The Naked Journal
Thoughts, musings, and meanings behind NakedPastor Art.
The Naked Journal
Jesus and Happy Juneteenth
Cartoon description: A happy Jesus marches with a flag that says "Happy Juneteenth!" with broken chains. Happy Juneteenth everyone!Freedom.Always.l
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Jesus' Messiah Complex
If people keep telling you that you're the Messiah... what ya gonna do?
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Jesus and The Transgender Sheep Cartoon
I love this trans cartoon I drew for #transawarenessweek because it communicates a few things. Trans get hate even in what is supposed to be the most loving and supportive spaces. Good people can't and shouldn't abide it. What do you think? This is available as a digital download and there is one original cartoon. Related Trans Affirming Posts 3 Best Trans Christian Affirming CartoonsBeing LGBTQ+ is More than Skin DeepProtect Trans Kids Drawing
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Should Religion Be Involved in Politics?
Why Good Religion Is Politics The gospels portray the crucifixion of Jesus as a mainly political event. In other words, the gospels portray Jesus as the victim of power. I hear it all the time that religion should stick to spiritual matters... simply our inner lives. But we can't help but live out our inner lives. We're known by our fruit. Period! It is said, "Pure religion is this: taking care of widows and orphans." They were the socially and therefore politically marginalized of their day. Caring for the poor and marginalized and victims becomes political when we demand living wages, health care, peace on earth, total inclusion and equal opportunity, equality, reparations, affordable housing, sustainable living, care of the planet, and so on. I'm sure many of you have tried it and experienced the wrath of politics (read "power") when you found your spirituality turning into compassion turning into action — something I often address in my trump cartoons, where faith, power, and political identity collide. I have claimed that everything is spiritual. And that means everything is political. Even love is political. Am I right?PS: If you're interested in seeing more of my political cartoons check out my anti-ICE cartoons.
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Is the Church the Broker of Love?
Description: Jesus throws tons of hearts. The Church receives it all with open arms. However, some escape over and behind the Church where a tiny LGBTQIA sheep finds a few. Is the Church the Broker of Love? Imagine the arrogance it takes to say that they know who is loveable and who is not. Imagine the arrogance it takes to say that only the Bible tells you how to love properly. Imagine the arrogance it takes to say that only Christianity understands love. Imagine the arrogance it takes to say that only the Church can explain it. Imagine the arrogance it takes to withhold love from someone because of their gender, sexuality, race, color, geography, beliefs, etcetera. The Church doesn’t have the right to claim to be the arbiter, the mediator, the broker, of love. Shouldn’t we all imagine, including believers, that we are all swimming in the ocean of love… Rather than imagining that everyone else should swim in our little pool where we charge entry fees, require the meeting of certain conditions, and kick them out or drown them if they don’t comply?
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The Irony of Intolerance: Misinterpreting the Message of Jesus
You'd think some people actually do this. They take the beautiful basic message of love and some of the most lovely sayings of Jesus and twist them all into their total opposites. They say their hate is actually an expression of love.They say their regulations are actually required by grace.They say their rigidity is actually a form of care.They say their fundamentalism is actually the painful truth.They say their violence is for the establishment of peace.They say their bullying is biblical evangelism. Your resistance to all of this is seen as your resistance to the gospel and to Jesus himself. Then they dial it up and intensify their efforts and things get worse. When they see their efforts to convert you are in vain, in one more final biblical gesture, they express divine wrath and depart, shaking the dust off their feet and consigning you to the Evil One and his Hell. In other words, they prey on you.Like wolves do sheep. I know it's hard to let this not affect you. I know it's hard for me sometimes. But be comforted in the fact that they're wrong. Just like your gut is telling you. Description: Jesus says to his disciples, "I send you out as sheep among wolves." One of them says to another, "I'm going to take that to mean he's sending us out as wolves among sheep."
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I'm Sorry For the Painful Things You've Heard and Hear Spoken Against You
Cartoon Description: Jesus covers a rainbow sheep's ears in Church as an angry white sheep preaches against them. I call this original cartoon drawing on paper "Jesus Covers the Rainbow Sheep's Ears" (also in prints because I love it 🧡). Many of you have heard and still hear painful things spoken against you, and I'm sorry. Much love to you all.
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The Power Is In Our Hands To Build a Church Where Everyone Belongs
There is a fascinating verse in Matthew's gospel where Jesus says, "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." I think this means that if we choose to refuse people, reject people, not welcome them, not affirm them, discriminate against them, then that's the way it's going to be. On the other hand, if we welcome people, affirm them, and give them total access with the same rights and privileges as everyone else, then that's the way it's going to be. Cartoon description: A man on his knees prays before a lit candle and crucifix, "Please, Lord, bring more people into your church!" Meanwhile, Jesus stands behind him with a large and diverse group of people, including LGBTQIA people, looking at his watch, waiting for him to finally realize it's totally up to us. We can no longer blame it on a cruel and discriminatory god... a god that we have constructed out of our own opinions, biases, and prejudices. Neither can we wait for this god to change his mind, because apparently he won't until we will. It literally is up to us. We have the authority to make this happen. The power is in our hands. We are responsible. No more delay!
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Are You Stuck in a Theological Loop?
Jesus lived and revealed a reality. It wasn’t new, but it was new to his observers. Blind to it in themselves, they were so impressed by this reality and so amazed how perfectly he combined the divine and human that they elevated him to Savior status. When he announced it is finished, he closed a theological loop, the cycle of: a good creation;the Fall into sin;then division, destruction, and death;and the religious impulse to repair a broken relationship with God. Can you see this cycle of... you were good, you sinned, you must suffer, you must be restored, rinse, repeat? Cartoon description: Jesus cries out, “It is finished!” The church says, “Oh no it isn’t!” I drew this cartoon of jesus to show that “It is finished” announced the end of this and that we are loved, forgiven, reconciled, restored, and alive. But this cycle is only theological. Jesus assumed it. His followers translated it into an historical development. But it wasn’t. His life was a revelation and manifestation of an existing reality. This loop of a good beginning, falling into sin and its consequences, then being forgiven and restored, is all a theological exercise. We are and always have been good, forgiven, reconciled, and loved. This is why Paul simply announced the good news of God’s love for, and the reconciliation of, all things. It seemed to be a new historical development in Jesus. Instead, Jesus was the revelation of this reality. However, the Church, rather than being a community reflecting this reality of good, unity, love and life, refuses to keep this circle closed because it’s to its advantage not to. It can retain its power over us only if we stay fallen, separated, and perpetually in need of forgiveness and restoration. Step out of this loop!
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