Bruce Meyer

Heaven on earth is how the Greek Orthodox describe their liturgy. I call it worship in three dimensions, and I didn’t even need any special glasses. But I sure could have used an interpreter, or maybe some of those Google glasses.

Over the last century or so, we’ve enjoyed the greatest times of prosperity the world has ever seen. Yeah, there’ve been some recessions and some wars, and there’s certainly a lot more we can do, but overall we’re way out over the goalposts.

On Feb. 15 an asteroid will pass by the earth in what is considered by NASA to be a close approach (see record setting asteroid flyby). There’s no danger of collision, and even if there was, it wouldn’t be the end of world. But what if it was? Or to put it another way, do you believe God would allow an asteroid to end it all?

Chelsey Heidenreich may only be 18 years old, but her indie folk style portrays depth and maturity beyond her years.  I always appreciate a combination of upbeat rhythm and lyrical depth, and Heidenreich creates that charm.

Kyle has a permanent tattoo on the inside of his wrist that says “Salvation from the cross,” but he no longer believes in God. He wants to believe, but sees evolution and science as telling him there is no God. Miriam was raised as a Jew, but is not sure she believes in God anymore. Now she describes herself as agnostic. Yusuf was raised as a Muslim, but calls himself atheist. These are some of the voices heard on the series Losing Our Religion that aired on NPR last week.

It’s always been a comfort to me knowing that God knows everything about me. Omniscience and omnipresence has been a hallmark of most religions. God knows when you come and when you go, as Psalm 139 in the Bible says, and when you stand up and when you sit down.

In the HBO version of George R.R. Martin’s Game of Thrones, Arya is a sweet young princess of the House of Stark. But soon after the scene depicted above, her father dies at the hands of a rival house. Arya is forced to run from the queen. She cuts her hair, pretends to be a boy, and changes her name to Arry, taking up with a band of ruffians.