Jack’s Winning Words 11/26/13
“I believe that having a spiritual life is so important in everybody’s life.”  (Lou Holtz)  Many people these days see themselves as “spiritual” as over against “religious.”  Isn’t it possible to be both…in tune with God…and, at the same time, working with others to do the “Godly” thing?  Coach Holtz has a way of giving pep talks that make his listeners think.  What does it mean for you to have a spiritual/religious life?    ;-)  Jack

 FROM MICHIZONA RAY:  Everyone who has life has a spirit; hence, everyone is also spiritual. It's really quite an obvious and unnecessary comment for one to claim that one is "spiritual". It would be equally unnecessary to claim that one is physical. Rather, the valuable comment is to how one engages one's spirituality (which is more likely what he means). Religion (to trace back, to connect with) provides one the opportunity for the re-enactment of the story, or to bring life to it, through the ritual for the purpose of "communing" with the God of one's theology. In Christian theology (Jesus is Lord) I utilize the Lutheran religion in our community. When not with the rest of the congregation, I remain a part of the Body of Christ, in concert with the rest of the Body of Christ. Hence, we don't "go to church", we are the Church. Where we go the Church goes...and so does the Spirit.  Yes, spirituality is important indeed. So, I guess Lou Holtz's comment is really quite an understatement isn't it? ====JACK:  Cutting to the chase...I think Lou is saying that everyone should have a place for God in his/her life.

 FROM HONEST JOHN:  "The Spiritual Dimension of Life" was the title of my keynote speech for the recent Michigan Stephen Ministry Network Convention.    It was well received and folks wanted me to publish it.   I am working on polishing it up right now.   If I like the result, I may try to publish it====JACK:  You and Lou seem to be coaches on the same page.  He's been a football coach, and you've been a debate coach.

FROM TARMART REV:  I'm sure there are still many in the making . . . but at my age, I'm missing many of my hero's from yesteryears gone by.====JACK:  You don't have to wait until Thursday to give thanks for them.

 FROM FACEBOOK LIZ:  "Religious" connotes church-going, is my interpretation... spiritual is in touch with God.  BTW, I love Lou Holtz! ====JACK:  Ideally, church should be a place where one can be in touch with God, but that is not always the case.  Jesus found it necessary to cleanse the Temple.  The Spirit of God can be in a box, but does not have to be confined to the box.====LIZ:  The spirit of God is everywhere!

 FROM IKE AT THE MIC:  I believe you then can truly enjoy a successful balanced life because you are then able to "walk the talk"====JACK:  When you lose your balance, you're apt to fall...and then all kinds of complications set it...especially when you're on the other side of 50.

FROM SHARIN' SHARON:  I know so many people--both family and friends--for which "religious" seems to be a word which connotes something very limited. Actually, I sense they think of religion only in terms of law and churches only as a place where you are told about the laws and that you should be a lawful people. The word "spiritual" seems to them more something they can grasp as being helpful in their lives--for example one friend told me that for her God "is everywhere"--seems that the God she knows is spiritually everywhere but is not necessarily spiritually in church but she thinks is religiously there and not really drawing her to go be there with Him, maybe because of all of His laws and the crappy people there who are likely to be so judgmental. I have some people who keep putting on my Facebook that the Ten Commandments need to be posted in public buildings and prayer needs to be in schools and God needs to be on our money and so forth and so forth but I believe we need to pay the greatest attention to law/Gospel in our churches and help people to come closer to God in receiving the whole message--the Pastor just doesn't do it through the sermons, somehow every single worshipper has to be a little priest and figure out how to talk to people and be with people so they see we embody that tension of law/Gospel ourselves and have a believable and authentic religion. Help religion to become a positive word for people who think it's just laws and ritual. Thanks--I needed to try to think this through some more today.====JACK:  Sadly, some churches (pastors and people) have misused and misinterpreted "the Spirit."  And, sometimes, "listeners" have missed the message, but God has a way of getting around those obstacles, and that's what "Spirituality" seeks to accomplish.  It's a personal thing...God reaching into the soul of the individual.  I'm comfortable with letting God do his job, while I try my best to do mine.====SHARON:  Enjoyed SBP and your commentary. Just heard from our Pastor's sermon last Sunday, upon the 60th anniversary of our congregation, that it isn't like it used to be--the Pastor at the beginning of the forming of the congregation said his job was to step aside because the people were just flowing in and the main thing was not to put any hindrances to them. Now, we need to go outside and do all kinds of "outreach" and be not only spiritual and religious but busy (Pastor also said some things will succeed, some will fail) but I must say I'm somewhat stuck on not putting any hindrances to people when they come because have seen quite a bit of the revolving door church these last decades. The sermon at the Cathelic church next door this noon was pay attention to the Stations of the Cross and confession and being merciful, not scolding anyone, when people came to Jesus, he never scolded anyone. That makes a lot of sense to me but walking home I reflected upon how much Jesus scolded the synagogue of His day. There is no other option than to put my trust in God and believing the Church will survive no matter how much any one of us don't know what we're doing. It is sort of easier to be a gentle peaceful Christian worshipping in a church where you don't know anything much about the struggles they are going through to stay open. Just saying.  Thanks, especially, your enhanced commentary on the relationship between spirituality and religiousity.

 FROM SBP IN FLORIDA:  For me, spiritual and religious do not walk "hand in hand". They are intermingled/blended with religion shaping and reshaping the spiritual....the spiritual evolving and affecting my thoughts, words and deeds. And I'm still churning this WW. Thanks.====JACK:  Theologians have "churned" over this for ages.  I've come to the conclusion that "spirituality" is our one on one relationship with the Spirit (God...Ultimate Being) and religion is when like-minded spiritual people come together to better express their God-relationship.

 FROM JE IN MICHIGAN:  What it means for me to have a spiritual/religious life is to live life in a giving,  joyous way as to consider others first. Actually, I’m happiest when I’m helping someone else. I am so thankful this Thanksgiving for the passage of our school district's bond, for my family, faith, friends and for my job. I’m thankful for my job because it allows me, of course to be able to pay my bills, but it also affords me so many opportunities to give of myself in so many ways to others.====JACK:  Yes, we have much for which to be thankful.

 FROM PLAIN FOLKS CHESTER:  This one confuses me.  How can you lead a religious life and not a spiritual one?====JACK: Jesus said (in the Sermon on the Mount):  "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven."

 FROM BLAZING OAKS:  I believe that a spiritual life is essential for any deep meaning to our lives; but some who never seem to introspect, just "go along", day after day, don't even realize what they're missing, at least to outward appearances. I'm sure there are some deeply spiritual people who don't practice "religion" in a church, too.  But a relationship with the Almighty God gives meaning to all of  life, both mountain top and valley experiences.  "Believing is Seeing" as Bill titled one sermon....it is true!====JACK:  Whether the spiritual relationship with God is "deep" is not dependent upon what "we" do.  The power is the Spirit's power.  "Behold, I tell you a mystery."  Spirituality is mysterious.

 FROM CWR IN MICHIGAN:  I think that contingent upon place of Birth, "Rearing", Cultural and Ethnic enviornment, Education,  and as well as Family practices....that the "idea of God" takes on  many and diverse forms.even within established institutional religious organizations......and is fluid.....no matter how "doctrinal " the influences are. .....and I think that spiritual /religious life Is ALWAYS fluid and ,by nature, transitional....that is, evolving.. Frankly, Doctrinal Rigidity is unfortunate.  Doctrine is a form of intellectual organization, is not only fluid but is also situational. I think that  perhaps one of the greatest advances in Evangelical progression was the invention of the Telephone the typewriter and the eraser.....and that a spiritual/religious life  is the precurser of Evolution.......personal and cultural.   . Cheers!====JACK:  Jack Pearl, an old-time radio comedian, would tell far-fetched stories, and his partner would express skepticism and say, "Vas you dere, Sharlie?"  One of the reasons we call our religious beliefs, "faith," is because we have to rely on what others tell us.  Sharlie vasn't dere.  I'm satisfied with that. 

 FROM JR IN CALIFORNIA:  God seems to keep my head above water.  :Your not too bad at that yourself.====JACK:  I see too many things that happen in life that seem to be more than coincidences.  I believe in the spiritual presence of God...and I find comfort in that.

 FROM KZB IN COLORADO:  Go Lou!!!  Lou said a really funny thing at the pep rally for the national championship - he talked about how he had the chaplain come in to pray for the team, and the chaplain said, "you know Lou, Jesus doesn't care who wins..."  Lou said, "I know father, but his MOTHER does." ====JACK:  Was he the football coach when you were at Notre Dame?  I always liked to see that little guy prancing along the sideline.  He's a great motivational speaker, too.

FROM PEPPERMINT MARY:  i think that believing in the spiritual realm is the foundation.  choosing or not choosing a religion in the human realm is the path that one follows to honor spirit.====JACK:  It's hard to believe in something that you can't see.  A sheet was thrown over Casper so that we could see the ghost (spirit).  God threw a sheet (Jesus) over the Spirit in order that we could "see" Him (God).