http://nooutcasts.org Lectionary for the Inclusive Church using the Mimetic Theory of Rene Girard Mon, 23 Aug 2010 14:17:37 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en I can't help but feel sorry for the Man In Black (MIB) the character in the TV series LOST who's worst crime was his desire to leave The Island.  Yes, he killed a slew of characters, but he certainly wasn't the only one to do so. In the series finale ... http://nooutcasts.org/?p=305 What is it about that first kiss?  Ever notice how in the movies the moment people kiss, they seem to fall in love immediately, sometimes against their wills? Is falling in love really that easy?  Don't we have a choice in the matter? For instance, in the Sandra Bullock movie The ... http://nooutcasts.org/?p=255 This Lent I'd like to extend to you a friendly challenge, one I will undertake myself:  if you consider yourself a Christian I'd like you to suspend any and all confidence you have in your "Christian" identity and join me in this Lenten experiment... I've decided to forgo giving up sweets, ... http://nooutcasts.org/?p=250 I'm sorry, no matter how cute BABY JESUS might have been, you can't tell me that the Three Wise Men (or Magi) knew just by looking at him that he was the messiah. How could an infant be GOD IN THE FLESH? And yet that is what many Christians believe ... http://nooutcasts.org/?p=249 Was your holiday everything you hoped it would be? That may depend on whether you got a new laptop, a Wii, or that large screen TV you've been longing for...  Its hard to imagine how Santa loaded all those electronics on his sleigh.  I wonder what he really thinks when ... http://nooutcasts.org/?p=239 Have you received those e-mails forwarding photos of babies dressed up in costumes? Or depicting babies sleeping in flower blossoms?  Its one of those popular fads circulating online. I have to admit the photos are totally irresistible.  What is it about babies?  No matter my mood, when I look ... http://nooutcasts.org/?p=205 Why do we create idols?  Only to destroy them?  Princess Diana, Michael Jackson, Elvis, they all literally died for fame... and the list goes on. Some would say they paid the ultimate price for climbing too high, but are they really the only ones to blame for their tragic fate? After ... http://nooutcasts.org/?p=197 What would summer be without the release of an action packed, blockbuster movie?  We're a culture addicted to displays of power, the proportions of which seem to be increasing, as special effects, high tech weapons and machines get more and more spectacular. Compare, for instance, the original Transformers TV Series ... http://nooutcasts.org/?p=188 What is speaking in tongues?  It just sounds like babble to me, its not even a language that can be understood.  I have to admit, when I read in the Book of Acts, that "Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them.  ... http://nooutcasts.org/?p=175 Must we always live in fear of our enemies:  Iran, Syria, and all those terrorists plotting to strike at any moment?  It wasn't long ago that we were afraid of Russia, Libya, and Cuba.  I think I detect a pattern...  What will it take to break this never ending cycle ... http://nooutcasts.org/?p=168