You Can't Lose What You Never Had

Lately, I've started to move in more politically-oriented circles on Instagram.  I know...it was just a matter of time, wasn't it? 

But it's just not possible to remain aloof, disconnected and silent when it comes to the disintegration of our public discourse and the existential threats to our form of government.  

(Notwithstanding the resultant migraines and ulcers, from even touching a toe into that cesspool again...)

Yesterday, I came across this little gem, and it really spoke to me:

 

And almost as if the Universe was handing me a meatier argument on the subject, I came across a post that led me to this:

This is a screen shot from the August NPR interview with evangelical leader Russel Moore, on his book Losing Our Religion: An Altar Call For Evangelical America.  You can find the entire article here:

Russell Moore on 'an altar call' for Evangelical America

 I've often said that I was an evangelical Christian for a short time in my young life (maybe five years, if that.)  And while I have personally moved beyond (FAR beyond) that phase of my spiritual walk, I know and respect that there are sincere followers of the teachings of Jesus Christ.  

And I also know that 90% of the Evangelical Christian Right are NOT that.  

They have no more connection to Christianity than the terrorists who blew up the twin towers had to Islam.

They are folks with an agenda of hatred, violence and domination who use religion to conscript hordes of hapless adherents.  

NO different at all from Muslim extremists.  

THAT is who we have backing the Christian right, the GOP, and its evil, muddled puppet of a leader.

That, and a bottomless treasure chest of funds, kept brimming full by forces diligently working for the cataclysmic failure of the Great Experiment.  

How did we get here?

And how do we get out?

A Beautiful Soul Journeys On

 

Rest in power, Rosalynn Carter. ❤️🕊🕊

By All Means…

 

Nor has a book killed 70 people at an outdoor concert.

Nor dozens…hundreds…of students in American schools. 

Nor groups of people browsing through Walmart, or a shopping mall.

Nor spectators at a July Fourth parade.

Nor any unsuspecting folks, innocently going about their lives…

…lives that are suddenly, violently snatched away.

But, yeah.

Let’s ban books.

She Rests in Power

 

 

 

May she forever be our guiding spirit.

Just Fulfilling Scripture

 

 

Years ago, I was a "born again" Christian.

One of the most popular obsessions of the bible-believers back then was the book of Revelation and predictions about the return of Jesus.

Even though their own holy book told them "No one knows when that day or hour will come. Even the angels in heaven and the Son don't know. Only the Father knows..." (Matthew 24:36)...

They were determined to dig and delve and interpret and come up with the answer.

One of the concepts they "interpreted" out of Revelation (because, as it happens, it isn't even mentioned in Revelation) is the appearance of "anti-Christ." There were all manner of tales and warnings about "the anti-Christ..."--this liar and false prophet, ally of Satan, who would rise up and believers would follow him...ostensibly because he would be so Christ-like that Christians would be fooled into thinking he was Christ.

Or, at least, that's what I thought.

And I couldn't figure out how these pious, god-fearing, holy(-er than thou, as it turns out) folks who sat next to me at services could possibly be fooled into thinking some evil-doer was actually God...or God-like.

Well.

Now we know, don't we?

Because all this anti-Christ had to do was appeal to their basest natures...

Give his seal of approval to hatred, lies, greed, perversion, oppression, racism...name your sin... 

And suddenly, he was God!

Who knew???!? 

  

Happy Halloween

 

 

Unfathomable

 

…and that the majority of GOP lawmakers were so willing to acquiesce, affirm and enable it, as long as it meant more power for them.

…AND that a majority of the evil-worshipping 40% identify themselves as “Christians.”

🙁☹️😫😠😡

Five years ago, I posted this at “Better Terms.” In fact, it was my LAST post at “Better Terms.” 

 

I think it ‘s indicative of the utter hopelessness that virtually stole my voice after the 2016 election.

We can NOT let this happen again.

 

 

Selective Hearing

 

It took more than half my nearly-five-decade marriage for me to be smacked in the face with this reality.  For some reason, I had it in my head for SO MANY years that ours was an extraordinary partnership that defied the status quo.

As I finally, painfully figured out...not so much.

My husband can quote the most minute, random statistics from any sport in which he is interested: football, basketball, and baseball, primarily.

But he cannot for the life of him remember what I told him about making the bed or where to put dishes away--even though he uses these things every day and should know from simple observation how they go,.

I used to think he aggressively "forgot" or "didn't listen" simply because the information came from me.  It used to make me crazy.

Actually, not much has changed on that front.  I still think he doesn't hear me on purpose.

I just don't let it make me as crazy as it used to.  This is something to which you apply the maxim: "You can't change the behavior of others, you can only change how you react to it." 

And, let's face it, I used to really take his selective deafness personally.  Like, I must be a remarkably horrible harpy if my husband actively practices to "not hear" me.  When I see memes like this posted by perfect strangers, I get it. It's not me, it's just...the species.  

Too, by this stage of life, you just don't want to waste time and energy being upset about things you cannot change.  

It is what it is.

Sigh! 

We Miss You, Jon Stewart

This man is so smart, so informed, so empathetic, so spot-on when he criticizes...

How did he get to be a "comedian?"

For my money, he's the 21st-century Mark Twain.

And I would SO love  for him to be somewhere we could hear/see him on a regular basis. 

My Hero Celebrates His Birthday Today

 Happy 99th Birthday, President Carter!