I’ve been writing on here since 2016 so, at this point, it’s also fun to search for topics like love, sex, evolve, addiction, hitler help, jesus, create or… you get the idea.

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we only get to pick one...

ARROGANT. Making claims or pretensions to superior importance or rights; overbearingly assuming; insolently proud / characterized by or proceeding from arrogance, or a sense of superiority, self-importance, or entitlement.

IGNORANT. Lacking in knowledge or training; unlearned / lacking knowledge or information as to a particular subject or fact / uninformed; unaware / due to or showing lack of knowledge or training.

We only get to pick one.

We can be as ignorant as we want but then we can’t be arrogant.
We can be as arrogant as we want but then we can’t be ignorant.

The two of them together are fire, poison, nuclear waste, pollution, wicked, evil, terrible, destructive, etc…

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it's greed. just greed.

“Greed is the root of all evil…” - a wise man (Jesus) once said.

“But whereas compassion, forgiveness and love are part of the moral code of the world’s religions, capitalism is characterised by precisely the opposite: greed, selfishness and avarice…” another wise man (Raoul Martinez) once said.

We have to always be careful to say if A=B then B=A or C or whatever… but that said… it’s not a stretch to say…

“Capitalism is the root of all evil.”

I mean it’s at least worth thinking about for a bit.


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the nerves...

After a recent event that had me feeling big butterflies, some stress, and quite a few nerves… that ended up being an absolutely amazing experience and night, it hit met again:

There aren’t too many amazing, memorable, inspiring moments in our lives that are not proceeded by butterflies, nerves, sleepless nights, pits in our stomach, a little stress, a little anxiety, a little trepidation? Right?

We generally don’t get to choose. Like Brené Brown once said, we can’t selectively numb our emotions - we get them all or we get none of them.

If we want amazing experiences, look for butterflies and nerves.
If we don’t have any nerves or butterflies, well… chances are slim for amazing experiences in the near future.

The best news? Feeling nerves? Awesome! Something amazing is most likely around the corner.

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grounding.

Speaking of grounding…

I once heard someone describe “karma” as “If you plant a peach seed in the ground, a peach tree will grow.”

At the end of the day, maybe it’s the most rational and convincing form of morally that exists for the atheist and the religious.

If we plant a numbing seed, a numbing tree will grow.
If we plant a cynical seed, a cynical tree will grow.
If we plant a grateful seed, a grateful tree will grow.
If we plant a kind seed, a kind tree will grow.

What kind of forest do we want to live in?

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freedom + grounding.

Freedom without grounding is an eternal float in outer space.
Freedom without grounding is a fish with nothing to contain its water.
Freedom without grounding is the ability to do anything with no ability to decide why or why not.

Religion has historically been a source of grounding.
I think that has been its main attraction. At its best
it has served well to counteract the boundless limits of freedom.

Grounding without freedom is a prison.
Grounding without freedom is a wild lion trapped inside the cage of a zoo.
Grounding without freedom is the full knowledge of right and wrong without the ability to choose either.

“Secular” culture has historically been a source of freedom.
I think that has been its main attraction. At its best
It has served well to counteract the claustrophobia of grounding.

The challenge is to live in the gray of them both
to avoid the extremes of either
rejecting the false groundings
for the productive and authentic ones
rejecting the false freedoms
for the productive and authentic ones.

True freedom isn’t afraid of grounding
True grounding isn’t afraid of freedom

Which might the only way to find the gray
Leave fear behind.



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200 pharisees...

Jesus talks quite often about Pharisees. It’s a label thrown around a lot inside of “Christian” circles and ascribed to all kinds of people. Part of the reason I never want to throw out the Bible in its entirety is because it contains stories and parallels that are relevant and informing of our situation today.

If you want to know what a pharisee looks like at the end of 2019, here is a list of 200 of them.

—-

Lourdes Aguirre 
President 
United Marketing Solutions

Stephen Alessi
Pastor
Metro Life Church

Chuck Allen 
Pastor
Sugar Hill Church

Rev. Rick Amato
Dream Believe Institute 
Wellington , FL

Doug Anderson
Pastor
Rose Heights Church

Michele Bachmann
US House of Representatives 
Fmr. Member, Minnesota 

Marty Baker
Pastor 
Steven’s Creek Church

Rev. Wesley Baldwin, PhD
Lead Pastor 
Aloma Church

Luke Barnett
Pastor
Dream City Church 

Tommy Barnett 
Pastor
Dream City Church

Gary Bauer
President
American Values

Henry Becarra 
Pastor
City Church International

Steve Berger 
Pastor
Grace Chapel - Nashville

Gary W. Blackard
President & CEO
Adult & Teen Challenge USA

Paul Blair
Fairview Baptist Church
Liberty Pastors Network

John Blanchard 
Pastor
Rock Church International 

Bill Bolin
Pastor
Floodgate Church

Ryan Bomberger
Co-Founder & Chief Creative Officer
The Radiance Foundation

Mario Bramnick
President 
Latino Coalition for Israel 

Josh Brown
Founder & CEO
SoulHeart.co

Dr. Daniel Caamaño
President 
Alma Vision Radio and Television 

Paula White Cain
Paula White Ministries
Pastor, City of Destiny

Chris Cambas
CEO Relationscape 
Founder / Chairman of Board Full Circle

Anita Christopher 
President
West Michigan Prayer Center 

Barry Clardy
Pastor
Princeton Pike Church of God

Dr. Tim Clinton
President
American Association of Christian Counselors

Bishop Kelvin L. Cobaris
Cobaris Ministries International

Paul Cole
Christian Men's Network 

Cynthia Collins 
Founder, 
SpeakHope.net
Global Advisor, OperationOutcry 

Jack Countryman
Vice President & Publisher Emeritus
Ministry Development
Harper Collins

David Aaron Crabb
Pastor
Restoring Hope Church

Brad Dacus
Pacific Justice Institute 

Dr.Jimmy L. De La O DDiv. 
Founding Senior Pastor 
Iglesia Cristiana Nuevo Pacto

Apostle Alberto Delgado
Senior Pastor
Alpha and Omega

Rachel Dennis
Awaken The Dawn

Dr. James Dobson
President
James Dobson Family Institute

Dave Donaldson 
Co-founder and Chairman
CityServe International 

Greg Dumas 
Pastor
The Crossing Church

Dr. Kirk Elliott
Founder
Veribella Foundation 

Jenna Ellis
Constitutional Law Attorney

Al Elmore
Senior Pastor
Lima Baptist Temple

Jerry Falwell Jr. 
President
Liberty University 

Joey Fine
Pastor
Seasons Church 

Dan Fisher
Pastor
Fairview Baptist Church

Jentezen Franklin
Senior Pastor
Free Chapel 

Jim Franklin
Pastor 
Cornerstone Church

Dr. Gary D. Frazier, 
President
Discovery Missions International 

Dr. Day Gardner
President
National Black Pro-Life Union

Brian Gallardo
Pastor
LifeGate Church

Jim Garlow
Founder
Well Versed

Rosemary Schindler Garlow
Schindlers Ark

Dr. Nick Garza
NHCLC Board member 
Sacramento, CA

James Gildwell
Pastor
Amazing Grace Baptist Fellowship 

Bishop Anne Gimenez 
Rock Ministerial Fellowship

Jack Graham
Senior Pastor
Prestonwood Baptist Church

Brad Graves
Senior Pastor
Ada First Baptist Church 

Danny Gokey 
Contemporary Christian Artist

Paul Marc Goulet 
Pastor
International Church of Las Vegas 

Rev. Mark Gurley 
Director 
Michigan Oak Initiative

Ken Gurley
Vice President/Director of Operations
National Apostolic Christian Leadership Conference.

Jon & Jolene Hamill 
President
Lamplighter Ministries 

Dr. Frank Harber, Ph.D., J.D.
President
The Institute for Christian Defense

Len Harper
Pastor
Overflow Church

Mike Hayes
Founder/President 
Center for National Renewal

Skip Heitzig 
Pastor
Calvary Church of Albuquerque

Randall Hekman
Director 
Grand Awakening Prayer

Jim Henry 
Pastor Emeritus FBC Orlando 
Former SBC President 

Robert Herber
Pastor
All Peoples Church

Jack Hibbs
Pastor
Calvary Chapel Chino Hills

Rev. Tim Hill 
General Overseer
Church of God

Mark Hoover 
Lead Pastor 
NewSpring Church

Walter B. Hoye II
CEO
Issues4Life Foundation 

Lori Hoye 
CFO
Issues4Life Foundation 

Mike Huckabee
Honorary National Chairman
My Faith Votes

Shane Idleman 
Pastor
Westside Christian Fellowship

Bishop Harry Jackson
Pastor
Hope Christian Church 

Brian Jacobs
Pastor
Metroplex Family Church 

Dr. Mike & Cindy Jacobs
Founders 
Generals International

Phillip Jauregui 
Judicial Action Group

Dr. Thomas Jamieson 
Senior Pastor 
First Baptist Church of Mount Dora, FL

Obed Jauregui
Pastor, Betania Church 
President of MBCS 

Robert Jeffress
Senior Pastor
First Baptist Dallas

Brian & Jenn Johnson
Bethel Music 

Travis Johnson
Church of God Executive Council Member

Dr. Brad Jurkovich
Senior Pastor
First Baptist Church Bossier City, LA

Troy Keaton
Pastor
EastLake Community Church

Becky Keenan
Pastor
President of One With Israel

Alveda King
Pastoral Associate, Priests for Life
Director, Civil Rights for the Unborn

Gary Kirouac
Tent America 

David Kubal 
CEO/President 
Intercessors for America 

Kelly Monroe Kullberg
Veritas Forum

Hank & Brenda Kunneman
Pastors
Lord of Hosts Church and One Voice Ministries

Greg Laurie
Senior Pastor
Harvest Christian Fellowship

Jerry Lawson
Pastor
Daystar Church

Todd Lamphere 
Pastor of Global Outreach
City of Destiny 

Chris Leader
Ignite Outreach

Greg Locke
Pastor 
Global Vision Bible Church

Frank López
Senior Pastor, Doral Church
VP of Hispanic Association of Pastors

Cissie Graham Lynch
Samaritans Purse

Apostle Guillermo Maldonado
President and Senior Pastor
King JESUS Ministries

Tim Martin
Pastor 
New Life Christian 

Victor Marx
President & CEO 
All Things Possible Ministries

Gregg Matte
Senior Pastor
Houston’s First Baptist Church

Bishop Joseph Mattera
Christ Covenant Coalition

Pastor Jurgen Matthesius
C3 Church San Diego
Overseer C3 Churches in the Americas

Bob McEwen
US House of Representatives 
Fmr. Member, Ohio

Dr. David H. McKinley
Pastor-Teacher
Warren Baptist Church 
Augusta GA 

Dr. Yolanda McCune
Director 
HAPN Kingdom Culture 

Rev. Dusty McLemore
Senior Pastor
Lindsay Lane Baptist Church

Barry Meguiar
President Meguiar’s, Inc, 
Founder, Revival Outside the Walls

Eric Metaxas
Author, Host 
Eric Metaxas Radio Show

Jonathan Miller
Pastor
New Beginnings Church

Morgan Mitchell
Director 
Grand Traverse House of Prayer 

Pastor Sergio De La Mora
Cornerstone Church

Kent Morgan
President 
Randall Bearings, Inc. 

Robert Morris 
Senior Pastor
Gateway Church 

Pastor Tom Mullins 
Senior Pastor
Christ Fellowship Florida 

Penny Nance
CEO and President 
Concerned Women for America

Rev. Dean Nelson 
Chairman of the Board
Frederick Douglass Foundation

Dr. Malachi O’Brien 
Former 2nd Vice President
Southern Baptist Convention 

Tim Oldfield
Pastor
Potters House Church 

Dr. Rod Parsley
Founder and Lead Pastor
World Harvest Church 
Founder and Chancellor Valor Christian College

Ramiro A. Peña
Pastor
Christ the King Church

Tony Perkins
President
Family Research Council 

Paul Pickern 
Executive Director
All Pro Pastors 

Chonda Pierce
Comedian 

Dr. Everett Piper 
Best Selling Author
Former University President

Dr. Anthony Ponceti
Director, South & Central America
All Pro Pastors International

Rob Price 
Associate Professor, Communication Arts
Southwestern Assemblies of God University

Ralph Reed 
President 
Faith and Freedom Coalition

Steve Riggle 
Pastor
Grace Church International

Rev. Dennis Rivera
Assemblies of God 
NHCLC executive committee

Ernie Rivera 
President 
Las Americas Evangelistic Association 

Marilyn Rivera
Pastor
President of Hispanic Association of Pastors

Juan Rivera
Executive Director
Hispanic Israel Leadership Coalition 

Jeremy Roberts
Pastor
Thomasville Road Baptist Church

Wayne Roberts 
Pastor
Bethel Baptist Church

Gerald Rohn
Pastor
First Renaissance Community Church of Sterling Michigan

Dudley Rutherford 
Pastor
Shepherd of the Hills Church

Myles & Delana Rutherford 
Pastors 
Worship with Wonders Church

Dexter Sanders
Founder/President 
Back 2 God Movement 

Rick Scarborough 
Recover America Now

Tom Schlueter 
Texas Apostolic Prayer Network

Darrell & Belinda Scott 
Pastor
New Spirit Revival Center 

Tony Scott
Pastor
theChurch, Maumee

Mark Seppo 
Pastor
Vassar Victory Center

Scott Sheppard 
Pastor
Cornerstone Church

Danny Silk
President
Loving on Purpose

David Smith
Pastor
Oak Park Church

Ron Smith
Pastor 
FBC At The Villages

Ted Squires
CEO Squires Global

Dr. Jay Strack
Founder
Student Leadership University 

Mat Staver
Liberty Counsel

Darryl & Tracy Strawberry
Strawberry Ministries 

Pastor Tom Sterbens
New Hope Church

Tony Stewart
Pastor
Citylife Church 

Rev. Tony Suarez
Executive Vice President 
National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference 

Lanny Swaim
Worship Artist

Michael Tait
Christian Music Artist

Zach Terry
Senior Pastor 
Fernandina Beach, First Baptist Church

Claude Thomas
Former Executive Director
GP3

David Tipton
Vice President
National Apostolic Christian Leadership Conference.

LaNell Babbage-Torres
National Diversity Coalition

CT Townsend
Pastor
Victory Baptist Church

Pasqual Urrabazo
Pastor
International Church of Las Vegas 

Andre Van Mol, MD
Elder
Bethel Church

Kris Vallotton
Senior Associate Leader
Bethel Church

Dr. Gilberto Velez
Founder and Senior Pastor for Iglesia Cristiana Misericordia
Chairman of the Board for National Hispanic leadership Conference.

Anthony Verdugo, 
Founder and Executive Director
Christian Family Coalition (CFC) 

Wendell Vinson
Pastor
Canyon Hills Church

Judy Wade
Uniting Our Hearts

Kevin Wallace 
Pastor
Redemption to the Nations Church

Lance Wallnau
Lance Learning Group

Rick Warzywak 
Director 
Michigan Capitol House of Prayer

Wendy Waterson
Pastor
Sanctuary Ministries 

Edward Watts
Pastor
Gateway Hope Center 

Tom Winters 
Winters & King Associates

Ken Whitten
Pastor
Idlewild Baptist Church

George Wood
Chairman
World Assemblies of God Fellowship

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if you want to talk taxes part two...

In America, corporations essentially don't pay taxes.

• 91 companies in the Fortune 500 paid no taxes last year even though they are worth billions.
• About 400 of America’s largest corporations paid 11.3%.
• “Video game maker Activision Blizzard had $447 million in profits but received a tax rebate of $243 million, resulting in an effective tax rate of -54.4%. The company went on to shed 800 jobs in the early weeks of 2019.”

So, yes the economy is booming. Praise be.

We’re also running the largest deficits in the history of America - our annual deficit has gone from 587 billion when President Trump took office in January 2017 to 984 billion in 2019.

That’s 4.6% GDP.

Meanwhile…

Remember the chart from a while ago with America the third lowest tax rate in the world?

France has the highest taxes… their budget deficit is at a 12 year low. 2.5% GDP.
Denmark (#2) will be at 0.2% GDP after a budget surplus last year!
Belgium (#3) is panicking - their deficit will be 1.3% of GDP.
Sweden (#4) recorded a budget surplus! Yeah surplus.
Finland (#5) is at 0.7% GDP for 2018.

Again the U.S. is at 4.6% of GDP - almost double that of France.

And the list goes on and on.

If you want to talk taxes, remember, higher taxes and lower government spending result in less debt.

America has neither.

Oh, one more thing….

Taxes in America were much higher in the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s then they are today.

In short, I think we’re all for making America great again - but that has never meant doing the things we’re doing today with taxes and spending. Can we stop pretending? Please.

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one of our (my) biggest fears...

We’ve all seen the girl on American Idol who thinks she can sing but, very obviously, can’t. Even those of us who can’t sing, know she can’t, those who do sing, certainly know she can’t, and, in fact, the vast majority of humans would say she can not sing… yet she is utterly convinced that she can.

That is probably my biggest fear. I would say it’s many peoples. And not because it’s embarrassing - although it sure as hell is - but because it means that the way we see the world, is, pretty much without a doubt, wrong.

This is the fear of releasing any kind of art. (Like a book for example. :) We think this thing is good enough to release into the world. Will anyone else? Will everyone know something that we don’t know - we can’t actually paint, we can’t actually write, we can’t actually sing…

Again, this is way deeper and thicker than embarrassment. This is “I’m wrong”. We don’t like to be wrong. And so, even in politics, religion, perspectives, biases, etc… we surround ourselves with people who will be sure to tell us that we can sing. We’re repelled by people who tell us we can’t - because if we really can’t, then hell, can we trust anything we think?

So, it explains the vulnerability with art. And it explains the mental gymnastics on full display with the Christian Right, along with much more.

We can barely stand the thought that we are ever that wrong.

I don’t know the solution. But, if we have someone in our life that we can trust to be honest with us, even when it hurts, to disagree with us and present another side, even when it’s frustrating to do so, that’s pretty valuable stuff.

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what's wrong?

Here’s a pretty good summary of some of the big problems with our political system these days. It’s worth watching if you’ve got 10 minutes. Really. Worth watching. Worth visiting the site as well.

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keep looking.

The worst part of not searching, looking, seeking anymore is not the fact that we won’t find something new. The worst part is that if we’ve stopped searching, we must believe we’ve found all there is to find.

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humanity is good.

Long story short. I sent a huge package in a 40 x 60 create to the wrong address to someone near Philadelphia. My cousin who happens to live in Philadelphia insisted on driving to the address (on her day off) picking up the package and redelivering it to another address in downtown Philadelphia. That could maybe be expected but she did it with such “no problems” and “that’s easy” that it kinda blew me away.

Long story short. My daughter had a dead battery that wouldn’t jump with her car parked on a Seattle street and after me trying to direct her over FaceTime on how to remove it, a man pulled up and said he had tools and offered to take it out for her. With smiles. With joy. My daughter said “I love this man.”

Long story short. It’s not my story but Josh Havekost is currently riding his motorcycle from Seattle to the southern tip of Argentina and somewhere in north Argentina (I think) got a flat tire on a deserted road. A man came up and took 4 hours of his day to take the tire into town and have it repaired while Josh stayed with his motorcycle. You can see the whole story on his instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jkhavekost/

Two things:

  1. People are generally freaking amazing and nice and kind when you interact with them in the real world and not on Twitter.

  2. I was reminded this weekend to be sure to be one of those people when someone needs me to. .

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My 5 top books of 2019

Lots of amazing books this year that I enjoyed immensely, but I had to go with these five. Not all of them came out this year but I read them this year, so that counts for me. : )

(All of my favorite reads over the years are listed here.)

#5 Lost Connections

Johann Hari is one of my favorite writers and his book Chasing the Scream is in my top 10 of all time. He dives in deep and he tells stories that will make you weep. This time it’s all about depression, and how it’s often treated, and what some more efficient ways might look like, based on loads of evidence and investigation. Hint: drugs aren’t always the answer. Great read.

#4 The Madness of Crowds

I’m almost nervous to admit I like this book, which is exactly what this book is about in many senses. It’s not the book I would normally read (seeing myself as the progressive I do) but it’s a good reminder - with too many stories and statistics that sometimes overwhelm) that power is power and it will corrupt whomever has it and we better be aware. I don’t agree with everything in it and I’m surely not one to talk too much (as a white straight male) but it’s a book everyone on the Left should read.

#3 Born a Crime

I’ve always loved Trevor Noah and I loved him even more after reading about his growing up. It’s funny, it’s freaking out-of-this-world-unbelievable in parts, it’s heart-warming, and it is incredibly educational as well. It’s also an easy read. Get it. Now! You’ll love the man.

#2 Sapiens

I resisted this one for a long time, figuring it probably wasn’t as great as everyone was making it out to be. Wrong. I was so wrong. I’ve never read something as entertaining and vast as this book. It’s all of human history in a few hundred pages. It’s profound, educational, eye opening, and a book everyone should read. Don’t be like me. Start now if you haven’t.

#1 The Broken Ladder

This one was fairly easy because I’m a sucker for any book that talks about the poison of inequality and the power of equality, and this one does it well. America is messed up. If you don’t believe it, read this book. Socialism is not a dirty word. If you don’t believe it read this book. There are countries that are solving many of the problems we are not. If you don’t believe it read this book.

Just read this book.

Bonus! Insipid

Of course it’s on here. I wrote it! And I’d be honored for you to read it. Plus I think you’ll dig it.

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if you want to talk taxes...

If you want to talk about taxes please read, study and memorize this chart. That’s all I ask. This includes all taxes, at all levels for 2018.

Note: The U.S. has some of the lowest taxes anywhere. No country has tax revenue of more than 50%.

Dive in deep here.

blog_tax_to_gdp_oecd_2018.jpg
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It doesn’t affect me.

I have a relative who has voted for the “cutest” nominee for most of her 80+ years of life. When she sees me roll my eyes in disgust, she throws out “My life hasn’t changed much no matter who is President.”

She makes the same point I used to say to another relative who would bemoan the fact that Obama was President: “Well, how has your life really changed? What’s gotten worse?” I would ask.

It’s the same point people can say to me now that I don’t love the current president.

But just because people make points, doesn’t make them good ones. Yes, I’m speaking to myself.

  1. My life. Your life. These are all very individualistic terms. Very American. Our life. That’s the shit. You see when she loses her healthcare, I am affected. When he loses his job, I am affected. There is quite a bit of science to back this idea up, by the way. There is also quite a bit of spirituality of various kinds to back it up.

  2. By the time it does affect you, it’s usually too late. This is why we invented the word “warning”. If you were the parent of a child who was about to run into the street with lots of traffic and you said “Stop!!! No!!! Cars are everywhere!” And the child answered, “Well, that might be true, but that fact hasn’t affected my life much.” before taking a step, well, that would be catastrophic. And by the time it has affected your child’s life your taking them to the hospital, hoping they survive, not saying “I told you so.”

So, yes, we get it. I get it. But let’s stop saying it.

We’re all affected and we’re going to be much more affected if we sit back and wait.

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to love America...

A quick (sometimes) painfully obvious reminder.

If you love America, that means you love…

its sick.
its poor.
its children.
its refugees.
its minorities.
its oppressed.
its unfairly (and fairly) incarcerated.
its mountains and rivers and oceans.

You get the idea.

No one gets to love the country
and pick and choose what parts to love.

Just a reminder.

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fight club.

We showed the kids Fight Club last night. How did I forget what a great movie that was?

Just to remind you, here’s a quote from the book (not the movie) but it still rocks.

Warning: If you are reading this then this warning is for you. Every word you read of this useless fine print is another second off your life. Don't you have other things to do? Is your life so empty that you honestly can't think of a better way to spend these moments? Or are you so impressed with authority that you give respect and credence to all that claim it? Do you read everything you're supposed to read? Do you think every thing you're supposed to think? Buy what you're told to want? Get out of your apartment. Meet a member of the opposite sex. Stop the excessive shopping and masturbation. Quit your job. Start a fight. Prove you're alive. If you don't claim your humanity you will become a statistic. You have been warned.

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the danger of gratitude.

It’s been small but it feels like the controversy over Thanksgiving is getting bigger - as in we can’t celebrate it or say the name anymore.

I don’t agree at all, but I do think there is an inherent danger in gratitude - which is not something that you hear very often. Or at least not something I hear very often.

Despite all of the benefits of gratitude, of which there are too many to name, there is one pretty big disadvantage: the assumption that because we are thankful for something, the thing we are thankful for must be good. Or, because we are thankful, we must be right.

These are subtle and subconscious and never overtly expressed (which makes them all the more dnagerosu_ but worth thinking about - and I think the reason that people are more upset with the whole concept of thanksgiving - even if it’s sometimes hard to name. Just because some people sat around (in a mostly fictional meal) and ate with the indigenous people they would go on to kill and steal from while spouting words of gratitude for the land they had been given, doesn’t make any of it right.

Just because a bunch of Americans will thank god for that same land and the continued “bounty” from it tomorrow doesn’t make any of it right. Or us right. Or it good.

People are grateful for all kinds of hideous and terrible things every day that stay hideous and terrible even though people express gratitude.

So, hell yeah be grateful. But, in addition to being grateful it might be worth taking a second to think about what exactly we are thankful for, and why, and how, and whether it is good.

Happy Thanksgiving.

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