Which Gospel

Friends, in the name of Christ, Greetings.

Here in 2016, the rally cries are loud and persistent. "Make America great again!" "Bring God back to our nation!" "We need Christian leaders!" Fundamentalists will have us to believe that we are a heathen nation heading to hell in a hand-basket. Yet, for many continuous years, a vast majority of our policy makers and shakers proudly wear the Christian moniker, often with an (R) attached to their name.

The American Christian Fundamentalism sect is just over a hundred years old. In the grand scheme of the ancient two-thousand years history of the Christian faith, it is but a newborn. Judaism, of which Jesus the Christ lived, originates in an Eastern philosophical mindset, completely foreign to a Western mindset. To me, the ACF too often carries itself as if it were a cult.

Lucy Patrick has commented: "Although we live in a democracy, cult behavior manifests itself in our unwillingness to question the judgment of our leaders, our tendency to devalue outsiders and to avoid dissent. We can overcome cult behavior, he says, by recognizing that we have dependency needs that are inappropriate for mature people, by increasing anti-authoritarian education, and by encouraging personal autonomy and the free exchange of ideas." [ https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cult]

 From the vantage point of evangelical Christianity, one definition might be: A cult is a perversion of the gospel, based upon an unholy devotion to a person, a principle, or both.

 "Cult behavior reflects the wish for a loving, accepting sibling group that is protected and cherished by a powerful, omnipotent parent. The problem with such a wish and its accompanying fantasy is that no human being can fill the role of the superparent, and adults can never again be children. To preserve the fantasy, reality must be distorted, because of this distortion, cult behavior results in a loss of realism."  For many,  the ACF was "initially very warm and loving, until it would reveal its cold, punitive side whenever someone questioned the [ACF] beliefs or behavior. Such dissent was labeled “selfish” or “evil,” and group approval was withdrawn and the dissenter isolated." [http://www.deikman.com/former.html]

It's as if the ACF wants God to fit in their definition of Him, and want to challenge any who dare to believe any different. How is it that they know that their infant belief system is greater than the whole history of the Christian religion? How is it that any other faith practice is deemed inferior?

God's grace and mercy is a mysterious gem with a myriad of unique facets waiting to be discovered. The hard-lined interpretation of the Bible should not be worshipped. The living Word of God is he who we are to emulate and follow. A strict literal following of Scripture by the ACF puts them in contrast to the compassion and welcome that Christ has asked us to share.

The Apostle Paul aptly reminds us, in the book of Galatians, "I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to himself through the loving mercy of Christ. You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News, but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ."

I am but another mere human with countless flaws, seeking to please God alone, following his grace. My question to followers within the ACF, which gospel is your life showing to the world? Would the world see Jesus the Christ in your condemnations, your judgements, your demanding conformity?

For now,
Kevin R. Tengesdal

This is My Ever-Growing Manifesto

Rambling Journal Entry #160820:

One of the many evils that I did unto myself during my first 50 years of childhood was perpetually purposing to please everyone to gain their acceptance and inclusion.

Sunday night summarizing.

So last week was a really difficult week. We had Franklin Graham in Bismarck on Wednesday, we had Donald Trump in Bismarck on Thursday. Friday was troublesome.

Rambling Afternoon Journal Entry #160531

Rambling Afternoon Journal Entry #160531:
Just like 99.999999% of the complete human population, I have strong trust issues.

Open Book #150907

My Life is an Open Book Ramble #150907:
2011 - "Death" of an apartment, beginning in a new one. Rekindled a dark relationship with depression.
2012 - A sizeable chunk of old friends departed because of what I had become with depression and muck. Suicide came knocking several times. Invited in for visits a couple times.
2013 - A year with a few significant health traumas. Loneliness started courting me. Ended a thirty-plus-year dependent relationship with alcohol.
2014 - Living life without alcohol, emotions experienced life raw and not numbed. Continued the relationship with depression, and nurtured simultaneous relationships with social-anxiety and fear-of-life. Discovered a new church family who gave welcome.
2015 - Social-anxiety and fear-of-life began to grow into sizeable, controlling critters. Loneliness and I grew quite fond of each other. July was tough hearing the fundamentalist crowd chanting a war-cry against LGBT because of marriage equality.
Then August hit. Hard. A close friend kicked me out of town to go on vacation by myself. Alone. Lots of praying and thinking and wondering among those miles. Since that journey, dependence upon anxiety, fear of life, loneliness, muck, they have lost interest in me, and I in them.
The journey continues as I continue to purpose to live without them, without alcohol, without muck. I am grateful that God, his grace, mercies and mysteries have never left me, have never shook me off. I am glad for the old friends who have stayed. I am giddy with the new friends life has given me. I am going to be fine. It is not about me, but Christ in me.

Rambling Journal Entry #150406

Rambling Journal Entry #150406: I think there might a point or a question to this lengthy rambling, hope you can find it.

My Life is An Open Book Ramble #150402

My Life is An Open Book Ramble #150402: May I come clean, come out, and let you know the truth of the matter, the truth of my psyche? If not, please pass on, for the poop is about to get real and raw.

Rambling Rumination #150308:

So, Jesus met a woman. Even asked for a drink from her. Yes. A woman. Even more scandalous was that she was a Samaritan and he was a Jew.

Celebrating 49 Trips

Rambling Journal Entry Weekend Recap #150223:

Well, that was a birthday weekend. Glad to be back to work this morning. Wow. Thank you, thank you, one and each and all for your notes, phone calls, emails, hugs and stuff. A "quick" recap:

Open Book Rambling Journal Entry #141227

Open Book Rambling Journal Entry #141227:

The end of 2011 through 2012 into 2013, one of my darkest and deepest dalliances with depression. Boozing, slicing, and attempting escapes. Many friends departed, several stuck closer.

Through 2013 into 2014, a time of purging and stripping me down to the core. Medical traumas and emotional roller coasters laid me bare and showed me who is there.

End of 2013 into 2014 was a departure from alcohol forcing me to experience life unnumbed. No more security blanket to hide me from myself and my anxieties. Meds, friends, and a kilt, have often helped.

Through 2014 has been a refreshing renewal and time of discovery. Rediscovering and renewing old relationships. Discovering and developing new friendships. Delving into deeper devotion of the Divine. Rejecting and removing myself of ruinous relations.

To name the many friends who have been there would be nice, but just know that I greatly value you for not giving up on me. To those of whom I have offended and grievously hurt, I know I can never apologize deeply enough to remove the wounds I gave you.  Yes, I am sorry. To each of you one and all, I am so grateful to you for the life you have shown me; and I am ever grateful to God my Creator for all that has been, is, and will be.

Now let's get 2015 started in great anticipation! It will be my 49th after all. HUGS!

P.S. Yes, I am on the inside amidst the rubble ruminating about a revolution to revitalize and rebuild. If you while on the outside looking in see something I am missing, please speak up. Please?

To the Gay Men Who Think They’ll Be Forever Alone

To the Gay Men Who Think They’ll Be Forever Alone
http://www.gayguys.com/2014/10/gay-men-think-theyll-forever-alone/

Again.

The Sum of Anxiety

Open Book Ramble #140801: What gives you the creepy-crawlies? Imagine a closed room full of them. Nerve wracking, eh? Imagine yourself in that closed room with them. They can't get to you. Imagine yourself in that closed room with them within an event that you so really enjoy. The creepy-crawlies are there, but you know they can't get to you, so you enjoy the event, but you know the creepy-crawlies are all around you. Exhausting? Draining?

Rambling Journal Entry #140405

Have you something that you love doing so much that people may deem you whacko? A'yup, me too. My career and my thespianism, those are my great blisses. Maybe it might be from 1 Corinthians 10:31 or Colossians 3:23, but I am grateful for these talents that YHWH has given me, and I am compelled to use them for His glory.

Late Night Ramble #140226

It has been brought to my attention again that it is upsetting with all the LGBTQ stuff on my page:

Ranting Ramble #140225

Kevin, just realize the simple fact. It's plain ol' political posturing, the actions of desperate heteronormative cis-gender folk.

Rambling Work Rumination #140129

May it never cease to amaze me, the abilities of current and future graphic design to be able to take a printed piece, or an object, and scan said subject, and to be able to recreate it in a vector-based illustration, or a refreshed raster image for use in many formats. Whether it be a page from a 1937 journal with feathers to be used in a book, or it might be a logo on a letterhead that no one has any original digital version, it all amazes even me and gives me that thrill. ‪#‎GraphicDesignerThrills‬

Rambling Journal Entry 131205

Pauline Gospels and Christ. This morning in my Bible reading I was in 2 Corinthians 5-9. These verses in chapter 6 particularly jumped out at me:

The Old Gay Man Ponders Entry 131116

So, imagine a world where being gay was never a social stigma. What could that world possibly be?

Rambling Rant Entry 131102

Disclaimer. This rant is not directed to those few for whom I know for a fact are the good exception.

Rambling Journal Entry #131014

Rambling Journal Entry 131014: This was my reply to one friend in particular, but this is my sentiment to the many who are under 30 who lament about being alone and never finding anyone.