This meme thing is fun.  I hadn’t been tagged for one, but then it was two in about a 24 hour period.  I think I probably went overboard on the first one, but that tends to happen when I rant (though I think I may have had a point somewhere in there).  Thanks to James McGrath for tagging me on this one.  I’m not sure how you normally find out if you’re tagged in a meme, but James’ blog is one that I read fairly regularly.  And, when I saw I was tagged I thought that was pretty cool.

I looked around and read a couple of these to see what others had done with it.  Seems some people went more focused on actual substantive beliefs and others for humor.  I’ll try to go for a mix of both, though I realize that I often use humor to shield myself from having to share my thoughts/feelings about God, life, etc.  Still I think humor also keeps me from taking myself too seriously.

1. I believe beyond any shadow of a reasonable doubt that Jim West is the Antichrist and that anyone who denies this is in league with him.
2. I believe that God loves everyone.  And, shame on staunch Calvinists who believe otherwise.
3. I believe that God chose to speak in Hebrew because it is the best and most beautiful language ever known to mankind and that he only later chose to speak in Greek to a much smaller degree because Greek is by far an inferior language.  Anyone who says otherwise probably cannot understand Hebrew.
4. I believe that God the Father raised Jesus from the dead.  I can understand why someone would not believe this as it would have been and still would be an extremely rare occurrence, rare enough to be called a miracle in fact.  But, I really believe it.
5. I believe that one of the clearest ways we experience the presence of God is in our relationships with other people.  For me, this is especially my beautiful wife and two beautiful daughters.
6. I believe that Raymond Brown was one of God’s greatest gifts to the Catholic church in modern times.
7. I believe that seven is not a perfect number.  If you are trying to play a game where you divide teams evenly, it is terrible.
8. “I believe the children are our future. Teach them well and let them lead the way.”  Only partially trying to be funny here.  A lot of truth to this lyric.
9. I believe that, though I love my life, the best is yet to come.  However, I am also superstitious enough to believe that because I have acknowledged I believe the best is yet to come that I might be marked for an early tragic death seeing as I have jinxed myself.
10. Finally and perhaps most importantly, I believe that God will bless anyone who gives me financial donations one hundred fold just like the Bible says.