Tag Archives: beatitudes

205- When Judgement Becomes Hypocrisy

“Have you ever wondered why we are all so judgmental?”

It true. We cannot drive down the road, go to a public place, visit a new city or even do our favorite pastimes without passing judgement on others.  Given the fact that we deeply resent being falsely judged, why do you suppose that we are so critical of others? Why don’t we recognize our own hypocrisy?

In today’s podcast and post, we see beyond the admonition “Do not judge.” Join me now as we explore the only counter-measure powerful enough to free us into a life of peace and acceptance: ophthalmological surgery.

201- Fasting NOT Performing

“Have you ever met someone who admits to being a hypocrite?”

Of course not. Hypocrites are always other people, right? In today’s podcast and post we examine yet another way Jesus calls religious people hypocrites; through fasting. Fasting in our modern world is usually employed for health and dietary benefits, but historically it has been a religious practice.

Join me now as we see beyond fasting at the real problem behind our hypocrisy and I offer a fasting challenge that will allow us to see that hypocrisy is not someone else’s problem, its ours.

199-Praying NOT Performing

“What does it mean to pray like a hypocrite?”

If we’re honest, how often is prayer something we have to endure? How often do our minds wander? How often does praying make us uncomfortable? We’ve encountered prayers so long and verbose they have sermons within them. We see demonstrative prayers, sometimes standing in circles at restaurants, or bowing on blankets in airports, or threatening with a loud speaker in public venues. To whom are such prayers directed; God or everyone around? Jesus calls it hypocrisy. 

In today’s post and podcast we continue Jesus’ deconstruction of religious acts of righteousness and see beyond praying as performance. Join me now as once again we enter our hidden place where God dwells but religion can never come.

198-Giving NOT Performing

“What does it mean to be a church going hypocrite?”

When I was a church going pastor, I worked hard to distinguish myself from those who said one thing and did another. I wanted the world to see that there was a different way to do the faith. There was, but I couldn’t see it until I finally learned how to give without being hypocrite.

In today’s post we explore our charitable giving and expose the dirty secret that institutional religion doesn’t want us to see. Turns out Jesus is no more impressed with our modern churches than he was of the temple.  Join me now as we see beyond what motivates us to give and expose why we prefer the lesser reward of recognition to something more hidden.

194- The Divorce we Don’t See

Do you think you understand divorce? If you’re like most people, you probably see it as the very end of a marriage.

In today’s podcast and post, we continue our journey into the sermon on the mount as we reveal the wisdom behind Jesus’ teaching on divorce. We discover that what most of us think is a marriage is actually a legally binding divorce.

Join me now as we see beyond marriage as a powerplay and go deep enough to heal the wounds that keep us entombed in relationships of obligation, anger, or pain, as we discover the true meaning of love and divorce.

186- Happy Suffering

“What is your solution to the suffering in the world?”

Most people recognize the enormity of suffering and feel as though they are too small to make a difference. Thus we look to governments, religions or scientific fixes that might be big enough to eliminate suffering. 

What if suffering has a purpose? What if there was a way to deal with suffering that didn’t avoid it, but transformed it into something beautiful?  Join me now as we see beyond the beatitudes into exactly what it means to experience happy suffering.

185-Blessing evokes gag reflex…

“What is your response when someone says they are “blessed?”

For many modern people, we are triggered by this phrase. I think it’s because our culture has made blessed synonymous with material gain or prosperous living. It’s actually the sub-plot that says, “God is on my side, not yours.” that makes us so disturbed.

In today’s podcast and post I examine what it really means to be blessed and expose how far off the trail we’ve gone. The beatitudes are not eight tips for living better than everyone else, but the required lens through which we can discover not only the paradox of wisdom, but the humility to see our self in the lives of everyone else.