1520 Martin Luther and the Stair Way to Heaven

There's a lady who's sure all that glitters is gold
And she's buying a stairway to heaven
When she gets there she knows
If the stores are all closed
With a word she can get what she came for

Ooooo, and she's buying a stairway to heaven.

There's a sign on the wall
But she wants to be sure
'Cause you know, sometimes words have two meanings
In a tree by the brook there's a songbird who sings sometimes
All of our thoughts are misgiven

Ooooo, it makes me wonder
Ooooo, it makes me wonder

There's a feeling I get when I look to the west
And my spirit is crying for leaving
In my thoughts I have seen rings of smoke through the trees
And the voices of those who stand looking

Ooooo, it makes me wonder
Ooooo, it really makes me wonder

And it's whispered that soon if we all call the tune
Then the piper will lead us to reason
And a new day will dawn for those who stand long
And the forests will echo with laughter

If there's a bustle in your hedgerow don't be alarmed now
It's just a spring clean for the May-queen
Yes there are two paths you can go by
But in the long run
There's still time to change the road you're on

And it makes me wonder (Ooh)

Your head is humming and it won't go - in case you don't know
The piper's calling you to join him
Dear lady can you hear the wind blow
And did you know your stairway lies on the whispering wind

And as we wind on down the road
Our shadows taller than our soul
There walks a lady we all know
Who shines white light and wants to show
How everything still turns to gold
And if you listen very hard
The tune will come to you at last
When all are one and one is all (yeah)
To be a rock and not to roll

And she's buying a stairway to heaven...

1301 Boniface vs. William Nogaret

"BLATHER!!!!! My masters ship is made of titanium reinforced steel, and has the capacity to complete a Super Nova. The pope does not have a ship that can stand a chance, his ship is made of imaginary towers sitting on the corner of imagination way and ordination avenue. The pope is a man floating on haughty words. BLATHER! Why bother? Boniface will creep in like a Captain, attempt to reign like a mongrel, and die like a filthy Robot. He will be buried in the trash Heep of history. The pope is not to reign like an Emperor!" said Guillaume de Nogare.

1300 - 1500 Christiandom

It was 9:50 AM, a Thursday, and the good ship Boniface was being attacked by English and French Brutes. Phil, a Frenchy, drank his warm creamy latte; he was busy picking croissant crumbs from his shirt, Eddy a Limey, drank tea. He ate his scone with gratitude.

Both laughed, a victorious chuckle, at Pope Boniface and the words that he said:

"I did not mean to cut off clerical contributions for defense in times of dire need."

They were now able to tax the Church at will.

LOVE of the GAME

What is the Spirit in Operation that will find joy in a fallen world? The Spirit hopes we find Joy in the thing itself not in the score. Its like playing the game of golf, you can choose, for the love of the Game or for the LOW Score. When we focus on the score we tend to get frustrated, but when we focus on the LOVE of the swing; we become inspired, enkindled, with a lasting JOY. Where are your eyes set today?

We Are the Dead Men Walking
Saved By A Good Samiritan

Prayer on Comfort:

What price is Comfort? What is it to live outside of the World? WHat should be the proper response to riches and in fame? How does the LORD equip the Lihtnings to be proper witness of the Goodnews that is the Gospel?
It is said; Light is sown [1] for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart. (Psalm 97) Allow us to see that although we may be in power we may not be always right, and allow us to turn to the LORD to hear how HE wants us to lead our households and our doings in the WORLD. AMEN

1209 Massacre of the Cathari

The Pure Ones (Cathari) from a nearby planet heard the news of their impending doom by letter to their council:

The year of 1209, providing that the Cathari have infiltrated European Culture, originating from Bulgaria, before June 1 in this Calender Year. If the Cathari agree to not meet again, they will be spared from the current inquisition into their affairs; however if they do not disband we are determined to extinguish this group of heretics from the annals of history. We the high council in Rome deem this necessary because of your inflexibility to move from your gnostic notion of avoiding: marriage, sexual intercourse, eating of meat, and material possessions. You are to disband or be extinguished.

1209 What Threat Cathari

Cathari ship Troubadour landed in a meadow amongst a flock of lambs. Peacefully the aliens lived within the Empire. But then....the Cathari had become a leading voice in Culture. They had gained the protection of the Princes of Toulouse, and were spreading a new Gospel to Europe. Catholic Bishops and the Pope felt threatened...

1073-1085 Cathari and Heretical War

East of the wormhole the Cathari warship the Troubadour was headed towards Earth. Cathari leaders were devoted to extremes of self denial. They believed in killing the body in order to free the spirit. It was well known through out the universe, that they would rather starve themselves than submit to the whole body position defended by their enemies the Dominicans.

1253-1457 Women

Women had a submissive role in the middle ages due to males misogyny:
"The wickedness of women is grater than all other wickedness of the world and the poison of asps and dragons is more curable and less dangerous to men than the familiarly of women."

- Conrad of Marchtal

(Bynum 15)

"Learn Everything; you will see afterwards that nothing is superfluous."-Hugh of St. Victor

1079 – April 21, 1142 Abelard: Christ Showed us Grace

On the rocky shore of Cedar Key Florida, at low tide, I saw two crabs walking backwards. It was a spectacular morning, around four AM and the full moon was still lighting the beach.

I looked closer and saw that the crabs were kin. The mother was busy scolding her offspring and did not pay attention to me, the weather, or anything else.

"Why in the world, child, do you not walk as the other creatures do-forward instead of backward?" she complained.

"Mother, dear," replied the little Crab, "do but set the example yourself, and I will follow."

Abelard:
"Through this unique act of grace manifested to us - in that his Son has taken upon himself our nature and persevered therein, in teaching us by word and example even unto death - he has more fully bound us to himself by love; with the result that our hearts should be enkindled by such a gift of divine grace, and true charity should not now shrink from enduring anything for him." (Placher 145)

Application: Example is the best precept.

1079 – 1142 Abelard and Heloise

Amongst the Gold tinted columns and dew stained yellow wallpaper, Abelard was kindled by the tickling sensation of lusty sentiments. Cherubs sat naked on top of a fountain, and a young lady sat properly as she continually played with her hair. She attempted to show no interest to Abelard. But there was more kissing than teaching. Abelard was distracted by Heloise's beautiful breasts. He found his hands betraying him. The servants talked. The rich uncle found out. Heloise was sent to a nunnery. The furious uncle hired thugs to castrate Abelard. The flames of romance inspired to make these lovers classic.


Eloisa to Abelard a poem written by Alexander Pope captured Heloise Romantic thoughts:

How happy is the blameless vestal's lot!

The world forgetting, by the world forgot.

Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind!

Each pray'r accepted, and each wish resign'd ... ^[3]

1033-1109 Ontological Arguement Revealed to Bertrand Russel

Anslem a monk and Archbishop of Canterburry made this arguement for the existence of God betwen 1033-1109.

1. God is something than which nothing greater can be thought.

2. God exists in the understanding.

3. It is greater to exist in reality and in the understanding than just in understanding.

4. Therefore, God exists in reality

Bertrand Russel in 1894 walked from the University down Trinity Lane.

Women talked about the fashions amongst the green verdant vegetables. The men in red coats and black hats discussed the current philosophy of the day; faith must precede understanding. The sun cast a shadow against the yellow grimly stained buildings full of noisy children learning from their open books and strict school masters. The red roofs of the buildings stood in contrast to the crosses on top of the cathedral.

An idea alighted on Bertrand Russel, like a stick of dynamite. He had gone out to buy a tin of tobacco but on his way back he was struck, the tin went spiraling in the air, and he exclaimed as he made an amazing catch, "Damn, the ontological argument is valid. Great Scott, the ontological argument is valid."

1228-1306 Jacophone De Todi

Plato and Socrates may contend

And all the breath in their bodies spend
Arguing without end -
What's it all to me?
Only a pure and simple mind
Straight to heaven its way doth find;
Greets the King - while far behind
Lags the world's philosophy.

Jaciphone De Todi (1228-1306)

Two medieval point of views emerged:

(1)Those in the monastery held onto the faith. Monks/theologians meditated solely on the word of God and the meaning of Christianity.

(2) Those in the university held onto reason coupled with faith. University professors meditated on the Word of God and how it related to the WORLD. They then waged an intellectual jihad for the merits of Christianity against worldly based human reason.

Dominican and Franciscan monks attempted to blend the role of the professor and the theologian together, an imperfect union of faith and reason.

1179 Wheres Waldo? He's in Rome at the Third Lateran Council.

The poor took comfort from the church, when the church was closed.

The poor took comfort when the parishioners were not in sight.

The church had forgotten the words of Jesus (Matt 19:21)²¹"If you want to give it all you've got," Jesus replied, "go sell your possessions; give everything to the poor. All your wealth will then be in heaven. Then come follow me."

Bishops dereliction of Jesus's mission was caused by a need for Global dominance and a need for security assured in being a Roman Empire.

1225-1253 A Visit with Grossestese

As we walked down the corridor we are greeted by a lone monk.

"Welcome! I am Senior Grosseteste of England. Allow me to amuse you in these hallowed corridors of our Roman Church; where we appoint not pastors but destroyers of the hearts of men. Our clergy rank highly in the arts of covetous, greed and of course immorality. When we hear of protest we deem those protesters heretics, and send them to our Hell-Hound Cerebrus. Cerebrus gnaws on bones with a passion not equaled. What a delightful sound to hear them cry like babies, while our dog gnaws on their flesh, ripping them into pieces. Such delights! We will use any means neccessary to protect the sanctity of our mother the Church. We just ask that you believe."

He thought on God's role of spiritual healing as he gazed at the light blue sky; Aquinas thought he had set the celestial bodies into a grand alignment. Would the Orchestration become a tune worth dancing to? Or would the notes get in the way?

1265-1274 Summa Thologica, Thomas Aquinas

Aquinas walked in the garden amongst the seven Sacramental Oaks: Baptism, Confirmation, the LORD's Supper, Penance, Extreme Unction, Marriage and Ordination.

The tallest tree was the LORD's supper. The tree once a week changed miraculously into the actual body and blood Christ (transubstantiation). Neighbors often thought they had been slipped a pill when they saw Jesus walking in the garden.

1198-1216 Cooking Up Legalism (Pope Innocent III)

See, I have set you this day k over nations and over kingdoms,
t to pluck up and to break down,
to destroy and to overthrow,
to build and to plant.

Jeremiah 1:10

The aliens watched.

The students sat on dry straw, drooling. They drooled, and drooled. Teachers lead them to think that Christ was 1+1+1=3. They had their Harmony of Discordant Canon and Cannon Law memorized. They held onto the legal understanding firmly. Their hearts were quickly deadened, because God is not a number on a box score.

And remember, where you have a concentration of power in a few hands, all too frequently men with the mentality of gangsters get control. History has proven that.
Lord Acton