Are We Fundamentally Alone?

"Your aloneness is your essential being" -Osho

But I am not essentially alone.  In my being I contain pieces, voices, of others.  I hear my father's voice sometimes, telling me what to do.  There's a song in my head that I can't get out that someone wrote, recorded and produced.  The lives of others, whether real or imagined, whether seen or read about, influence how I live and the decisions I make.

As Cloud Cult says, "There's a room full of people in your head."  Even if I want to be alone, I'm not.  I don't even know what "aloneness" feels like or who I would be if every person who ever influenced me just disappeared.  I don't know if I would be anyone, frankly.

The Poor of Jesus

On Facebook the question was asked: "Are the beatitudes really talking about the economically 'poor'? And if they are, is it all the poor? Does every poor person obtain the kingdom of God?"

"Poor" in the beatitudes should certainly be taken literally. This is why it is combined with words like "mourning" and "hungry" and "hungry and thirsty for justice" and "meek". And it is in opposition to the "rich". Even "poor in spirit" means those who has an attitude like the poor. (see Proverbs 16:19)

However, we must be clear that the context doesn't allow us to say that it is about ALL poor people, regardless of action. In Luke 6 Jesus is speaking to his disciples when he says "Blessed are YOU that are poor; Woe to YOU that are rich"-- He is distinguishing among his own disciples those who surrender their possessions and those who keep them for their own personal use (Luke 14:33; Luke 12:33). In Matt. 5, the poor, the mourning and the meek are blessed, but so are the merciful, the peacemakers, the pure in heart. In other words, Jesus is narrowing the field even more. Those who own the kingdom are not only those who have suffered as the outcast in this life, but those who, in the midst of that suffering, acted like Jesus in His mercy for others.

In general, God isn't interested in helping people who don't need it, or don't THINK they need the help.  God is offering salvation.  What is that salvation?

A kingdom for the poor
Comfort for the weeping from oppression
Land for the meek
Justice for those desiring justice
God's presence for those whose purity isn't seen
Mercy for those who show mercy
Leadership for those who create peace
Deliverance for the persecuted

For those who don't desperately seek the salvation of God won't get it.  Those who desperately need it and seek it and demand it, will.

This means God's kingdom is for the poor and needy and outcast more than anyone else.

Is the Importance of Movies Unhealthy?

Joseph Piroutek asks: How do we all feel about the large role film plays in society?  I am fascinated by film, and the messages that are presented through it. I draw a great deal from movies, and maybe read too much into them. I'm not the only one, but is this unhealthy or normal?

My answer:
I think that film is a way of expanding our potential experience.  Most of us have never been in war, but the right war movie can give us a hint of it, like Saving Private Ryan or Full Metal Jacket.  Most of us have never been homeless, but a movie like Wendy and Lucy can give us a sense of what it might be like.  Thus, rightly done, film can increase our empathy.

Of course, it depends on why we watch film.  Film as escape is important and for some of us, necessary.  What's funny is that films such as Sullivan's Travels and Purple Rose of Cairo can cause us to reflect on what that escape really means and why it is important or not.

Film is just another means of communication, like novels.

Especially the Household of Faith

Question in Theologue's Roundtable, a Facebook group:

In Galatians 6:10, "Do good to everyone, especially those of the household of faith", is emphasis put on doing good to all, or on focusing on believers?

I think that the love has to do with prioritization. We are to love all, which is not just an attitude but an action and in giving. Its easiest to see in giving. We are to love everyone, but none of us have enough resources to meet everyone's need. So we prioritize. First, we provide for our families. If we have more (and almost all of us do), then we provide for ministers of the word (Gal 6:6). If we have more, we provide for those in our community of faith (Gal 6:10). If we do-- and most of us do-- then we provide for those outside the faith. Often it is difficult to tell the difference between someone in the faith and out-- after all, the woman holding the sign at the end of the ramp could be a believer or might not, or she may be an angel testing you. So it's best to give if you don't know. This goes the same with time and gospel and compassion and comfort... ect. 
The problem with the church is that we often lavish our resources on just a few, which means that we are constantly leaving others out of the love we have to give. We give love, but only to our family or congregation. Few will believe in God's grace unless we take the time to show them God's grace.

I got two "likes" for this answer, which is okay.