Sanctuary or Sacrilege? The church and spiritual abuse
By definition, sanctuaries are supposed to be places of safety, nurturing, and protection. Unfortunately, the Church has a less-than-stellar track record at offering sanctuary. In fact, the Church has sometimes condoned or perpetuated great harms to those it was entrusted to protect.
Image Description: Photo by Christian Lue of unsplash.com depicts a Christian cross rising into in a dark blue and purple sky filled with lightning.
The Spiritual Art of Changing Your Mind
No one likes being wrong. It’s embarrassing, sometimes humiliating. And it doesn’t feel good. That is especially true in our capitalistic, individualistic culture where people excel and succeed and gain power by standing out, and by making ourselves seem bigger and better every day through continual increased productivity and growth.
These concepts have gotten me to thinking not only about the gifts of being open-minded; but even about the gifts of being wrong.
Consider the ways we go about actually changing our minds, or admitting we were wrong, and how that helps us grow as individuals.
Image Description: Photo by Rommel Davila, unsplash.com, depicts two rough-hewn rectangular signs hanging on a red door. The one on top points left and says “My Way” in black and white, while the one underneath points right and says “Highway” in green and white.
Requiem and Reawakening
This All Saints’ Day also happened to fall on the week of the nation’s presidential election between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. Reflect with me on what makes a saint, and what makes a rotten apple, and what happens to all the others in between.
Image Description: Photo by Eduardo Dorantes at unsplash.com depicts a pile of brightly painted masks and skulls in brilliant colors.