Circuit Writer

My column for the April 10 – April 16, 2011 edition of The Tahlequah Christian.

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I stumbled onto an incredible little factoid while doing some research. Apparently there are two human-made structures that can be seen from space. One of which you may have guessed: the Great Wall of China. The other, you likely will not have guessed. It’s the Fresh Kills Landfill on Staten Island, New York. So when the angels look down upon us, they see one of our great ancient achievements and one of our greatest contemporary failures. continue reading…

My column for the April 03 – April 09, 2011 edition of The Tahlequah Christian.

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I just recently discovered a small blurb of an article posted on the Disciples New Service at our denominational website, and thought that it really deserved a little bit stronger coverage. It announced that Rev. Dr. Sharon Watkins had signed onto a statement entitled “Religious Leaders Stand Shoulder-to-Shoulder Against Extremism of All Kinds in Support of American Values.” Although it is clear that we are called not to participate in religious intolerance of any kind, this document specifically addressed the hearings on “the extent of radicalization of American Muslims” in the Homeland Security committee of the U.S. House of Representatives. continue reading…

My column for the March 27 – April 02, 2011 edition of The Tahlequah Christian.

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Ok, I’ve been flirting with this idea and trying to ignore it for a couple of weeks now, but after I followed a “this day in history” link, I realized that it must be a sign that I could no longer avoid the topic. This day in history (Tuesday, March 29), 38 years ago, the final U.S. troops withdrew from South Vietnam, effectively ending the Vietnam War for us as a nation. This long, bloody, and incredibly unpopular war continue reading…

I’m excerpting a copy of this post written by Rev. Craig Watts for the Disciples Peace Fellowship that was also featured in the Disciple’s Advocate (Vol. 9 no. 1) a publication of Disciples Home Missions.  It’s a great theological statement and well worth the read.  You can read the entire article by following the link below.

I am an atheist.  Sure lots of people have heard me talk about God, write favorable things about God, pray and worship.  And it was all sincere.  Still I am an atheist.  I’m an atheist the way the members of the early church were atheistic.  Atheism was one of the central charges officials of the Roman Empire made against Christians.  They were vilified for “irreligiosities” continue reading…

My column for the February 13 – February 19, 2011 edition of The Tahlequah Christian.

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This last Sunday I used the privilege of the pulpit to share with you what I would call a “confessional” sermon. In it, I bared a piece of my soul on the question of atonement (salvation is another word for the same idea), and I shared with you my questions about the way it’s been traditionally understood. I’m troubled by the commonly held idea that “Jesus died for our sins,” and don’t really think our God of love and compassion would work to bring about salvation (life) through the act of execution (death). That, and the fact that an atoning death completely ignores the wonder of the resurrection that we celebrate every Easter!

But the purpose of this opening isn’t to introduce a discussion on atonement theory – a discussion that would take far more words than I can squeeze into this weekly column – but to make what I hope will be a simple proposition: I’d like to hear from you. Is there something that you do not believe? Is there something that you do believe, but don’t hear us talking about it as part of our Christian faith? These are all valid and legitimate questions a person encounters when on the faith journey, and I’d like to start a conversation about some of these questions and ideas.

So in our Sunday bulletins for the next couple of weeks, we will include a simple form that you may fill out if you desire, that will let me know the questions and thoughts that we have as a congregation. It will be straightforward – a line stating “This I believe” with space for you to fill in your thoughts and another entitled “This I do not believe” with space for you to write in your thoughts on that as well. Finally, I will ask you if I have permission to use any of these thoughts in a newsletter or sermon, and an optional space to leave your name. You do not have to sign your name if you’d like to give me permission to engage in your questions, and you may sign your name but not give me permission to use them in a public manner. It’s all up to you! Your participation is, of course, optional, but I hope you will consider filling one out and placing it in the offering when it is collected. I look forward to hearing from all you about your questions, ideas, and beliefs when it comes to our faith!

Seeking God’s justice in a new year,
Clint

My column for the January 30 – February 12, 2011 edition of The Tahlequah Christian.

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Is it just me, or was this a lackluster Super Bowl year for you, too? No, no, not the game – the commercials! I didn’t really find myself just terribly amused by any of them. The E*Trade baby is getting old, the monkeys are beyond passe, and beer sales must be flat since Budweiser commercials keep getting fewer and less funny. Of course, at a reported $3 million per 30 second slot, what’s to laugh about? These commercials have become big business for all the companies involved, and have evolved continue reading…

My column for the January 23 – January 29, 2011 edition of The Tahlequah Christian.

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It seems that the idea of “belief” has become the battleground for the question of faith. If you are not a “bible- believing” Christian who “believes” in God, or more specifically, the God that fundamentalist Christians uphold, then you are not a real Christian. Or, if you “believe” in any form of mystery outside the bounds of scientific inquiry, as the equally loud and belligerent fundamentalist atheists suggest, continue reading…

My column for the January 16 – January 22, 2011 edition of The Tahlequah Christian.

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I must honestly reiterate that I have been disappointed with the church. I do not say this as one of those negative critics who can always find something wrong with the church. I say this as a minister of the gospel, who loves the church; who was nurtured in its bosom; who has been sustained by its spiritual blessings and who will remain true to it as long as the cord of life shall lengthen.
- Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., “Letter from Birmingham Jail”

These words, written by King as an open letter to respond to a statement made by eight members of the local clergy previously in the week, issue a stinging indictment of the church. continue reading…

My column for the January 9 – January 15, 2011 edition of The Tahlequah Christian.

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To be honest, I don’t often give up my column for someone else, but this week I felt that the words of our General Minister and President, the Rev. Dr. Sharon Watkins, are worth hearing. The following comes from her blog at www.disciples.org and is entitled “God’s Heart Was the First to Break.” continue reading…

My column for the January 2 – January 8, 2011 edition of The Tahlequah Christian.

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The internet is filled with the most interesting things – and a whole lot of garbage as well. So it’s not a surprise that anyone cruising the web over the last week might have seen a lot of talk about new year’s resolutions. Undoubtedly, this is a discussion that ranges from the interesting to the garbage, so the internet would seem a fitting place for it. For example, according to one website, “getting organized” is the number ten resolution for a new year. continue reading…