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A Decision; A Reflection, and a Poem

A Decision; A Reflection, and a Poem

Last updated on: May 11, 2018 at 11:59 pm by Darrell Lackey

A Decision; A Reflection, and a Poem 2018-05-11T23:59:08-07:00 Darrell Lackey

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From my last post you know I needed to make a decision. For those who responded, thank you so much. I heard you. The consensus was that I go ahead and join Patheos. I was leaning that way, so it was nice to learn so many of you were okay with that move.

For those who preferred I not join Patheos and for those who gave caution, I heard you too. I will keep this blog, or another, but it will be more personal and more devoted to theological/philosophical reflections, poems, movie reviews, quotes with short commentary, and that sort of thing. Plus, it will link to Patheos, so you can read either, just one, or neither.

I do hope as many who want to will follow me on Patheos, which also means signing up for their email list (although it might be transferred automatically by Patheos). If you like what I write, if it helps you, challenges you, does something for you, please consider supporting me at Patheos. Support means simply signing up on the email list, so you receive my posts by email. Also, by just viewing my posts regularly (or as regularly as you can). An added bonus would be sharing any post you like on social media, such as Facebook, Twitter, etc.

I take no reader for granted. I appreciate each one. I am thankful for you, your life, and your presence in my life even if only in this format.

I’m not sure when the actual move will take place; please watch this space.

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A Reflection: I’ve noted it before, and I will again. I like and respect Jeff Iorg, the president of my alma mater, now—Gateway Seminary. However, I was disappointed (again) with his most recent blog post (see here).

He mentions his two favorite women in the news at the moment. The first one is Gina Haspel, who is President Trump’s nominee to become head of the CIA. Of her he writes:

“…She is about to walk into the buzz saw of the Senate confirmation process, made more difficult by the decidedly politically incorrect things she has done in protecting our country.”

Hmmm…, I wonder what those “politically incorrect things” were? Maybe supporting…torture. Is torture okay if “protecting” our country? Is torture just “politically incorrect,” or is it unethical and immoral? One would think a Christian would know the answer to that question.

John McCain is no Seminary President, but he may have the more ethical and moral response to these questions (see here). As someone who was actually tortured, he also may have the greater credibility on the subject.

Or, as Shane Claiborne put it: “Surely those who worship a tortured prisoner on Sunday will stand against waterboarding on Monday?”

We will see. I must say however, Dr. Iorg’s comments were very disappointing.

As to his other example, I get the safe choice of throwing high-fives to the NRA types and those who think gun rights are Holy Writ, but he might have commented upon another woman in the news recently. This was a woman who showed up to church with two black eyes after being “counseled” by Paige Patterson (see here here, and here). As of this writing, Mr. Patterson has apologized, but that was only after first saying he had nothing to apologize for and the huge outcry against his remarks. Hardly the best circumstances for an apology when seeking genuine forgiveness.

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A Poem:

Secrets Deep

Who knows what secrets the ocean keeps,

Who knows what briny waves have seen so deep,

With inky octopus dark they lie,

These secrets, sinking, ever sinking, cry,

The floating jetsam memories, whose keeping,

Deep, they sink, and down, until sleeping,

And who knows if the deep will ever speak such secrets now long forgotten,

But resting on the ocean floor, they never reach bottom, rising, finding their way to shores,

The shores of memories, the waves of secrets carried, home to places…far from buried.

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A Decision

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