Tag: religion

Photo by Joe WilcoxApr 5, 20269:12 pm

The Easter AI Metaphor

For Easter Sunday, let’s use modern tech to compare and contrast. Today is supposed to be the celebration of Jesus Christ’s resurrection and the hope human beings can receive spiritual salvation. Physical redemption is the responsibility of the Second Coming.

Easter also celebrates the bunny—a rapidly breeding animal that aligns more with ancient, pagan fertility rights. Candy and sweets are all about enjoyment of the flesh, as is the worship of fertility practices of the gods of Spring. Christian teaching emphasizes the spirit and dominion over the flesh. Materialistic cultures and religions promote physical joy, from simple pleasures to hedonism.

Photo by Joe WilcoxApr 2, 20269:52 pm

Absolutely Authentic Audio

Every year before Easter, I listen to the original Jesus Christ Superstar recording from October 1970. My parents gave me the double album for Christmas 1971 and regretted it. Mom begged me to stop playing the rock opera over and over again. I obstinately continued. (She preferred Conway Twitty, Loretta Lynn, and other well-known Country Music artists of the time.)

JCS is the background music for this post, but in different fashion than more recent years. Rather than listen to the digital download, I dug out the two-set CD that I purchased decades ago. Physical media is all the rage, suddenly, and we still have all the accumulated discs—thankfully.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMar 28, 20268:57 pm

Blessed Inspirations

One of the more unusual attractions here in the village of University Heights is the Hsi Fang Buddhist temple. The impressive structure, which includes a bookstore and residences, is located in the San Diego community’s main commercial area.

For no other reason than habit, I typically walk on the East side of Park Blvd. But today that way was blocked, and I was directed across the street, where I stopped to see some of the Temple’s inspirational marketing materials and decor. (I should go by more often.)

Photo by Joe WilcoxMar 21, 20269:04 pm

Wedding Bells or Something Else?

While walking home from San Diego Zoo on Sept. 27, 2025, I passed by some kind of gathering or event at the Greek Orthodox Church on Park Blvd in Hillcrest. Being Thursday, I doubted a religious service was underway or ending. But what??

I initially assumed wedding, but on closer consideration funeral appeared to be another reasonable possibility. The people looked cheerer than somber, more befitting a wedding, dedication of child, or something similar.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJan 2, 20269:39 pm

She’s on a Mission from God

My wife and I heard the reverberating sound several blocks away—a voice carried on the wind, coming from the direction of Old Trolley Barn Park. The woman stood valiantly reading inspirational words and scriptures from a Bible. She rarely glanced up, which explains the character of the portrait.

I don’t know how deliberate the choice but can guess. Rather than face park goers she turned to the street, where across the way was a Jehovah Witness meeting hall. Tone and content made me think that she preached to the Witnesses.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMay 21, 20259:57 pm

Yet Another Bible Story

Yesterday, my wife and I drove to East County on an errand. Returning, she missed an exit, and we ended up in downtown La Mesa. What an opportunity! We took it. Annie parked in the neighborhood nearby the Christian bookstore where in January 2021 we bought a Bible for her and in November 2022 another for me.

We were shocked! The shop is gone. Another retailer fills the space. I searched online for some information about what happened and when but found nothing—not on Yelp or the former business’ social media sites, like Instagram. But given the new occupant, I presume the demise isn’t all that recent.

Photo by Joe WilcoxApr 20, 202512:12 pm

An Easter Surprise

In the area of San Diego where we live, a look at most any window can reveal signage—most commonly: BLM, rainbow flag, resist (Trump), and occasionally an upside-down American flag, for example. So, surprise me (and perhaps you): The cross seen in the Featured Image, on April 3, 2024, along Park Blvd, a few blocks from the zoo.

Except for the few churches, I can’t recall ever seeing a cross so brazenly displayed in a neighborhood where people demand what they can get rather than what they can give—like the rainbow house of, ah, worship that claims “Love is Love is all You Need”. Ah, no.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMar 19, 20259:48 pm

What Do You Make of This?

Results of routine bloodwork brought me to walk through Hillcrest today. Along Cleveland Ave., I passed the progressive church with the rainbow doors, where the banner in the Featured Image rather riveted my attention. The congregation is studying fascism for Lent? Not scripture? Not Jesus’ life?

You know what rhymes with Lent? Repent. That would be a great place to start and more scriptural. Fascism studies turns the attention of parishioners to the sins of others when they should be digging up their own and offering them with repentance. What did Jesus say about taking the log out of your own eye before the speck in your brother’s eye?

Photo by Joe WilcoxJul 28, 20246:42 pm

I Boycott the Paris Olympics

I am more than a little surprised to be writing this post. But here we unexpectedly are. I stand with those people criticizing the 2024 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony’s mock Last Supper as mocking Christianity—and the almighty God, for that matter. In what appeared to be a live reenactment of the famous painting by Leonardo DaVinci, the actors were either drag queens or some simply dressed as such.

The Summer games officially began in Paris on July 26. Today, spokesperson Anne Descamp apologized to anyone offended by the, ah, banquet scene. If BBC reporting is accurate, explanation is as offensive, if not more. From the story: “The ceremony’s artistic director, Thomas Jolly, said there was no intention to ‘mock or denigrate anyone’ and explained the scene in question was designed to reference pagan gods”.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJul 1, 20247:48 pm

Street Preaching

The Featured Image, taken by an unknown photographer, puts me on a New York City street in either the summer of 1980 or `81—I don’t recall which. That would make me 21 or 22 years-old, with hair!

Good friend Andy Morris looks on. My recollection of him is his infectious, and friendly, smile. Where is it, Andy? Was I that boring? Looking at how stiff I appear to be, maybe I wasn’t so good a street preacher.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMar 24, 202411:00 pm

Cancelling Christ Feels Familiar

If you’ve seen this sign before on my website somewhere, do tell me. I can’t find it. Because I so meant to share the message nearly four years ago (June 26, 2020). The United States was in turmoil, with SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2)/COVID-19 restrictions making most everyone stay in and widespread looting, protests, and riots pulling people out onto the streets.

Do you remember the chaos, and rampant cancellation? You know: anyone who dared to defy the social media mob’s cries for equity, justice, and racial identity—all while fostering division and segregation that contradicted the presumed purpose of progressives. Black lives mattered, and including any other group(s) made you a racist.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMar 21, 202410:19 pm

By the Grace of God

Along Park Blvd, barely outside my San Diego neighborhood of University Heights, is a church I hadn’t stopped to regard—until yesterday. I simply don’t walk that way often enough to have noticed the stately structure.

Near as I can gather from the official website, Grace Lutheran is a family-oriented, traditional Christian church located in an area where other places of worship cater more to the licentious, cultural mob than to God.