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My greatest religious influence was my grandfather.
He was a Methodist minister.
He continued studying theology + human behavior long after earning his PhD. He loved people & taught me that prayer alone is not enough—it must be met with good deeds.
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#HappyEaster
#HeIsRisen
He was a Methodist minister.
He continued studying theology + human behavior long after earning his PhD. He loved people & taught me that prayer alone is not enough—it must be met with good deeds.
1/
#HappyEaster
#HeIsRisen
I asked a lot of questions as a kid.
Once, they threw me out of Sunday School for doing so. I was sent to the church’s head office—to meet with Grandpa.
He taught me a valuable lesson that day—people don’t fear questions, they fear answers that challenge their beliefs.
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Once, they threw me out of Sunday School for doing so. I was sent to the church’s head office—to meet with Grandpa.
He taught me a valuable lesson that day—people don’t fear questions, they fear answers that challenge their beliefs.
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I was 9 yrs old. And I’ve never stopped asking questions or challenging people since.
About 10 years later, I was in college studying religion. Studying Good Friday. Wondering, as people do, what was so “good” about it.
My professor had a canned answer so I called Grandpa.
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About 10 years later, I was in college studying religion. Studying Good Friday. Wondering, as people do, what was so “good” about it.
My professor had a canned answer so I called Grandpa.
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Our conversation turned to the behavior of man on that day. The realization that humans could do no more. They were at their worst.
Angry. Scared. Full of fear and rage. Battling for power. Afraid to lose it. The power of a mob.
#GoodFriday #HeIsRisen
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Angry. Scared. Full of fear and rage. Battling for power. Afraid to lose it. The power of a mob.
#GoodFriday #HeIsRisen
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There’s a lesson there. About human behavior going so far—being so violent—the only hope for decency is a miracle.
It’s a reminder that humans have an incredible capacity for evil.
And the only way out of that devil spiral was literally a miracle.
#HeIsRisen
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It’s a reminder that humans have an incredible capacity for evil.
And the only way out of that devil spiral was literally a miracle.
#HeIsRisen
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Christians believe God sacrificed his only son to cure our sin.
That’s how evil humans were—so unable to unite—so unable to speak truth—silenced by fear and immobilized by a thirst for power—that God sacrificed his only begotten son.
And 3 days later he rose.
#HeIsRisen
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That’s how evil humans were—so unable to unite—so unable to speak truth—silenced by fear and immobilized by a thirst for power—that God sacrificed his only begotten son.
And 3 days later he rose.
#HeIsRisen
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Humans still have that capacity to be evil. We see it all too often.
But Jesus isn’t the only one with the power to rise.
We, too, can rise.
We can rise from our place of fear, of selfishness, of anger, of sadness, of isolation, and of hopelessness.
#HeIsRisen
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But Jesus isn’t the only one with the power to rise.
We, too, can rise.
We can rise from our place of fear, of selfishness, of anger, of sadness, of isolation, and of hopelessness.
#HeIsRisen
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We can rise to help the least among us.
We can rise to welcome the stranger.
We can rise to help our neighbors.
We can rise to forgive each other just as God has forgiven us.
We can rise to love one another as He has loved us.
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#HeIsRisen #Easter
We can rise to welcome the stranger.
We can rise to help our neighbors.
We can rise to forgive each other just as God has forgiven us.
We can rise to love one another as He has loved us.
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#HeIsRisen #Easter
We can rise with the intent not to follow in the footsteps of those acting on their worst insticts.
We can rise to the occasion.
We can rise to meet the challenges of today.
We, too, can rise.
And we must.
Because no one else is coming to save us.
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#HeIsRisen #Easter
We can rise to the occasion.
We can rise to meet the challenges of today.
We, too, can rise.
And we must.
Because no one else is coming to save us.
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#HeIsRisen #Easter
