Tag: suffering

Disabled, Disease, Institutions, Jesus

In His Right Mind  

Gary Furr

Reading the Bible Amid the Culture Wars  A lot of questions could preoccupy us as we think about reading scripture. The whole idea of demons and devils is unsettling, disturbing.  But we can get sidetracked onto a lot of other questions.  We could ask the scientific question, “Are demons real and how would they go into pigs?  Or were the pigs disturbed by the commotion?”  We could ask a psychological question, “Is this just a description of mental illness?” which is our own modern preoccupation.  Or the moral question, “Hey, what about the destruction of that property?  Someone owned those … Continue reading In His Right Mind  

America, Bible, Christianity, Culture, Ethics, fear, Jesus, Love, Parables, Parables, Politics, Poverty, Race, racism, Selfishness, Story

Jesus, the Samaritan Woman, and Toxic History

Gary Furr

Reading the Bible Amid the Culture Wars When we come to the gospels, we meet a nearly nonstop array of the crossing of barriers. Jesus eats with sinners (as defined by the culture as much as the Law itself). He touches the “unclean” (defined by the pious) and welcomes them back into the people of God. Tax collectors join the disciple band along with Zealots. Women are recognized and sinners forgiven. Regarding consideration of cross-cultural relationships, it is a problem of where to begin. The welcome of the outcast, the stranger, the sick and the downtrodden is a feature of … Continue reading Jesus, the Samaritan Woman, and Toxic History

9-11, America, Anger, Bible, Christian Nationalism, Christianity, Citizenship, Culture, death, fear, Grief, Politics, Story, Tragedy2 Comments

Reaping the Whirlwind

Gary Furr

Waiting out the firestorm while America goes for its kerosene cans and lighters. Some random thoughts: It is striking to see the overwhelming need to comment about a senseless murder. We’ve all become content providers and there are no consumers left to think about each others’ thoughts. The one thing about tragic and unexpected loss is that the more you say to the sufferer the worse you make it. The less you say, the wiser you appear. If you are silent, you are kept from stupidity. If you post your opinions about it your foolishness can live eternally. Much is … Continue reading Reaping the Whirlwind

America, Culture, Faith, fear, Hope, hope, Politics, social media, spirituality, Story3 Comments

Faith is Courage in Spite of …

Gary Furr

A friend who has devoted her adult life to global poverty texted me this week. Discouragement, confusion, chaos is everywhere. A sense of paranoia and ruthless cruelty has settled in our capital, and now the enemies of America are apparently other Americans. I sent these words to her amid the distress and I share them with you if you need them. ———————————————————————————— There’s a famous story that Robert Bly tells about Carl Jung who, whenever a friend reported enthusiastically, ‘I have just been promoted!’ Jung would say, ‘I’m very sorry to hear that; but if we all stick together, I … Continue reading Faith is Courage in Spite of …

Story2 Comments

June 6, 1944

Gary Furr

In 1963, I was in the third grade. We moved from my hometown in North Carolina to Clarksville, Tennessee. We lived near Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Fort Campbell is home of the “Screaming Eagles” of the 101st Airborne –-the Army’s only Air Assault Division. World War II was still in living memory all around us, and we had books and toys to reflect it—plastic toy soldiers, cap guns, and I think I remember having a toy mortar, of all things. We re-enacted D-Day and Iwo Jima, Wake Island, Pearl Harbor and El Alamein. The 101st Airborne was famous: they were parachuted … Continue reading June 6, 1944