Tag Archives: Evil
The Weeds and the Wheat
We have to learn, even now, to accept and forgive this mixed bag of reality in ourselves and in everybody else. Continue Reading The Weeds and the Wheat
The Zealots and the Pharisees
The question becomes: How can I know the greater truth, work through the anger, and still be a life-giving presence? Continue Reading The Zealots and the Pharisees
A Climate of Violence
Injustice exists; this is reality. Continue Reading A Climate of Violence
The World, the Flesh, and the Devil
If violence is met by violence, the world will fall into a spiral of violence. Continue Reading The World, the Flesh, and the Devil
Goodness Exposed
Jesus refuses to divide the world into the pure and the impure, much to the chagrin of almost everybody—then and now. Continue Reading Goodness Exposed
The Shadow of Original Sin
Original Goodness The Shadow of Original Sin Monday, October 25, 2021 Fr. Richard reflects on the negative consequences of Christianity’s emphasis on “original sin.” The truth of our Original Goodness was sadly complicated when the concept of original sin entered the Christian mind. This idea was put forth by Augustine in the fifth century but… Continue Reading The Shadow of Original Sin
The Power of Money
What Do We Do With Money? The Power of Money Tuesday, September 21, 2021 In 2019, Richard wrote a short book entitled What Do We Do with Evil? In it, he explored the apostle Paul’s teachings on “the world, the flesh, and the devil,” to clarify the often invisible, systemic, and hidden nature of evil,… Continue Reading The Power of Money
Job: Hoping Against Hope
Great Themes of Scripture: Hebrew Bible Job: Hoping Against Hope Thursday, July 1, 2021 The author of the biblical book of Job wrestled with the mystery of evil. If we look at this book as a drama or play, we can easily see Job as the protagonist, God as the hero, and Satan as the… Continue Reading Job: Hoping Against Hope
A Necessary Negativity
Shadow Work A Necessary Negativity Friday, June 18, 2021 True spirituality, that which invites us to ever deeper levels of transformation and love, does not insist on “staying positive” all the time, but on “staying true” to the journey. Drawing on the wisdom of both the Sufi mystical tradition in which she was raised as… Continue Reading A Necessary Negativity
Embracing Shadow and Light
Shadow Work Embracing Shadow and Light Monday, June 14, 2021 We all identify with our persona/mask so strongly when we are young that we become masters of denial and learn to eliminate or hide anything that doesn’t support it. Neither our persona nor our shadow is evil in itself; they just allow us to do… Continue Reading Embracing Shadow and Light