My Weekly Devotional

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I like this revsdd. There even those who try to impose strict interpretation on the symbols. For me, each may speak into a certain part of my life or my heart that is struggling at a particular moment, so even the meaning of the symbols may vary from time to time. Interpretation of visions can be quite unique.
 
And no one knows what the authors of that stuff really saw, only the language they used to try to describe it. One can add visionary literature to a canon, but canonizing how it is read centuries or millenia after it was written is ridiculous and impossible. It's like a religious inkblot test.
 
Waterfall said:
Is a vision the same as a dream?
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Not necessarily. A vision can come in a dream, but it can also come during waking; in meditative states, hallucinatory states (e.g. during a fast or using something like marijuana or peyote in a ritual) or even just as random thoughts and images in one's imagination.
 
I had a dream once that I thought was a vision. The difference from a 'regular' dream is the memory of it - which still seems clear and perfect and unforgotten.
 
BetteTheRed said:
I had a dream once that I thought was a vision. The difference from a 'regular' dream is the memory of it - which still seems clear and perfect and unforgotten.
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This has never happened to me personally but I know someone who had a similar experience. Sometimes he calls it a dream, sometimes a vision. It depends on where he is telling the story.
 
Carolla said:
Many in my own church certainly fall into this 'we're welcoming but not really' category. Welcoming to those who are like us already - or at least look & behave as if they are 'acceptable' or familiar to us. When they're noticeably different - well, people get pretty judgy. I've been taken aback in recent months by comments & actions made by some church members regarding another person who is often with us on Sundays & does seem to have some mental health issues. Makes me sad. Seems these same people are willing to go out to our local charitable social hub & interact/do good with these same marginalized people - but let them come into the church - well, that's another matter altogether it seems. Invite the clients of the social hub to join them for the monthly coffee & conversation on Wed afternoon? Nope. Make tickets available to the pancake supper or other events? Nope. As I said, makes me sad.
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I agree, Carolla.....

There are churches that say, "Everyone is welcome at our table" - but what they often mean is "If you think and act as we do."
 
I think most churches have a few of those 'judge-y' people, no matter where you are. Some people are like that. But some have more of a critical mass of those people, and that's bad news for ministry.

In fact, I'd be willing to draw a clear correlation between "% of love thy neighbour as long as they're like myself" and "church closing"...
 
I always had a problem with churches that talked about the poor, as though they were people outside of their doors, and everyone in the church was well-to-do. It made it seem that poor people weren't welcome. I know they were well-intentioned, but sometimes our prejudices are so engrained, we don't notice them.
 
Nancy said:
I always had a problem with churches that talked about the poor, as though they were people outside of their doors, and everyone in the church was well-to-do. It made it seem that poor people weren't welcome. I know they were well-intentioned, but sometimes our prejudices are so engrained, we don't notice them.
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The current big ruckus in UU'ism, esp. Stateside, is about how the general run of UUs tend to be white, educated, middle-class and therefore are sometimes less than welcoming to those outside those parameters and a bit lukewarm in their support of some crucial social justice issues. It all erupted out of debate around the UUA's support for Black Lives Matter, IIRC. Similar thing, though, congregations and ministers talking the talk but then not putting their money where their mouth is because they simply weren't part of the groups they were claiming to be supporting.
 
As a parallel in Canada, I'd say that there are more congregations essentially ignoring the calls for movement towards relationship from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission than actively embracing it.
 
BetteTheRed said:
I think most churches have a few of those 'judge-y' people, no matter where you are. Some people are like that. But some have more of a critical mass of those people, and that's bad news for ministry.

In fact, I'd be willing to draw a clear correlation between "% of love thy neighbour as long as they're like myself" and "church closing"...
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Interesting that Luce "liked" this comment.
 
"Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied. When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer. (Matthew 27:11-12) Now that we've gone a few days beyond Easter Sunday I've had a chance to really think about the events we marked this past weekend. One part of the story that has always stood out for me was that of Jesus being brought before Pilate. In one sense, it's a pretty routine bit of the story, I suppose. There doesn't seem to be a lot that's noteworthy about it. It gets lost in the surrounding drama. But this year I noticed something, ... "



This paragraph reminded me of one of the children in my Sunday School class years ago. He complained about the 'same old stories, over and over again.' I suggested that he look for something new and different each time he heard them.
This week the Gospel story in the lectionary is John's account of Jesus appearing to his disciples in the upper room, and doubting Thomas, not present at the time, refused to believe until he had seen with his own eyes. But early in the reading a phrase caught my eye. The disciples were gathered together in the room behind locked doors 'for fear'. They were afraid. It was a confusing time for them all - not just Thomas. The women had gone to the tomb and come back with wild stories. Peter and another disciples (John?) had visited the tomb and found it empty. But still they were afraid. I am preaching on this aspect of the familiar story this Sunday. Have faith in God, and that faith (trust) will overcome fear.
 
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