The denominaton to which the churches I have attended since childhood belonged is breaking apart.
Membership and contributions are going down the drain.
Progressives contol conferences in the United States, where membership is pummeling as individual traditionlists leave their churches and traditional churches disaffiliate from the international United Methodist Church.
The growth tip is Africa, where Methodist know how to evangelize.
This week there was a story in the UM News reports a 38% budget cut has been recommended.
“1,314 churches have been approved for disaffiliation by annual conferences, with 1,131 of those approvals coming this year.”
There are about 30,000 congregations in the U.S.
What will happen locally is unknown.
Back-in-the-day, in ancient times, communities depended upon astronomer-priests to keep track of time, the times and the seasons.
Unfortunately, along the way, Catholic and Christian churches and church networks largely forgot the astronomical, astrophysical, geophysical and meteorological functions of the priesthood, and became obsessed with social matters, to the exclusion of the heavens.
While still retaining some of the residual astronomical & celestial symbolism, and residual mythological aspects, much of these meanings are today either forgotten, or misinterpreted, or overlooked, altogether, as social concerns became all-encompassing, and as priests & ministers were no longer trained in the ancient fields of astronomy, mythology, navigation, surveying and medicine, and generally moved away from the ancient correlates of what are today known as philology and linguistics and folklore.
As Catholicism and Christianity drew away from heavenly and celestial matters, and became more deeply embroiled in the day-to-day policing of human behavior, and also rejecting rational inquiry into “foreign” religions perceived as “pagan” and shamanistic, and the very astronomical origins of emblems of communion wheat bread wafers and wine were, themselves, forgotten, even traditionally-minded Roman Catholic priests, steeped in Latin, themselves forgot the ancient meanings of all the little steps of the ancient Latin Mass, and learned only to go through the motions.
The connections of these rituals to the daily, seasonal & annual operations of ancient astronomical observatories having been now long forgotten by the priesthood and ministerium, except for by perhaps a handful of perceptive astronomers & physicists like myself, the churches have become more like neighborhood clubhouses and community social service organizations, rather than temples of celestial awe & wonder — sites where the astronomical intelligensia would gather to study the heavens, record observations, calibrate calendars, carry out mathematical computations, and discuss as to how to embed the memory of astronomical and other celestial & meteorological observations into mythological mnemonics, as well as how to spread the technology of the building of astronomical temples and navigational markers.
This growing separation of church and heavens, as well as a perceived animosity or even persecution of persons learned in astronomy, celestial navigation & mathematics as somehow “heretical” to “tradition” and a threat to the established order, has resulted in an outmigration of astral & celestial knowledgeable “priesthood”, to re-establish themselves in universities, laboratories, aerospace & space agencies, and stand-alone astronomical observatories, and away from church organizations, which seem more interested in marrying & burying its members, policing women’s wombs and in determining what is, or is not sinful and unacceptable or intolerable behavior, rather than in trying to actually keep track of and get up into the heavens.
Even the ancient practical purpose of the steeple on top of the church in the above photo, has largely been forgotten as a temple astronomical sighting aid. And the etymological origins of the word “Easter” have largely been lost. Even though, some of the traces remain, such as Easter egg hunts and occasional distributions of communal bread & wine.
It has long been forgotten that the elevation of a chalice of wine in one hand by the priest, and the wheat bread host in the other, is a reflection of the relative positions of two stars in the constellation of Virgo the Virgin (or “the Maiden”).
The star known as Epsilon Virginis was known in earlier times as “Vindemiatrix” or “Grape-gatherer”. It was an annual marker of the season for bringing in the grape harvest, to be made into wine:
https://www.constellationsofwords.com/vindemiatrix/
The star known as Alpha Virginis — the brightest star in the constellation Virgo — was known as “Spica” or the “Ear of Wheat” (etymologically related to the “spike” of wheat):
https://www.constellationsofwords.com/spica/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33750418/
Unfortunately, persons who either were not knowledgeable about the need to transmit this ancient knowledge to future generations, or who wished to disrupt such generational transmission of knowledge, declared such learning to be “pagan”, and thus “forbidden”, and thus seminarians and budding ministers were discouraged from learning or teaching and passing on this knowledge to subsequent generations.
This loss of knowledge created an ignorance of the lost meanings of ancient scriptures, including biblical texts.
This loss became compounded over time, as errors in translation and interpretation crept in.
Also, as populations became more heavily urbanized and suburbanized in areas of light pollution, and as people turned to man-made clocks to keep track of time, rather than observing and keeping track of the positions of the stars, Moon and Sun, the human connection with the night sky has gradually become lost.
This is one reason why agrarian communities, with dark night skies, still sense a connection of the church with ancient astro-agrarian cycles; and, thus, tend to be more conservative of ancient ways.
Once the urban church, however, finds itself surrounded by taller structures, and the local skies are flooded with light pollution at night, it becomes ever more difficult for a church to feel and act like the local seat of the “heavenly host”.
The ancient astronomer-priest (or priestess) is still around, though.
She can be found on Twitter: @Magnetodawn
Actually I think the rift developed from the time when it started to finally sink in that we all got here through natural processes as described by Darwin and the the first book of the bible is a largley work of fiction.
Then when Blacks and especially women and gays started to try to assume their rightful places in society it created a backlash. That’s when abortion became an issue and was used to boost and maintain membership in the entertainment based evengelical churches.
If the first paragraphs of the bible are not true, then what other parts are not true?
Since Jesus claimed that people who believe in him would not die and that their conciousness would go live in a happy hunting ground for all eternity, that was called into question.
People are afraid of death. Religion gives them a hope that they don’t really die, or that their conciousness somehow survives. If you take that away they freak out.
The evangelical movement is an effort to silence the doubts in their brains by shouting at them 24/7/365 and giving them things to do in the secular and poliltical realms to keep reinforcing beliefs which appear to be increasingly untrue as science continues to advance. The cognitive dissonance grows daily and we are seeing the effects of it all around us, in places like Colorado Springs.
This is not to say that all religion is wrong but certainly parts of all religions are wrong.
If we want to move forward in a spiritual sense, we need to first ground any beliefs in proven science.
Who knows, maybe science will someday prove that our conciousness does survive our bodily deaths.
Or at least we will be able to download it into an andriod.
I don’t see belief in a Creator as antithetical to science.
Evangelicals who believe in a “young earth” are demonstrably proven wrong in their interpretations simply by the observable physical world and it’s processes.
Regardless of the Ark Encounter Museum.
Proves only their interpretation of events is wrong.
Dawn, this is not a dating website. Take your scientist money and get an e harmony account.
Dawn,
The Starship will be boarding on Dec 24 at the Riley School. Aluminum foil is highly encouraged.
Nanu Nanu.
Ned
https://youtube.com/shorts/YEXq56rxEoY?feature=share
On the above video:
If you’re estimating the age of the Earth using genealogy, as recorded in the Old Testament, the only problem is run out of Homo Sapiens in “5,000” years. What about the Neanderthals and Cro-Magnons?
Aren’t they from the Creator too? Are they not acknowledged and valued by the Creator?
Peggy Hall, little miss sweet cheese, can’t find any evidence of evolution? How did she get all bottle blonde and blue eyes? Compared to all the complexions and coloring of her neighbors and coworkers?
“With a background in health, politics, education and activism, Peggy is a leading figure in the freedom fight, overturning mask mandates, getting “wash your hands” highway signs removed, and promoting mask-free shopping, working and living.”
And commenting on complex scientific theories, apparently. Bottle Blonde Lives Matter, I guess.
Every culture has its own Creation Stories, many the birth of a Messiah, the Great Flood and many other strikingly similar touchstones.
Many American Indian tribes’ stories in this regard are amazingly alike Christian Scripture. The metaphor and allegory their own. The Great Spirit.
As the Christian Bible has ITS own, describing all the same events and mankind’s place in the world, and their relationship with the Creator.
It’s a way for human beings in any culture to try to wrap their minds around the metaphysical, important for those of us convinced that a realm such as one ruled by the Creator exists.
Christianity works for me. What works for you?
Mellow: The “Origin Problem” is not solved by positing the existence of an invisible magical being in outer space. Where did that being come from, and where did what created it come from, etc. etc. etc. It solves nothing.
Peggy is a leading figure in the freedom fight…”
Freedom from knowledge, science or reality. Freedom! Hoo hoo! MAGAGA!
M’gag me with a spoon.
I prefer to call it The Force, as it were.
Dawn Miller is a witch. She likes to put satanic hexes on white people she despises.
As this Blog’s unofficial Shaman, I am currently building a new mud yurt.
Am requesting that everyone, submit to me your high-limit credit card numbers, so that I may continue my work as prophet and custodian of old-timey cultural traditions.
DJ: That is exactly what many of the evangelical ministers and mega churches do.
MY same thought, Christianity selling salvation for 2000 yrs.
Dawn Marie with one of the most interesting comments since Steve and Susan.
Brilliantly written.
The comment has some easily recognizable problems as the Catholic Church, Islam and Chinese/Japanese cultural religions were also centers of scientific education/knowledge across many disciplines but has some interesting points.
Rather than writing in such a way as to try to denigrate something of which you are ignorant perhaps use your education and sharp mind to help enlighten those who are willing to learn.
Humanity has evolved into specialists with deep specific knowledge and marginal exposure to generalities.
So goes the world and its choices of how to educate.
Catholicism still has some of the deepest overall institutional knowledge but in its general interpretation to the populace they are dealing with a high degree of ignorance lending itself to narrowing the public facing ceremonies to, for you Dawn, simplistic ritualism.
Evangelicalism is the ultimate proselytizer to the ignorant masses of religious pablum so expecting a Sunday service to be a doctoral thesis in scientific depth is the ultimate in lack of recognition of that churches place in the world.
Methodists are abandoning their own founding principles so franchise rebellion is inevitable and is sociological in its foundation, not astronomical.
All this said, I’d take any class you’d be willing to teach, Dawn, about astronomical relationship to religion and be riveted.
Please don’t conflate your issue with societal specialization, ignorance and religion into the institutional ignorance of The Church.
Far from it.
Intellectualism is alive and well, as it has been for thousands of years, in the halls of religion and has real answers to most questions across all thought disciplines.
Religion has just, pragmatically, recognized most of humanity will seek its own intellectual depth and tries to simply maintain a basic relationship until each individual seeks answers to their questions of how they relate to the universe around them.
Your need for answers of how God relates within your intellectual approach exists, Dawn.
Go seek them and use your gifts to teach others how physics and astronomy feed our relationship with our God.
Nice piece.
Pokorny, did you once work for John Reinert selling ripoff timeshares to fools?
TO THE CURIOUS:
I have spent decades studying world languages, religions, comparative mythology, philology, linguistics, archaeology, archaeoastronomy & cultural astronomy.
I examine the architecture of temples, synagogues, churches, burial grounds, etc., as well as Bronze Age archaeological sites and Neolithic megaliths & megalithic art of Western Europe (dolmens, tumulus, cairns, menhirs), and of entire settlements & cities with respect to the heavens and Earths rotational & geomagnetic axes, over time.
I examine these for potential astronomical alignments & orientations, and other clues of relevance with respect to astronomy, meteorology, geomagnetism, seismology, volcanism, etc. (so astrometry & astrophysics & geophysics), such as grave goods, clothing embroidery & other stitching; leatherworking, tools, paintings, sculptures, tapestries, furnishings, metalwork, plates & utensils, etc.
In addition to being a physicist/engineer & astronomer, I am a genealogist with an interest in human genetic genealogy and archaeogenetics. So I also consider the genetic makeup of the masons & inhabitants, as a way of studying potential cultural diffusion & migration patterns.
So I actually have a great appreciation for cultural & religious thought, habits & expression.
I do, at times, visit various houses of worship, shrines, ceremonies, cemeteries/graveyards, etc., in order to immerse and familiarize myself with the experience and the culture.
I have also made it a point to visit the houses of worship of various ethnic groups, including immigrant churches; in part, as I am a genealogist of the Chicago region, and thus need to have an awareness of the customs and locations of genealogical records of the various ethnicities & nationalities that have settled or passed through the region. I try to pay attention to little details of the art, architecture, bookbinding, clothing, etc., while there; and, I have attended numerous festivals, dances & other traditional events.
My parents were not religious, nor members of any religious organization, nor had me baptized nor catechized nor made a member in any church or other religion or religious organization. Nor were any of my grandparents religious.
I, personally, am not religious.
Although, I do support the existing houses of worship of my ancestors, and their genealogical & historical archives & burial grounds, to the best of my most humble ability.
I do not consider myself to be either of Catholic nor other Christian flavor, so I, personally, would not utilize expressions such as “The Church”. The etymology of the term “church” is akin to the word “circle” (or sphere, in three dimensions; particularly, the celestial sphere, or its section), and is of multiple applicability. I do not have a Roman Catholic (or other or generic Catholic) worldview, so I do not elevate this de facto religion-based governmental organization or its underlying religious movement(s) above any other, by using or capitalizing the article “The” and “Church” adjacently.
So while I may choose to be a member of an ancestral church for purposes of providing ongoing cultural support and matronly protection of genealogical & historical records, etc., my membership would not constitute any endorsement of theology or ideology of a particular religion or religious denomination or sect.
I am not theologian; nor am I a Doctor of Divinity, nor a holder of other such formal degree in religious studies.
Cosmology is interesting, however, and fair game.
I am not a trained philosopher: I do not attempt to answer, or even consider, “The Big Questions”.
For example, I do not ponder the existence (or not) of any “big “G”” god, or other “meaning of life”-type questions.
My worldview is malleable: new evidence or useful information may modify it.
The words, “good”, “Goth”, “god”, “guide”, “wit”, “wheat” and “white” are etymologically related.
I try to maintain that perspective.
I just take life as it comes, and file experiences in the most appropriate manilla folder in my brain, as they happen, for later reference.
Occasionally, I may take a few files out of their respective drawers, look through them, contemplate, and file them again, for later reconsideration.
I do, however, read writings & scriptures relevant to my research; and, in general, attempt to be broadly read.
For example, I have spent considerable time reading the Bible in various translations & editions and forms, and also the Old Norse / Old Icelandic Eddas & Sagas & Histories, and the Sanskrit Vedas, and manuscripts & artwork of Shinto.
I do not elevate any particular ancient writings above the others, as I consider them all important pieces of the puzzle.
I also consider the written matter preserved in other forms, such as clay tablets, rock carvings, bronze castings, etc., in addition to books and scrolls.
I do not study contemporary or trendy neo-religious or pseudo-religious movements, as these are out of my scope; also, those that are historic or pre-historic but do not have a likely or clear basis in astrophysics or geophysics.
However, given the clear associations, I do consider astrotheology and ethnotheologies & traditions, to be of interest, and fair game, and have an interest in ethnology, especially of indigenous peoples and “native American” tribal peoples, and ancient & relic shamanistic traditions.
For example, I have a strong interest in Inuit and Northwest Coastal peoples, and of all tribal circumpolar peoples, including the Suomi, because they live in the polar, auroral or subauroral zones, and therefore have built mythologies around the phenomenon of the aurora borealis (or aurora australis, in New Zealand and southern Australia).
So I will have to say that I am not at all religious (in the common sense of practicing a religion), albeit insatiably curious and very studious.
Except, of course, that I am very “religious” about attending to my various astronomical & geophysical instruments, on a daily basis, in order to stay “in tune” with the clockwork, and therefore, I suppose, with “Whomever”, or “Whatever”, is tickling the universe.
An example of a journal I would read:
Journal of Skyscape Archaeology
https://journal.equinoxpub.com/JSA/index
An example of an organization of interest:
International Society for Archaeoastronomy and Astronomy in Culture (ISAAC)
An example of a scholar whose works I pay particular attention:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owen_Gingerich
An example of an interesting book in my collection:
The Sun in the Church: Cathedrals as Solar Observatories
by J. L. Heilbron (2001)
https://www.amazon.com/Sun-Church-Cathedrals-Solar-Observatories/dp/0674005368?asin=0674005368&revisionId=&format=4&depth=1
An example of a website I enjoy:
https://indo-european.eu/
An example of an astrophysical journal reference database that I use:
https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/
An example of an astronomical database:
http://simbad.u-strasbg.fr/simbad/sim-fid
An example of an astronomical sky survey viewer tool:
https://aladin.u-strasbg.fr/AladinLite/
My space physics “Father”:
https://now.uiowa.edu/2022/01/legendary-iowa-space-physicist-donald-gurnett-dies
My space physics “Grandfather”:
https://vanallen.physics.uiowa.edu/
https://vanallen.physics.uiowa.edu/biography
https://vanallen.physics.uiowa.edu/biography/autobiography
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Van_Allen
That should provide a reasonably comprehensive summary, for any of my neighbors or other readers who may be curious.
Twitter: @Magnetodawn
As an addendum to my above comment, and to break this special feature out separately, I recommend the following resource:
Webpages on the History of Astronomy by
Robert Harry van Gent
https://webspace.science.uu.nl/~gent0113/
in particular, van Gent’s page titled:
Biographies of Notable Scholars on the Astral Sciences in Mesopotamia
https://webspace.science.uu.nl/~gent0113/babylon/babybibl_obituaries.htm
and especially, the indicated biography of scholar Otto E. Neugebauer (1899-1990)
https://webspace.science.uu.nl/~gent0113/babylon/babybibl_obituaries.htm#Neugebauer
You may read more about the extremely important and brilliant scholarship of OTTO E. NEUGEBAUER on this Wikipedia page:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otto_E._Neugebauer
Wikipedia introduction:
Otto Eduard Neugebauer (May 26, 1899 – February 19, 1990) was an Austrian-American mathematician and historian of science who became known for his research on the history of astronomy and the other exact sciences as they were practiced in antiquity and the Middle Ages. By studying clay tablets, he discovered that the ancient Babylonians knew much more about mathematics and astronomy than had been previously realized. The National Academy of Sciences has called Neugebauer “the most original and productive scholar of the history of the exact sciences, perhaps of the history of science, of our age.”
I here break out Professor Otto E. Neugebauer, as one of my favorite, and incredibly important, scholars of the history of astronomy in antiquity. You may read more about him and his works in his National Academy of Science biography, written by N.M. Swerdlow, here:
http://www.nasonline.org/publications/biographical-memoirs/memoir-pdfs/neugebauer-otto.pdf
I would strongly recommend that any Christians who may be interested in the underpinnings of the astronomy of the Bible, would do well to become familiar with such studies of ancient Mesopotamian astronomy and tablets, authored by such notable historians of astronomy, assyriologists & other orientalists.
One other resource I would strongly recommend if you enjoy studies of the Bible, especially if you enjoy somewhat older books, is solar astronomer E. Walter Maunder’s classic book titled, “The Astronomy of the Bible”.
https://archive.org/details/astronomyofbible00maun (1922 publication, scanned book, complete)
https://archive.org/details/cu31924002961641 (1909 publication, scanned book, complete)
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/28536 (online e-book, multiple formats)
Why, did you buy one?
Per
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_deGrasse_Tyson
Neil deGrasse Tyson is an American astrophysicist, author, and science communicator. Some quotes per WIKI:
“We think about the universe as an intellectual playground, which it surely is, but the moment you learn something that touches an emotion rather than just something intellectual, I would call that a spiritual encounter with the universe.”[57] Tyson has argued that many great historical scientists’ belief in intelligent design limited their scientific inquiries, to the detriment of the advance of scientific knowledge.[56][58]
When asked during a question session at the University at Buffalo if he believed in a higher power, Tyson responded: “Every account of a higher power that I’ve seen described, of all religions that I’ve seen, include many statements with regard to the benevolence of that power. When I look at the universe and all the ways the universe wants to kill us, I find it hard to reconcile that with statements of beneficence.”[59][60]:
————————————————————————————————–
Astronomers prior to 1920 believed that there was only one galaxy, Milky Way.
Per:
https://www.worldatlas.com/space/how-many-galaxies-are-there.html
“The realization that the universe is home to many billions of galaxies is a fairly recent discovery. Prior to the 1920s, the prevailing wisdom was that the Milky Way was the only galaxy, with the rest of the universe being static and eternal. In 1924, astronomer Edwin Hubble discovered that the universe contains an abundance of galaxies beyond the Milky Way. When we look at images of the universe, there appears to be countless galaxies”
“To estimate the number of galaxies in the universe, astronomers used the Hubble Space Telescope to capture a wide image of deep space…… By knowing the number of galaxies in the Hubble Deep Field, astronomers can estimate how many galaxies there are in the entire universe. Most estimates place the total number of galaxies between 100 billion and 200 billion.”
Avelar thinks Dawn wants to run for congress.
Brilliant, Dawn.
The world should all be so terminally curious about something…. Anything…
I would take this class.
THIS is how a conversation works.
A particular viewpoint built upon a particular set of knowledge offering respectful opinion.
No poopiehead garbage.
Just solid basis for an opinion.
Thank you, Dawn, for a very satisfying read.
This is why a respectful appreciation for the breadth of interest folks can have with their particular depth of particular knowledge is important.
This balkanization in our society is pure ignorance in play along with zero personal ethic, married to a total lack of common values ending in disrespectful communication in the public square.
Pure garbage which historically has lead to horrifying societal violence.
This said, the article itself mirrors our cultural breakdown inasmuch as a church founded upon a specific ethic and value set is splintering because there are poseurs wearing the Methodist name while espousing anti Methodist values.
Just as there are poseurs wearing the American name, hiding behind the spilled blood of generations for common values serving a common ideal, while attempting to shred this culture from within.
This is the horror in which our society lives in today.
This is what needs to be corrected or the tie which binds this nation, the American Idea, will die and we will become the societal mess our forefathers ran here to escape.
Avoiding the violence which is so near starts with respectful public discourse.
Loved your comments, Dawn.
Hope the knowledge you’ve sought feeds a common American value set which affirms an American society and culture built upon the moral individual, not an amoral or immoral group of idiots calling themselves the “political class” who are antithetical to every single founding principle of this nation.
Or we’re doomed to fall apart like the Methodist Church with disastrous world, community and individual results.
What an unexpected brilliant few comments…. How refreshing.
There is no doubt in my mind Dawn Marie Müller is angling to run for Congress when Congressman Bill Foster decides to retire, whenever that will be (and at age 67, Foster could serve for another 10 years if he wants to).
Müller’s timeline on Twitter, under her Twitter ID of @MagnetoDawn, clear she believes IL-11, which includes Fermilab and Argonne, can only be represented by a scientist.
Currently, Müller lives in IL-09 in Crystal Lake, but she admitted on Twitter she plans to move back into IL-11 soon. She grew up in rural southwestern McHenry County.
Recently, Müller got into a heated exchange with Dan Proft when she phoned into Morning Answer earlier this month after the election and Proft hung up on her because she wouldn’t stop reading her script when Proft clearly wanted her to state what her issues were.
Müller & I, along w/ 7 other people, attended the Crystal Lake Chamber of Commerce event with Congressman Bill Foster on November 1, so I’ve heard her speak in person.
Müller, like Catalina Lauf, has the potential to be a congressional candidate using her science background, but I do not see her running against Foster. She’s in her 50s, so she does not have the amount of time Lauf has, who turns 30 in May, to wait to run for Congress when Foster calls it a career, assuming Foster wants to serve well into his 70s.
It’ll be interesting to watch to see who begins making noise to be a 2024 congressional candidate in IL-11. This time, the primary is currently scheduled for March 19, 2024, unless the Democrats in Springfield change the date again.
That means less than a year from now, candidates will be filing for the March primary.
Thus far, no Republicans have filed 2024 paperwork with the FEC.
She seems like an autist.
Those people don’t usually win at politics.
The public can sniff out eccentricities and reject people who are too odd and unrelatable.
The modern Democrat is on the wrong side of American values and policies which support the American ideal in every case.
The modern Democrat is not American at all.
The modern Democrat holds dear values which American culture rejected at its founding and rejected with every drop of blood spilled to protect the American ideal.
Democrats cannot be allowed near any levers of power and self identifying as one identifies oneself as anti American.
This said, Republican politicians are corrupt self involved egoists who may give policy support to policies more closely aligned with supporting the American idea but are such poor humans they receive deserved public derision destroying the credibility of every political structure.
Many humorists and philosophers across eons and many cultures have said political figures are useless human beings and each of their societies would be better off if all of the politicians would be killed.
Jefferson famously commented the tree of liberty should be refreshed with the blood of patriots and tyrants from time to time.
The U.S. is at this inflection point today where all politicians need intimate reminding in America any power they derive is only with the consent of The People.
Democrats are unAmerican and should simply be chased from the country to other areas of the earth more conducive to their idiot ideas(these places exist and the educated call them third world nations).
Republican politicians should be tarred and feathered and chased from the public square for allowing special interests to carve up our nation for their benefit rather than The Citizen’s.
Refresh.
Start over.
Stop wishing for civil war which bleeds out your neighbor and place the anger firmly on politicians, lobbyists and political sycophants.
The tree of liberty demands this end soon or the American idea which has led generations to seek and follow it is going away.
Just like the Methodist brand will only survive if it can expel those abandoning the founding ethic America must do the same.
Methodism without its founding ethic is Unitarianism and loses its brand identity and meaning just as America without its founding ethic is classist extremism and loses its identity as a free equal opportunity responsible Citizen focused brand.
Get rid of those agitating to change the founding ethic.
They can find a home in another brand more conducive to their personal desire…. Elsewhere.