(This is the original text of my letter which was shortened and published in the National Post on January 5, 2012)
Mormons are very good people who live exemplory lives reflecting Christian
values but they are not really Christians in the original meaning of the
word. Christians, to quote from the Anglican Baptism questions "put their
whole trust in Jesus Christ as their lord and saviour." They depend on
grace, the forgiveness of sins and eternal spiritual life through repentance
and faith in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross and regular
participation in communion with other Christians. In contrast the Book of
Mormon and the resulting new religion has established a path to salvation
which is more based on works and personal morality - i.e. self-salvation;
and does not respect the spiritual equality of women. Christianity is based
on the 66 books of the Bible which include over 3,000 years of verifiable
prophecies, historic events and settlements. The Book of Mormon was a
revelation to one individual whose occupation according to the US Census was
"treasure hunter", was claimed to have been translated from 'Ancient
Egyptian' which is a language unknown to Egyptian linguistic scholars and
describes ancient civilizations with large cities that have not been
detected in spite of modern satelite imagery and ground probing radar. The
bottom line - or perhaps the top line is that sadly their churches are under
what looks more like a phallic symbol than a cross.
Rev. John Gishler, M.Div., Calgary
December 31, 2011
Epiphany Moments Drive Our Spiritual Life
An Epiphany Moment is when we learn something that changes how we think and how we live our life. The Wise Men have an Epiphany moment when they personally see the baby Jesus. They had been watching the stars for a divine sign for years and now, in a remote stable, they found God in a baby. Their thinking about God was dramatically changes and they responded by giving precious gifts only appropriate to a king, a priest and one destined to die a special death.
December 17, 2011
The Birth of Jesus is Like a Light Coming Into the Darkness
John is trying to explain the significance of Jesus birth. This is one of the most important events in human history. We measure time from Anno Domini – the year of the birth of Jesus. This is AD 2011. John begins with an explanation that would be clear to people familiar with Greek Philosophy. Their idea of God was wisdom which Greeks described as The Word. Once he has their attention John moves on to connect the birth of Jesus to being like a light coming into the world. Let us get a grasp of what John means by light coming into the world before we move on to look at the meaning of Jesus birth.
We Are All Chosen and Called By God
Most of us take most of our lives trying to figure out what God wants us to do. It took me about 45 years. The story of God calling Mary to become the mother of Jesus is the ultimate “call story”. God is calling Mary to take an enormous risk, to really trust in God. She lived in a culture that stoned women to death that had children outside of marriage. This young girl of about thirteen was called to have an intimate relationship of absolute trust in God.
1. Notice how personal this relationship is.
The angel does not say God is going to give her some teachings or some rules to pass on. This is what the prophets had been doing ever since Moses. God was doing a new thing. God was about to come Himself in human form. He needed a human partner he could trust. He chose Mary and called her into a personal relationship.December 3, 2011
Advent Calls Us To A New Beginning
Advent is the beginning of a new liturgical year. This is a new cycle of teaching. In Year A we studied Matthew's Gospel. In Year B we will study the Gospel of Mark. The Gospel of Mark was written just before the fall of Jerusalem
We Are to Watch for What God is Going to Do
The First Sunday in Advent is the beginning of a new liturgical year. The Readings follow Jesus warning from last Sunday to watch for His return at the end of time. Now we also watch for what God is going to do at Christmas. Watching is a serious religious responsibility. In ancient times only the best soldiers were trusted to be on watch for enemy attacks. The survival of the whole community depended on the diligence of the watchman. The watchman needs to stay awake, know what e is watching for and avoid distractions.
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