Monday, 22 April 2019

Did Saul of Tarsus set out to destroy the church by turning it against itself

I am a big believer in [situation ethics] aka The Law of Love

in personal situations to question
whether to carry out an action
or refrain from an action and in each scenario ask
#whether God is loved and
#whether my neighbor is loved
by that action or
by the refusal to act
#Love works no ill to the neighbortherefore love is the fulfillment of the law

Easter Sunday night found me at the last-minute at the Crescent Church in Belfast. It has changed a lot from when it was VERY Brethren. but I believe I was led there.
the topic was after the resurr
ection and the Scripture was from Acts 1. verses 7-8 (the message bible states )

“You don’t get to know the time. Timing is the Father’s business. What you’ll get is the Holy Spirit. And when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the world.”


Jesus is talking to the apostles He makes no mention of Saul of Tarsus. the only new entity is the Holy Spirit. the apostles were to be the witnesses to the far flung parts of the earth no mention of Saul of Tarsus.


the apostles I believe were grounded by 3 years of ministry in situation ethics , the law of Love. Saul when he came along did not have the benefit of those important 3 years training and his background was in legalism. {Legalism }and {Law of Love} are opposing forces I believe. Involuntary -v- voluntary.


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The question i am pondering, and would appreciate feedback from ye all
did the church lose direction when Saul came along and the apostles elevated him. ?
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I am thinking of a line from the film MILK, the catholic Church accepts converts but it wont make you pope the next day.



I think of his RANT in 1 Cor 6 " Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
Jesus never spoke like that,
Jesus 'aint said that.


He pulled all that RANT out of .!.well where ever he pulled it from


Thank You







Saturday, 2 March 2019

Mens shed. men's shed.

the terms Men's shed

or Mens shed

bring thoughts to me of bullying, exclusion and homophobia,
hardly surprising really when the aim is to have a space with "no rules"

but then I have only experience of one Mens Shed, one men's shed

recently I say to people who might ask

please dont ask me any questions about Holywood Mens shed, as I would not have a good word to say about it .

or My mother instilled in me that if I dont have a good word to say about anybody or anything, I should say nothing.  and in that vein I have nothing to say about Holywood Men's Shed  .

one idea behind the mens shed movement was told to me,
that more and more 3rd age men were sitting idly about the house
getting under their wife's feet,

what a great idea, to get them out of the houses into sheds (to replace the shed at the bottom of the garden modern apartments didnt have) where they could join with like mindedmen to work on projects for the betterment of themselves and of others.

I dont think anyone would have been enthusiastic about an individual men's shed take on that idea, of getting the husbands out of the house from under their feet, to go into the shed and besides men, mix with women other than their wives.