Do I really believe these things or not?

Matthew 13:1–9 (NIV): That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.”

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The unvarnished private thoughts and opinions

“I, like all other human beings, expose to the world only my trimmed and perfumed and carefully barbered public opinions and conceal carefully, cautiously, wisely, my private ones.” — Mark Twain

Tough in the age of social media. My opinions aren’t exactly carefully barbered, but they are somewhat cut to look a little neater.

How systems are set up to oppress

This is an eye-opening piece on the oppressive tax and legal system in the state where I now live. Much of it I have seen and there are things in the piece that confirm my suspicions.

Some examples:

While almost every state in the country, both red and blue, levies fines and fees that fall disproportionately on the bottom rung of the income ladder, the situation in Alabama is far more dramatic, thanks to the peculiarities of its Constitution. Over a century ago, wealthy landowners and businessmen rewrote the Constitution to cap taxes permanently. As a result, today, Alabama has one of the cruelest tax systems in the country.

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The discipled political church

“…when it comes to American politics, Trump has discipled the church far more than the church has discipled Trump.” — David French.

More HERE.

Many millions of Republicans aren’t just Republicans on Election Day, they’re Republicans every day. And Donald Trump placed every-day Republicans in a constant dilemma. Did you point it out when he did evil things? Or did you mainly remain silent, trusting in the notion that no matter how bad Trump was, his opponents were worse?

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Pastors and trauma

I listened to this podcast interview and found many similar parallels to my own journey. The trajectory of this pastor’s journey and struggle was very similar to mine. (I didn’t end up in Puerto Rico, but not all of us could, I’m sure.)

In a time of polarization and “great resignations,” the American conservative church has not been exempt from that battle. It has led to a lot of trauma, NOT just for people in the congregation, but for pastors as well.

This is a good listen. (Or wherever you listen to podcasts.)