16 years ago, I was ordained as a Pastor, by an ordination councel that came from Oregon, Washington, Missouri, Louisiana, and Maryland. This was the first of 5 ordinations that came over time and study. The first ordination came out of a nation group of non-denomination Christian Churches; the NATBNDC. The council had the right to deny ordination at the very last moment, but both Antjuan and I were ordained that year. In fact, I have yet to hear of a council refusing an ordination, After 6 years of study, examination s and service, I suppose the council is just a formality, but it exists with the potential to keep the dangerous students from having power and influence over a church and congregation. This power of examination and influence has clearly not kept the worse from standing behind the pulpit. I think that Fidel Castro's limit of 9 congregants per church is probably the best method of purity, though we are a nation of people who want mega churches and large communities of "like believer's".
When I was in undergraduate college, one of 9 psychology courses I took was called "abnormal psychology.I was forever changed when the textbook put forth that the psychological profile of the worse criminals was identical to the profile of the worse police. Power draws power, and the results have been shown time and again throughout history. This is a salient feature of the concept of "humanity". Many shade's many faces. This is just the way it is and always has been.
Appreciating the magnitude of God. "look for God in all things" is found in the good book, but is rarely found in humanity. Seeing God in all things requires true humilit; something we have never found a way to embed within our academic structures, and we aim exactly the wrong direction in giving awards to the best of the best. valedictorian is the title of the academic "best of the best". If you haven't notices, validictorians are almost always found in the students who come from wealthy and powerful families. You have to get small and private to see the title given to the most dedicated and inspired. Only one woman was admitted to medical school in the Ivy League during the entire 19th century, and this Yale graduate only got in when her parents sued the university. About one Jewish Medical student per 4 years as a quota system; this you find in the four books written by John Haller Jr, the best being "Medical Protestant's"
So when a christian or catholic says look for God in all thing's, they are full of arrogance, deceit and ignorance. "All thing's" mostly mean's white, wealthy members of the church club. If we say we are created in God's image, and don't include all of humanity, we are full of it! It is no wonder that we don't see dog's, birds, trees and nature as created in God's image. As I have read the Holy Bible, Jesus came here to bring us closer to "seeing" God in all things, not to judges most as unforgiven. So for me, I am a Christian, but I call it devout Weslyian Methodism with flavor's of judeaism, buddhism, hinduism and native faiths. I find that the broad field alloe's me to practice a closer relationship with jesus. Just saying. Join us for a Sunday gathering on the pod cast today at 8 am PDT. Namaste, which means, according to most, I see God in you. It is a very nice blessing.
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