There are a number of things that take the place of superstitious mementos in our lives. I have a few. One of them is a book. Any book will do. I found that if I travel somewhere and do not take a book along to read that almost invariably I end up sitting staring at a wall. Once I got so desperate, I was reading People magazine.
I accepted it as superstition and nonsense. At the same time, it seems to work out that way. I don’t get stranded unless I don’t have a book.
Then there are the times I want to do something at the next red light. Guess what? Life is lived in the green lane. I balance the frustration with rapid progress. If I am going to have a flat tire it always seems to be raining. If I am going to have a breakdown it hits when I left my phone at home. I am sure you have your own list.
In my intellect I know this is nonsense. I still take a book with me everywhere I go.
homo unius libri
Sunday, February 1, 2026
Opus 2026-069: The Jinx of the Book
Opus 2026-068: 101 Means 101
In case you have not picked it up, I enjoy debating theology and Bible. For me a paraphrase of “All roads lead to Rome” would substitute “Bible” for “Rome”. It is a natural drift in my mind.
There is a basic truth about Christian theology that we tend to overlook and that basic truth is that basic theology is easy to understand. It might be an exaggeration but with John 3:16 and five minutes I could teach you basic theology. From there we would open a door to a lifetime of enriching conversations about God, His nature and how He expects us to live. If we are really bored we could get into prophecy and the end times but since those things generally have no practical application they can be saved for theological desert.
Does basic theology demand that you accept Jesus as God? Yes. Does it demand that you agree on whether Mary had other children? Not really. Such topics lead to the divisions in the body of Christ and can be taken to the point of undermining the basics but they are not necessary for salvation. Is there more truth than I could cover in five minutes? Obviously. I could not read you the Sermon on the Mount in five minutes but it is loaded with spiritual truth.
Don’t get upset when people disagree with you on topics beyond the five minutes. Remember that some people tan and some burn but the sun is the same and produces vitamin D in both.
homo unius libri