Faith and the Southpaw

An interesting story from the Telegraph:

Left-handed people are more likely to be atheists, a study has found, as it says belief is passed on genetically.  The study suggests that religious people have fewer genetic mutations and are therefore less likely to be left handed or have conditions such as autism or schizophrenia.
British academic Edward Dutton, a professor at Oulu University, Finland, said that in pre-industrial times religiosity was passed on like other genetic attributes because it was associated with greater stability, mental health and better social behaviour. But modern science means many people who would not previously have survived are making it to adulthood and reproducing - leading to a greater incidence of atheism.

Lack of belief in God is connected to genetic mutations which cause attributes such as left-handedness or autism, the paper argues.

I know lefties that are believers and I know some right handed atheists. That said, the study is interesting. You should check out the link above.

Another left handed item of interest from the Guardian:

There is also research which purports to show that left-handers are more likely to be homosexual. So does that mean my son is more likely to, as they say, dress to the left ? 'That was a very small and badly conducted study,' says Lauren Milsom. A recent article in Psychological Bulletin disagrees. Collating many different studies, it concluded that gay men are more likely to be left-handers - at least in America, where the research was concentrated.

As a right handed American gay man, I can say I am the exception to the rule. I have known many same sex attracted individual and strangely, more often than not, they were left handed. I have also found this to be true among lesbians. Odd no? Why this would be, I cannot imagine, unless it's all tied up in genetics.

So the next time you spy a southpaw, check them out. There is a good chance he/she will be an autistic, atheist homosexual.

Not sure I'm buying what they are selling, but it is interesting.

Merry Christmas

It snowed on Sunday morning, just in time for Christmas. It was a nice, light coating and then it got beastly cold after. The temp got down to 9 degrees last night and it's headed for -2 by Tuesday night with two more chances for snow later in the week. So, I guess it's going to be winter after all. The only thing we can due is pray for April. At least the sun is out today.

With most Christmas blog posts we get the Christmas story from the gospel of Luke. I prefer to look ahead.

Revelation 1:7 New International Version (NIV)

7 “Look, he is coming with the clouds,”[a]
    and “every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him”;
    and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.”[b]
So shall it be! Amen.

The Day is coming and coming in soon. The shofar will announce it. The eastern sky will open up and all who have not believed will then know and that knowledge will be damning. But to us of the Faith, the hope that came as a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes will be returning to claim His own.
That great gettin up morning.

Come on back Lord. The times are ripe. We are anxious. Bring it! Let justice be done, let the mighty fall and raise up your children victorious. It's time. Maranatha!

"Lips That Have Touched Alcohol Will Never Touch Mine"

This is what my paternal Grandmother would say, most especially to my Grandfather. Alcoholic beverages were, to them, the Devil's brew. They were believers in prohibition. As Christians, it was their view that the use of alcohol, for any reason, was a sin. This was also tradition in our family for generations. It was not negotiable. Never mind that even Paul said to take some wine for your stomach's sake or that Jesus raised a glass of wine at the last supper or even made gallons of the stuff wedding feast at Cana. To hear them tell it, none of this wine was alcoholic. As to where the apostles got unfermented wine in April for the last supper/Passover is beyond me. Perhaps it was an unmentioned miracle. Whatever.

Gramps used to tell a story about enjoying some 3.2 beer with some other farm hands on a hot day. It nearly ended in his divorce. Grandma was apoplectic. She did not really understand the difference between being drunk and having a beer or two. Not many in the old fundy and evangelical churches did understand this. Needless to say, Grandpa did not go there again. He did, however, keep a bottle of the liquid version of Geritol in the laundry room on the top shelf. I walked on him taking a few serving spoonfuls more than once. Back in the day, this kind of Geritol was about 50% alcohol even though the label said that it was for "iron poor tired blood", whatever that is. Gramps also liked him some chewing tobacco and he would smoke a cigar if someone gave him one. Grandma would let him get away with these things as long as no one else heard about them.   

The lines we evangelical Christian types draw around things that we think approach sinful behavior is sometimes amusing. In this day in age, most evangelicals will have a drink or two, but there are still some that keep to the old ways and you never really know who you will offend with your presence in the liquor store check out line. Old ways die hard and sometimes, even though I think it's OK to have a toddy or two with dinner, I feel like I'm sneaking around when I go to make my alcoholic purchase.

I went to the liquor store on Wednesday to buy some beer. I like craft beers and I was bored with what was in the refrigerator so I went to buy something different. When I got there, in the parking lot I spied one of the church elders waiting in his car. I supposed his wife was inside shopping and thought nothing of it. This particular elder had seen me there before. He knew I was a "consumer" of such things. Again, I thought nothing of it. I went in and went about my business. It took me awhile. There are many choices and I wanted something I had not had before. When I finally made my decision and was pulling it off the shelf, I heard a very, very loud female voice speaking to me.

"Hi Jeff, it seems like we see other here more than we see each other at church". This was trailed by loud and obnoxious laughter as she wheeled her cart out the door. It was the elder's wife of course. The elder had seen me go in and texted his wife to have her exit through the liquor store and have a bit of a joke at my expense.

It worked extremely well. I felt my face flush as I turned, 4 pack in hand, to go to the check out. She was laughing all the way out the door. It was funny and it proved to me that I am still conditioned to feel guilty about alcohol consumption. I'm a sixty year old man. When am I going to break the restraints? Not sure.

It was funny though. I would buy her a beer if she wanted one.   

Thoughts on Rudolph

After decades of hearing the song annually everywhere I go, I have concluded that Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer is a metaphor for something else.

You see, I have come to believe that Rudolph was (is) a gay ginger. It explains so much about him. It's why the other reindeer used to laugh and call him names. It's why they never let poor Rudolph join in any reindeer games.

It's also very odd how his disabilities lead to advantage when circumstances dictated the need. All it took was a bit of fog for everyone to see Rudolph in a different light

Then how the reindeer loved him....he went down in history.

Looks pretty gay to me....just sayin'

Winter Soltice 2017

December 21, 2017 - the winter solstice. The sun reaches its lowest point in the southern sky creating the shortest day and longest night of the year. In ancient times it was celebrated as the Saturnalia, the time of death and rebirth of the sun god. The ancients would party for a week. Slaves were allowed to do as they pleased.

On December 25th, the rebirth of the sun would become more obvious. Days would grow progressively longer and the nights shorter. In four months time, the earth would begin to recognize this and respond by once again producing life after a long winter of discontentment culminating in the vernal equinox.

And so it has gone, century in and century out, for millenia.

As to exactly how the birth of Jesus Christ came to be recognized as occurring at the same time as the rebirth of the sun (god) - well that's a simple matter really. Or not. Some blame Emperor Constantine. Others blame the ancient church that wanted to display their victory over the pagans by taking over their holidays. Whatever the case, I find it very doubtful that Christ was born into this world on December 25th.

Even so, as a Christ follower myself, I find I must cling to Him at this time of year because the darkness is so great, I fear it will overtake me. Many that live in the northern hemisphere would agree with me. The darkness and cold are too much to bear. Perhaps I should move to South America. If only I spoke Spanish.

Whatever the case, we do live in interesting times. Many of the heroes of the social justice wars are falling and continue to fall. There is the scent of real justice in the air. They have been foisted on their own petards. Pray this continues. The outlook is bright. May God bless the efforts of the Emperor.

You see, despite the darkness, I have hope. A light burns in me that was placed there by the Nazarene. His Father is in control and His plans work even now to the ultimate good of all who have this Light and love Him. So let the dark come. It will soon pass away

Victory is at hand.

Not sure what all that was about, but I needed to write something. Thanks for sticking with me as I plow through the darkness.

I have Invented A New Drink

Fill a very tall glass with ice. Add two shots of tequila. Pour in a can of Fresca. Add a dash of grenadine and your done.
I call it a Kidney Infection.
Mmmmmmmm.
One before dinner and one after. You are set.
Try one.

THE BEST MILO INTERVIEW EVER

Milo Yiannopoulos is my favorite political commentator. He is gay, Alt-right, anti feminist and pro Trump. His mind is incredible. We need more like him. He is Greek, Jewish and Catholic. What a mix. I love diversity on the right when it comes together this way.  He is also young, which gives me hope for the future. Please watch the video below. If he does not offend you, he is not doing his job.

Check out Milo's website.

Reliving The Wound

Henri Nouwen was a Catholic priest born in the Netherlands. He was famous for, among other things, his concept of the wounded healer. When he taught at Yale, he published a book about it called, "The Wounded Healer: Ministry in Contemporary Society".

The notion of  the 'wounded healer' is the idea that, although the one giving pastoral care is broken spiritually in some way, he can still bring healing to others. The advantage here is the healer's brokenness. Our wounds enable us to serve. Our weaknesses become strength; the power to help God's other wounded children see hope in the face of misery. Nouwen said it this way:

“I have been increasingly aware that true healing mostly takes place through the sharing of weakness. [I]n the sharing of my weakness with others, the real depths of my human brokenness and weakness and sinfulness started to reveal itself to me, not as a source of despair but as a source of hope.”

He also said,

"There was a time when I really wanted to help the poor, the sick, and the broken, but to do it as one who was wealthy, healthy, and strong. Now I see more and more how it is precisely through my weakness and brokenness that I minister to others."

He was an interesting man. After leaving his teaching job at Yale, Nouwen went to work in Toronto at a place called Daybreak which was a community for the severely disabled. He was charged with the care of one patient named Adam that was plagued with severe epileptic seizures. His last book, "Caring for Adam" was about that experience. In it, Nouwen describes how his initial approach with Adam did not work. Apparently he tried to push Adam more and more - to fix him as it were. This failed. Nouwen came to realize that Adam would never improve from his present state, that he would never be able to achieve anything. Acceptance of this was hard, but what Henri learned was equally difficult. The very best service that Henri could give to Adam was simply to be there for him and to help him. As Nouwen said, “the true task of life might be the task to live our life faithfully in communion with the Lord [rather] than to change it.”

I think that last one is my favorite line. Faithfulness is more important than change, especially when change is not an option or it's impossible.

The facts are very disconcerting. Sometimes the wounds do not heal. They will never heal.

Not long after Nouwen's death, someone at the BBC outted Henri as gay. As a Catholic priest, he was of course celibate. No one has ever accused him of anything else. But to my mind, this has to have been part of his 'wound'. As one who has lived the celibate gay life for decades, I understand this in ways that you, dear reader, do not - cannot. The wound is coupled with loneliness.

Phillip Yancey said of Nouwen, “I go back through [his] writings and sense the deeper, unspoken agony that underlay what he wrote about rejection, about the wound of loneliness that never heals, about friendships that never satisfy.”

If we, in the church who are gay are also to live faithfully, then we must embrace celibacy and everything that goes with it including the pain of loneliness and friendships that do not complete us.

We cannot change who we are, but we can remain faithful though our wounds remain and we must relive them daily in our cause.

Some will recoil at that statement. As I look back at my steps over my past 60 years, enabled to view all the mistakes I have made, I no longer recoil. As I recall, our Lord's resurrected body still bore the wounds of his brutal death. Even so, Thomas knelt and proclaimed, "my Lord and My God". My spiritual scars are nothing in comparison except reminders of how much better my life is with Him than without Him. His wounds are a healing balm to me. They roll back some of my pain. I am enabled, despite my woundedness, to help myself and others.