There are two types of activists:
1. Those who spend most of their time and energy criticizing other groups
2. Those who spend most of their time and energy reforming their own groups
I’m talking about the reasonable people on the other side of the aisle who demonstrate nuance and compassion.
If you don’t think those people exist, you’re not looking hard enough.
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You don’t have to blindly submit to social media echo chambers. You can choose to follow people you don’t agree with. Doing so will be good for you.
I’m not talking about the extremists that get you angry every time you interact with them. Trying to dialogue with them is usually futile.
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I don’t agree with Paul on many things, but I certainly respect a man who values his principles over his party.
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“Even using the formulas that the supporters of the bill like, the deficit will grow by $270 billion next year... That doesn’t sound at all conservative to me, and that’s why I’m a no.“
- Rand Paul, one of three GOP Senators who voted against the Big Beautiful Bill
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So far in the 21st century, in the name of fighting terrorism, the U.S. has bombed Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Pakistan, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen.
But that wasn’t enough. And so today, the U.S. bombed Iran.
And still we wonder why so many people around the world dislike America.
I'm gonna lay down my sword and shield
Down by the riverside
Down by the riverside
Down by the riverside
I'm gonna lay down my sword and shield
Down by the riverside
I’m gonna study war no more
In 1965, LBJ deployed the National Guard against the wishes of AL Gov George Wallace, in order to PROTECT anti-segregation protesters in Selma.
Sixty years later, DJT deployed the National Guard against the wishes of CA Gov Gavin Newsom, in order to COUNTER anti-ICE protesters in Los Angeles.
Rep. McIver “assaulted” two federal agents, resulting in 0 injuries, 0 hospitalizations, and 0 deaths.
Jan 6 insurrectionists “assaulted” hundreds of federal agents, resulting in 140 injuries, 15 hospitalizations, and 1 death.
Who should be charged? Who should be pardoned?
🤷
“Easter was when Hope in person surprised the whole world by coming forward from the future into the present.”
- N. T. Wright, Surprised By Hope
🧵
A MASSIVE WAVE OF ARMY REFUSAL IS HAPPENING IN ISRAEL. What does it mean? (1/8)
Earlier this week, the White House said, “We will never waver in safeguarding the right to religious liberty, upholding the dignity of life, and protecting God in our public square.”
What kind of God needs people to protect him in the public square?
For context, in 2023, the U.S. spent $916 billion on defense, putting us at #1 in defense spending among all countries in the world, easily outspending the #2-#10 countries combined: China, Russia, India, Saudi Arabia, the UK, Germany, Ukraine, France, and Japan.
In the midst of these federal cuts, Trump just announced that we will have a record-breaking $1 trillion defense budget.
In other words, Trump is not downsizing the government. He is just reallocating funds.
The way Americans sometimes treat government employees is similar to the way church folks sometimes treat A/V volunteers.
They don’t really know what these employees actually do. But they have a lot of opinions. And anytime something is not working properly, these employees are to blame.
“Marriage requires a radical commitment to love our spouses as they are, while longing for them to become what they are not yet.”
- Dan Allender and Tremper Longman, Intimate Allies
The majority of Americans did not vote for Trump, and they should not be held guilty for the actions of the Trump administration.
And in the same vein, the majority of Gazans did not vote for Hamas, and they should not be held guilty for the actions of Hamas.
“Hope is the belief in the probability of the possible rather than the necessity of the probable.”
- Marshall Ganz
One of the most important habits of a church community is healthy lament.
Healthy lament is not masking suffering with trite sayings, nor is it surrendering to uncontrolled despair. It is to intentionally and uncomfortably sit in the pain with God by your side.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
“I had a Canadian passport, lawyers, resources, media attention, friends, family and even politicians advocating for me. Yet, I was still detained for nearly two weeks.
Imagine what this system is like for every other person in there.”
One of the consequences of the globalized digital age is that all the world’s is easily accessible in devices we carry in our pockets.
The human brain was not built to cope with such frequent displays of death.
But the alternative is ignorance and apathy. And that destroys our souls as well.
A full year and a half later, the true story was revealed, and the coverup was over.
There were in fact no enemy soldiers at all. Only innocent civilians. And the U.S. killed at least 347–mostly women, children, and elderly men.
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Today is the 57-year anniversary of the My Lai massacre.
On that day, U.S. soldiers were sent to attack the Viet Cong in a village in South Vietnam. Upon returning, they reported that they were victorious. 128 Viet Cong soldiers were killed in a fierce fire fight.
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Not their public transit culture, their universal healthcare, their multi-party political system, their gun control policies, or their wind power initiatives.
It’s their ban of synthetic food dyes.
Of all the things we can learn from the E.U., that’s the one they picked.
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For decades, American conservatives have criticized the E.U. for their progressive sensibilities.
But recently, the current U.S. administration has actually platformed the E.U. as the gold standard for one specific issue.
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Our 4/y/o the other day, when seeing a Tesla Cybertruck: I don’t like that car.
Me: How come?
4/y/o: Mommy said the guy who made that car is trying to take her job away.
Sometimes people disagree with each other because they have different backgrounds, experiences, and personalities.
Other times people disagree with each other because one party is right and the other party is wrong.
And it’s not always clear when it is the first scenario and when it is the second.
I am quick to criticize my own side, and I try to give the benefit of the doubt to my opponent. Because my goal is often to seek reform and understanding.
Consequentially, people on my own side are often quick to assume that I am on the opposing side.
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We live in a world where people are quick to defend their own side and quick to criticize their opponent’s side. Because their goal is often to beat the other side.
I strive to do the opposite.
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