Category: fear

ancestors, Christianity, Culture, Family, Family, fear, history, humanity, racism, spirituality

Ancestors

Gary Furr

I made the mistake of getting interested in my ancestors several years ago. Genealogical research is when you set off in the most hopeful of frames, just knowing we will discover Dukes, Earls, celebrities, inventors, Queens and famous artists in our personal tree. More likely you will find ordinary people who farmed, had children and never moved. Or worse, horse thieves and other people running from debtors prison or an ex-wife and children. It’s like a fellow who was looking into his heritage, but he wasn’t very encouraged by what he found. He wrote a friend and said, “It’s not … Continue reading Ancestors

Disappointment, Faith, fear, hope, humanity, Jesus, Spirituality, spirituality, Story1 Comment

The Gift of Doubt

Gary Furr

My children asked the question, “Have you ever doubted your faith?” This is what I wrote. I hope it reassures you to know that the answer is simple: Yes, of course. In some ways, the question itself could open so many different directions. Is the question, “Have I ever doubted whether I have faith?” Yes. Many times. Have I ever had questions that threatened to undo my sense of belief, everything I had trusted in my life? Yes, those are more about the subjective experience of faith. Sometimes it could be taken to mean, “Have you ever doubted the faith?” … Continue reading The Gift of Doubt

Bible, Christian Nationalism, Christianity, Citizenship, Culture, Ethics, Faith, fear, Hope, hope, humanity, Jesus, Love, Politics, Story, Television

Random Thoughts from the Bargain Bin

Gary Furr

When the new Pope began speaking, I wasn’t sure what language I’d be hearing, so I turned on “live captioning.” When he said, “We must pray to Mother Mary” in Italian, it said, “Pray to Mother PayPal.” (Did that J.D. Vance do that?) In the gospel of Matthew, we are told the Wise men came to Jerusalem, asking where the child was to be born. The Bible says, “When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him.” As a precaution, he ordered all the baby boys massacred. So when terrible things happen, trace irrational oppression. You … Continue reading Random Thoughts from the Bargain Bin

Evangelicalism, fear, Grace, Hope, Jesus, Leadership, Ministry, Politics1 Comment

Investing in Grace

Gary Furr

I first wrote this post seven years ago. Seems to me it is needed more than ever. Hope depends upon the capacity of a person to trust in the ultimate goodness of things rather than on the evidence of any particular moment’s appearance. That is important for the living of these days. In the fractures of our present politics, our divisions, our radical differences of how we see the same world, it is tempting to withdraw from the fray. It is also tempting to deepen the gulf. And neither of these options helps either us or the world. And it … Continue reading Investing in Grace

America, Culture, Faith, fear, Hope, hope, Politics, social media, spirituality, Story3 Comments

Faith is Courage in Spite of …

Gary Furr

A friend who has devoted her adult life to global poverty texted me this week. Discouragement, confusion, chaos is everywhere. A sense of paranoia and ruthless cruelty has settled in our capital, and now the enemies of America are apparently other Americans. I sent these words to her amid the distress and I share them with you if you need them. ———————————————————————————— There’s a famous story that Robert Bly tells about Carl Jung who, whenever a friend reported enthusiastically, ‘I have just been promoted!’ Jung would say, ‘I’m very sorry to hear that; but if we all stick together, I … Continue reading Faith is Courage in Spite of …