Poem: "Worse Than Angler Fish"

Trampoline Poetry - a periodical of note - published a poem of mine this week. It's called "Worse Than Angler Fish," and is a musing on Creation and my struggle with cynicism. You can read it here (it's the second one down).

Hypocrisy is Hypocrisy - Truth is Truth

My bio/about me in most of my socials may sound like hyperbole, but I don't believe it is:

57th-worst sinner who ever lived. Saved by the blood of Jesus Christ.

I'm not so self-loathing that I don't think there are at least 56 sinners worse than me. But I also don't think the sins from which I've been cleansed were less egregious or offensive to God than almost everyone else's. I've always tried to emphasize in my limited capacity as a preacher that I'm a sinner who was given a few good words to say by the grace of God. To put it whimsically, the Biblical figure I most resemble is Balaam's donkey - a hairy and dumb creature miraculously given some wise words to share.

The American Founding Fathers took up the herald that "all men are created equal." Still, many of them were slaveowners. Later generations cited this declaration of equality in their fight against slavery. "All men are created equal" is a stark example of how someone can say something that exposes them as a hypocrite, but the truth and sentiment of what they say remains intact.

One of the unique things about the Bible is that so many of its heroes or most important figures aren't so lionized as to make them seem flawless. The two most prominent examples lie in two of Israel's greatest kings, David and his son Solomon. David was a mighty warrior who was famously described as being "after God's own heart." But among the times he was disobedient to God was his Machiavellian plot of coercing Bathsheba, a married woman, into having sex with him, then conspiring to ensure her husband Uriah would be killed in battle. Even so, King David wrote many of the Psalms, some of the most key pieces of Scripture - including a psalm in which he expressed his contrition and anguish in repentance of these sins (Psalm 51). The Psalms are pivotal in Christian theology, many of them pointing to the coming Savior, Jesus.

David's son Solomon was hailed as the wisest man in the world, and wrote most of the book of Proverbs, the Song of Solomon, and possibly the book of Ecclesiastes. Yet toward the end of his life and reign as king, as 1 Kings chapter 11 tells us, his heart was turned away from Yahweh as a result of his lust for the flesh - and his disregard for an instruction in the Torah that forbids kings from having many wives (Deuteronomy 17:17). 

And yet with these marks on these men's records, their words are invaluable treasures in our holy texts. Their praise of God, their enthusiasm in pointing their readers to Him, is not made dim or erased by their glaring sins. This is a stunning example of God's grace - He allows us sinners to speak truths that reveal Him. Even Judas Iscariot, who was a thief and later betrayed the Lord, performed miracles with the Twelve. 

It's important to note that Scripture is Divinely inspired, a word meaning "God-breathed" - "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" (1 Timothy 3:16-17). The words these men shared flowed from the Holy Spirit and not their own personal whims. 

I've used this blog for many things, among them sharing the Gospel. This includes spiritual truths recorded by very flawed men, by Divine inspiration, truths from the holy Scriptures we've come to call the Bible. If my own many, many mistakes and misdeeds are ever scrutinized or magnified, I hope it's understood, if only so any good word I've shared wasn't shared in vain, that our sins don't negate the edifying things a Christian speaks about Christ. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23), and as unfaithful Solomon (possibly) wrote before his own downfall: "there is not a just man on earth who does good and does not sin" (Ecclesiastes 7:20). The exposure of a Christian as an unrepentant hypocrite doesn't put an asterisk next to the truth he or she has spoken - even if it does cast a pall on their character.

A person steeped in unrepentant sin has no place to preach God's word. And yet it happens all the time - it's almost a trope that pastors and vocal Christians are caught committing some terrible indiscretion. But in your heartbreak and grief over that person's seemingly strong example being daashed to pieces by their hypocrisy, remember this one thing: a hypocrite is a hypocrite, but truth remains truth.

Think of it this way: if someone says Earth is round, but is caught at a Flat Earther convention, it doesn't change the truth that the planet is indeed round. Or, someone who advocates for the funding of advancement in medical science who's caught posting conspiracy theories on an anti-vax message board.

It's immensely difficult sometimes to focus on Christ when He's being spoken through people. It's easy to see only the person speaking about Him, to put them on pedastals for their eloquence or character. This is why it's important to latch onto the truth of Jesus in their words, and only Jesus, even if we think the speaker's character is unimpeachable. When we find that it's not - as we certainly will - we'll have grasped the truth of the Gospel from what they've said, and not an unhealthy reverence for the person relaying it. Anyone proclaiming Jesus will let you down - they're sinners like you and me. Even if those disappointments come not from sin or malice but some minor slight or disagreement, we'll always find some reason to be disenchanted, even if only slightly or briefly, by human beings. That disenchantment of course feels much heavier when the person who lets you down is a person from whom you've gathered some beautiful piece of truth.

But remember: a hypocrite is a hypocrite, but truth remains truth. That's one of the great things about God - He is unchanging and unchangeable; the truth He reveals to us never disappoints, even if the people sharing it will.

Memorial Day 2026: Wars & Luxuries

From my apartment, safe from bombs and bullets, I'm able to disapprove of America's current military involvement against Iran. But the men and women who volunteer for service in the United States Armed Forces don't have such luxuries - neither the luxury of safety, nor the luxury of opting out of a conflict that doesn't align with their personal views, and maybe fighting in a later one that does. 

It would be ridiculous to think the soldiers who serve in America's wars have no opinions or feelings about the merits of these operations, positive or negative. This is one of the things that makes the job they've taken so difficult: they carry out their duties regardless of their own sociopolitical stances on the who, what, where and how - and especially the why - of any given mission.

They don't have the luxury I do, but protecting my luxury was among the things they vowed to do when they enlisted in the US military. Whether the current operation against Iran is of any consequence to my freedom is up to you and I to debate - which is, again, a luxury you and I have that the soldiers who fight these wars don't.

This Memorial Day it seems proper to list - and remember - the names of the thirteen known casualties of this current conflict. May they rest in peace. Their duty is done. Our duty now - we who debate and decide if it was all raving madness or righteous might - is to remember them, to never let their memory be obscured by battles of words.

Capt. Cody A. Khork, 35

Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, 42 

Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, 39

Sgt. Declan J. Coady, 20

Maj. Jeffrey O'Brien, 45

Chief Warrant Officer Robert M. Marzan, 54

Sgt. Benjamin N. Pennington, 26

Maj. John A. Klinner, 33

Capt. Ariana G. Savino, 31

Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt, 34

Capt. Seth R. Koval, 38

Capt. Curtis J. Angst, 30

Tech. Sgt. Tyler H. Simmons, 28

Photo by Elizabeth Fraser

Israel & End-Time Prophecy: A Word of Caution

There's a tendency among Christians of a certain demographic to fall into a state of panic or joyous delirium (or a mixture of the two) every time a major conflict erupts in the Middle East - which, by the way, is all the time - especially one concerning Israel - which, by the way, is all the time. Many believers have a knee-jerk reaction to any developments in this area of the world, citing them as a sign of the beginning of the end-times and the Second Coming of Jesus. 

A word of caution: if you're a Christian, no matter what you believe as it relates to eschatology, or the role Israel as a nation will play in the end times, one thing you must remember: God will never require you to approve of wrongdoing. This includes unprovoked attacks on other countries, the bombing or degrading of civilians and children, or the misuse and exploitation of the faith by political leaders of any country, be they Israeli or American, to justify - and seemingly be drunk on - going to war. 

There are many different views of the end-times within Christianity. Those that involve some role played by, or in, the Biblical holy land must keep in mind that prophecy does not work thusly: Christians have to do something, to take some action - be it politically, militarily or otherwise - to precipitate Jesus' return, or else He won't come back. This is not prophecy, but a strange attempt to force the return of Christ according to our own schedule.

In the meantime, until the heavens roll away like a scroll and Jesus does indeed return, another exhortation to my fellow believers - opposing Benjamin Netanyahu doesn't make you a bad Christian. The meaning of Genesis 12:3 is not "implicitly support the modern-day nation state of Israel." In the days recorded in Scripture, God's prophets fervently rebuked Israel's leaders for their wrongs. Support of a specific political power is not obedience to God: it's an idol. 

You're not disobeying Him by not sharing an I Stand With Israel post.

Until the end does come, focus on showing kindness, mercy, love, and sacrifice to those around you, to show them the love of our Savior.

Thoughts, re: ICE / The Shootings of Alex Pretti & Renee Good

1. If you can be shot dead for lawfully carrying a holstered gun, you do not have "the right to bear arms."

2. Kyle Rittenhouse, a civilian, crossed state lines with a semi-automatic rifle and shot three people during a bout of civil unrest, and was hailed as a hero by the far-right. He even got to meet Donald Trump.

3. If an agency is recruiting on Facebook, using a still of Mel Gibson in "The Patriot" (no, really), and those agents aren't required to have even half the training of actual police, it shouldn't be a surprise when they fire panicky bullets at civilians. (It shouldn't be a surprise, but it should always be an outrage.) "We've lowered our standards." -John Sandweg, former director of ICE 

4. I'm ashamed of myself for not speaking out this vehemently until white people were being killed. I should have wrote or said more when the immigration crackdown eliminated due process, something which in itself is a galling injustice. Rest in peace, Keith Porter, Parady La, Heber Sanchaz Dominguez, Victor Manuel Diaz, Luis Beltran Yanez-Cruz, Luis Gustavo Nunez Caceres, and Geraldo Lunas Campos. Come home - to America - soon, Kilmar Abrego Garcia.

5. The fact that there are, at the time of writing, more ICE agents in Minnesota than states that have thousands more undocumented immigrants tells me this was never about protecting people or upholding laws, but about Trump's feud with Governor Tim Walz. Attorney General Pam Bondi's extortionate letter sent to Walz, suggesting federal presence could be decreased if Walz turns over the state's voter database and other information, solidifies this. 

6. Far-right Christian interpretation of Romans 13:1 - "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God." - is, "if my guy/party makes a law, you're wrong for opposing it." If the meaning of this verse was "don't question authority even if it imposes unjust laws," it would be a sin for Christians to protest abortion in states where it's legal, and Christians would have no right to lament the imprisonment of our brothers and sisters caught smuggling Bibles into countries where there are laws against it. 

photo by Nicole Neri

Poem: "Franklin Pierce & Me"

 I would give anything to spend an evening

with President Franklin Pierce

A room in the White House

stained with tobacco

Talking at midnight

The hour great men die

But not President Pierce and me

We were not great men

We died at 4:30 in the morning

or 3 in the afternoon

Great men have great last words, like

"Tis well," or, "I'm a broken machine."

Our last words were

"I'm in something wet."

An hour with President Franklin Pierce

We could talk about the things we could not do

the things we would not do

the things we did that were not enough

We could compare stories

like soldiers compared scars at Buena Vista

He let Kansas and Nebraska go to hell

without thinking of the bonny blue Union

I let Babylon and Sodom go to hell

without telling them about heaven

I would give anything for one dusky hour

to talk to President Pierce

I would give anything

for my hand to clasp his in prayer

Those suddenly sober prayers

where it stuns your heart to know God is listening

and breaks your heart to know He knows

I would give anything

for President Pierce's hand in mine

The Potomac cannot wash them

these clenched and haunted hands of ours

But my hand in his, and his in mine

would do wonders for hands which wrought failures

originally published in Smells To High Heaven: Poems and Prose (2019)

Charlie Kirk's Racism & Antisemitism - In Context

In the small degree of backlash I received from last week's blog concerning the death of Charlie Kirk, the one common objection was that I hadn't put his words "in context." Though in that blog I provided links that expounded on the things he said, including videos, this wasn't enough context for Mr. Kirk's apologists - some of whom I'm convinced are not quite sure how context works. Nonetheless, I thought it only fair to address the context in which those objectors wished to frame his more questionable remarks.

1. The Civil Rights Act was "a huge mistake." For more on this, click here.

The counterpoint I was offered by apologists was that when Mr. Kirk said these, he wasn't saying minorities shouldn't have civil rights. What he was saying, rather, was that the legislation was being used as an anti-white weapon. Click here for even more context affirming this was his view. This trope has often been used by white supremacists over the years who saw minorities becoming successful and, being insecure, decided it must have been the result of a conspiratorial legislation to keep white people down.

2. The "is this black pilot qualified?" remark. For more context, click here.

This was not mentioned in my previous blog, but people who took exception somehow found it necessary to bring it up, citing it as an example of his words being taken out of context, so I'll address it here. In this case, however, adding more context does not help the claim that racism was not the intent. Mr. Kirk once said, alluding to DEI, that if he sees a black pilot he's immediately going to wonder if that pilot is qualified, or if they were only hired because of the color of their skin and the pressure to hire minorities. He elaborated on such thinking, by saying, "that's not who I am. That's not what I believe." Rather, he claimed that DEI "invites unwholesome thinking." 

Charlie Kirk was saying, with a straight face, that his racist thoughts were the fault of DEI. This is the equivalent of blaming laws against theft for your temptation to shoplift. Instead of seeing "a pilot," Charlie Kirk admitted he saw a black man whose credentials immediately concerned him, because of his skin color, and blamed this on DEI. If America has become a "race-obsessed" country, viewpoints like Charlie Kirk's are part of that problem.

3. The claim that Jews are using money to undermine American culture and propagate Marxist ideology. For more on his claim, click here.

The counterpoint I received was: "Charlie Kirk was pro-Israel."

This doesn't make one immune from antisemitism. Many Christians are staunch supporters of the modern day nation of Israel because of an eschatological theology that teaches the Holy Land must be in possession of Jews before Christ can return (I am not one of those Christians). This support for Israel's military and political actions comes not necessarily from a support for a historically oppressed people - and it's worth noting not all Israelis are Jews - but support for the doctrine mentioned (a doctrine, it should be noted, many Christians don't subscribe to).

Citing Mr. Kirk's support of the modern day nation state of Israel does not negate his conspiratorial remarks about Jews' alleged scheme to bring about a Marxist America. You can't be an advocate for a people group while simultaneously claiming they're conspiring against you.