"Sunday Sermon" In mortality, we enter a foreign physical environment from our spiritual home. The great challenge is for our spirits to rule our physical bodies. All too often, “the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Out-of-control physical appetites lead to a plethora of sins, including: sexual immorality alcoholism domestic violence gluttony … Continue reading Satan’s Strategies: “It’s my body.”
The word “addiction” comes from the Latin “addictus” meaning “slave.” In ancient Rome, an “addictus” was a “debt slave.” He or she was a person who was enslaved by a creditor because of a debt. Once the debt was paid, the slave was freed. (This is the same philosophy underlying “debtor’s prison.”) The Roman Myth … Continue reading Myth of Addictus: Slavery of Sin and Addiction
I shall never forget a “Dear Abbey” letter I read in 1960’s. It went like this: Dear Abbey: "A few weeks after the birth of our daughter, she became very ill. The doctors said she was allergic to my cigarette smoke. If I continued to smoke in her presence, it could kill her. "I tried to … Continue reading Dear Abby: The Chain Smoker’s Tragic Letter
After a lifetime of experience as a judge, bishop, and father, I am convinced that we are never, ever, in a position to judge another’s heart. Prospective jurors often ask to be excused saying, “I cannot judge another person.” I explain: “You are not being asked to judge whether the defendant is a good person … Continue reading We Can Never Judge Another’s Heart
The London Edition 