The Unity Blog Site

#57. About Chickens and Light Bulbs

2012-01-14T23:26:00.004-05:00

Of course, you are quite familiar with the following riddle:

"Why did the chicken cross the road?"

It was first recorded in a New York magazine in 1847. Now I ask you, how many times has this silly riddle been told over the years,? I suggest a conservative guesstimate of 1,000,000 times.

Of course, you are quite familiar with the following riddle, or joke:

"How many _____ does it take to change a light bulb?"

It became popular in the late 1960’s. For over 45 years, people have been filling in the blank with various cultures or religions or occupations, usually to insult them – but in good fun. Now I ask you, how many times has this riddle been told over the years? I suggest a conservative guesstimate of 1,000,000 times.

However, I have never heard of these two riddles being combined together. It might go something like this:

Riddle #1: Why did the chicken cross the road?
Answer #1: Because it was dark outside and therefore necessary for the chicken to cross the road in order to change the light bulb.

Riddle #2: How many chickens does it take to change a light bulb?
Answer #2: I just told you – ONE! But the chicken has been standing 15 minutes on the other side of the road, waiting in the dark for the horrific traffic to die down.

Now it’s your turn. I wonder how long it will take to get to 1,000,000!

#56. Can You Find Yourself?

2011-11-01T13:21:00.011-04:00

Who are you? No, I don’t mean, “What is your name!” You are not your name, of course? Can you touch your name? Can you point to your name? NOT!

So, are you your body, then? You can see your body and touch your body – but is your body who you are? You have a body, but you are not … it.

Pretend that you don’t have a body – would you still exist? Try this exercise: Close your eyes so that you can not see your body – now, do you still exist? Go ahead, try it now! I’ll wait. Imagine … no body. Are you still there? Do you still exist? I’m wait …… ing!

If you said yes, you are correct! Now if you are not your body, are you your mind? Is your mind now thinking that you exist as your mind? You do have a mind, but is that who you are? NOT!

Imagine that you have no mind, as well as no body – would you still exist? Close your mind, I mean, “Stop Thinking!” Are you still there, even without … thinking any thoughts? Try this one on for size! I can wait.

If you said ‘Yes!’ then you are right, for you would still be AWARE of your existence. Do you get it, that you exist even without a mind or a body! WOW!

Indeed, you have a mind, but where is your mind? Close your eyes and point to your mind. Go ahead, use your index finger … and point to your mind. Thanx.

Now, if you exist even without a body or a mind, then “What are you?” and “Where are you?” Point to YOU? Yes, do it now. With that same index finger, point to … YOU!

Where did you point? Did you point to the same place as when you pointed to your mind? Did you point to your head? I doubt it!

What did you discover? Are you touchable or untouchable? Are you visible or invisible? Let me know what happened when you tried to find yourself – that is, your true self. Click the comment button and share your experience with me.

I’m waiting …….
.

#55. Blasphemy Against Mother-God

2011-09-10T16:02:00.010-04:00

In our Unity churches and centers, we hold that the Essence of God consists of both masculine and feminine qualities, so therefore, we often conclude a prayer with "Thank You, Father-Mother God. Amen". The New Testament refers to the Holy Spirit as "HE" -- not SHE. And Jesus stated that "blasphemy against the Holy Spirit shall not be forgiven". So, have I sinned? Shall I never be forgiven if I acknowledge the feminine side of God in my prayers?

God speaks in Genesis 1 saying, "Let US (the Trinity, of course) create humankind in our image, after our likeness ... male and female, created HE them". Certainly, God is complete in Himself as male (or males). So why on earth would HE create human females upon the earth if, indeed, there are only males in the Godhead: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? Think about it!

God could have made Adam (a male) out of the dust of the earth and then create, out of his body (or with his rib) a child -- which would be a boy. After all, there are only males in heaven (3 to be precise), so only males would need to exist on earth. The planet would continue to be poplulated by males giving birth to their offspring -- you know, boy babies. There is no need whatsoever for females to exist, in heaven, or on the earth. God is fully male, so He would only create human beings that are male.

The truth is, however, there are quite a few females on the planet. Believe me, I have seen them with my own eyes! So, why??? Please, 'splain away this contradiction for me! Thank you, mame!

#54. A Summer Riddle

2011-07-03T21:39:00.010-04:00

Can you answer this Paul Harvey RIDDLE? It was presented on his September 6, 1997 broadcast, but was written by Lee Pitts.

Read it carefully. It has been claimed that 80% of the kindergarten kids at a school got the correct answer to this riddle compared to only 17% of Stanford University seniors who got it right. Let me know if you got it right -- or not!

................Here is the Riddle:

...What is greater than God,
.........more evil than the devil,
...............the poor have it,
.....................the rich need it,
...........................and if you eat it, you'll die?

.
.
.
.

Answer: Nothing!

#53. Nine Lives of Osama Bin Laden

2011-06-04T16:46:00.007-04:00

[Telegraph, 12/28/2001] Bin Laden's voice was detected regularly until December 14. 2001 by intelligence operatives monitoring radio transmissions in Tora Bora, according to the Pentagon. Since then, nothing has been heard from him.

[FOXNEWS.COM] Usama bin Laden has died a peaceful death due to an untreated lung complication, the Pakistan Observer reported, citing a Taliban leader who allegedly attended the funeral of the Al Qaeda leader. Bin Laden, according to the source, was suffering from a serious lung complication and succumbed to the disease in mid-December, in the vicinity of the Tora Bora mountains. The source claimed that bin Laden was laid to rest honorably in his last abode and his grave was made as per his Wahabi belief.

[KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) -- October 7, 2002] "I would come to believe that [bin Laden] probably is dead," Afghan President Hamid Karzai said on CNN's ‘Late Edition’.

[FBI: Thursday, 18 July, 2002, UK] The US Federal Bureau of Investigation's counter-terrorism chief, Dale Watson, said "… I personally think he is probably not with us anymore but I have no evidence to support that."

[LONDON, England (CNN) -- October 26, 2002] The editor-in-chief of a London-based Arab news magazine said a purported will it published Saturday was written late last year by Osama bin Laden, and shows "he's dying or he's going to die soon." U.S. intelligence officials say they have the purported will … a four-page document, said to be signed by the leader of the al Qaeda terrorist network and dated December 14, 2001, in Afghanistan. In the document, which was translated for CNN, the writer states: "As for you, my sons, forgive me if I failed to devote more of my time to you since I answered the call to Jihad," the document says. To his wives, the author says, "May God reward you generously. You have been very supportive to me. You recognized right at the start that the path will be paved with land mines and other obstacles."

Professor David Ray Griffin, formerly of California's Claremont School of Theology … wrote a book in 2010 that claimed bin Laden died of kidney-related issues in 2001 while living in the Tora Bora mountains of Afghanistan.

Former CIA case officer Robert Baer said of bin Laden in 2008, "Of course he's dead."

Bashir Qureshi, who lives just a bean field away from where bin Laden was shot and whose windows were blown out in the raid, was dismissive. "Nobody believes it. We've never seen any Arabs around here, he was not here." A number of Abbottabad, residents believe it was a U.S. conspiracy. Some residents doubted not only that bin Laden was dead, but also that he ever lived among them.

[Reuters] A U.S. national security official, who was not named, told Reuters that "'this was a kill operation', making clear there was no desire to try to capture bin Laden alive in Pakistan".

[President Obama] states that his first comment was, “It is him.” No proof. No photo. No body. In other words, take my word for it -- "It is him."

#52. Garbage Dumb Experience

2011-03-29T20:45:00.012-04:00

GOD:

"Look Son, I want you to tell all of your followers about the hell-thing."

Jesus:

"OK gang, listen up, I have some good news and some bad news from my Father. If you remain in touch with God, your life on earth will be a heavenly experience. However, if you remain stuck in your arrogance and stay disconnected from God, you are going to end up in the depths of dispair. You shall be in mental anguish and emotional torment all the days of your life. You will think you're going crazy! You will not be able to think clearly. You will be full of fear and turmoil. And you will feel that God is a million miles away and that He does not care about you at all. Most of you will have this hellish experience every time you screw up. So stay in touch with God and experience the good life."

Jesus:

"How did I do, Dad?"

GOD:

"My Son, you are such a dinwit! You know very well that those heathen are going to die and literally be thrown into the Gehena Garbage Pile -- and that they will be there day in and day out forever. They need to know that the land fill is a real place outside of Jerusalem where the fire burns relentlessly to get rid of the terrible stench. You should also have informed them that they will weep a lot, that they will wail a lot, and that they will gnash their teeth a lot -- so they need to remember their dentures. And, oh yeah, you forgot to tell them how excruciatingly hot the fire will be. Really, Son, why do you have to use all those parables anyway? Why didn't you just speak to them the literal truth?"

#51. Put a Face to the Voice!

2011-03-07T17:36:00.009-05:00

When I talk to someone on the phone for the first time, I often form a picture in my mind of what they look like. Later, if I meet them in person, they always look completely different from my preconceived image. In over 60 years of conversing on the phone, it has never happened that my image of their facial appearance has turned out to be correct! How can that be?

Do you also imagine what the voice on the other end of the line looks like? Have you ever been accurate -- even once? Why is this?

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then why wouldn't a thousand words be worth a picture? Go figure!

Of course, the same is true if you hear a speaker or a singer on a CD. And then their is radio. I have listened to many talk-show hosts on the radio, but when I see a photo of them -- or see them in person -- they always throw me a curve by looking like someone else! Why don't they play fair? I just don't get it! Maybe that's why they are on the radio -- they have a face made for radio!

What do you think? Give me some help, will you!

#50. You Can Say That Again!

2011-01-04T18:18:00.006-05:00

Please read all the way to the bottom. Thanx!

Mr. Simpleton: "I always say 'Redundancy Unnecessary! Keep it simple. No need to repeat!'"

Mr. Ditto: "You can say that again!"

Mr. Simpleton: "I always say 'Redundancy Unnecessary! Keep it simple. No need to repeat!'"

Mr. Ditto: "You can say that again!"

Mr. Simpleton: "I always say 'Redundancy Unnecessary! Keep it simple. No need to repeat!'"

Mr. Ditto: "You can say that again!"

Mr. Simpleton: "I always say 'Redundancy Unnecessary! Keep it simple. No need to repeat!'"

Mr. Ditto: "You can say that again!"

Mr. Simpleton: "I always say 'Redundancy Unnecessary! Keep it simple. No need to repeat!'"

Mr. Ditto: "You can say that again!"

Mr. Simpleton: "I always say 'Redundancy Unnecessary! Keep it simple. No need to repeat!'"

Mr. Ditto: "You can say that again!"

Mr. Simpleton: "I always say 'Redundancy Unnecessary! Keep it simple. No need to repeat!'"

Mr. Ditto: "You can say that again!"

Mr. Simpleton: "I always say 'Redundancy Unnecessary! Keep it simple. No need to repeat!'"

Mr. Ditto: "You can say that again!"

Hey, did you read all of the 'back and forths' above -- or did you stop half-way through and then come down here just to read the Grande Finale???

#49. Reinterpreting John 3:16

2010-11-30T19:15:00.022-05:00

"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.
For God so loved the world that He His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
The quote in blue is the most cherished verse in the New Testament: John 3:16. Jesus is addressing the question of why God sent Him to the earth. Christians interpret this statement to mean that God sent Jesus to sacrifice His life upon the cross in order for mankind to be saved from their sins and be welcomed into heaven when they die. But is that what Jesus is speaking of? Is it? I wonder!

There is absolutely nothing in the entire chapter about crucifixion, about sacrifice, about ransom, about death. Notice the word gave (in red). This word suggests to the Christian mind the idea of 'giving Jesus over to the Romans to be crucified'. But if the word 'sent' was used -- rather than the word 'gave' -- a completely different connotation would appear. Read John 3:16 again that way see what you think.

Now, the preceding verse (in green) is a reference to chapter 21 of Numbers in the Old Testament. The serpent is not being crucified or killed, but 'gazed' upon. God had instructed Moses to create a bronze serpent and place it up high so that anyone bitten by one of the many snakes in the wilderness would focus on the image and not die from the venom!

"So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked (gazed) at the bronze serpent, he lived."

The Greek word for 'lifted up' is hupsoo and means "to lift up on high, to exalt". In John 12:32, Jesus uses the same word, stating these words: "And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself."

Oh, yes! God so loved all of His children that he sent Jesus to our planet that He might be honored and exalted -- that He might be lifted up as the ideal, the model, the example, the mentor for us all. Oh yeah, I forgot to include: "The Savior"!

#48. Son of the Great Leaf

2010-10-25T20:07:00.005-04:00

The Divine Child of the Great Leaf spoke these words of Wisdom and Truth to all the leaves of the Treedom:

"The time is fulfilled, for the autumn season is now upon us. And though I must leave you, I shall prepare a place for you, that where I am, there you may be also. Fear not, little leaves -- let not your hearts be troubled. For in due season, in the springtime of the new year, I shall return to the Treedom with new life. And what I do, you shall do likewise ... and we shall resurrect with new life in the Treedom of the Great Leaf."

If you are a student of the Gospels in the New Testament, this above rendition may sound familiar. A few verses below should refresh your memory. What think ye? Any hope for the leaves of the Treedom?

* Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the
kingdom of God unless he is born again." -- John 3:3

* “Let not your heart be troubled … I go to prepare a place
for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” -- John 14:1-3
* "I tell you the truth, all the things that I do, you shall do also..." -- John 14:12

* "Then Jesus told them, '... after I am risen again' " -- Matthew 26:32

* "Jesus saith unto her, 'Thy brother shall rise again.' " -- John 11:23

* "And Jesus answering said unto them... 'for they are ... the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.' " -- Luke 20:36
Question: Are you a leaf that believes in teachings about reincarnation and/or the resurrection? Or are you a leaf that shall fall the ground and die once for all eternity?

#47. Leave A Message, Please

2010-09-28T17:25:00.008-04:00

"To leave a voice message, press one, or just wait for the tone. To send a numeric page, press two now . . . . . . . . At the tone, please record your voice message. When you are finished recording, you may hang up, or press pound for more options." (Beep)

How many times have you heard voicemail instructions similar to those above? Why do cell phone companies have such a ridiculous series of directions for leaving a message after the beep? Are we that ignorant? confused? forgetful? Hardly!

It's the Mandatory 15-Second Voicemail Instructions. Why is it mandatory, I ask? Apparently, there are multi-millions of extra dollars to be "earned" each year because of those extra 15 seconds of "use". Oh! Now I see why it is mandatory!

To leave a written comment, press one, or just wait for the weather report. To send me a compliment, press two now . . . . . If you don't hear a tone, please record your written note anyway. When you are finished typing, you may hang out for a while just reading other think-pieces, or pound on the monitor to see if anyone is in there to give you more options!

P.S. -- There is absolutely no extra charge for these instructions. I am simply here to assist you. Have a fantastic day!

#46. Who is the Thinker?

2010-08-28T16:21:00.011-04:00

It is natural for people to think. But what exactly is ... thinking?

Science tells us that thinking is achieved through the activity of the brain; that we use only 1/10th of our brain potential; that the brain functions as a phenomenal computer with zillions of gigabytes of RAM (I made that part up with my brain); that signals for hormonal secretions are sent to the proper glandular authorities to create emotional charges in the body at a moment's notice; that memory is stored in the brain for future recall; that the brain . . . and on and on and on it goes.

But is there a "thinker" behind our "thoughts"? Is there a non-physical YOU that is independent of the human brain . . . and body? Can this thinker therefore choose to creatively use the brain to think and produce solutions to your problems?

If you respond with a comment (and I hope you will), is your brain telling you what to write . . . or is it coming from the non-physical, non-human YOU?

#45. Jesus Had a Sense of Humor

2010-06-30T01:22:00.005-04:00

Dare I ask? "Was Jesus a standup comic?" The Gospels paint a portrait of Jesus as over-flowing with humor and wit, full of irony and satire, and over the edge with mocking exaggerations. Can you just picture in your mind’s eye the cartoon caricatures Jesus created, such as the “blind leading the blind and both falling into the ditch”! Or how about “straining out a gnat, but swallowing a camel”? Or better still, consider “having a log in your eye while trying to remove a splinter from another’s eye”. Do you see his humor?

Jesus told Peter that one should forgive a friend -- not seven times -- but 70 times 7 (ie, 490 times). To his followers, he posed the following question: “With all your worrying, which of you can add 18 inches to your height?” To the religious leaders, Jesus stated, “You are so careful to polish the outside of the bowl, but the inside is foul with extortion and greed.” And that is just the beginning. There is much, much more in your Bible.

Lots of religious humor has been created about Jesus. Do you suppose he would be offended by it? I think not. My own cartoon caricature is of Jesus returning to the earth, saying to his fellow-Christians, “I said WHAT???”

Here is one of my favorite jokes:

A Jewish Rabbi congratulated a newly ordained Catholic Priest. The former said to the Priest, "By the way, can you work your way up the ladder?" The priest stated that indeed some priests do become Bishops. “How about Bishops – can they advance?” continued the Rabbi. The priest was taken back, but added that a few can advance to become Archbishops. The Rabbi was relentless: “And beyond that?” The poor priest was shaking, but uttered that the Pope would be the highest honor. The Rabbi asked, “Is that all?” The Priest blurted out defensively, “What in the world do you expect -- that the Pope could someday become God?

The Rabbi concluded, “Well, sure! One of our guys made it!”

Now it's your turn . . .

#44. Memorial Day Next Year

2010-05-31T17:45:00.009-04:00

We have just made it through the Memorial Day weekend, commemorating the deaths during the Iraqi war of somewhere between "estimates" of 100,000 (on the low end) and 1 million (on the high end). But if we don't even know how many have died, do we really care that they have paid the ultimate sacrifice?

Imagine what it would feel like next year on "Memorial Day" if there were no deaths to commemorate? No soldiers dying. No soldiers fighting. What if the U.S. decided to stop playing war? Is it possible? Let's ask Mahatma Gandhi! Let's ask Martin Luther King, Jr. Let's ask the Master Jesus.

Each of them taught and demonstrated to our world how to overcome the evils of the world through the principle of non-violence . . . and all three were assasinated . . . and probably, not remembered on Memorial Day.

Albert Einstein stated about Gandhi, "Generations to come will scarcely believe that such a one as this walked the earth in flesh and blood."

#43. Jesus, Dalai Lama, & YOU

2010-05-02T17:32:00.006-04:00

What do you know about the Dalai Lama? According to Tibetan Buddhist tradition, the Dalai Lama is an enlightened spiritual being who chooses to come to the earth again and again to serve humanity. So, after he dies, it is believed that he will return to the earth in a new baby's body.

If a monk has a dream or vision that he has been reborn, the senior Buddhist monks will begin searching for the youngster. The monks then present such a boy with possessions (including toys) of the previous Dalai Lama to determine whether the boy is familiar with them.

It is believed to be proof that the child is the reincarnation if he chooses the items that belonged to the previous Lama. In 1937, at the age of two, the present 14th Dalai Lama was recognized as the reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama.

Is Jesus also an advance spiritual being, who chose to come to the earth to serve humanity?

"(Jesus) has come from heaven” - John 3:31
“(Jesus) was taken up to heaven” - Mark 16:19

These two Bible verses point to the beginning and ending of the life of Jesus. It implies that he pre-existed before his birth and that he continued to exist after his death.

In the western world, most people do believe the soul lives on after death, but that the soul is not created until conception (or at birth). But if one person – Jesus – lived in the spirit world before birth and returned to the spirit world after death, then WHY would this not be true of us all?

OK, Jesus was called the Son of God. But is not every soul a child of God? Does not each have a spark of divinity? If we can live for eternity after death, what prevents us from pre-existing our birth? Is it possible we all have come from the spiritual realm ... and shall return ... again and again and again? Would you recognize your toys?

#42. Does The Soul Survive Death?

2010-03-26T19:53:00.010-04:00

As we are very soon approaching Easter, let's consider these questions. Please respond and give me your 5 answers.

I wonder how Jesus would answer these questions? If he has a computer, maybe he will let us know.

1. Do you believe there is no afterlife?
(ie: the soul dies when the body dies)

2. Do you believe in life after death ?
(ie: the soul lives on after the death of the body)

3. Do you believe in life before birth ?
(ie: the soul pre-existed before birth into a body)

4. Do you believe in Resurrection ?
(ie: the soul returns to life in the same body)

5. Do you believe in Reincarnation ?
(ie: the soul returns to life in a different body)

#41. Christy, the Office Receptionist

2010-02-14T17:56:00.003-05:00

Some Christians believe that Christianity is the only true religion. As proof, they quote Jesus saying, "I am the way … no one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6 ISV). In other words, Jesus is the only way to God and therefore, the only way to get into heaven when a person dies.

So how could Jesus Christ be the only way to the Father? Maybe Jesus is his Father's body-guard. NO! NO! NO! he didn’t even carry a sword!

OK, then, maybe Jesus is the Father’s personal receptionist. Christ alone decides whether or not a person can enter his Father’s office (heaven).

Joseph prays to G*d. The phone is ringing: "Hello, this is Heaven's Prayer-line."
"Is this Yahweh's Kingdom?" Joe asks.
"Yes it is. My name is Christy. May I help you?"
"Yes, I am Joseph and I want to see Yahweh face to face."
"OK, but the only way is to go through me. Now your name is Joseph, and what is your religion?" "Jewish! I am one of His chosen people!"
"OK, you're scheduled in the calendar. See you when you die."

Mohammed prays to Allah. The phone is ringing: "Hello, this is Heaven's Prayer-line."
"Is this Allah's Kingdom?" Mohammed asks.
"Yes it is. My name is Christy. May I help you?"
"Yes, I am Mohammed and I want to meet with Allah about my virgins."
"OK, but the only way is to go through me. Now your name is Mohammed, and what is your religion?"
"Islam! You don't think I'm an infidel, do you!"
"OK, you're scheduled in the calendar. See you when you die."

Mary prays to Jesus. The phone is ringing: "Hello, this is Heaven's Prayer-line."
"Is this the Kingdom of God?" Mary asks.
"Yes it is. My name is Christy. May I help you?"
"Yes, I am Mary and I want to see my beloved Lord."
"OK, but the only way is to go through me. Now your name is Mary, and what is your religion?"
"Christian! And I'm born again!"
"OK, you're scheduled in the calendar. See you when you die."

#40. Slice the Banana in Half

2010-01-05T17:56:00.007-05:00

Two lesbians, Janet and Lisa, were married in Vermont in 2000 and Lisa gave birth to a child, conceived through artificial insemination. However, the couple legally ended their relationship in 2003. The birth mother moved to Virginia with the child, apparently to avoid giving Janet visitation rights. As a conse- quence of Lisa's contempt of court, the judge in the Miller-Jenkins v. Miller-Jenkins case has transferred custody rights of the now seven year old child to Janet. However, Lisa and her daughter seem to have disappeared, as no one knows of their whereab0uts.

WOW! What a sad story! The loser, of course, is the child. What are the rights of a child nowadays? Where are your thoughts on this matter and what are your feelings? You be the judge!

One day two women who were prostitutes came to Solomon. “Please, my lord,” one of them began, “this woman and I live in the same house. I gave birth to a baby while she was with me in the house. Three days later, she also had a baby. But her baby died during the night. While I was asleep, she laid her dead child in my arms and took mine to sleep beside her. And in the morning, I saw that it wasn’t my son at all.”
Then the other woman interrupted, “It certainly was your son, and the living child is mine.” “No,” the first woman said, “the dead one is yours, and the living one is mine.” And so they argued back and forth before the king.
Then the king said, “Let’s get the facts straight. Both of you claim the living child is yours. All right, bring me a sword. Cut the living child in two and give half to each of these women!”
Then the woman who really was the mother of the living child, and who loved him very much, cried out, “Oh no, my lord! Give her the child—please do not kill him!” But the other woman said, “All right, he will be neither yours nor mine; divide him between us!”
Then the king said, “Do not kill him, but give the baby to the woman who wants him to live, for she is his mother!”
-- I Kings 3:16-27

#39. Christmas Christian Cuestions

2009-12-06T19:13:00.017-05:00

The Christmas story in Matthew tells of wise men (or magi) making the long journey to find the newborn king of the Jews. I offer 10 questions about the so-called "wise men" -- not to be taken seriously, but to be explored with humor and wit and fun. Are you ready?

#1. How many wise men were there?
#2. The wise men brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh for Jesus. Were these Christmas gifts or presents for Jesus' birthday?
#3. What would a youngster do with such gifts -- myrrh was a dried sap from a tree used as an embalming ointment at burial?
#4. If they were so wise, why did they follow a star in the sky? Why didn't they simply ask for directions? Oh, yeah! They were men -- got it!
#5. The wise men were from the east, so the star would appear in the west. But the wise men said,

"We have seen his star in the east." -- Help!

#6. "The star went before them till it came to rest over the place where the child was". Really! Could this be a UFO rather than a star? Any thoughts on this?
#7. "(King Herod) found out from (the wise men) the exact time they first saw the star." They probaby came directily across the desert from Babylon to Jerusalem, a distance of at least 540 miles, taking 25 to 30 days by caravan. How long do you think it took them to find Jesus? Herod calculated the time travel to be as much as 2 years!
Could it be they took the scenic route! ???
#8. "And going into the house, (the wise men) saw the child with Mary, his mother." Obviously, Jesus was no longer a baby, but living in the home of Joseph and Mary, which was in a village called Nazareth, in Galilee. But the wise men were led by the star to Jerusalem, in Judea, a distance of 65 miles from the house where Jesus lived. Either the star was confused ... or the wise men weren't so wise. What say ye?
#9. The wise men "departed to their own country by another way." But how did they know the way back home -- not another star, I hope!
#10. Have a Merry Christmas! That's not a question, nor a suggestion, but a requirement. Blessings!

P.S. -- You know what would have happened if there had been
three wise WOMEN instead of three wise MEN ? Well, don’t you? The three wise WOMEN would have:

1. asked for directions,
2. arrived on time,
3. helped deliver the Baby,
4. cleaned the stable,
5. made a casserole, and
6. given practical gifts.

#38. Express Your Gratitude-Attitude!

2009-11-15T18:35:00.006-05:00

Charlie says, "I've sure gotten old. I've had 2 by-pass surgeries, a hip replacement, new knees. Fought prostate cancer and diabetes. I'm half blind, can't hear anything quieter than a jet engine, take 40 different medications that make me dizzy, winded, and subject to blackouts. Have bouts with dementia. Have poor circulation, hardly feel my hands and feet anymore. Can't remember if I'm 85 or 92. Have lost all my friends. But . . . . Thank God, I still have my driver's license!"

Of course, this is a humorous story. But on the serious side, what are you thankful for? Here is your opportunity to express your sincere appreciation -- for your beloved; family; healings; prosperity; new opportunities; special successes.

It's time to crankup your 'gratitude-attitude' during this Thanksgiving time of year!

I'm grateful for my cat, Snooper, who let's me stay in his beautiful home -- Virgil

#37. Evolution of Religion

2009-10-17T03:32:00.004-04:00

Zoroastrianism was quite content . . . until Judaism came along and adopted the Zoroastrian beliefs in angels, in heaven and hell, in the soul's immortality, in the resurrection, and in the last judgment. Judaism finally shifted their worship to one God, but changed his name from Ahura-Mazad to Yahweh; and Satan became a fallen angel and arch-enemy of God -- a replica of Ahriman in Zoroastrianism. Most likely, none of this bothered the Zorastrians, though the Sadducees sect of Judaism rejected these doctrines (which of course drove them bananas, for sure). However, it was the Jewish sect known as the Pharisees that accepted all of them for Judaism -- and they won out in the end.

Judaism was quite content . . . until Christianity came along and completely revamped Judaism, turning one God into three, negating the Mosaic Commandments as impossible to practice, and establishing the worship of a human being (which of course drove the Jews bananas, for sure). The Jewish Messiah, or Christ, meaning 'anointed of God', was a term held by King Saul, King David, King Solomon, etc.; the Christ was redefined by Christianity to signify deity, that is, a God-being, and the title was given to Jesus of Nazareth. His sacrificial death replaced the Temple sacrifices for sin, once and for all. Sunday replaced the Sabbath Day as a day of rest, the church replaced the synogogue, and the Jewish scriptures were highjacked to be included with their 'New Testament' writings, all of which were now divinely inspired from cover to cover.

Christianity was quite content . . . until Islam came along and completely revamped Christianity, turning three Gods back into one, giving Him an Arabic name, Allah, and declaring the Bible to be corrupted and inaccurate. The Muslims removed Jesus from his throne as the savior of the world, but honored him as a prophet of God, second only to Mohammad, who was sent by Allah to straighten out the errors of the infidels. A new set of scriptures, called the Koran, replaced the fallible 'Book' of the Christians. Allah had no humanistic attributes, developed no relationwhip with His followers, and gave no garantee of entry into heaven, unless they should become martyrs for the cause (which of course drove the Christian bananas, for sure).

Islam was quite content until . . .

#36. What's in a Commercial?

2009-09-14T23:54:00.005-04:00

Have you ever wondered why companies pay millions of dollars to purchase TV ads? I have! But it never made any sense to me -- unless, of course, commericals do effectively influence large masses of people to purchase their product. And the bottom line is -- they work! I am perplexed about this because I almost never respond to a commercial, thinking, "I'm gonna go out and buy that brand of soap!" Obviously, millions of people not only think it, but they go out and buy that slippery stuff.

Could it be that there are two types of people: 1) those who are rather easily swayed by something or someone outside of themselves, and 2) those who are not. What do you think? Which category do you fall into? Or, is there a third category of people?

One other thing, do you think that slippery stuff could improve my social life? Just wondering . . .

#35. The Three Faces of God

2009-07-31T23:30:00.013-04:00

Question: Can you explain the Trinity – you know, one God-in-three-persons?
Answer: I believe it, but I don’t understand it. It’s simply a mystery to me.

No matter how many Christians I have asked this question – be they a Theologian, a pastor, or a layperson – the answer is always the same.

However, I recently discovered an author who has provided his answer in a spiritual novel called: "The Shack". This book has sold over 4 million copies by word of mouth. It’s an excellent read and I highly recommend it to anyone seeking for a more whole- some understanding of God. But even more -- it’s a loving, caring “three-Gods-in-one” classic that you won’t be able to put down.

His Trinitarian concept of God includes the following:

a large, beaming African-American woman called “Papa”
a colorful, flighty Asian female named "Sarayu", and
Jesus plays himself – well, sort of . . .

This summer, our church is currently discussing this book and it is a blast!!! Have you already read it? How does it speak to you? I’d love to hear your comments. If you haven’t read it, why not? Blessings!

#34. God's Magical Numbers

2009-07-08T22:59:00.020-04:00

Once upon a time, I had a very petite, miniture frog that I trained to leap precisely 1/2 the remaining distance across the desk in my office. I tapped its back lightly and it jumped half way across the desk. Next, I followed up with a second tap and Freddie jumped exactly half the distance that remained. Then I gave a third tap and a fourth and a fifth. Freddie always leaped 1/2 the remaining distance. Would you believe that regardless of the number of taps, my froggie never, ever got to the opposite edge of my desk? And it was only six feet across!

No doubt you will find this think-piece to be a work of art -- or maybe a strange journey into the science of mathematics.

Zero divided by any number always equals zero:
0 / 14 = 0
0 / 15 = 0
0 / 37,012,558,403,579 = 0

Any number divided by zero has absolutely no anwser:
14 / 0 = ?
15 / 0 = ?
37,012,558,403,578 / 0 = ?

Zero divided by zero can equal any number that you choose:
0 / 0 = 1
0 / 0 = 37
0 / 0 = 412
0 / 0 = 5,000,000

Repeating decimals go on forever into eternity:
10 / 3 = 3.333333333333333333333333333333333333 . . .
16 / 11 = 1.454545454545454545454545454545454545 . . .
16 / 7 = 2.285714285714285714285714285714285714 . . .

An irrational number goes on forever but does not repeat itself:
If you divide the distance around the moon by the distance across the moon, you get a number called PI (which is always the same for any circle -- not just the moon)
PI = 3.141592653589793238462643383279502884197 . . .

An Imaginary Number (discovered in 1572) is not a Real Number: (Really!)
Example - The square root of -1 is an imaginary number since you cannot multiply a number by itself to get -1 for the answer

You can count on this blog getting some irrational responses!!!

#33. How'd You Get Into My House?

2009-06-12T17:23:00.006-04:00

Today, when I answered the phone, a female voice spoke ... with great urgency. It was a recorded message pertaining to "my" credit card debt. She said my debt could be substantially reduced if I acted immediately by pressing the #1. So I did! After so many of these telemarketer experiences, I wanted to see what would happen.

A real man came on the line, insisting to know how much money I owed. Angrily, I told him, "The lady has all that information, so why are you asking me?" He told me he knew nothing of her. "How did she connect me to you if you don't know her," I asked, "Doesn't she work for your company?" He claimed ignorance!

I told him he should get to know her, that she lives in a machine, and knows even more than I do about my financial circumstances. Surprisingly, he remained on the line with me for several minutes. Finally, I complained about her invading my home and, suddenly -- click! He was gone!

How do you contend with these home invasions? Tell me about such humerous phone conversations wherein you took the telemarketer for a ride. Be gentle now . . .

#32. How Many Humans? and Other Stuff?

2009-03-21T16:22:00.006-04:00

Exactly how many stars did God form on the fourth day of creation? 100? 1000? one gazillion? And when God created the animals and birds and fish, how many were there in all? 100 of each species? 1000? 100,000? one billion? It's doubtful that God began it all with but one rooster and one hen; with only two cows; with just a couple of sparrows; with two tiny worms; with a couple of goldfish in a bowl. So tell me, when did God stop creating the animal kingdom on that fifth day of the first week of creation?

And, of course, I also want to know just how many humans God created in that first week?

"So God created people in his own image; God patterned them after himself; male and female he created them." (Genesis 1:27).

Now Chapter 2 of Genesis tells of God creating the first man and woman, but how many others did God form on the sixth day of creation? 100? 1000? 29,307? 1 million? If Adam and Eve is all there were from the start of it all, where did their two sons, Cain and Abel, find wives to marry? Maybe the Inquirer could give me a lead or two. I wonder: just how many folk were created before God said . . . under his breath, "I think that's enough . . . for now!!!"

#31. Tell Me Your Answer

2009-02-22T20:01:00.007-05:00

I place before you a very important question to answer. And not everyone gets it right! How about you? It will not be so difficult for some to answer, but for others, it will require some thinking. Your answer might be a male or female, might be young or elderly, might be famous or unknown -- rich or poor. But you can only make one selection for your answer. Please, share with me yours . . . and WHY. I really want to know why! OK, here goes:

If you could be any living person anywhere in the world today, who would you choose to be?

#30. Miracles of Life

2008-12-13T02:16:00.008-05:00

Yesterday, I received an email from a recent acquaintance. As I was just about to open it, my friend Linda came into my office. Suddenly, she said that someone thinks I look like Arnold Schwarzenegger. I thanked her for the informaition. After she left my office, I opened the email which stated: "I know who you look like -- Arnold Schwarzenegger!"

My dictionary defines the word miracle as "an event that appears unexplainable by the laws of nature and so is held to be supernatural in origin or an act of God". I believe there are three ways in which to understand the world of miracles.

1. Sometimes, miracles do occur.
Life is governed by scientific laws, but from time to time on various occasions, God intervenes in the affairs of life and performs miracles that defy natural laws.

2. There are no such things as miracles at all!
Eventually, science will beable to explain each and every so-called miraculous event as
a natural law.

3. Everything in life is a miracle! (I prefer this one!)
The birth of a baby shall always be a miracle. Though science can show that gravity is a natural phenominon, it reveals no concept of what it is or why it happens. Life defies explanation -- it's one huge miracle!

Talk to me! Do you have a miracle story? or an ESP experience? or a healing story that defies medical explanations? I'm all ears!

#29. Where's Our Economy Heading?

2008-10-05T20:31:00.008-04:00

I remember growing up in the 50's. Gas stations (they were called filling stations) had attendants that not only pumped your gasoline for you, but checked your oil and cleaned your windshield. The price of gas remained rather constant at 25 cents per gallon, but occasionally the cost would increase by 1 or 2 pennies at a time. Business owners competed with each other by providing the better "service" to the customer.

In today's evolving (or devolving) capitalistic society, service has been replaced by "greed". My dictionary defines greed as "a rapacious desire for more than one needs or deserves, as of food, wealth, or power". Regardless of the financial success of huge corporations, it's not enough. No one seems to have enough ... of anything. Never enough money; never enough power; never enough toys; never enough time; never enough happiness.

When we are of service to others, the energy is flowing outward from our heart center to the world around us. And the more we give, the more our cup runs over. However, the consciousness of greed pulls the energy forcefully from "out there" . . . inwardly. Yet, leaving us feeling more and more empty inside.

What a paradox! So what are your thoughts about life in the 00's ?

#28. Aborted Plans of God

2008-08-21T18:29:00.005-04:00

I have often wondered if God has ever "changed His mind" about some of His divine plans for the human race. For example, did He consider creating the first human being as a woman, (rather than a man), but aborted that particular plan? Or how did He determine the best time for Jesus to come to the earth -- I mean, did He consider various dates before settling on December 25, 0001?

God has revealed to me (through His Holy Spirit) some of His unused heavenly plans -- or maybe it was by way of my demented brain. Anyhow, the following are intended to be thought-provoking, not sacrilegious. What are your thoughts? Do you ever come up with these kind of questions?

Aborted Plans of God:

#1. Knowing from the get-go that Adam and Eve would screw it up, why didn't God get humanity off to a super beginning on day #6 by creating a body out of the dust of the earth, and then selecting His only Son to incarnate it? Instead of Jesus, God chose Adam! Hmmmm . . .

#2. Since a male body lacks the ability to give birth -- even in the midst of the perfect Garden -- why didn't God create a female body out of the dust of the earth which could then be impregnated by the Holy Spirit and give birth to God's only Son, getting humanity off to an excellent start? Hmmmm . . .

#3. In God's perfect Garden Home which was prepared for Adam and Eve to live eternally, why didn't God plant that tree of death outside the Garden. (By the way, why is there an evil, talking snake in the garden, anyway?) Hmmmm . . .

#4. After the "fall of man", why didn't God immediately send Jesus to the Garden of Eden to sacrifice His life on a cross and save Adam, Eve, Cain, Abel, and Seth from their sins -- as well as all the rest of the souls that would be born into the world thereafter? Hmmmm . . .

#5. During the days of Noah, rather than destroy all the evil human beings by flooding the entire earth, why didn't God send Jesus to the earth at that time to sacrifice His perfect life on a cross and save Noah and the rest of the souls living in the world from their sins? Hmmmm . . .

#6. Why was God's holiness and His wrath so monumental that He required His only Son to be sacrificed as a ransom for us, but did not love us enough to simply forgive us -- as His only Son taught us to do? (Ouch!!!)

#7. After resurrecting His glorified body, why didn't Jesus remain on the earth for a year, or two, or thirty-two, or one hundred thirty-two years, or until all of humanity gets the message and believes in the only Son of God as their savior?

Now it's your turn.
.

#27. Just How Unique Is Your Name?

2008-06-29T22:32:00.005-04:00

My parents named me Virgil Brewer when I was just a little baby, so I had very little to do with the matter. I realize that my surname is quite common, but I have always considered my given name, Virgil, to be somewhat uncommon. I absolutely knew without a shadow of doubt, however, that no one else in the entire world had my full name.

WOW! Was I surprised (actually shocked) to find that 32 people in the U.S. have both the first and last name I was born with -- Virgil Brewer!

To discover how many people in the United States have your first-name, last-name, and full-name, go to: http://ww2.howmanyofme.com/search/

Then come back and let me know what you have discovered. Do you have an unusual story to share about your name? Let me hear from you -- uh, what did you say your name is?

#26. Voting for Character in Politics?

2008-05-25T23:04:00.007-04:00

I believe in the Universal Principle that Life reflects our consciousness, both individually and collectively. So through the consciousness of the masses, we are helping to create our group experiences in life. In other words, we get what we ask for!

Consider, for example, Hilliary Clinton spoke from her notes about landing in Bosnia and having to duck under sniper fire, as her life was in danger. In truth, nothing of the sort happened, so why tell such a lie, I asked? Her response to reporters was: "I say a lot of things -- millions of words a day -- so if I misspoke, that was just a misstatement." And shortly afterward, 623,294 people in Indiana voted to make her our next president. WOW!

Also consider that Barack Obama stated he had never heard those extreme kind of remarks from his pastor and mentor of 20 years, the man who had performed his marriage, baptized his children, and was like an uncle to him. Seems a little disingenuous to me. Obama stated: "I can no more disown (Jeremiah Wright) than I can disown the black community. I can no more disown him than I can my white grandmother".

Not long afterwards, he disowned his pastor of 20 years. Does this mean he will also be willing to disown the black community and his own grandmother? But shortly afterward, 647,734 people in Indiana voted to make him our next president. WOW!

So I asked myself the question, why were over one million people accepting of them ... anyway? Have we not learned anything from our 'recent history'. The lack of character and integrity did not seem to matter. They could have stayed at home and not voted. Why? The answer: We get what we ask for ! The politicians are a reflection of our group consciousness. What do you say ???

#25. The Information Age

2008-04-18T01:59:00.006-04:00

Do you catch the news on CNN? Do you search the World Wide Web for info? Are you a Talk-Radio listener? Are you an avid reader of the daily news- paper? Do you correspond by Email? Have you memorized your favorite TV commercials? If so, then you have entered the "Information Age".

It is also called the "Communication Age". One source suggests several other titles: "The Age of Lies; the Age of Disinformation; the Age of Indoctrination and Propaganda; the age of molding, shaping, corrupting, and perverting the masses ... "

The Information Age began in the mid-80's and became a global phenomenon with the invention of the World Wide Web in 1989. The name is a reference to the global economy's shift in focus away from the production of physical goods (as exemplified by the industrial age) and toward the manipulation of information. Although tons of information now orbit the earth in any and all directions within a matter of seconds -- is it accurate? I mean, is it true, valid, authentic? Or is there a mis-speak (whatever that is!)? And how do you determine which?

Are you concerned that commercials costing Corporate America millions of dollars are quite affective in influencing the masses to spend billions? How do you regard the propaganda tactics of our government ... upon us? Are you impressed with what celebrities say? what politicians say? Do you believe the information because you heard it on TV? Because it was in the newspaper?

Talk to me -- I'm addicted to information, and inquiring minds want to know! Oh, and one more thing, do you believe Oswald acted alone?

#24. Email from the Deceased?

2008-03-13T18:42:00.010-04:00

My friend Jenny showed me an email that she received from a close friend of ours. However, our mutual friend, Sally, died five months ago. Spooky! Is this possible, do you think?

I believe that the soul lives on and there are countless stories of the deceased interacting with his/her loved ones. Communication can come through meditation and dreams, through a psychic, through specific fragrances, sounds, touch, or other signs and manifestations. So why could the soul not communicate in our high-tech society by way of the Internet?

Here is the message Jenny received. I have changed both names to protect the innocent (LOL) .

hi jenny
do you miss me
sally
The family of the deceased thought that Sally's email account had been closed after her death. However, we recently found that her email account is still in existence. Jenny and I have no reason to believe that someone is tampering with our minds. Nor am I trying to tamper with yours (LOL)!

What do you think? Does Jenny need a new computer? Or do you believe that the email message from the other side is possible? Have you had such unique experiences of your own. Let's talk about the other side.

#23. Must All Christians Think Alike?

2008-01-22T20:12:00.001-05:00

Many Christians are open-minded to other points of view. Some are not. They are overly insistent that Christians must all think alike -- that a true Christian must believe what they themselves have been taught to believe. I imagine that when Jesus returns, He will likely respond to them with "I said WHAT???"

I consider myself to be a free-thinker -- one who thinks outside their box. Listed below are my responses to ten of the most-often-asked-questions directed to me over the years by devoted fundamental Christians. What would your response be to their queries?

1. Do you believe in Jesus Christ?

My Response:

His existence - Yes;
His teachings - Yes;
His Presence - Yes;
His name - No, for his name was Jesus -- Jesus of Nazereth -- and, to me, His name is still Jesus

2. Do you believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God?

My Response:

Yes, if every poet, artist, and singer is inspired . . .
Yes, if every farmer, electrician, and inventor is inspired . . .
Yes, if every scientist, teacher, and laborer is inspired by the Spirit of God, then I believe the authors of the scriptures were also inspired by God . . . to express their creative juices

3. Do you believe the Bible is absolutely true and therefore flawless from cover to cover?

My Response:

Yes, if every alteration made in the Bible is flawless . . .
Yes, if every translation of the Bible is flawless . . .
Yes, if every author of the Bible is flawless . . .
Yes, if every person reading the Bible is flawless . . . from cover to cover

4. Do you read the King James Version of the Bible?

My Response:

I read many versions of the Bible -- usually the one that is available at the moment; often I even quote from the Virgilian Version of the Bible

5. Do you read all of the Bible or do you pick and choose only what you want to read and believe?

My Response:

The latter -- life is not all black and white, but mostly gray . . . or bald

6. Do you believe in the divinity of Jesus?

My Answer:

Yes, if you are divine, as well . . .
No, if any one soul be not God's beloved child

7. Do you believe Jesus died for you?

My Response:

No, I believe Jesus lived for me -- why must you need him to die for you? Must the shepherd die to rescue his lost sheep?

8. Have you been saved?

My Response:

Saved from what -- from my errors? No, they're all mine ... all the time;
Saved from Satan? No, the indwelling spirit of opposition yet has a foothold in the polarized mind of all humanity . . . including me;
Saved from God's wrath? Oh no! Love simply has no room for wrath

9. Do you believe in the resurrection of Jesus?

My Response:

Every soul expresses as form: sometimes in a 'physical' form, yet at other times, an 'ethereal' form. The gospels show Jesus appearing in both forms . . . after his death . . . and before

10. Do you worship Jesus as Lord?

My Response:

Jesus worshipped God as Lord of the Universe, referring to Him as His beloved Papa. And He taught us to do the same -- to love God with all our heart and to pray to Him as our heavenly Papa. Why would Jesus desire that He Himself be worshipped? Would He not prefer that we follow Him? Jesus is my Master, so I respect Him and follow His teachings.

#22. Tis a Jolly Christmas...This Year ?

2007-12-11T20:58:00.002-05:00

It's Christmas-time in the city . . . and across the countryside . . . and throughout much of the civilized world (I think). For many, it's a magical time of year . . . every year. Numerous shoppers, however, are complaining that the traditional slogans of 'Merry Christmas' are being replaced by 'Happy Holidays'. Local city councils are voting on whether the colors green and red are to be tolerated on the courthouse lawn. Family get-togethers are now being planned -- or not planned (and they won't let me know which).

My unofficial gestament poll is that 23.6% of the U.S. citizens will focus on the spiritual meaning of Christmas about 3.2% of the time, 64.9% will be caught up totally in the commercialization of it all, 7.3% will not decide until the 24th whether to participate this year, and 4.2% are undecided about the cause of all the hoopla.

What does this Christmas Season mean to you . . . at this stage of your life?

Are you ecstatic or static about Christmas?
Do you find yourself merely whelmed or over-whelmed by all the commotion?
Are you saddened by the loss of a loved one?
Or grateful for all the memories of a life-time friendship?
Are you elated your beau surprised you with a ring?
Or are you deflated cause your phone does not ring?

If you have nothing else to do before Christmas, make a comment. Really -- tell me a story. Let me know what Xmas -- sorry, Christmas -- means to you!

#21. Life is a Lot Like Golf.

2007-10-23T17:34:00.001-04:00

During the autumn season, golfers are less likely to be seen on the golf course because of all the leaves that fall to the ground. Recently, I noticed one lonely, humongous leaf lying on the green as I was lining up for a 25-foot putt. The leaf was not going to be in my pathway, so I ignored the obstacle.

However my putt was off-course and that golf ball rolled directly toward that huge leaf and stroke it head on. Immediately upon contact, the ball ricocheted off the leaf at a 30 degree angle and was heading directly toward the hole. Guess what? The ball fell right into the hole. WOW! What a putt!

Sometimes our life gets off-course and we encounter an obstacle which unexpectedly turns out to be a wonderful blessing. Had you not experienced the leaf, the blessing would not have occurred. Think about the leaves in your pathway that turned into a success story. Share a fantastic happening with us.

#20. Two Hundred Grandchildren!

2007-10-05T22:42:00.000-04:00

Recently, a friend related to me about a married couple who have 200 grand-children. WOW!

So if you do the math -- well, I blew the dust from my slide rule and calculated that if the couple had 14 children and each of the 14 children had given birth to 14 children, the couple would have a total of 196 grandchildren.

Now, if the couple had a whopping 18 children, each of them would merely have to average 11 children to arrive at 198 grandchildren. However, if the couple had only 12 children (LOL), each of them would have to average 17 in order to arrive at 204 grandchildren. All I can say is: "Thank God the couple didn't have only 7. Each would have to average 29 youngsters!

What do you think of this? Can you imagine birthday celebrations? or Christmas time? or any holiday reunion with the clan? I can hear it now -- Grandma asking all kinds of questions.

"Now ... what did you say your name is?" "Tell me again -- who do you belong to?" "No honey, I would never-ever forget you!" "What! You're pregnant again?"

Personally, I have totally given up on having any children of my own -- now I'm working on some grandchildren! Do you know of anyone with 200 grandkids? OK, anyone with 100? Give it your best shot!!!

#19. Prophesy For Me!

2007-08-29T22:01:00.000-04:00

In his song, Imagine, John Lennon posed the following query.

"Imagine there's no Heaven ...
And no religion too"

I have often pondered: What would I believe about God and about Life if there were no organized religions at all.

Many people believe whatever their religion tells them to believe. Also, many people believe whatever is written in their sacred, God-inspired scriptures -- be it the Bible, the Qur'an, the Bhagavad Gita, the Upanishads, or whatever.

Over the years, I have presented a hypothetical question to a number of Christians: Imagine you can only hold on to one or the other of these two relationships:

1) your relationship with God, or
2) your relationship with the Bible

Which would you choose?

For those who had perceived the Bible to be the divinely inspired, inerrant, perfect Word of God, it was a perplexing question with no possible answer. They could not choose between the two because it was as if the Bible was God to them.

Imagine no Christianity, no Judaism, no Islam, no Unity, what would you believe? Heaven? Hell? Sin? Angels? What??? Imagine no Bible, no Koran -- what kind of God would you conceive of? Prophesy for me!

#18. "Are We There Yet?"

2007-07-03T21:32:00.000-04:00

"Are we there yet?" Sounds like a car trip -- kids wanting to know after hours of riding if we're ever going to reach our destination. But this question could also apply to the subject of "maturity".

As a child, I was told that I would someday grow up and become an adult -- and be mature. Yet when I was 21, I remember thinking: When will I become mature? Not having arrived during my 30's, I asked the same question. When I reached 40, I pondered: Maybe I'll have to wait until I'm in my 50's. But I didn't feel mature in my 50's either, so could it be that in my 60's ... well, you get the idea.

What were our parents talking about anyway? Is there really such a thing as maturity? Or is it merely an abstract word whose existence is illusive at best?

How 'bout you? Are you mature yet? Do you feel mature? If so, at what age did it happen? Yeah, sure!

Are we there yet?

When I get mature, I'm gonna grab the mic and jump up on Oprah's couch and yell at the top of my lungs: EUREKA !!!

#17. The Best Vacation Ever!

2007-06-01T15:24:00.000-04:00

I just bet you've got vacation on your mind! Vacations are often synonymous with "travel". Exploring other locations upon our planet are most beneficial. Different people, places, weather, sites, and activities are quite stimulating and informative. But the greatest of vacations may involve experiences and memories that are above and beyond the external appeal of a vacation spot. Special or unusual happenings, coincidences, and discoveries may occur while on vacation that are not related to the hot spot itself.

Long ago while driving into a state park with millions of trees on either side, my dog was riding shotgun, hanging out of the window, smelling all the smells, having the greatest time of her life. After 20 years, it's one of my favorite memories. What a trip!

Tell us about your most special memory while vacationing. Share with us how it affected you or changed the direction of your life. Reveal what happened within you that was exhilerating, captivating, and most memorable.

By the way, what exciting trip are you planning for your future? And what unique happening are you anticipating?

#16. The Value of a Belly Button

2007-04-10T16:08:00.001-04:00

[Note from Virgil on Dec. 12, 2008: This think-piece continues to be read by individuals from all over the world. Make a comment -- I will read it]

Did you know that you can have cosmetic surgery performed on your "belly button" for a little under $2000. The good news is that it is free with a "belly tuck". It can be shaped by the surgeon to suit your fancy.

The belly button is also called the navel (or the "umbilicus" in medical books). It is the scar tissue that forms after the imbilical cord is severed after birth. Belly buttons come in a variety of shapes and sizes -- some are inverted and others protrude outwardly. Some are attractive -- some not (I'm really guessing here -- you be the judge!).

Do you like your belly button? When was the last time you looked at it? Adam and Eve were in the garden nude searching for their belly buttons, but could not find them. That's because they had not been "born" the usual way, you know.

It's also possible to have your belly button removed surgically. For example, if you have a belly tuck, but choose not to have a belly button created by the surgeon, you would look into the mirror and see a smooth, flat belly without a belly button. Of course, you would then have nowhere to fasten your belly button ring.

Do you know of a belly-buttonless earthling? Do you suppose that ET's (ie: aliens from other planets) have belly buttons? Are you pondering why I have written this "think-piece"? Do you fully understand why you are reading this essay? Just where do you suppose your comments will take us with this one? I can hardly wait...

#15. Romance ... Friendship ... Love

2007-02-25T22:09:00.000-05:00

We think of Valentine's Day as that special time of the year dedicated to romance, friendship, and/or love. Did you awaken the heart of your beloved with a thoughtful surprise on Valentine's Day? And did you receive a pleasant surprise in return from your significant other -- or did the 14th simply pass you by?

In what way does your heart become most deeply touched? A red rose or a Hallmark card simply may not do it for some. Does your dearest friend know how to tap into the depths of your heart? Or is such an awareness suppose to be known without being told? Men and women express their love and appreciation in differing ways. Is that ok with you, or must the gift of kindness be of your own choosing?

Are you a better giver than a receiver? Do you wait for another to give or are you the first to share? Is love expressed to you only on Valentine's Day or a birthday or anniversary? or throughout the entire year? Do you give the gift of love and kindness to others often, seldom, never? Do you receive from others often, seldom, never?

Are you uncomfortable or annoyed by the thought of this very subject? Do you complain because you have no beloved, no dearest friend? If so, why not share your heart with another simply because that's who you are? Can you awaken your own heart of love by loving anyway? Just what are your thoughts and feelings about Love? Romance? Friendship?

#14. My New Year's Resolution!

2006-12-27T22:29:00.000-05:00

OK gang, another year is upon us. Its name is 2007. What you gonna do with it? Got a New Year's Resolution? What's your goal for 07? Could be small, could be huge. How important is your desire for change? Do you have the discipline to see it through?

I've heard that it takes 21 consecutive days to form a new habit. If you miss a day, you have to start over. That should be an incentive to hang in there. Don't dread putting forth the effort. Keep a positive attitude and make it an adventure. See it in your mind's eye each day the way you want it to be at the end of 21 days.

Share your New Year's Resolution with us. Be persistent for 21 days. Remember -- we're all here routing for you. We want you to make it.

Visualize the prize, you guys! Don't give up! Don't give in!
See it done! Make it fun! Stick to it! You can do it!

And when you have succeeded in achieving your goal, enter another comment right here to tell the Unity world about it.

#13. How'd You Find This Blogsite?

2006-11-28T22:53:00.004-05:00

I thought it would be interesting to ask how YOU found this Unity Blog Site. Of course, lots of you are from the Metro Detroit area and many others are from all over the rest of the state of Michigan (I suppose!).

But I have also received comments, stories, and conversations from those of you in other states such as Arizona, Colorada, Ohio, Iowa, Kentucky, Florida, Missouri, and Nevada. Yes, some of the responses have come from other countries such as Canada, Russia, Barbados, Nigeria, and Poland -- and who knows where else!

I welcome your comment on where you now live -- in what city, state, or country do you reside? I have no idea where most of you come from, and I am curious. Remember -- inquiring minds want to know!

And do you have an interesting story about how you found this blog site -- or the Unity Chapel website? Would you share it with us? Was it purely a fluke? A miracle? A mistake? Divine Guidance? Was it from a Google search for something -- what? Did someone recommend it to you? Family? Friend? Enemy? Or do you simple not remember?

Look forward to hearing from you -- where are you . . . and how did you get here?

#12. A Survey About Your Beliefs

2006-10-22T18:17:00.001-04:00

What does it mean to have faith in Jesus? Would you have believed in Him 2000 years ago? If Jesus appeared today, would you believe it is Him? Do you accept on blind faith or are you from Missouri -- show me? Do you believe in miracles today or are people being fooled? Are you naive or are you a realist? Are you willing to adjust your beliefs when confronted with convincing evidence to the contrary? Or are you resistant to change regardless of any so-called evidence?

Answer these four propositions and then make a comment. Tell me what you have learned. Thanks!

A Survey About Your Beliefs:

1. If you happened to be living 2000 years ago and Jesus appeared before you speaking words of peace to the raging storm causing the wind and waves to become perfectly calm, would you have believed him to be:

a) a divine being b) of the devil c) an illusionist d) a human being e) a mental case

2. If a bearded man with shoulder-length hair and wearing a robe appears before you today speaking words of peace to the raging storm causing the wind and waves to become perfectly calm, would you believe him to be:

a) a divine being b) of the devil c) an illusionist d) a human being e) a mental case

3. If today you decided to speak words of peace to the raging storm causing the wind and waves to become perfectly calm, would you believe yourself to be:

a) a divine being b) of the devil c) an illusionist d) a human being e) a mental case

4. If today Jesus appears before you clean-shaven, wearing a suit and tie, and speaks words of peace to the raging storm causing the wind and waves to become perfectly calm, would you believe him to be:

a) a divine being b) of the devil c) an illusionist d) a human being e) a mental case

#11. Have You Ever Lived Before?

2006-09-13T19:42:00.002-04:00

The word reincarnation is derived from the Latin and implies rebirth or being born again and again into a human body. Do you believe in reincarnation? Many in the world today still believe in this concept of life. There are lots of stories of past-life memories.

A two and a half year old boy says to his mother, "Remember when I was a little girl? Daddy and I used to have brown skin and lived on the grass. You are not my favorite mother. I like the one with blond hair where I stayed till I was 11 best."

These following quotes from the Bible, if taken literally, would imply a belief in reincarnation:

1. The LORD spoke his word to me, "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. (Jeremiah 1:5)

2. So the disciples asked (Jesus) "Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?" Jesus answered, "... Actually, I can guarantee that Elijah has already come. Yet, people ... didn’t recognize him ... " Then the disciples understood that he was talking about John the Baptizer. (Matthew 17:10-13) { Note: Elijah lived several hundred years before John}

3. "What do you mean?" exclaimed Nicodemus. "How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?" Jesus replied, "... don’t be surprised at my statement that you must be born again." (John 3:4-7)

4. On the way (Jesus) asked his disciples, "Who do people say I am?" They answered him, "Some say you are ... Elijah, still others one of the prophets (from long ago)." (Mark 8:27-28) { Note: Jesus did not attempt to correct them for thinking about previous lives}

So, what is your belief? Do you think this is it -- no more for me? Or do you think it's possible you have been here before? Do you recall any memories from a previous life?

#10. Give it a Funny Twist! (Over 500 outstanding jokes!)

2006-08-17T01:06:00.004-04:00

I dearly love to see the humorous side of life. Do you? Something happens and you give it a slight twist, and 'Bingo!' -- it changes everything? Lafter is what we're after! So are you a person with wit? Can you turn lemons into lemonaide? Can you with a simple little twist see the humor in an experience?

I have often wondered who painted the "Wet Paint Signs". Just how does one determine which is the wet item? What if the sign itself is wet -- not the bench or wall? What happens if the sign is still wet and someone touches the sign?

You've heard laughter is a good medicine. Jokes make us laugh for they always have a twist.

Nine year old Joey was asked by his mother what he had learned at Sunday school.
"Well, Mom, our teacher told us how God sent Moses behind enemy lines on a rescue mission to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. "When he got to the Red Sea, he had his engineers build a pontoon bridge and all the people walked across safely. "Then he used his walkie-talkie to radio headquarters for reinforcements. They sent bombers to blow up the bridge and all the Israelites were saved."
"Now, Joey, is that really what your teacher taught you?" his mother asked.
"Well, no Mom. But if I told the story the way the teacher did, you'd never believe it!"

This think-piece is intended to be silly and fun in order to awaken your imagination. Do you have a story that has a twist to it?

#9. Let Me Look Into Your Eyes

2006-07-19T19:42:00.000-04:00

Have you ever looked deeply into the eyes of a dog or cat? You can really sense that there is a 'presence' behind those eyes. Do you ever wonder if they have a soul-essence ? An animal seems to function mostly through instinct, but to what extent are animals capable of thinking ? (Of course, the brain capacity of a human is much, much greater than that of an animal.)

Did you ever imagine what it would be like to live as a pet -- or any animal, for that manner? Can you put yourself in the 'shoes' of an animal? Would life as an animal be boring or adventurous? Would it be pleasant? stressful? peaceful?

Does your pet try to communicate with you? Do you recognize the various sounds it makes? Share your wisest insights into the life of your pet.

If I could choose to be any animal, I would be a cocker-spaniel puppy and live the 'life of Riley'. What animal would you choose to be?

#8. Some Like It Hot - Hot - Hot !

2006-06-14T22:03:00.000-04:00

It was during the 90's that I found myself at a firewalk -- yes, I walked across 25 feet of burning coals -- twice! I suppose the first time I crossed the hotbed of glowing coals in my bare feet can be chalked up to an adventureous and curious spirit. But the second trip was for the pure joy of it. WOW! What an experience!

So did you ever step over the boundaries of normal living? Have you ever challenged yourself to do something that is totally outside the box? How did it effect you? Was your life changed because of it? Do you regret it? Would you do it again? What did you discover about yourself? Share your most unusual, but transformative experience!

#7. The Chicken or the Egg?

2006-05-30T22:03:00.000-04:00

"What's the sound of one hand clapping?"

This is called a koan in Zen Buddhism. It is a pithy, but illogical statement intended to free the mind from its rational mode of thought in meditation.

An American koan might be: Which came first -- the chicken or the egg? Without an egg, there can be no chick. Without a hen, there can be no egg. Apparently, there is no logical answer to this koan, so the mind becomes discombobulated, surrenders, and becomes receptive to the inspiration which comes from the indwelling Spirit.

Story #1:
Eve said to God in the Garden of Eden, "I'm lonely--I'm tired of eating apples by myself." God said, "OK, I'll create a man for you."

"A man! What's that?" Eve said.

"He's a creature with aggressive tendencies and an enormous ego. He won't listen very well. He'll get lost easily, but never stop to ask for directions. However, he is big and strong, he can open jars and hunt animals. And he's lots of fun."

"Sounds great!" said Eve.

"Oh! -- one more thing," God said. "He will insist that I made HIM first!"

Story #2:
God formed man out of dirt from the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life. The man came alive -- a living soul! ... God said, "It's not good for man to be alone; I'll make him a helper, a companion." ... God put the man into a deep sleep. As he slept he removed one of his ribs and replaced it with flesh. God then used the rib that he had taken from the man to make woman and presented her to the man. (Genesis 2)

Question: Is your mind now ready to let go and trust God? Or are you determined to hang in there and figure it all out -- even if it drives you crazy?

#6. Life in the Fast-Lane OR Slow-Motion?

2006-05-16T21:57:00.000-04:00

In the Calvin and Hobbes comic strip, they're racing lickety-split downhill in a wagon. Suddenly Calvin yells out: "We're so busy watching out for what's just ahead of us that we don't take time to enjoy where we are!"

What is the pace of your life? Are you in a race to get to 'somewhere'? Do you take time to smell the coffee (or the roses)? Do you find time each day just to be with youself -- doing nothing? Do you like being all alone with you?

Questions -- why all these questions? Because inquiring minds want to know! I want to hear lots of answers ... from you. Share how fast you're cruisin' through your life -- or how time seems to be standing still? And how do you feel about it?

Hurry up and tell me now, tell me now. I'm wait-ing . . . . .

#5. About Setting the World Right

2006-05-01T14:08:00.000-04:00

"We're not here to set the world right,
but to see it rightly."

This quote is from the classic "Discover the Power Within You", written by Eric Butterworth, a Unity minister of 55 years.

Are we not here to make the world a better place? And just what is the right way to see the world? What if we are wrong about the way we see the world out there?

Out of fear that the U.S. could be attacked by Iraq using weapons of mass destruction, our governmental leaders decided to invade that foreign land to prevent such an event. Out of fear that a battered wife could be attacked again by her abusive husband using fists of mass destruction, she decided to shoot him in his sleep to prevent such an event. One is considered patriotic and the other is considered murder.

We look upon the world around us from within the scope of our minds and hearts. By that, I mean our perception (and interpretation) of the outer world is colored by our inner world of experiences, memories, beliefs, etc. So the way we interpret our reality may not be as accurate as we think it is! How can we therefore change or improve upon the outer if we misinterpret it from the inner?

Do you agree with this quote? What does it mean to you? What do you make of my comparison. Give me your comments now
(just be careful about trying to set me right).

#4. Are Angels For Real?

2006-04-18T19:25:00.000-04:00

Do you believe in angels?
Just what is an angel anyway?
Can angels talk? in what language? Do they ever laugh?
Does each have a personal angel?

Angels are mentioned numerous times in the Bible -- usually as heavenly or mystical beings, but sometimes appearing in human-like form. The meaning of the word 'angel' is messenger or agent -- someone sent on an errand.

An angel made a spectacular visit to Mary while she was wide awake in her room; whereas, an angel appeared to Joseph, but in a dream. When Jesus was born, a huge angelic choir sang a few Christmas carols to the shepherds in the fields near Bethlehem.

Two angels -- appearing as physical men -- arrived in Sodom at Lot's tent where they spent the night talking and eating together (story is found in Genesis).

In the Old Testament book of Numbers, an angel tried to guide a man named Balaam into making a different choice. He was unaware that the angel was in the road blocking his way. However, the donkey which he was riding indeed saw the angel in the path and told Balaam that he could see an angel! (I don't really know if the donkey was a he or a she, but I am certain that he/she/it spoke fluent Hebrew).

Tell me what you believe about angels! Share your stories about angels!

#3. Share a Mystical Experience

2006-04-05T16:57:00.000-04:00

Has there ever been a time when you felt a divine influence or inspiration by God? How did it feel? How did it appear to you? Could it be possible that you have been touched by such an inspiration and didn't even know it?

When I was around 8 or 10 years of age, I had a dog named Pal. I was riding my bike on the road and Pal was running beside me. I accidently swerved and hit Pal, causing him some pain. I was devastated and went into a large farm implement shed to grieve. I was feeling deeply sorry for my mistake, when out of nowhere, I was engulfed with God's Presence. It was not like a person beside me, but a 'presence' that filled the entire shed. The divine presence brought comfort to me and I then returned to my Pal. From that moment, I knew God to be much more than "a man in the sky".

Tell me of your mystical or spiritual experience!

#2. The perpetual question: Who created God?

2006-03-31T01:13:00.000-05:00

If God created the Universe and all that is, then who created God? Where did this Intelligence we call God come from. If we take the position that God is eternal and therefore, always was and always shall be, we still have not answered the question.

Maybe the problem is that our rational minds can not possibly grasp that which is beyond the understanding of the mind. What do you think? Got any ideas? Come on Unitics, give it your best shot!

#1. Does God Have a Mind that Thinks?

2006-03-31T00:51:00.000-05:00

People naturally assume that God thinks. After all, we were created in His/Her image and likeness, so it is obvious that God thinks. God merely has a bigger, grander model of brain-power than his creations have.

But is this kind of thinking realistic? In order for people to think, what is required? Answer: a human body, a healthy brain, a central nervous system, and one more thing -- you must be alive (a corpse does not think). Yet, God does not have a brain nor a human body (or any type of animalistic form, for that matter). Jesus taught as much, saying God is SPIRIT and we must appreciate and connect with God through our Spirit -- not through our mind (John 4:24).

I suggest that God does not 'think' as you and I think. Rather, God's Intelligence System functions more like the heart than the mind. The heart doesn't think, it simply knows. It is holistic in nature. It does not operate in a logical, sequential manner.

This would imply that our true identity is spiritual -- that we were created in the image of God with heart-intelligence. And later on ... God created the human body ... that thinks.