Topic: love

The road home: A journey of memory, hope

By Rev. Charles Moreland | January 6, 2008 |

While in the U.S. Army for 20 years, I identified my home of record as St. Louis, Missouri, where I was raised on the south side in a home where my parents both worked full time to make ends meet. Life wasn’t a battle for survival, but it was a struggle from pay day to pay day.

Though now a Tennessee resident, when I speak of home I still focus on Missouri, especially the Ozarks where I was born and spent six formative years of childhood.

Recently I returned to the Ozarks near Fort Leonard Wood. There for three days, I faced an epiphany, an experience of both sadness and joy. Experiences that brought me closer to reality. Something happened that was unforeseen and unanticipated, something that wasn’t on my list of objectives for this trip. The result was a new personal “awareness” and sensitivity toward my own well-being. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Opinion, Spirituality | No Comments

Holiday thankfulness: Life, love, laughter

By Michael Covington | November 21, 2007 |

I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season so far. I’m sure that like me, you’re still not truly ready for the season. Since it’s upon us, I’m forgoing my typical article this week for something else instead. This week, I’d like to take some time to share with you all my list of what I am most thankful for. I extend an open invitation to all our authors and readers to write and share something similar. After all, Clarksville Online is here for one clear and single purpose, to share.

The first item on my list is my family. I have a loving partner of over two years. Christian is more than I could ever want in a partner. He’s my best friend through the good times, he’s my rock through the bad times, and he’s my shoulder to cry on through the sad times. Most people wouldn’t notice at first glance, but he’s the most sensitive and caring person I’ve ever known, and I love him more than he’ll ever know. His cousin John who lives with us is one of the greatest men I’ve ever had the privilege to know. He’s one of those rare souls you meet who you can always count on to get you through whatever is going on in life. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Opinion | 1 Comment »

Does our “love” have a hook?

By David W. Shelton | March 30, 2007 |

I had a conversation recently which focused on matters of faith and Christian ideals. The person I was talking with had her share of Christianity, and was nonplussed at many of the things that were being presented. Quite frankly, I can’t really blame her.

She asked me if I felt like it was my responsibility to try to change people when they come to my church. It was then that I realized why so many people have been turned off by the Church in general. If I were to think of “church,” I have to ask myself what kind of a mental image I get.

What does someone who’s been turned away from the church think of it? I don’t think I want to get into any of the possible specifics right now, but some of the general elements surround a perception of religious arrogance. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Issues, Spirituality | No Comments

Passion for God, Compassion for People

By David W. Shelton | March 29, 2007 |

The more I use words like “love,” I am forced to consider the reality that its definition is as subjective as it is confusing. The English language is kind of awkward with some of its words, and “love” is one of them. It has several definitions, any of which can apply.

“I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

“No, I love you like a brother.”

“Well, I love you like a mom.”

“I love you like a slice of pizza.”

“I love you like a puppy.”

“I love you like I love a good movie.”

“I LOVE you love you.”

“Huh?”

“I’m in love with you.”

“But I love tennis.”

“Oh, never mind.”

“Love” and its many meanings always seem to make sense to us except where our faith applies. When the word “love” becomes sanctified into the Christian faith, it takes on a rather nebulous nature that sometimes defies definition. It’s especially evident when we try to apply our common definitions to the word when used in Scripture. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Spirituality | No Comments

Voters League Endorse Candidates for the November 7, 2006 General Election.

By Terry McMoore | October 14, 2006 |

The Clarksville-Montgomery County “League Of Voter Empowerment” (L.O.V.E.) has endorsed the candidates listed below for the Nov. 7, 2006 General Election. The candidates were selected during the monthly LOVE breakfast meeting.

City Mayor: Charles Smith
City Council Ward 1: Barbara Johnson
City Council Ward 2: Deanna Mclaughlin
City Council Ward 3: Keith Svadba
City Council Ward 6: Marc Harris
City Council  Ward 7: Mary Nell Wooten
City Council Ward 10: Bill Summers
City Council Ward 11: Lisa Dotson
Governor: Phil Bredesen
U.S. Senate: Harold Ford Jr.
U.S. House of Representatives 7th Congressional District: Bill Morrison
U.S. House of Representatives 8th Congressional District: John Tanner
Tennessee House of Representatives District 67: Joe Pitts
Tennessee House of Representatives District 68: Tim Barnes
Tennessee House of Representatives District 78: Bruce Gibbs

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Christianity & Homosexuality: CONTINUED

By David W. Shelton | September 24, 2006 |

A few weeks ago, I began a series on my blog and right here at Clarksville Online on Christianity & Homosexuality. There are a total of six passages in the Bible that are used as “clobber” verses for the GLBT community, and the series deals with each of them individually.

So many of us who either know gay or lesbian people, or who are gay, know the kind of religious verbal violence that is hurled at an alarming rate. This series is an effort to take a step back from our pet theologies and look at their literary, historical, and original language contexts. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Politics, Spirituality | No Comments

The Subtlety of Prejudice

By David W. Shelton | July 24, 2006 |

I was reading the local newspaper’s blog today and came across a comment that was particularly thoughtful. The writer said that he did not hate anyone for their skin color or sexual orientation. And around here, that’s saying something. He later said that he did have a certain kind of hatred; a hatred for bigotry.

He spent a couple of paragraphs slamming bigots in various cultures and got a lot of positive responses, including from me. But the more I think about it, I wonder if I should be so encouraging to that kind of mindset. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Opinion, Politics, Spirituality | No Comments