Why Does the Bible Have So Much Disturbing Stuff in It?

I recently read through Deuteronomy and was reminded of how confusingly harsh and disturbing certain parts of the Bible can seem at face value. It made me grateful again for the New Church teachings about how to understand scripture.

In the most recent issue of New Church Connection there's one of the best short explanations of these teachings that I've come across. Even if you're familiar with these teachings I recommend taking a look at Rev. Thane Glenn's article about this, "Real Challenges: Biblical Contradictions".

New Church Connection Available for Free

New Church Connection magazine is now available for free. It's always been available for free online but you can now subscribe to have it mailed to you for free. On the subscription page they say,

At the New Church we are passionate about people living their faith, that is why we provide this magazine to you at no cost.

New Church Connection has recently been revamped as to look and feel and somewhat as to content. I thought that the most recent issue (PDF) was great and my sources tell me that the next issue promises to be even better. Bronwen Henry, who used to be in charge of a lot of things at the General Church Office of Outreach, is now focusing on New Church Connection and I think you can see the result.

If you enjoy the magazine or are glad that subscription is now free, I'm sure the people who produce the magazine would love to have you fill out their Reader Survey.

What's the point of belonging to a church organization?

You can be both happy and spiritual without being a part of a religious organization, but why would you want to? You can become a martial artist or a musician by studying books and movies, but it will take you much longer to master these arts without guidance and community support to facilitate learning and creativity. Similarly, why not find companionship in your route to a happier life? (Rev. Derrick Lumsden, New Church Connection - Issue 1, 2009 (PDF)