Wednesday’s Bag of Randomness

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  • DaughterGeeding’s elementary school had an awards ceremony last night. Award after award was given out and I thought she wouldn’t get a thing, but they saved the most distinguished awards towards the end and she was fortunate to receive one. Yeah, I know it’s just kindergarten, but I’m still proud of her.
  • Her school is too small to host all parents and teachers, so they used the Lutheran church across the street, which didn’t bother me in the least. However, one could easily tell many in attendance were part of another faith, and they seemed happy to be there. It got me to thinking, what if the church wasn’t Lutheran but another religion, would the school or parents of Christian children feel comfortable with the event hosted there?
  • While I was honored to be at such an event, I’ll fully admit, it was a total beating. And to think my parents attended all of mine without the modern-day luxury of a smartphone.
  • My youngest sibling’s appendix ruptured yesterday. I visited her last night after the awards ceremony. She’s at Baylor University Center Dallas, which gave me mixed feelings. That’s a top notch facility, but parking and finding the correct building and room is a nightmare. Luckily, they have some very friendly staff that’s willing to help, and they can easily spot the “where the hell do I go” face. As for my youngest sibling, she was in a lot of pain and slowly recovering.
  • The first story on the ‘CBS Evening News’ was Bill Cosby, the second was Baylor. Nothing like two rape-related stories to start off the evening. Crude joke headline I read on Reddit – Dr. Bill Cosby to be next president of Baylor.
  • I’m holding off most of my Baylor thoughts until there’s actual confirmation of a firing or resignation. Baylor addressed the reporting of Ken Starr’s potential firing/resignation/reassignment by stating they expect to announce official news by June 3, which I think is one part smartly strategic and one part cowardly. They gave themselves a due date of June 3, which is the Friday of a three-day weekend. The best time to release news you don’t want getting any traction is on a Friday, and if that Friday is part of an extended weekend like Memorial Day, that’s just gravy. I understand image control, but doing so doesn’t seem like addressing the issue head on. Note: I made a mistake on the dates which invalidates what I wrote, so that’s why I have the text crossed out.
  • Starr needs to fired and shouldn’t be reassigned to another position or offered the chance to resign. After reading several testimonies of Baylor rape victims and reading and watching related news segments, he was aware of what was going on and how it wasn’t being properly addressed at several levels and departments. Once aware of any shortcomings of sexual assault reporting , he should have been proactive, which would have created an environment that such assaults are taken seriously and student safety is a priority. It wasn’t just Baylor athletes at fault, it was bigger than that, which I think gives Briles a pass, for now. But I do believe Starr’s action, or inaction, contributed or influenced Baylor athletes guilty of sexual assault.
  • I can certainly understand how legendary Baylor football coach Grant Teaff wants to support the school during these times, but I think he said the wrong thing by stating what’s going on now doesn’t compare with the 2003 murder of basketball player Patrick Dennehy by teammate Carlton Dotson under Coach Dave Bliss that tried to cover it up.
  • Okay, I didn’t hold off on my Baylor thoughts. I fear my judgment and thoughts are clouded from my dislike of the university, but I tried to constructive and reasoned.
  • Coppell elementary schools had their field day last week. One school had Jason Garrett to “officially” start field-day. Unfortunately, DaughterGeeding’s school does not have field day. I have great memories of field day at Lamar Elementary, especially jump-the-river.
  • Benjamin L. Corey – No, This Isn’t All Part Of God’s Plan (So Let’s Stop Blaming It On Him)Instead of saying that God has a “plan,” I am growing more fond of saying that God has a certain desire, a certain will– a certain heart. And that this will, this desire, and this heart, is always love. It’s never anything but love. This means that whatever God wills, and whatever God desires to bring into reality, is always beautiful and never evil.
    • Somewhat related, I think people either misuse to take Jeremiah 19:4 out of context and using it as some kind of security blanket. – For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
      • The passage isn’t written to any individual, but to an entire nation of people, Israel, who were disobedient to just about everything.
      • People tend to just isolate the verse and ignore any text that comes prior and after. They state that the Lord will fulfill his promise to them after 70-years in exile and a response from the nation to seek him out. To get a better understanding of its context, it really helps to read the previous chapter(s). Before he shares his promise, he gives them a directive. And the promise wouldn’t even be fulfilled the generation he was addressing. It’s not about escaping but persevering and growing through hard times.
      • Yes, the verse still offers value, there’s just more to it than how it’s mostly singled out. And for brevity, I left out a lot more detail but I think you get the….context. And I’ll be the first to admit I’m no theologian or biblical scholar.
  • Raw Story – It’s been 8 months and Trevor Noah’s ‘Daily Show’ still sucks – I thought the author nicely summed up what Oliver, Bee, and Wilmore are doing with their shows and she also states the show’s ratings have dropped thirty-seven-percent. Unless I missed it, I thought she should have thrown in a something about Colbert’s old or new show.
  • In the early ’60s Dallas wanted a domed stadium but Houston beat them to it – The Chron.com article has a picture of the front page of the Star-Telegram with an architect’s drawing of the proposed dome.
  • GIF – Sumo wrestler body slams his opponent
  • Until last night, I wasn’t aware that some of the PGA golfers participating in the Colonial take time to go to Cook’s Children Hospital to take part in an annual tradition – The Bedpan Open. They basically play putt-putt with the children in which the holes are elaborated decorated with bedpans as the hole. Here are three of the holes from their Twitter account – Pic1, Pic2, Pic3
  • Why I Bought a Chromebook Instead of a Mac
  • I still capitalize it, but will probably stop, old habit are hard to break – The New York Times is the latest publication to decapitalize ‘the internet’ – The NYT is joining the Associated Press in ditching the capital-I internet this year, with both bastions of journalistic style choosing to shrink the letter on June 1st. Thomas Kent — the AP’s standards editor — explained that the internet had become “wholly generic, like ‘electricity or the ‘telephone’.” The word was not trademarked, and not based on a proper noun, he said. “The best reason for capitalizing it in the past may have been that the word was new.
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33 Responses to Wednesday’s Bag of Randomness

  1. Andy B says:

    I LOLed at the Bill Cosby joke despite its horrible taste.

    On a more serious note, I hope Starr does get removed over this whole thing. It would be an even bigger blow to the university (sadly), but I think Briles should go as well. Having a good football team doesn't justify sweeping a pattern of sexual assault allegations under the rug. It's awful to read how the victims were treated when they reported their assaults. More than one person has said that if they had a daughter, in the current climate they wouldn't want them to attend Baylor due to the rape culture. I don't blame them.

  2. Mark says:

    FYI Memorial Day is the last Monday in May, May 30. June 3 is four days later.

    • Geeding says:

      Thanks for pointing that out, total mistake on my part and invalidates my line of thinking. I modified the post and admitted my error.

  3. Matt says:

    What actions, specifically, should Starr have taken?

    • Mr. Mike Honcho says:

      For starters, an aggressive public relations response on rape awareness, prevention, and safety. This doesn't admit anything, but a hard and aggressive campaign goes a long way to showing the world you care.

      I am astounded this was not done. (Note: a campaign of the proper magnitude would be reported readily).

      • Matt says:

        A current-day PR campaign would have been a good image-saving move, but it wouldn't have changed anything for any of the victims, right? Does anyone need to be more aware of rape or that it's wrong?

        I have not seen anything that suggests that Baylor actually did anything wrong or substantially different than any other school. I think there's a frenzy because there's blood in the water against a prominent, conservative school, and Ken Starr — who really has no direct role in any of this — is political target. I'm not sure any amount of PR would have prevented this bandwagon nonsense. Even Dale Hansen got into the act last night, proclaiming that Briles had failed women, but without any explanation of what duty Briles had or what actions would have fulfilled that duty.

        The number of assaults at Baylor (or at least the reported ones) does not appear to be any different than what statistics suggest happen at any school. For example, I'm aware of only one that supposedly happened in 2015 (Keith's post from the other day). Another school that reported one sexual assault in 2015 is Hardin Simmons — and it has a much smaller student body.

        I attended Baylor Law 20-odd years ago, but that's not at all like the undergraduate experience. Neither Starr nor Briles was there, and I've got no particular feeling about either of them. I'm flummoxed by what it is people think should have been done differently that actually would have changed anything — though I have a bias against colleges that take punitive actions against anyone based only on an accusation, and think crimes should be reported to and handled by the police and courts.

        • Mr. Mike Honcho says:

          Its a perception game and showing the world you care is step one. Showing the world you do not care is a good way to lose that battle. Which they have.

          And I didn't say a PR campaign to raise awareness fixes any problem, regardless of the size or magnitude of the problem. It's just "for starters".

    • Geeding says:

      That’s a fair question, Matt, and I suppose with the institution and people involved, one may think it’s more of a frenzy attack on a conservative school and Ken Starr, but there’s substantive to go along with it all.

      During Starr’s tenure, it took Baylor more than three years to comply with a federal directive to hire a full-time Title IX coordinator. Under Title IX, universities like Baylor that receive any federal assistance “must take immediate and appropriate steps to investigate” and provide remedies, including security, counseling and academic help, before a complainant is deprived of educational opportunities. The Tevin Elliott and Sam Ukwuachu victims both say that did not happen. Baylor found Elliot and Ukwuachu innocent, yet both were found guilty in court. ‘Outside the Lines’ has detailed the poor effort Baylor put into the investigation.

      So that’s just Title IX, one department underneath Starr’s leadership. In Stefanie Mundhenk’s account, different departments in charge of her welfare—the university police, human resources, and again, Title IX—were lackluster in their investigation and showed disinterest, as if they didn’t want to take her seriously. Mundhenk met personally with Starr to explain the system wide failure, and you read her blog, she puts great detail on how this happened. All these departments were underneath Starr’s leadership, he was made aware of the problems in the numerous departments, and didn’t take action. When ESPN reported the Elliot case, Starr emailed her the next day. This is what she has to say, “The next day, Ken Starr emailed me and told me that there was nothing he could do about my case according to "University policy", but that he greatly admired my courage in telling him my story. Well, for him to believe I have courage, it means he believes my story is true. And him telling me he couldn't help me was a lie – Title IX policy specifically states that the President has final say over all cases. So he believed me, and then lied to avoid helping me.”

      Numerous sexual assaults that have resulted in some former players receiving jail sentences but were met with no action from school officials or the football team. No players were expelled or suspended, despite many reports that Baylor athletic officials and school administrators, including Starr, were made aware of what happened to many of the victims.

      Per ‘Outside the Lines’, Baylor failed to respond to reports of rape and/or sexual assault filed by at least six female students from 2009 to 2016. No one was disciplined or fired under Starr’s leadership. Also, Baylor police have refused to release any records to ESPN related to the past incidents despite a new Texas law that makes private campus police departments subject to state open records laws. Baylor didn't turn over the records even though two women signed release forms allowing it. This makes it looks like they are hiding something, and Starr can get those records released.

      Starr is the head of the university and was aware of the school’s shortcomings not just in their Title IX office but by university police, HR, and the athletic department. It took him over three years to hire a full-time Title IX coordinator. He didn’t adequately address the school’s failure in all these cases. No one was disciplined, no one was fired – things Starr could have taken action on. Not addressing these faults put students in danger, and we all agree student safety and well-being is paramount.

      As for your comments about then number of reported sexual assaults at Baylor compared to other schools, I think that was one of the reasons ‘Outside the Lines’ did a follow up report. There was a concern the number reported was extremely low, especially when compared to other Texas faith based schools of the similar size and that the school was fudging numbers or hiding something. From 2008 to 2011, Baylor reported no sexual assaults, which is alarming. “Baylor has an enrollment of 16,000, at least 5,000 more than both Southern Methodist University in Dallas and Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. But during the four-year span in which Baylor reported zero incidents, SMU reported 15 and TCU reported 13. In the next three years, 2012 to '14, AP says Baylor reported 12 cases, while TCU reported 31 and SMU 16.” http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/1480

      • Matt says:

        Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex. Most of that other stuff is not required by any law; it's just made up requirements by an out-of-control DOE OCR. I'm sorry they gave in at all — someone needs to take a stand and tell OCR to piss off.

        The fact that Baylor couldn't substantiate allegations by an in-house investigation against people later convicted with all the resources of the government is an excellent reason why schools should not be in the business of investigating crimes — crimes should be reported to police, the schools should cooperate with police, and if there's a conviction, they can take punitive action. The students "not expelled or suspended" were gone before there was any conviction. I know there are many people who believe that anybody (any male, that is) that is accused of anything should be expelled immediately, without any substantive due process. I'm not one of them.

        I'll say this, though — the primary job of a university president is to be a salesman and raise money. I don't think Starr can do that effectively under the circumstances, so I think he'll have to go one way or another.

        • Geeding says:

          You're the one with a law degree, so you are much more the expert than I could ever be when it comes to something like Title IX. I do appreciate you taking the time to share your comments, even though I'm not eye-to-eye with ya regarding your opinion and interpretation regarding its requirement and scope. But like I said, I'm out of my element. While a university should not be in the business of investigating crime, they do have a code of conduct, and to me it's worth them conducting an investigation. You're right they don't have the resources of the government, but it's well documented how Baylor didn't even make much of an effort to get the victim's side of the story or to properly document their account. I also think there should be substantive due process, that just makes sense, but Baylor failing to respond to reports of rape and/or sexual assault filed by at least six female students from 2009 to 2016 in inexcusable. In regards to the primary job of a university president, I think it just depends. Some schools want them to be more of an executive, others prefer for the chancellor to be the executive, and then some want the president to be more of a figurehead than a fundraiser. Since Baylor leadership is always discussed when I visit my wife's side of the family that has strong Baylor lineage, it's my understanding that they created the role to very much that of an executive. Man, I thought there was drama when they outed that lest president and that

  4. Ben W. says:

    Spoiler alert: those award ceremonies (and other "mandatory" school-related meetings) never get any better. In fact, they only get worse, because it's the exact same thing every year. At least this year it was new for you, and you didn't know what was going to happen.

    Your hypothetical about "what if this were in a different kind of church" made me smile, because just this morning a lady I work with was telling me a story about how a Muslim man approached her at the bus stop and began preaching to her about the Quran, and how uncomfortable it made her feel. To which I posed the question, "Now how do you feel about Christian street preachers?" As a devout fundamentalist, she wasn't happy with that question, and I probably should have kept my mouth shut, but I just couldn't help myself.

    I said it last week, and it remains true: my soon-to-be-a-junior daughter will not be applying to Baylor. If my son were older, he wouldn't be applying there, either.

    I think you meant Jeremiah 29:11, and I agree that is one of the worst examples of a scripture being misused by people who prooftext. Growing up, I heard the pastor preach about how I should feel glad that there are so many promises in the Bible. What he neglected to include with those promises, however, was the context. Not surprisingly, context actually matters. As a Texan, I really think we would misuse this scripture less if it was written with a plural pronoun (as in the original). Because really, who would think that the scripture was talking to you as an individual if it read: "For I know the plans I have for y'all," declares the Lord. "Plans to prosper y'all and not to harm y'all; plans to give y'all hope and a future."

  5. RPM says:

    The picture of the planned baseball dome looks an awful (pun intended) lot like the Tarrant County Convention Center. I wonder if they were the same architect? Also, I think that's page 1 of the Startlegram Sports section. I wonder what was in the Fort Worth Post?

  6. Mr. Mike Honcho says:

    My son's school has the award ceremony one grade at a time. it was perfect. Less than 30 mins.

    Thanks for posting that great article by Ben Corey. I seriously dislike (not using "Hate" LOL), seriously dislike it when people throw out "Its all in God's plan." Really? We worship a God who had a plan to kill a family in a tragic flood? …see a toddler raped and murdered? …plot the system genocide of 12 Million by Nazi Germany?…20 Million in Soviet Russia?

    NO. We do not worship a God that "Planned" those things. And Frankly, when I hear people say this I often think to myself, "My, you live in a sheltered world." It's so easy to say that when you live in a peaceful, calm slice of the world.

    This world is an evil, evil place. Countless, unspeakable, unfathomable tragedies have occurred here and will continue to do so. I cannot truthfully explain why this is so. But I can say it wasn't because God planned it so.

  7. Bryan says:

    I'm not surprised about The Daily Show having such a ratings drop. This probably sounds like old man, good-ol'-days syndrome, but it's just not the same. Trevor Noah has his funny moments ("Remember, Donald Trump Wants to Bang His Daughter" is one of the funnier segments the show has done in recent memory), but more often than not, I find myself bored with the show. I'm doing good if I watch 2 out of the 4 shows each week. I usually punch out of the segments with the correspondents except for the occasional Lewis Black or Kristin Schaal piece. They're just not that funny or interesting.

  8. ALEC says:

    I wonder if it was God's plan or God's will to give my mother ( God fearing, decent woman) stomach cancer and making sure that she died a prolonged awful death?

    I do HATE three things:
    1.Nazis
    2.The behavior of the Japanese in Asia during WWII
    3. Cancer

  9. Sara says:

    RE: God's Will

    A few years ago, I saw Tim Minchin in Austin. One of his songs was this, and I LOVED IT, and now when ever someone mentions God's will, it immediately gets stuck in my head. I hope this is the right link, it's blocked at work. (FWIW, I'm Catholic, and I still love this dude. He's hilarious.)

    Tim Minchin – Thank you God https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZeWPScnolo

    "Now I understand a prayer can work:
    A particular prayer in a particular church
    In a particular style with a particular stuff
    And for particular problems that aren't particularly tough,
    And for particular people, preferably white
    And for particular senses, preferably sight
    A particular prayer in a particular spot
    To a particular version of a particular god

    And if you get that right, he just might
    Take a break from giving babies malaria
    And pop down to your local area
    And fix the cataracts of your mum!"

  10. Sara says:

    My father in law likes to send the whole family FW: emails.
    One of his latest ones is that Trump's rise is Gods will.
    *delete*

  11. Brent says:

    I liked Benjamin Corey's post and I generally agree with his stance against declaring circumstances to be a part of God's plans. However, I disagree with his statement: "if this is all part of God’s plan, God is the author and cause of evil and suffering." I don't think this is true. Just because God has a plan does not mean that he causes the events that occur as part of the plan. God can know what things are going to happen and may have a greater plan to use these circumstances to his own will. I think this is the theological lesson of the book of Job – God did not cause what happened to Job, Satan did. Yet, what happened to Job was used by God for a greater plan/will – that Job would learn greater dependence on God (or maybe that the reader would learn the lesson because Job already was considered a righteous man before anything happened to him). So, to me, allowing something to happen is not the same as causing it. Others may disagree, though (and many theologians have). They would say that allowing something to happen that you could have stopped from happening is equal to causing it to happen. I disagree, but I understand wanting to make that point.

    I think the discussion is a part of the larger theological issue trying to make sense of the sovereignty and omniscience of God. If God is omniscient, he knows everything that is going to happen, everything that we are going to think and do. So, if God knows something terrible is going to happen, why would he not stop it? If God is sovereign, nothing can occur outside of his plan and/or will. Again, if something terrible happens, why does God not stop it? If he doesn't stop it, it either means he can't stop it or he doesn't want to stop it, right? What if there was another way to look at it, though? I think that's what a lot of people mean by trying to attribute it to God's plan. I think they are saying, "I don't know why this happened (or even why God allowed this to happen), but I believe God can bring something good out of this in his plan." Maybe I give people too much credit; maybe they really don't know what to say and so they blurt out something that they haven't thought through. I can certainly see how saying something like that to a grieving person is neither helpful nor very compassionate in the moment. But, I'm not so sure that it isn't good theology all the same.

    I think this still leaves room for what Corey argues is a more helpful and compassionate picture of God – that he is right there with us in our suffering. I absolutely agree. I think this is also present in the book of Job. God has been here all the time, and will remain with us through everything that comes. Faith is not always easy. God does not always make sense. But I believe God loves us and is there with us in all things and at all times.

    Sorry for the length of the post…just processing my thoughts with you. Peace

    • Geeding says:

      I'm quite thankful you were willing to share and bless us with the processing of your thoughts.

    • Mr. Mike Honcho says:

      Good reply Brent. Question for you: Did God allow the Holocaust?… or, was there a greater purpose worth that magnitude of suffering? That's an honest question… one I am researching and pondering right now.

      • Brent says:

        Thanks Keith and Mr. Mike. My simple answer (though it is not an easy answer at all) is Yes to both questions. I believe God is sovereign over all things, so I believe that in his sovereignty he allowed the Holocaust to happen (though please remember that I argue that allowing something is not the same as causing it, which some may view as taking the easy way out). And I definitely believe that there was a greater purpose at work, though I would never suppose to know exactly what God's purposes were and are for allowing suffering, especially with something so horrific as the extermination of millions of his people.

        I say this is not an "easy" answer because it is an uncomfortable position to take and not at all in line with how I would prefer God to be. It sounds awful to say that God allowed the Holocaust, doesn't it? Of course, a read through the Old Testament is also awful and difficult and uncomfortable, because I don't think you can just write it off as "well, that's the God of the Old Testament…we follow the God of the New Testament". He's the same God, and some of the things he does and some of the things he allows don't make sense and don't seem fair at all. The mystery of God is that he is beyond our understanding and his ways truly are different from ours. Yet, the beauty of God is that he has revealed some of himself to us, most directly through the life and witness of Jesus, and what we can know of God is that he is merciful and loving, gracious and good. This is what I think Benjamin Corey argues and also what I think Barry would argue as well.

        • barry says:

          Yes, indeed. Agreed, Brent.

        • Mr. Mike Honcho says:

          Thank you Brent, for taking the time to reply. I'll be honest in return and say I do think that is the easy answer, but at the same time recognize that is very hard to develop a better answer. I don't pretend to understand. But as I try in small bits and pieces to understand, I appreciate others' input… like yours. Thanks again.

  12. barry says:

    As a subscriber to his blog, I love Benjamin Corey and his work. My understanding is different in regard to the “God’s plan” post, though.

    I think the primary problem is in the spirit of the objectifying, God-feigning, do-gooder who is regurgitating the cold, formal line that “it’s God’s plan” to the person who is suffering. The false consoler is in the same family as the guy who wears the billboard by the high school that says, “repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”

    Now, do I factually believe that a change of heart can bring the kingdom of heaven into a present reality? Yes. But I can believe the billboard wearer’s fact without believing his truth.

    In the same way, I don’t believe in the truth of the guy standing beside the patient saying, “it’s God’s plan for your tumor.” Go get a billboard and stand on the corner, bro.

    However, do I believe we can lay it all – every single thing that befalls us – at the feet of God? I do.

    I think the biblical record aligns with that.
    [HIGH ALERT DISCLAIMER: I believe that a lot of folks go to the bible in an attempt to prove an untruth, so beware of me here! For example, there are many who use Scriptures to say same-sex, monogamous relationships are forbidden. I do not believe that is truth. Best article I’ve ever seen on that is this one: https://www.gaychristian.net/justins_view.php%5D

    Back to suffering and starting with the plagues (Exodus 7 – 12). The Egyptians greatly, greatly suffered throughout all the plagues, and time after time the Scriptures attribute the suffering to God, specifically saying it was God who hardened Pharaoh’s heart.

    Like Brent said about Job, Satan (however you want to conceive of that entity) brought the pain, but Satan had to run everything he did through God, and God set the parameters for the pain and loss that Job would experience.

    Isaiah 45:7 – I form the light and create darkness. I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the Lord, do all these things.” (King James version says: … I make peace and create evil…”)

    Amos 3:6 – When a trumpet sounds in a city, do not the people tremble? When disaster comes to a city, has not the Lord caused it? (Some of our televangelists have lived off this one. They, too, are in the same family as the billboarded guy standing down at the high school. 🙂

    Moving to the New Testament, look where Jesus puts the blame at the climax of his suffering: “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

    Paul, starting in 2nd Corinthians 11:23, uses his extensive suffering as “proof” that God is WITH him.

    From beginning to end of the biblical account, it seems that evil and suffering stop at God’s door.

    There were 3 words given to me to summarize our story with God, and they’ve served me greatly: thesis, antithesis, synthesis. Thesis – God / us in God from the beginning. Antithesis – the subjection to that which is opposed to the Goodness of God. Synthesis – the greater glory in God that would not be possible except for antithesis.

    Who allowed or set-up the season of antithesis – isn’t it God?

    In a way, God is like a drug mule. He allowed sin/evil to be carried in his body, until it had done its full work and is then removed. The sin/evil is encapsulated such that it doesn’t “change” or “impurify” the goodness of God, but it is present nonetheless.

    So, how do you take a belief that God is the causal agent for suffering and apply it to the sufferer? By emptying yourself to one sufferer at a time, knowing every situation and set of circumstances is different. By immersing yourself in a real, spirit-led role of helper, consoler, encourager, and nurse. By being able to hear cussing rants, screams and rages at God from the sufferer and not feeling any need to pardon or excuse God with some trite statement about how God wouldn’t let you suffer beyond what you can bear. By being sensitive and loving, attentive and present. By being God’s vessel, one to another, knowing that suffering is from the hand of God and healing is from the same hand.

    And when healing is not seen from that hand in this lifetime, we’re left mystified. And it’s hard. And it’s a day at a time.

    And, ultimately, isn’t it faith that although we haven’t seen it clearly, nor have we heard it discernibly, and God knows we don’t know what to think it is, we believe the synthesis is far, far greater than the antithesis.

    • Mr. Mike Honcho says:

      Thanks for your input Barry. Honest Question: If I asked you to distill that down into one or two bullet points, what would they be?

  13. barry says:

    Ha! Here's my one bullet point: it's all God!

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