollow or near Buck Mountain. But the truth is they never lost their country ways, not really. That is the reason I grew up eating and acting and thinking “countrified” in a lot of ways. Continue reading

Group Snapshot: Unification Church (Moonies)

Anyone who was alive in the 1970’s knows at least something about the “Moonies.” Go to any decent sized city and it was common to see the followers of Rev. Sun Myung Moon standing on street corners, selling flowers and raising millions of dollars for their “True Father.” The Moonies were virtually the standard stereotype for what a brainwashing, life-dominating cult was supposed to be.

While the followers of Rev. Moon were popularly known as Moonies, the actual religious organization was the Holy Spirit Association for World Christianity. This was founded by Moon in Korea in 1954. Continue reading

Walking in Divine Health?

I normally don’t watch much Christian TV. Most of it is really not worth watching. Oh, I know… you can find some really good preachers, inspiring services, and solid teaching here and there. But you have to wade through the nonsense and inanity to get to the good stuff. Usually not worth the effort. (At least in my opinion. If you disagree, I ask your pardon.) So I don’t watch it. But occasionally when flipping channels, I do come across something that catches my attention. That happened last week. I chanced upon a popular TV preacher, well-known, polished, a very engaging orator. What he said intrigued me at first, then irritated me… finally angered me. That’s why I am writing this.

In the interest of being a gentle, kind Christian I won’t name the brother who was preaching. I want to be diplomatic. Let’s just use a code name instead. How about… well, C$?  Yes, that should work nicely. We’ll call him C$. Continue reading

Group Snapshot: Theosophy

You would think that any group whose name means “divine wisdom” would be a pretty good thing. Unfortunately, this is not so. Instead, the Theosophical Society is a hodge-podge of Eastern mysticism, occult philosophy, evolutionary theory, and spiritualistic practice. And it is not something good for the Christian, or anyone else for that matter.

Theosophy, as it is often called, is the brainchild of a rather deceived mind, that of Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, or H.P.B. as she was known to her admirers. Blavatsky began her spiritual journey in one of the most popular spiritual movements of the 19th century—Spiritualism. She demonstrated quite a knack for spiritual communication and psychic phenomena. She supposedly was quite adept at being a medium, and was the channel for a number of spirits “on the higher plane.” She also traveled extensively throughout Europe and Asia, visiting many holy sites from various religions, and allegedly communing with the great spiritual leaders of the age. Continue reading

O Dem Biscuits and Gravy!

This little treatise is offered somewhat (but only somewhat) tongue-in-cheek… with a bit of corn bread stuck in that cheek also… Originally written in 2004, the verity of the content remains constant and should be heeded by all lovers of truth (and good eatin’)!

My wife, Sue, and I have a very good friend. Her name is Bern, short for Bernadette. Indeed, she is such a good friend that she has graciously and kindly opened her home to us during this time in our lives. (We are currently house hunting.) Bern is a devout Christian, who loves the Lord deeply and is serious about her commitment to serve Him. However, there is a secret sin in her life — an iniquity and transgression that is so odious, so reprehensible, so offensive that, well, it truly pains me to divulge it. But divulge it I must. The truth demands it. Common sense and moral decency require it. It must come out!  Continue reading