Verbal rhetoric, the myth of transformative information, & better communication. — Summary: Verbal rhetoric such as public speaking is useful but has limitations. This communication is great for goals and inspiration but does not produce behavioral changes. This is the myth of transformative information. Transformative communication requires more than speaking. Why do we prefer verbal rhetoric, what culture is produced as a…

Parenting observations on why we have kids in the first place. — Most of history did not care about being a good parent. The opposite may be true, however: that the emphasis was on being a good child. There are the cliches of children being the equivalent of farmhands or dowry incentives. This is not a general absolute, but the reality remains…

Parenting observations on guilt and failure — I am an average parent. Imagine a social media platform where instead of choosing what photos you post or information you share, the world is simply shown your worst moments; and not in the sense of being vulnerable and real with your commentary on a given situation — but actual…

Nathaniel’s fig tree and Jesus’ Nazareth — A reading from the Gospel of John, chapter 1, verses 43–48: The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, ‘Follow me.’ Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, ‘We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets…

Exploring rural decline, periphery economies, and the value of rural places. — Why would anyone choose to live out there? This is a question I occasionally hear; usually from folks whose only conception of the countryside is what they see when they drive along an interstate highway or when they go on a quaint farm tour for entertainment purposes. When they find…

What is God’s Judgment? And what isn’t God’s judgment? — Religious systems have a complicated relationship with judgment. It’s quite useful for affirming one’s beliefs and condemning others. It’s necessary to determine status, value, and inclusion amongst communities. Yet, it’s also not something one is supposed to do — even though it happens all the time. Do not judge, right? …

The religious tendency of navigating a complicated world according to Emile Durkheim — Summary: Society often appears static but, in reality, society is a conglomeration of history’s process of becoming which resulted in a variety of norms, patterns, and structures. Emile Durkheim claimed such a process was the result of society’s innate pursuit of the ideal. If true, we currently exist in this…

The Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin, & the Lost Son of Luke 15 — There are few Biblical narratives that have captured the attention of history and pop culture more than Jesus’ parables in the Gospel of Luke. The Good Samaritan, the Great Banquet, the wineskins, the Rich Fool, the Persistent Widow. It’s a great list, but the Prodigal Son is, quite possibly, the…

An open letter to high school graduates. Fortunately, your story is just getting started. — Graduation from high school was one of the most uneventful experiences of my life. Believe it or not, high school is not wonderful, meaningful, or beneficial for all who walk those troubled halls. I imagine there are some who in 2020 when they were told in-person schooling was done for the foreseeable future due to COVID, celebrated. Believe it or not, there are high…