The following is a review of "God's Perfect Child: Living and Dying in the Christian Science Church" by infrequent guest contributor Bacon. My own thoughts (and a section-by-section break down) of GPC will follow in good time. "God's Perfect Child: Living and Dying in the Christian Science Church" one reaction to Caroline Fraser's work of … Continue reading God’s Perfect Child – a few thoughts from Bacon
Category: Crisis of Faith
The Slut Shaming, Sex-Negative Message in the Virgin Birth—It’s Worth a Family Conversation
I had Sunday School teachers who insisted that Christian Science takes the “inspired” word of the Bible, and that the stories were “allegorical.” The virgin birth story (inspired allegory or not) always made me a bit uncomfortable. See also, http://valerietarico.com/2014/12/09/the-not-so-virgin-birth-of-the-christmas-story/ on how Jesus’ birth became more virginal and miraculous.
The birth story of baby Jesus celebrates the promise of new life, but for girls it also sends a harmful message. How can we acknowledge this without spoiling the rest?
Most Americans, even many who are not very religious, look forward to Christmas as a time to celebrate warmth, friendship, generosity and good cheer. Familiar festivities weave together stories and traditions from many cultures, which makes it easy to find something for everyone. But maybe it’s time to look a little closer at the Christmas story itself.
The birth story of the baby Jesus is heartwarming and iconic—the promise of new life and new hope in a time of darkness. It has inspired centuries of maternal art and is the best loved of all Bible stories. It also has a darker subtext, especially for someone like me—the mother of two daughters.
In the story, an angel appears to a virgin…
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on wisdom and teeth
Some time ago, when I finally picked a dental office to work with, they did a new patient exam which included a 360 x-ray (180? not sure it was most impressive) of my head to see all my teeth. The hygienist noticed I had two remaining wisdom teeth: one was horizontal and un-errupted, while the … Continue reading on wisdom and teeth
Fellowship of Former Christian Scientists, Dr. Linda Kramer’s Talk
This is a fascinating talk by Dr. Linda Kramer, author of Perfect Peril: Christian Science and Mind Control -- I have not read it, but it is on my list. Content warning: Dr. Kramer has "found Jesus" so there are strong, recurrent themes of Christianity in the first 20 minutes. Around the 20 minute mark, … Continue reading Fellowship of Former Christian Scientists, Dr. Linda Kramer’s Talk
what I’ve been watching: Coersion for Christ
Kidnapped For Christ Official Trailer the NYTimes piece The Kids Aren’t All Right, and Neither Is the School ‘Kidnapped for Christ’ Investigates a Boarding School via Awkward Moments Children's Bible CHILD COERCION IN PROGRESS via Stop Religious Child Abuse https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=754250287950673
Kung fu fighting, Dancing queen Tribal spaceman and all that’s in between
From elementary school through college one of my closest friends was a boy named William (1). We met through our local Christian Science Church -- we both regularly attended Sunday School, and, for a time our younger sisters were Best Friends. One summer while William was visiting extended family, he had a nasty bicycle accident -- … Continue reading Kung fu fighting, Dancing queen Tribal spaceman and all that’s in between
Hey, Christians. Feeling Persecuted? Don’t Be Evil!
Some light reading for your weekend.
In the debris of the Hobby Lobby ruling, the Atlanta Banana published a satirical news report: Little Caesar’s Pizza had been granted the religious freedom to feed Christian employees to lions.
Never mind that the trope of Christians getting fed to lions may have been made up by early Christians themselves; the Little Caesar story was almost inevitable. Faced with a barrage of conscience claims, frustrated secularists are wondering whether there’s any limit to the privileges some people will claim in the name of “religious freedom” or any limit to the exemptions and entitlements they will be granted by co-religionists in positions of power.
Turning frustration into humor is a time honored tradition, but serious Bible believers are unlikely to find the Little Caesar’s story funny. The notion of martyrdom as the apogee of faith is as old as the Catholic Church. To quote Christian History for Everyman…
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What I’ve been reading: close to home
I was not supposed to happen via Home Schoolers Anynomous (http://homeschoolersanonymous.wordpress.com/2014/07/15/i-was-not-supposed-to-happen/) My sincere request for you to stop telling me you're praying for me via Unpacked Thoughts (http://unpackthatthought.wordpress.com/2014/07/15/my-sincere-request-for-you-to-stop-telling-me-youre-praying-for-me/) Image via the internet somewhere. Full disclosure, Benny Hinn is/was one of my favorite televangelists... "he touched me!"
Learning to Care Less about the Disapproval of Others
Awesome article that can be applied to many situations!
Few things upset me like being misunderstood, and here lately that’s been happening a lot. Leaving the Christian fold was an eye-opening experience in more ways than one, not least of which was in showing me how unable to think outside of their box this faith makes people. As a Christian I was taught to believe that everyone is a God-believer at their core, but that some merely lie to themselves and/or to others about it. Poor deluded atheists! The Devil has blinded them to their own folly. Only a fool says in his heart that there is no God, amirite? No wonder it always feels like my friends and family are misreading me all the time. They’re looking at me through a lens which claims things about me that are patently false. Seeing me the way they do requires ignoring several important things I tell them about myself…
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When Christian Scientists are talking to each other
My friend and fellow blogger, Karen the Madcap Christian Scientist recently shared a post entitled "suggestions for talking with" reminding people not to make assumptions, presumptions. She has several lists, including When Christians are talking with atheists, When atheists are talking to theists and so on, until she comes to my two favorite: When non-Christian … Continue reading When Christian Scientists are talking to each other
kind-ism 