Co-Exist

Opinion | Good News/Bad News

Vernon Kerr

Aug 7, 2021 — 1 min read

Good News/Bad News

©2021 by Vernon Miles Kerr, VernonMilesKerr.com

Originally posted as a rough draft to Twitter, August 7, 2021

This a.m., out of habit, I started praying the “Our father…” Then my conversation turned to complaining about how confusing the Judaeo-Christian tradition is: “Modern Humans have been at least a million years on the planet…why wait till only 4 or 5 thousand years ago to deliver the ‘user’s manual’ ?”

I then asked, why did the Jesus of the Bible tell Christians to go into all the world, and try to sell people on his religion? Or did he? I then thought, Evangelion in Greek just translates to “good news.” Tell, don’t sell. The “selling,” the manner of selling, has caused all the problems, hasn’t it? Not just minor problems, big bloody, genocidal problems.

My favorite Methodist Uncle’s car has one of those blue “Tolerance” bumperstickers with the symbols for many of the world’s religions on it. While I agree that we should #tolerate what people do in their own churches and homes, even their own bedrooms—in NO WAY should we tolerate those who come out into society and cajole, browbeat or even beat non-believers into believing.

Yes, that user’s manual we call “The Bible,” has so much good, ancient, wisdom in human relations—lots of which we’d be well-served to learn. Too bad the Early Church’s misinterpretation of “go tell everyone the good news” has made The Holy Bible, detested, even ridiculed by the world — even the “Western” world of its origins.

A Needed Introduction to "Poetry | Farewell to Earth"

In contrast to what he Welsh poet Dylan Thomas (1914—1953) wrote: “Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light.” I wanted to offer you dear people a more positve and up-to-date

Poetry | Farewell to Earth

Fellow condemned: Can we let down our petty competitive veils for a moment And admit what we have had in common? Yes, we've all had moments of joy that kept us enduring The grief, The failures, The disease, The loss of our senses — of smell, of sight, of

Thanksgiving | Waves of Gratitude

On the day after Thanksgiving I sat in front of our gas log in the dark of early morning, as the valley outside filled with fog and my neighbors' rooftops took on the expected white coating of frost, and I felt grateful for the warmth and for being able

A Fair-Fight

I love how President Biden acknowledged the results of the 2024 US Election and I love his promise to allow a peaceful transition from his Administration to that of President-elect Trump. Much like the "ideal" Christian does, President Biden is "walking the walk" not just "