The Quest For Eden

  In today's "Christian" church culture, many denominations spend a lot of time clarifying their positions on "what the Bible says" about varied social issues.    I wonder if churches engaged in this can really lay claim to the label of "Christian." Really sounds more like "Bible-tian?" Some come right out and say "Bible-based" more than they will claim "Christ-based." They certainly won't claim "Love based." Yet, if we read through Jesus' teachings, we find little to no condemnation of "sin." We find a condemnation of the "Brood of Vipers" that have established themselves as the leaders of Religious doctrine. If anyone is condemned by Christ, it was the church of the day. His "Vipers" reference should sting. It should sting more than it likely did. It feels like it takes us right back to Eden; with a serpent twisting the intent of rules; making the rules about boundaries, pu

  There was an old "Readers Digest" story about a woman preparing to roast a chicken. She began by slicing off the legs of the bird and placing them in the roaster next to the chicken, but with the tips nestled under the chicken's wings. Her daughter asked, "Why did you do that?" "I don't know. My mom always did it that way."   They proceeded to call grandmother to find the answer.  "I don't know. My mom always did it that way."   So, they called great-grandmother. "My pot was too small."   I am reminded of this story as we think about all of the "core beliefs" of religions. How many fundamental beliefs might have been developed over the centuries due to one person's need to position things upside-down in order for God to "fit" in their existing structure? Specifically, I am convinced that the earliest notion that God removed Adam/Eve from Eden as punishment simply exists because the thought that &qu