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 Such dissent was labeled “selfish” or “evil,” and group approval was withdrawn and the dissenter isolated."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

2016 Bismarck-Mandan Out of the Darkness Community Walk Address

"I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; From where shall my help come?

My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth."

Psalm 121

Kevin R Tengesdal’s address with the 2016 Bismarck-Mandan Out of the Darkness Community Walk to help bring awareness to suicide attempts, depression, and PTSD, along with the stigma and silence of men and crisis mental health situations.

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.

North Dakota Democratic-NPL State Delegate Selection Meeting Stump Speech

Good afternoon, friends and fellow Dem-NPLers! What an exciting day and event for us Democrats of North Dakota!

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.

A Future to Believe In

What would the USA be like had Harriet Tubman quit her fight rescuing slaves?
Would we have a future to believe in?

What would the USA be like had Red Cloud quit his fight for Native American lands?
Would we have a future to believe in?

What would the USA be like had Susan B. Anthony quit her fight for women’s right to vote?
Would we have a future to believe in?

What would the USA be like had Unions quit their fight for better labor conditions?
Would we have a future to believe in?

What would the USA be like had Martin Luther King, Jr. quit his fight for black rights?
Would we have a future to believe in?

What would the USA be like had Dennis Banks and Russell Means quit their fight for the civil rights of Native Americans?
Would we have a future to believe in?

What would the USA be like had marriage activists quit their fight for marriage equality?
Would we have a future to believe in?

What will the USA be like if Bernie Sanders quit his fight for nomination?
Will we have a future to believe in?

Coupled or Untethered

Reminding myself of several reasons it is good/ok/normal to be single, untethered, unsupervised:

With Apologies to Dr. Seuss

I am Kevin

I am Sam
Sam I am

That Sam-I-am
That Sam-I-am!
I do not like
that Sam-I-am

Do you like
boobies and gam

Soul Alive

Sunday is long gone.

Tuesday is here present.

Gathering has dispersed.

Loneliness has appeared.

Lost in the shadows.

Grace always present.

Turn toward Him.

Soul alive.

Weeping whimpers

Weeping whimpers darken the shadows.
You have seen the shadows in the fog.
Hidden remains the darkness, locked.
You have heard the whimpers in the fog.
Silenced remains the weeping, stifled.
Stifle the fog, lock the fog.
Unseen and unheard,
Remains clamoring light,
Erasing shadows.

I don't know

I don't know. I have never been clinically diagnosed or stuff.

Out of Context...

2nd Chronicles 7:14 -- Out of Context... America is not God’s chosen nation or land. Americans are not God’s chosen people. America is nowhere to be found in this passage nor is any other nation besides Israel. We need to remember that not everything in the Bible is about us. The Bible is about God first and foremost.

http://pleaseconvinceme.com/2013/a-text-out-of-context-2-chronicles-714/

Letters to the Editor

A few "Letters to the Editor" I have written...

What are we do with those we consider to be different from us?

What are we do with those we consider to be different from us? How are we as followers of Christ supposed to interact with the marginalized that make us uncomfortable? How can our lives be a living example of His good news?

The Testimony -- Oct 11, 2015

On a warm March day in 1988, there I was, a young 22-year old adventurer, standing alone on a sidewalk under the San Diego sun waiting for a bus. The Navy had just terminated my short career in the military by giving me an honorable discharge, and two intimidating military police unceremoniously escorted me off the base. Riding the bus to the airport as a rebranded civilian, I was ruminating and wondering who I was, where I was from, where I was going. A new chapter was starting in a journey, which began on a small-grains farm in North Dakota.

I must be an ambivert...

Reading through those lists of characteristics of introverts and extroverts, I have smattering of each in my personality characteristics...

Never Have I Ever

Been asked on a second date
Been a groomsmen
Been a godfather
Been married
Known that I was flirted on
Been arrested for a crime
Seen Mount Rushmore
Seen a Bond movie
Written a song
Traveled to all fifty states
Parachuted
Bungee jumping
Roller bladed
Been asked for my number
Kissed a frog
Had a secret admirer
Taken a lie detector test
Received a blood transfusion
Walked in on my parents
Attended a worship service other than Christian

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.

Yeah, it is visiting again.

So, thoughts have been ruminating. I enjoy life on my own.