Things I Think…
1. I think I shouldn’t have to write this…when we are discussing issues affecting the church like nationalism or CRT, we’re discussing issues, not people. I have friends and family on all different sides of every issue and my affection for them and estimation of them doesn’t change when we have disagreement. Disagreeing with someone, (even sharply), doesn’t indicate hate, nor does agreement necessarily imply love…Gospel centered people should be able to work through this…
2. This site has always been ecumenical theologically and my guess would be, politically…I have to guess because such things used to not matter…people who have different views simply provide opportunities to learn…
3. My favorite Civil War historian (Gary Gallagher) likes to talk about the difference between memory and history…memory is how we’ve framed the past and history is what actually happened….we would do well to remember there is often a large gap between the two…
4. It is a place of grieving to me to watch churches torn apart by politics, but survive abuse and corruption without a hitch…
5. Tribalism in the church used to be around doctrinal issues…now it’s over political affiliation…which means the church has been subsumed by the culture they claim they are fighting…
6. I tried to do “start from scratch” research on the current state of the pandemic and vaccinations…and I think it’s damn near impossible to find information untainted with political spin, and therefore, “truth”. A society cannot survive this…
7. There is some cognitive dissonance when the same people who want me to believe that the government is evil are the same ones who get angry at protests against the government…can we simply say that our country has always been one that that has done it’s share of both good and evil and try to build something better? Probably not…
8. A lot of people were unhappy with my support of people who have been wounded in the church and are “deconstructing” their faith…ask me how much I care…the proper, biblical response would be to reach out to those people and and patiently support the process…but then you’d have to admit the wounds are real…
9. The reason I’ve never been worried about the ones who are “deconstructing” is that I know that God loves them and will keep them one way or another…so I’m free to love them without constantly warning them of impending damnation…people in process are always a mess and we’re all in process…
10. In what only can be described as a real, tangible answer to the prayers of God’s people…I’ve been released from the care of my surgical team and will just have regular followups with my cardiologist. My recovery is weeks ahead of schedule and without many of the issues that normally happen after this surgery. Thank you for your prayers…they matter.
“ 10. In what only can be described as a real, tangible answer to the prayers of God’s people…I’ve been released from the care of my surgical team and will just have regular followups with my cardiologist. My recovery is weeks ahead of schedule and without many of the issues that normally happen after this surgery. Thank you for your prayers…they matter.”
Yippee!
Thanks, Donner!
#7-can the Church survive? Influence building “something better?”
FWIW……
I think the Church has been an influence on this nation. If we’ve lost that influence ( history shows we might), then the world is in deep trouble….. ? ? ?
AND #10 ….. Praise our Triune God …. BUT
Don’t push yourself, Michael…. One day at a time, puleez
Em,
I’m not fully healed yet so I’m being cautious…but it’s been a blessed recovery so far…
#10. I’m happy for you Michael. Hope you have many happy days ahead.
Thank you, Nathan!
First, Michael, I am glad that your recovery is going quickly and uneventfully! That is such a praise.
#1 and #2-I think, as a culture and a church, we have forgotten that people are more important than their viewpoints (people who are violent, however, do need to calm down before I will listen to them!). I wonder how much of the backbiting in churches would stop if we really sat down and listened to each other, looked deeply into the Scriptures to see what they teach us about the topics, decide how we can work together to the glory of God.. Maybe I’m living a fantasy?
Thank you, Linn…and well said!
“This site has always been ecumenical theologically and my guess would be, politically…I have to guess because such things used to not matter…people who have different views simply provide opportunities to learn…”
It happened to me! No one who has been here for a short time would probably believe it, but for those who have been here for 7 or so years, they witnessed it. God be praised!
Jean, yes and we pray for discernment as we ponder new views
Michael, great news!
A friend sent me a letter from the VA to his friend. I made the mistake of asking my other friend, who’s been in the army almost 30 years and is about to retire a E-8, if he was being pressured to get vaccinated. I told him I was. He called me a card carrying nazi sheep who was part of us giving up our freedoms. Then he launched into a long screed about illegals (his father is a full blooded Californio, but I learned from my Mexican immigrant ex that both populations are distrustful of each other with no love lost), the useless government, starting with them telling us that asbestos used to be safe (and subsequent examples) and ending on the note that maybe this “drug” might result in an increase of downs syndrome births years from now. I was sorry I asked.
If I hadn’t known and been good friends with him since we were teenagers, I don’t think I’d be friends with him as an adult if we met.
He’s sacrificed a lot in mind and body for the “useless” government so I didn’t point out that he’ll get a lifetime pension soon, and from the USPS where he works in between being activated.
New Victor,
My bro-in-law is like that, and I’ve just told him we won’t be discussing politics anymore. I love him dearly, but I don’t like being yelled at. So, when he climbs on the high horse, I excuse myself and go chat with someone else. He is slowly getting the hint. I’m always up for a good discussion with someone who doesn’t agree with me because I often get a better idea of why they believe what they do, and where I may be mistaken. But, I refuse to get into a shouting match. And, when you get to the church, that is one of the biggest issues-we have totally forgotten how to discuss most topics in a civilized manner, be it politics or religion.
I worked for the US Government for 40 years, 3 months, and 4 days. One thing I learned over and over; the US Government cannot be trusted.
“people in process are always a mess and we’re all in process…”
Like our friend Daniel Fusco often says, “Life is messy, but Jesus is real.”
#10 – Michael, that’s the best news I’ve read in a long time!
Night is coming … Jesus went there …. Because they could not … because he did we can and must
Night is coming — we cannot stay safe
Glad you are mending Michael.
Michael,
In regards to your #3, that is a good description. As an asidem what is Gary Gallagher’s take on the Myth of the Lost Cause that has persisted for decades beginning with the late 19th Century? And how that relates to memory vs. history.
I am convinced that if the Myth of the Lost Cause had never succeeded, we would have been a lot better in regards to race relations. Thankfully, that Myth has been confronted in recent decades.
Thanks, TNV…like Linn I simply avoid those encounters anymore…everyone has their own “truth” and truth is nowhere to be found…
Thank you, CK…praying the same for you!
Dread…thank you, my friend.
You need to fill out your talk of the coming night…and help us become light bearers…
Michael I am so happy you are doing so well! Glory to God for all things!
I avoid some people, too. What else can you do?
CM,
Gallagher uses the Lost Cause narrative to demonstrate how “memory vs. history” works…he destroys it…I suspect in 20 years we’ll have the Myth of the Stolen Election…
Thank you, Xenia!
I’ve put real boundaries on my personal interactions…and some people would rather lose the relationship than not be allowed to express themselves on these matters constantly and vociferously…and that has to be ok for now…
Michael,
That is good to know. For the proponents of the Myth of the Lost Cause, their memory became their Myth. This Myth of the Lost Cause, is why see all these Confederate statues everywhere, and why people have a soft spot for Gone With the Wind.
As for the Myth of the Stolen Election, you are probably right about that one.
I would hope that the Myth of the Stolen Election will become just that, but like CM alludes to above, “The South Will Rise Again” is still a thing down here.
I heard a commentator long (as in over 20 years ago) say we live in a post-truth society. Not only this, but we have a seriously self-deceived society. It isn’t just anti-vaxxers that proclaim “no one can convince me otherwise”.
Dan,
That’s the problem…the myth becomes the prevailing narrative.
I suspect that we are going to have a major Covid rebound in the fall…without any will or ability for mitigations.
Michael, your news is definitely praiseworthy! So happy to hear your recovery is going well, it’s been the subject of many a prayer.
Thank you, Owen.
I hope this will be a testimony to the power of prayer and the love that compels it.
There is no earthly way I should be doing this well…
I know I’m extremely encouraged, Michael, by the speed of your recovery.
It’s really a big blessing know we can make a difference via prayer!
Thanks bob1…we truly can.
#6…no truer statement can be made and it scares me.
Michael–so very glad you’re weeks ahead of schedule in recovery. That is a definite answer to prayer 🙂
Thank you, Linnea…you are a faithful friend!