Christian Nationalism Did Not Save Rome
For me the fact that “Christian Nationalism” exposes is that so few people know the history of Christianity nor really try to understand it. All of Christian doctrine relies on freedom. Whether it is to repent, to say the “sinners prayer,” or to open our eyes and change our mind we think we have to be free to choose because we do not know love. Even if Christianity is seen through the lens of love, true love is not forced, it is fallen in to. Therefore, using laws to enforce any part of Christianity upon anyone is to take away freedom and antithetical to Jesus. It’s a denial of Christ crucified and to resurrection.
Christian Nationalism exposes Christianity to what it is, a religion founded on empire. Jesus did not establish a religion, for religion is a part of the norm of civilization for which Jesus told us to change our minds about. (Repent, metanoia).
The Roman Empire fell even after the Christian religion was created to become the religion of the empire for the sake of saving the empire. Likewise the Christian religion, “Christian Nationalism,” will not save the United States.
First day on the patio when it’s cool enough to need a hoodie. Still the cicadas that are in the sun are making their sounds of summer.
Introducing Mythos Theme | Matt Langford
I am currently using the Tiny theme here but will check out Mythos.
Browsing through some old posts here using Surprise Me and I think this picture is really good.
Google launched the Pixel 10 series this week, and there are several things about it that I like but I would prefer to not spend more than $500 on a phone even if I can get $200 in trade-in for the Pixel 7a. I am leaning toward getting the Pixel 10a when it comes out next spring, particularly if it has the Pixelsnap charging and the Tensor G5 processor. I might consider buying a Pixel 10 later in the year if Google (or Amazon or Best Buy etc.) has a sale that can be combined with a trade-in that gets the price closer to $500. I do like that Lemongrass color.
I like collecting and looking at data about myself and I have been using Exist.io for many years now. Today I learned about the update they have made to their mobile apps and web site, which looks very nice. At one point in time it appeared the app was going to be shutdown, so it’s nice to see the improvements being made.
Turns out that Kyle Tucker had a small fracture in his hand, which likely the cause of his broken mechanics at the plate. It seems to me the job of a baseball manager is to prevent players from being their own worse enemy. No matter what the player is saying, the manager has to make the right decision and I don’t think Counsel did in this instance. Further, the GM and President have to also know this is happening and step in when needed. A total failure by the Cubs organization in my opinion. Ricketts must have also known this and still rewarded Hoyer with an extension. I am sure the hope is that by sitting Kyle now he can be right for the push to the playoffs in September.
Workism is idolatry. The Jewish commandment to practice sabbath is intended to protect us from this idolatry and thus protect us from ourselves. I am coming to the end of my career in IT and honestly struggling in my mind between doing what I want to do that I believe is the right thing to do and the fear of doing it. One thing that I think would help society is to learn the difference between happiness and joy. Most in the United States is in constant pursuit of happiness, heck that is even written in one of our founding documents, but happiness depends on external factors. Joy is a state of being, a choice that one makes in how they view the world that comes from within. Joy is what makes one appear to be happy even when they live by the world’s definition of poverty.
Finished reading: Sabbath as Resistance, New Edition with Study Guide by Walter Brueggemann 📚
That Christianity has almost entirely equated sabbath with worship may be amongst the reasons why it has so completely failed in the United States.
During our staycation this week we have been going to restaurants that we have never been to before. Last night we went to Mother Handsome for pizza. While there are many carry out pizza places near us, there are not many pizzerias, this one was ten miles away.
