SGM Survivors is permanently down. The domain for the website expired in the fall. In the end one of the main blogs documenting the corruption, sex abuse and alleged criminal activity in Sovereign Grace Ministries are gone. This closure has revealed a key flaw when it comes to blogging which this post looks at.
“Truth is the ultimate power. When the truth comes around, all the lies have to run and hide.”
Ice Cube
Before I get into a topic that this blog finds concerning let’s look at some history. Afghanistan is a country that is in Asia and has historically been a bridge between the Middle East and Asia. Armies have marched across Afghanistan for centuries. Afghans are light skinned people and that comes from the period when Alexander the Great marched his army through the country. But through war radical Islamic extremists have also learned that time is on their side. They can wait and outlast any foreign military presence. They acted this way with the British in the 19th century. And they acted this way with the Soviet Union and United States. Now even though each mission was different radical Islamic extremists knew they would eventually win. Why? Because in their view the battle had to end one day and the army inside Afghanistan would eventually leave and go home. Radical Islamic individuals hung on to this thought through the different centuries. Why am I writing about this? Because I believe it has a practical purpose for what I am about to discuss.
SGM Survivors Is Gone
I was planning on writing a post about sex abuse inside evangelicalism tonight, but learning that the SGM Survivors website is finally down changed my writing schedule. Last night I worked on a post about an EFCA pastor and had to do some research on D.A. Carson and Sovereign Grace. The post I finally wrote is, “John Biegel on Deliberate Discipleship as a Means to Respond to a Frantic World. This Blog Would Ask How Would You Disciple in the Church When Evangelical Leaders and Teachers are Mired in Corruption?” But when I tried to pull up SGM Survivors I noticed that the website is gone. It looks like the domain name for it ended about 26 weeks ago in the fall of 2022. Last year I wrote about plans from Kris to shut down SGM Survivors in, “SGM Survivors is Planning on Shutting Down. Here is Why This Blog is Concerned.” So this blog knew that this day was coming. But even so, knowing that it is gone, is kind of like that kick in the gut.
How Corrupt Ministries Can Act Like the Taliban and Wait Out Their “Foes.” Plus Evangelicals Also Believe That All Sin Can Be Hidden From God
As I was reflecting on this yesterday the implications of the death of SGM Survivors is huge. This one act alone reveals a key and fatal flaw in blogging. A corrupt ministry can outlive its blog critic and wait out the accountability and engage in corruption. Don’t forget there was also SGM Refuge which disappeared years ago. Now with the absence of SGM Survivors, C.J. Mahaney has what he wants. An unchallenged platform to allow him to enable in corruption and do whatever he wants. This also applies to other corrupt personalities currently in or who once played key roles in Sovereign Grace. That includes individuals such as Mark Prater, Dave Harvey, Bob Kauffman, Gary Ricucci, Jeff Purswell and countless others. Those who enabled Mahaney over the years such as Mark Dever can also diffuse and downplay this issue. After all now that the main blog documenting your role in enabling a sex abuse scandal through tribalism is gone, well if I were Mark Dever I’d break out a cigar and light up.
But there is another development in this situation which shows a key flaw in evangelical theology. Evangelicals like to wheel out verses such as Proverbs 28:13, Psalm 69:5, Numbers 32:23, Jeremiah 16:17-18, Psalm 139:1-2, and others to show that God knows every thing you do. That sin cannot be hidden which is why it needs to be confessed. But in this situation what happens when the main blog who documents the corruption about a ministry is gone and has died? You can hide sin and get away with it. You can lead a church and cover up the rape of a child and get away with it.In the end C.J. Mahaney has acted like the Taliban, and just hung on until the blog that wrote about him withdrew and shut down. In the process now he knows that he can cover up sex abuse or other wrong doing because no one will write about it. Those who enabled and stayed silent over at The Gospel Coalition or other ministries also show that their policy of staying silent and doubling down on tribalism has also worked. They defended their brand and many evangelical pastors can return to the business of making money and planting their footprint in their community that many just don’t care about. Harsh? It is…but if you don’t care about a sexual assault of a child what do you care about? What does matter?
Closing Thoughts…
The spiritual abuse blogging community has many flaws. As this blog learned and revealed many ignored the issues with Wade Burleson and looked the other way. Now a new problem emerges. What do you do when the person writing about a school, movement, corrupt church, etc.. gets tired of writing? Or they get ill and deal with an illness? Or they pass away? Who is going to step into the gap? The demise of SGM Survivors shows another flaw with blogging, and the need for bloggers to work in tandem in addressing all issues. Neo-Calvinism, sex abuse, Christian nationalism, and others.
Wondering Eagle 
When it comes to religion, those that leave eventually no longer have a dog in the fight.
From personal experience, I no longer really give a crap about any church or denomination. I’m more interested in the Christian nationalism aspect when it comes to the articles that I feel most engaged with.
There’s a parallel universe, the churchiverse that those of us who have gone completely secular really don’t ever hear about.
Sure you hear about abuse cases and are aware of the excesses of televangelists like Kenneth Copeland’s air force, but it doesn’t resonate anymore. You really turn into an uncare bear.
I had never heard of half these crackers before reading about them in these blogs. Believe it or not, mark Driscoll was a no name to me and I did an informal poll among my coworkers and everyone thought John Piper was really Rowdy Roddy Piper of the former WWF.
Evangelicals think the world revolves around them but really no one knows who they are.
So over time the hard core stay, the disengaged leave. And former members are just glad to be rid of it. Unless you have a deep interest, eventually you just hit the “f*ck it” key and get on with life.
As for spiritual abuse blogs, most devolve into echo chambers – the same comments about the same posts. And the same Christian biases keep popping up – the meaty topics are taboo, but anti semitism, racist comments and such usually get a pass. You eventually understand there are no white hats in the religion game, just shades of grey.
Very few of the “religious” are fellow travelers, unless you’re really willing to provide apologetics as to why Jesus is so awesome!
My time commenting on religious blogs is coming to a close – in some cases the door is already shut.
And here’s the kicker, those who leave need to remember, your former co-relgionists would like nothing better than to put you on a stick and burn you. They firmly believe you are the other and want to show you the cleansing love of Jesus. In their eyes you’re going to heck.
What I’ve read about Christian nationalism is no joke. Get involved in politics, especially at the local level. I’m looking into becoming a school board member. And the applied to the city library citizens committee. It’s up to you to defend your civil rights. All the tools are there.
Above all…vote! Yes, it matters!
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Jack several years ago I wrote about the son of a senior pastor who allegedly raped his wife and pointed a loaded gun oat her. She then faced church discipline and excommunication for filing for divorce. In writing the story I tipped off a couple of press outlets and no one responded. While the press is getting better at realizing that these events need to be covered they still have a long way to go. That is why I think blogs are so crucial. Also many people in the press don’t fully understand the evangelical culture, Calvinism, Arminianism, Wesleyism, etc… And there are press who say Christian nationalism when it does not apply.
In 2016 when Trump was elected the issue of Christian nationalism which has always been there surged. I write about it here because I dealt with the topic in older evangelical churches. But some blogs totally ignore it, which is sad. But the media was forced to write about religion after 2016. And then you started seeing The New York Times, Washington Post, and local press outlets writing or covering this topic. But they still have a long way to go. I work at covering all sides, but on Christian nationalism there is a lot I want to dig into including the following
1. Christian nationalism at SBTS because of Al Mohler.
2. How some evangelicals view Viktor Orban and want to turn the United States into Hungary.
3. Christian nationalism in several denominations.
4. How some evangelicals view the January 6 rioters as martyrs. Kind of a modern Cassie Bernall.
This is all on my list. I just need more time, LOL
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Christians need to ask the serious questions about what their tithes are really supporting. From questionable “missions” to political gerrymandering, there’s more going on behind the “Jesus is my boyfriend” songs.
And Christianity plays the long game (as mentioned). We joked about the “Moral Majority” which morphed into the “Christian Coalition”. There was much mirth over Falwell senior’s crusade against the Teletubbies but that money and that craziness is what just elected a white supremacist to Enid city council (and others like Marjorie Taylor Green).
People need to remember that the Ayatollah in Iran did not hold the majority position when they seized power, nor did the Taliban, nor did the Nazis or the Khmer Rouge or the Communist Party in China, or North Korea or the various juntas in South America and Africa and Asia. Or Lenin for that matter.
What these groups have is a single minded ideology, a shared sense of purpose and unwavering belief in their own rightness.
Christianity in North America might be in decline but they controlled the conversation for a very long time. There’s money, organization and a strong sense of manifest destiny.
This religion of love is probably the biggest threat to our liberal democracy.
Jesus will be your boyfriend.
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“Issues with Wade Burleson”? Smile. Wondering Eagle, the Hebrew Scriptures speak of ‘tree-cutters’ whom YHWH (the LORD) uses to bring down “tall trees” (proud people). The LORD brings down the proud and He exalts the humble. From one writer to another, if you hear the sound of the tree cutter coming, the pain of your fall will not be worth comparing to the restoration – by God’s grace – which follows. Stay humble, or the tree cutter cometh for thee. “Now Now that you have been laid low no one comes to cut us down.” (Isaiah 14:8).
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“The LORD brings down the proud and He exalts the humble.”
Indeed. And quite frankly you are appearing more and more proud every day. William Law said it clearly in “A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life”: “there can be no surer proof of a confirmed pride than a belief that one is sufficiently humble.”
When I first started reading your writings, I found them to be a marvelous exposition of the scriptures and enjoyed learning things from you and the people that commented on your blog.
Then things started to change. Your writings and sermons became more focused on temporal political issues than the gospel. You began to claim “prophet” status regarding those political issues (see “This Christian and a Prophetic Warning via Politics” dated June 26 2021 on your old blog. You state there “This pastor has turned prophet”), and issued “targums” of your personal interpretations of biblical passages. You provided your pulpit to political speakers who agreed with your stances. You claimed to be open to persuasion on various stances you took regarding scriptural interpretation, the COVID pandemic, and political issues of the day – but no one was able to ever have any influence on your stances no matter what proofs were offered.
You resigned from your calling as a preacher of the gospel, and went full throttle into politics. From that point, you have spent a great deal of time in self promotion; not only your personal viewpoint of what America should be and do but also making very public appearances with powerful political operatives. You publicized those appearances on your social media page, and your pride in them shows clearly. These are not the actions of a humble man.
You too should be listening for the sound of the tree-cutter.
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“If you come across a preacher who’s titled himself ‘Apostle’ or ‘Prophet’, RUN!”
— my writing partner (the burned-out country preacher)
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Type examples:
1) Fictional – Uriah Heep (the Dickens character, not the band).
2) RL – Cee Jay “Chuckles” Mahaney (Captain Picard’s Evil Twin).
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And look who shows up to bolster my case!
Complete with a biblical threat!
The…Tree…Cutter…Cometh…For…Thee…
Is “the Tree Cutter” some Enid version of “Leatherface”?
I saw that movie, the original, not the remake.
Warning: If you’re driving near Enid, Oklahoma, do not stop for roadside barbeque.
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Jack, if you are familiar with the Hebrew Scriptures (the Old Testament), you know that trees are a metaphor for people (“he shall be like a tree planted by rivers of living water” Psalm 1), tall trees are a metaphor for proud people (see Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in Daniel 4), the people of the world are “the trees of the field.” A tree cutter is a tool in the hand of YHWH (the LORD) to bring down tall trees (proud people). Sargon was the tree-cutter for Israel; Nebuchadnezzar for Judah; Cyrus for Babylon; Xerxes for Greece; Alexander for Persia; the Barbarians for Rome; and in more modern days, Churchill for Germany; Putin for Ukraine; Xi for the United States, etc. The Scriptures reveal that the LORD brings down the proud and exalts the humble. That’s not a threat; it’s a reality. It’s as much of a reality for me as it is for you, Ruth, Wondering Eagle, and anyone else. My point is simply, when we look at the weakness in others – glory in our superior ethic, morality, spirituality, intellect, or personhood – the tree cutter comes. That’s the LORD’S doing, not mine. The LORD says, “. All the trees of the forest will know that I the Lord bring down the tall tree and make the low tree grow tall” (Ezekiel 17:24). My comment was a warning to Wondering Eagle. It’s a warning to you too. And Ruth. And me as well. Stay humble, or the LORD uses a tree cutter to bring you down. One of the most remarkable stories of God humbling a fortified city and proud king is from Ezekiel 26-29 and the destruction of Tyre and the king of Tyre at the hands of Nebuchadnezzar in 535 BC. Thanks for the dialogue and discussion.
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No, just a Familiar Spirit the Sorcerer sics on you as his Enforcer.
Happens all the time in folk magic lore, whether Manly Wade Wellman’s Appalachia or my other writing partner’s Pennsylvania Dutch Country. Conjure-men and Hexerai threatening to use their supernatural powers to extort money and goods from people.
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Ruth,
I do not disagree. I listen for the tree cutter every day. Thanks for the warning.
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Seriously?
Does God really chase people with axes in Enid, Oklahoma?
Who wrote the Sunday school program? Eli Roth?
Worst tourist ad for Enid ever…
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Jack,
Familiarity with Hebrew Scripture would allow you to know metaphors are used to illustrate reality. The reality is proud people are always humbled. Always. The LORD does the humbling. TALL TREES come down. A metaphor. TREE CUTTERS bring them down. A metaphor. God tells us in His word that He hates pride (Proverbs 8:13). I will patiently explain the use of metaphors in literature if it will help you comprehend the reality that the proud are always – in time – brought down and broken. Blessings!
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Wait wait wait….on a previous comment, you said this: “Sargon was the tree-cutter for Israel…Putin for Ukraine; Xi for the United States, etc.”
How do you know that Putin and Xi are the tree-cutters? It appears more likely that Zelenskyy and our government are showing Putin and Xi respectively that their arrogance and pride will bring their downfall. Neither of their governments is doing very well right now and they are holding the reins of power only via force and intimidation.
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Ruth, in the Hebrew Scriptures, every leader – wicked like Nebuchadnezzar or good like Cyrus – are said to “work for Me (the LORD).” Ezekiel 29:20 states (the LORD speaking): “I have given Nebuchadnezzar the land of Egypt as a reward for his work, says the Sovereign LORD, because he was working for me when he destroyed Tyre.” But, you bring up a great point Ruth. Even the proud Tree Cutters will be brought down to the ground (a metaphor, Jack). Whether one agrees with the Scripture is a separate issue. I’m only quoting the Scripture.
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Wade, I am familiar with the scripture you are quoting.
But what I am asking you is how you know who the tree-cutter is (Putin, Xi according to you) and who the tall tree is (Zelenskyy, us according to you). You seem to be making some very large and not justifiable assumptions here.
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The humbling of the proud comes from the LORD sending pandemics, sudden death, economic collapse, and war. That’s straight from Ezekiel 5:12-17.
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That is still not an answer to my question. Putin and Xi are suffering those exact things too; it is not just Ukraine and us.
If you don’t want to answer me, that’s fine. Just say so.
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Ruth, you write “Putin and Xi are suffering those exact things too; it is not just Ukraine and us.” Of course! I thought I said as such when I wrote: “Even the proud Tree Cutters will be brought down to the ground.” Tree Cutters can be Tall Trees too. 🙂 Thanks for the dialogue, and stay humble.
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I suspect this is a complete waste of my time, but I am going to give this one more attempt. Please, no more extraneous commentary; just a simple answer to this question:
How do you know that Putin and Xi are the tree-cutters?
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Ruth, stay humble. Last comment. They (Putin and XI) are Tree Cutters because they are the IMMEDIATE CAUSE of famine, sudden death, war, and pestilence in multiple countries and on many people, and these four things (sometimes called the 4 Horsemen) are what YHWH uses to humble Tall Trees (see Ezekiel 5:12-17
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I see. You claim this due to your interpretation of current events compared to scriptural events. So you don’t actually know this for a fact since your interpretations can be fallible.
My interpretations can be fallible too and I am very willing to admit that. But I do not state them as fact.
My favorite scriptural reference is from Luke 18:13 “God be merciful to me a sinner.” If a Christian can read that and not acknowledge their lack of perfection, they have a real problem. This verse makes it very clear that pride relating to who I am or my station in life is something to be avoided at all costs. I am, like Paul, the “chiefest of sinners” and will never consider myself to be better than other people.
Keep listening for the tree-cutters, Wade. Thanks for providing a clear answer to me.
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“Ruth, stay humble. Last comment. They (Putin and XI) are Tree Cutters because they are the IMMEDIATE CAUSE of famine, sudden death, war, and pestilence in multiple countries and on many people, and these four things (sometimes called the 4 Horsemen) are what YHWH uses to humble Tall Trees (see Ezekiel 5:12-17”
Oh, feel the love of Jesus! Famine! Death! War! Axe wielding maniacs!
I’ll bet Sunday School at Emmanuel Enid was just like Mad Max! Who got play Lord Humongous? The Ayatollah of rock and roll-a!
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So did all the Prophets on radio when I was in-country, setting date after date for The Rapture.
They even had a period version of “Putin & Xi as Tree-Cutters”:
“GOD’S JUDGMENT FOR AMERICA’S SINS SITS READY AND WAITING IN THE NUCLEAR MISSILE SILOS OF THE SOVIET UNION!!!!!”
And during spring of 2020 in the comment thread of Wartburg Watch (you remember them, don’t you?) we had a commenter who claimed Private Revelation (from “the fourth time Jesus appeared to me in a dream/vision”) that COVID WAS a Plague of Judgment sent by God to punish American Christians, and believing on this was God’s Litmus Test of your Salvation.
Recently Telltale Fireside Chat on YouTube did a “then and now” retrospective of Prophecies from God regarding the COVID vaccines from a year or two ago. Said Prophecies had a lower hit rate than National Enquirer’s Psychic Predictions for the Coming Year. Doesn’t Leviticus say something about what to do to a prophet who claims Prophecy Direct From God and misses? Even once?
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God hates proud people like the Ukrainians and Americans but loves Putin & Xi.
That’s messed up.
All your examples ignore the nuances of history.
China & Russia are hot messes right now, as Ruth points out.
Russia will soon be a client state of China and China has few friends.
Interesting that you equate Churchill with Putin & Xi.
I suppose Ted Bundy was a tree cutter too… metaphorically speaking
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Ruth, stay humble.
—-
Wade, that’s a bit strong coming from you, given your extremely patronizing communications in the comment sections of this blog, and your unwillingness to give straight answers to straight questions.
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Yes, I know what a metaphor is and I’m well versed in the bible.
I was Christian for most of my life.
I just find the whole idea of an Oklahoma deity running around with an axe smiting people in parts both amusing and disturbing.
Very “Children of the Corn”
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Jack,
If a man is born again by the Spirit of God to become a child of God, it seems to me (logically and biblically) that he could not be unborn. It would be like your son or daughter existing one day as your child, but the next they are not your child. I understand that you mentally assented to Christianity but it makes no biblical or logical sense that you were once a child of God (John 3:16) and the next day not. Blessings, and stay humble. 🙂
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I think we can agree, that, yes, I was never a child of God. He doesn’t seem to broken up about it. He’s got real Christian pals like Dinesh “wife beater” D’Souza, Charlie “scourge of teen gymnasts” Kirk in addition to Donald Trump, Putin and Xi.
I can’t compete with those luminaries.
I can’t tree cut like those guys…
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Jack,
The LORD loves Tall Trees (proud people), but it is a guarantee that He will eventually break every proud person. It’s not a matter of “if,” but only “when” that happens.
Nebuchadnezzar was a Tall Tree. He took the king of Judah (Zedekiah), killed his boys before the king, gouged Zedekiah’s eyes out, put the king in chains, and dragged him into captivity in Babylon. The last thing Zedekiah saw was the heirs to his throne dying. Very wicked by Nebuchadnezzar, right? Absolutely. Something Putin or Xi might do (or Osama Bin Laden or Sadam Hussein or ….)
But we read Nebuchadnezzar’s own testimony in Daniel 4, how the LORD humbled him (brought him down). Nebuchadnezzar went crazy. He lost his kingdom because of his mental illness. He ate grass like a cow for months (the disorder is called Boanthapy or Nebuchadnezzar’s disease even today). But, in the end, this proud, powerful, selfish king was humbled – and he came to faith in the LORD and writes out his testimony:,
“I, Nebuchadnezzar, to all the nations. It is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me.
How great are His signs,
how mighty His wonders!
His kingdom is an eternal kingdom;
His dominion endures from generation to generation.
I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at home in my palace, contented and prosperous.” (Daniel 4:1-4).
Then Nebuchadnezzar tells of his pride and lack of faith in the Most High, and his subsequent fall to mental insanity. In the end, the LORD humbled this proud man.
The LORD uses sickness, pandemics, impending death, famine, and war to humble proud, prosperous people who think they have no need of Him.
But God is not like my sadomasochistic drunk grandfather who punishes for the hell of it.
God is a loving heavenly father who knows that proud people think they are god. Until proud people are brought low, they will act as if they are god – judging other people, condemning people, and placing themselves as morally and intellectually superior to other people.
The proud always fall. It’s an act of love by the Creator.
Every day I look within and ask the LORD to reveal pride in me. I would much rather be broken by the LORD’S Word than by His work.
That’s why I don’t get angry when people ridicule me. That’s why I don’t strike back when struck. I let the LORD take care of Kingdom business and I try to love everyone just where they are – including those who wish to gouge my eyes out like Nebuchadnezzar.
I know the LORD has a purpose, and the proud leaders like Putin, Xi, and others – though they may be fulfilling the purpose of God (like Nebuchadnezzar), they too – like all of us – will be broken by the Creator for the pride we let ruin our lives.
Blessings to all!
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Ok, I’m serious now. No snark, no ridicule.
However I disagree with your politics, I’ll respect you for at least coming on stage.
Christian nationalism has inspired me to start thinking about local politics myself.
I don’t think that god is bringing plague or war or pestilence. Nor do I think he even lovingly takes joy in murderous strongmen rulers.
I don’t even think it’s the devil. If there is a devil, he’s a sloth. Like most of us, he’s content to watch “Real Housewives” and sit on the couch eating corn chips.
People make choices, weather happens, people get sick.
Sometimes the consequences of our choices (reliance on fossil fuels) causes bad weather (climate change) and people get sick (pollution) – no god required.
When we place everything in the sphere of magical thinking then we abrogate our responsibility.
Taking responsibility for your own actions (or inaction) is the ultimate in humility. We’re brought down by our own hubris.
We are not puppets of a capricious deity (axe wielding or otherwise).
I am not a number, I am a free man.
Here’s a Canadian band from my teen years that sums my position nicely.
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Jack,
Enjoyed your comment. Thank you. I think you and I could have a beer and enjoy one another’s company. 🙂 Like the song, too.
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Not optimal in the least that SGM Refuge and SGM Survivors are both gone. But Brent Detwiler’s anti-SGM website is still going strong…if you can wade (not a Burleson reference, my vain dude) through the Fidel Castro-speech-length documents he posts and hosts there.
(Will miss that crazy Anglo-Calvinist Donald Philip Veitch who used to post on Survivors though.)
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That is true about Brent Detwiler.
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