Annette Estella Hein's Blog (5)

This poem (parable, what have you) came to me last summer, and I felt drawn to share it here.

The Heretic

I built my house in the lonely mountains,

I built a place where I might rest.

For of this world I was so weary

That all I asked was one request.

I said good neighbors, can't you leave me be?

I said the peace of the Lord is here,

I said your church is not for me,

They said I blasphemed, it was clear.

They said old…

King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon built an enormous golden statue and proclaimed "O peoples and nations of every language, you are commanded, when you hear the sound of horn, pipe, zither, triangle, dulcimer, music, and singing of every kind, to prostrate yourselves and worship the golden image." Then the King heard that three young men at his court, the Israelites Shadrach, Mesach and Abednego, refused to worship the statue. King Nebuchadnezzar summoned the three and threatened them: "If you…

We in the United States are fortunate to live in a wealthy and technologically advanced society, where many of us enjoy a standard of living far above that of poorer countries, or our own country a century ago. Even a "poor college student" like myself has indoor plumbing, refrigeration, use of a washing machine, clean water, electricity and internet access. One might have expected that people so fortunate would be free to turn their attention to matters beyond material possessions, and that…

I have wondered for some time how to properly understand the story told in Genesis 2-3 of Adam and Eve's disobedience. While I still don't completely grasp it, I felt moved to share some recent thoughts on its meaning.

Although I have heard the story taken as an account of the creation of humankind, I believe it is too inconsistent with our knowledge of archaeology and paleontology to be a literally true record. Rather, I see it as an allegory or parable that portrays a truth about…

Nonbelievers often criticize religion as a cause of division among people. It is true that some people treat their religion as a badge of group membership and an excuse to hate and attack others outside the group. Carried to an extreme, this results in religiously motivated terrorism. The claim is that all religion is bad because it divides people.

Of course, many who claim to be Christians behave in ways that seem to support this criticism. There are fanatics in Christianity as well…