And why do I care?
I suppose a lot of reasons, but at the base of my life, a singular reason, my Christian Faith ... a faith that strives for honesty and thrives on the truth of whatever matter may present itself ... from the proper temperature of a stainless steel pan for searing a steak in butter, or the Jan. 6 Insurrection ... not that these two events are of the same magnitude, but both require truth ... an improperly heated pan will result in a ruined steak, and ignoring the skullduggery of the GOP will only add to their effort to reshape this nation as it was in the Antebellum South.
With this conviction: that religion, Christian, Jewish, or Hindu, thrives best of all in an environment of honesty and truth, a Democratic environment of equality, respect, and opportunity.
Religion never thrives in an autocracy - if it cooperates, it soon takes on the meanness of spirit inherent in an illiberal form of government. If it resists, it suffers - sure, it'll survive as Christianity did in the Eastern Bloc nations, but I'm not talking about bare survival; I'm hoping for an environment in which people of any faith or philosophy will be able to engage with their faith in freedom, and will be able to practice the tenants of their faith without fear, yet with restraint, lest religious fervor warp the believer into a totalitarian view of things, "my way or the highway," at attitude always possible in any form of faith or philosophy.
So, my thoughts on all of this, my regard for a truth-teller like Dr. Richardson, my support of the Jan. 6 House Committee, are finally and fundamentally driven by my faith in Christ.
You probably already knew that, but I felt the need to say it again this morning.
To all who read this, God's Peace - not the peace of some soporific, but the peace of engagement, truth, and, sacrifice, in the service of neighbor-love. And those who serve the neighbor serve God at the very same time.
