...and the river runs 

Christians, like Joseph's coat, have many colors

Yes, you can be a good Christian without believing the literal interpretation of the bible. I suspect that you might be a better example by "living" your life as best one can in accordance with the way that was shown by Jesus, and hidden in his parables and stories, allegories and metaphors...they are mysteries to be unraveled by each individual thru the lessons of his/her own life, his relationships with others, and the search of his own soul...for one must know oneself in relationship to God . Our faith is as individual as our spirit. Our capacity to perceive God, extremely varied and personal. I think the believer in Jesus' message has certain traits and two of those are inclusion and tolerance...something largely lacking in today's evangelical movement of Righteousness as they understand it, in the political arena. The most disturbing thing to me is that they allow no one else a way of interpretation of the bible or God, there perception is the only right perception. There is a certain stunning arrogance in that...as no one can have that kind of certitude in regards the mysteries of creation and the Creator. Not possible. Jesus was not a big participant in the politics or religious heirarchy of His day...in fact He shunned it. Jesus was not about outside laws, he was about changing hearts to live the law thru its understanding of our connectedness to each other. So much of the self righteous attitudes and decisions coming out of the religious right community, remind me far more of the Pharasies of Jesus day than they do Jesus. It is not about the literal meaning of a book of words, rather the spirit that moved across the page inserting the mystery of God's relationship to man...His love and longing for us and ours for Him.. Painted, word pictures of His Grace.

folds of grace 

Humanity

Ah sadly, no ones immune are they? When I heard of the Wisconsin tragedy this morning I thought first of my family & friends who attend church regularly. If something like that is almost impossible for me to process, how much more difficult it must be for them.....
who draw such strength from the fellowship of their congregations, and the love and communion, and sense of safety in community. I was deeply saddened for them.
The BTK killer being the President of his 400 member church was a good way to hide in plain sight...but the sad irony is he wasn't there to hide really, that was who he was. Psychopathic people dwell everywhere and they are masters at pretense and manipulation. They copy being human, not having the crucial component of empathy and conscience. I don't know that this latest guy was a sociopath, but the BTK guy was I suspect. Its a frightening and humbling knowing that we are all capable of the most heroic and the most heinous of acts...all of us have the seeds of both sown into the fabric of our humanity, and to deny the existence of either is foolish indeed. Look at how the murderer of the judge and others in Atlanta, was able to be reached by God's mercy...and the tenderness of a gentle soul. He is definately not sociopathic, displaying conscience and empathy for his captive....both were heros in their moment together. Most of us live our lives somewhere in the middle, never really harming another, beyond the less than heinous wounds we inflict on those we love and never being a hero other than on the battlefield of our daily struggles. What tragedies, what twisted hurts of humanity bend us in directions we would not choose to go. I wish for mankind to dwell in the folds of grace, wrapped in the mercy of love...but where do we look for such comfort. Only within I suspect.