I tipped the apple cart.

My friend Barbara loves posting quotes from a wide range of people on the Extended Grace message board. Sometimes I respond to them and most times I don't. I chose to respond to this one.

Here was the quote:
All paths are ultimately paths to God, because, ultimately, there is no other place for the soul to go. Everything has come out of God and must go back to God.
- Paramahansa Yogananda

Here is what I said: That is a really pleasant thought. I can not agree with it in spite of how pleasant it is. Jesus speaks about people being thrown into the Lake of Fire and how others will be cast into the outer darkness where there will be Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth It isn't so much that I believe in Jesus it is that I do believe him. I believe that anyone who is not against him is for him and that he does love the world. The world wants nothing to do with Jesus in spite of how much he loves it, and many people follow the paths of the world. I can not believe that ALL paths leads to God. I do believe that the path of Truth does lead to God. The paths of Greed, Power, Possession and Control are not the paths of Truth they are the paths of the world and I do not believe these paths can lead to God.

Perhaps human wisdom traditions do not seek possessions, greed, power or control. I do not know much about human wisdom traditions. Also, I know that just because an apostle said something, that which the apostle said is not necessarily apostolic. Was Paul being apostolic when he asked for his cloak and parchments?

So, I responded to the quote as presented.

Catching up

I am still working on the notes from our leadership retreat. It is going slower than last years. In part because last year's retreat was more streamlined.

Pastor Mark got back to me with his edits on the newspaper article, and he liked how I treated his sermon.

I am working on a little speach for the annual meeting.

A lot to do, and I am feeling tired.

Lutheran's like their wine.

Forget about the coffee jokes, we Lutherans are indeed so not Reformed. We like to drink wine. There were several bottles of Chianti as well as Chardonnay imbibed at last nights retreat. We were all relaxed and open and truly were blessed. Jesus was present among us. We needed to know what we did last year and where we are going next year. It was important to know about the positive actions in our past to be able to move forward.

We thanked a lot of people. I personally thanked Julie for being an inspiration to me.

To me it seems we identify being a people of peace with joy and laughter.

Blessings