The Pokey Finger of God

Human mental and sensory facilities are rarely developed to their natural limits of complexity and depth. People today normally use only a small percentage of their total mental capacity: often only in a simple, blunt way; all but isolated from their own perceptions. While we may flatter ourselves that we are the apex of human [...]

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I © Austin I moved to Austin nearly twenty years ago because I had fallen in love with the city. I loved the river, the trees, the humidity, and the way the place is with dense with life without being too thick with people. Many residents I have met feel this way: I certainly understand [...]

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1. I have a hammer. It is not an unique or expensive tool, yet I use my hammer proudly. 2. I am skilled with my hammer. I strive to practice with my hammer daily. It is only through practice that I can provide my greatest skill. 3. I know the truth of the hammer. With [...]

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It has been something of a tradition with my wife and I to hang a small bell on the rear-view mirror of our car. She started the habit of ringing a bell whenever we pass a carcass on the road as a way of blessing the passing of whatever animal it had been. We like [...]

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Supreme Court Preserves ‘God’ in Pledge The Supremes weaseled out of making an official declaration on the Newdow pledge case, however, Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist agreed with the outcome of the case, but still wrote separately to say that the Pledge as recited by schoolchildren does not violate the Constitution. Justices Sandra Day O’Connor [...]

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Claiming to be “the Christian Voice in the Nation’s Capital,” the [Apostolic Congress] members vociferously oppose the idea of a Palestinian state. They fear an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza might enable just that, and they object on the grounds that all of Old Testament Israel belongs to the Jews. Until Israel is intact and Solomon’s [...]

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Every year around this time, you can count on more than a few self-righteous individuals to start complaining that the ‘real meaning of Christmas (TM)’ has been subverted in our rush to consumerism, hedonism, gluttony, and general frivolity. Cal Thomas penned just such a rant a few days ago. [My apologies for the link, it [...]

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Q: How can I make the “leap of faith” to accept someone else’s religion? Suspension of disbelief is a handy tool to use when examining religion. This is the same tool used when you watch action movies or Star Trek that allows you to enjoy it without getting all twisted up about the goofy science. [...]

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Dear Seeker — You ask: I’m perplexed by the “magick” involved with Yahweh “one-upping” the Egyptian Magicians with various magick. Were these “magick-offs” a common occurrence? Are these things actually documented elsewhere? I’m curious as to what type of magick we’re talking about here. It is mentioned that some of the plagues did not affect [...]

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Dear Seeker — You ask: First of all, why is “god” called various names – I’ve seen “El Shaddai”, “Yaweh”, and “God” multiple times. Are they all referring to the same god, or is there an implication of other gods or parts of God? First of all, the term “god” is an ancient gothic construct [...]

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