A spiritual, religious, and philosophical podcast . . . presenting a philosophy of living in truth, beauty, and goodness . . . centered on the concept that we are all brothers and sisters in the universal family of God.
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Jesus was a master in the art of living. In the practical arts, he was skilled in carpentry. In the fine arts, his parables put his unforgettable touch on storytelling. The fun arts include play, sports, and humor. Examples are given from the teachings of Jesus and from other pioneers in artistic living, including Beethoven and his Ninth Symphony.
Jesus spoke of coming that we may have life and have it more abundantly--but what does this mean? After a very brief sketch, I emphasize the beauties of nature and how God provides for living things. Find an entire quick chapter on Jesus' joy in the blog post. Then to add some spice and introduce thoroughness, I turn to John Muir, a follower of Jesus who expressed his joy in nature with an…
This two-fold reflection portrays the risk that Jesus took by coming to John's baptism and the differences between the way of life, evil, and sin.
One goal of prayer is to find the will of God. Sometimes an impressive input comes into mind after prayer, and the person may struggle to discern whether it has come from God or from the human mind. The blogpost has ample context from chapter 7 of A Taste of Joy and Liberty: A Philosopher Encounters the Gospel of Jesus. Truth, beauty, and goodness are qualities of God and values that we can live.…
In this episode, I awaken the question by first agreeing with some criticisms of perfection as a goal and then turning to what Jesus said, "Be you perfect even as your Father in heaven is perfect." I unfold a couple of transformative implications of his present-tense imperative. Next I refer the reader to the blogpost at UniversalFamily.org and add a desert: an explanation of the photo of Jesus…
On a pilgrimage to Israel, I discovered how seeing scenes of Jesus' ministry helped me remember, ponder, interpret, and commune. I brought back a placemat with 15 little scenes showing Jesus around the Sea of Galilee and on the water. After a dozen years, a couple days ago I saw these scenes in a transforming way. A couple days ago, this morning I looked at it anew; it was transforming to imagine…
Jesus had an excellent, down-to-earth, realistic grasp of facts, including what we today would call scientific knowledge. He was a keen observer--fearless in facing facts, logical in his reasoning, and deeply insightful about causes and effects. Two examples show why we often fail to recognize Jesus' scientific realism. He expressed his insights in ordinary language that everyone could understand.…
In speaking of the treasure hidden in a field, Jesus referred, I believe, to the kingdom of God within you. This video describes the experience of God's spirit within first by quotes from Jesus' Bible, the Hebrew Scriptures. Next, we go on to the idea that we do well to become friends with this gift of the presence of God. Finally comes the outpouring of a list of many of the blessings that await…
I used to see my neighbor across the street in a fascinating duet that he and his two-year-old daughter had evolved. He would stand in the middle of the yard, and she would run around and play close to him and sometimes come to him and put up her arms to be picked up. The first story illustrates how we need the faith of a little child to receive the kingdom of God. Then I reflect on the gift of a…
I tell of working for months on a workshop on loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. I pose the question of how the most central truth of our relationships with God and human kind relate with the greatest commandment (to love). Finally, I make a correction in my new book, A Taste of Joy and Liberty: A Philosopher Encounters the Gospel of Jesusl
