Just wanted to let you both know how meaningful your running commentary is to me. I look forward to reading both of your analyses and perspectives on life every morning. Both of you provide a most insightful and unvarnished look at the truth behind what is taking place during these crazy times.
In your commentary today, you note how you get attacked by some very angry and hateful people and, as you note, it is just part of the price one pays for speaking the Truth honestly. Most importantly, I do want you to know that there are so many more of the people like me who have learned so much about life and what is truly important by reading your articles and listening to you on your podcasts. As you have stated, you tell us the truth no matter if it hurts you or not and for that I am indeed most grateful.
Know how much you have sacrificed to follow the path that leads to God and you are one of the individuals that I most respect for having the courage to do so.
I don't know how serious you are about the "horde of demons" comment, but I assume you are dead serious. One of the surprising things in the gospels that stands out in the grand narrative of Scripture is how much Jesus confronted demons (the apostles still a little in the Acts). It seems that hordes of demons appeared with the dawning of God's great salvation in His Son, and they knew who He was and that He had authority over them. It seems to me we need a much more robust demonology to function as God's faithful people in this empire of lies, and unfortunately we are prone to a cartoonish caricature of evil instead of recognizing the demons for what they are, and speaking to them unapologetically and authoritatively in the name of Jesus from a position of not being captive to them. Unfortunately, we're sheep without a shepherd in this regard. The way in which the serpent gains power over humans is by enticing them to accept his lies. "Sin is crouching at the door," God warned Cain. "Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it." That rule starts exactly as you say, by choosing what is good, true, and beautiful. and rejoicing in it. Because Jesus is risen, rhythms of grace will always exert more influence than the drumbeats of doom, but they are calmer and easier to miss if you've grown inattentive to those frequencies. We have been given the means of grace and the hope of glory, if only we humbly embrace them for the treasure they are. You help me a lot to do that, and I'm so grateful.
Can we have love without responsibility? Can we have joy without the cross of suffering? Can we have anything truly good without the sacrifice it takes to attain it? If we believe in the Fall of Mankind, is that the ultimate consequence it caused, that we can't have goodness until we sacrifice for it? It seems that Marxism understands that rule of life implicitly and perverts it by saying the sacrifice we need in order to attain Eden is human blood and bodies.
What Marxism, and unbridled Capitalism as well, misses is the second consequence that the Fall of Mankind produces, namely, we also can't have it all in this life. There's an angel with a flaming sword blocking the way back to Eden. Yet we yearn to gain it back, regardless. There is an unconscious knowledge and desire for the wholeness we lost. But there is no heaven on earth until the Lord Jesus Christ comes again. We can make room for him in our hearts and our souls, and there he can reign and make us new, but the world will remain fallen until the end of days. Any effort wholly made on our part, without the help of God, only brings us deeper into the pit.
“All we can do is joyfully choose life and hope that those mired in the misery of their furious convictions yearn to follow along.”
Reminds me of the trope: “people don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.”
Great, good things are contagious, and don’t usually require justification. If you choose life, live it joyfully and care for other people, minds and hearts change.
I just realized something...the other conservative (and Christian) commentators/podcasters etc. to whom I listen do dispense the truth; however, I often feel lower than a snake's belly in Grand Canyon afterward. Why? I am realizing that they are only giving the truth of the bleakness of our situation but often forgetting to give God's truth, which overcomes it all. Even if they speak encouragement, they don't seem to believe it themselves. Thank you, both (Klavan Sr. and Jr.) for presenting the unvarnished truth while drenching it the joy of the Lord, which is our strength. (And the humor is helpful as well.) Can I get an Amen?
Madwomen in attics? You’re too kind. The woman in “The Yellow Wallpaper” was(went) mad. Bertha is more like batshit crazy. You know, somewhat more sane than the social media lunatic you were talking about. 😂
Dear Klavan team
Just wanted to let you both know how meaningful your running commentary is to me. I look forward to reading both of your analyses and perspectives on life every morning. Both of you provide a most insightful and unvarnished look at the truth behind what is taking place during these crazy times.
In your commentary today, you note how you get attacked by some very angry and hateful people and, as you note, it is just part of the price one pays for speaking the Truth honestly. Most importantly, I do want you to know that there are so many more of the people like me who have learned so much about life and what is truly important by reading your articles and listening to you on your podcasts. As you have stated, you tell us the truth no matter if it hurts you or not and for that I am indeed most grateful.
Know how much you have sacrificed to follow the path that leads to God and you are one of the individuals that I most respect for having the courage to do so.
Will keep you all in my prayers.
God's rich blessings to you all
I don't know how serious you are about the "horde of demons" comment, but I assume you are dead serious. One of the surprising things in the gospels that stands out in the grand narrative of Scripture is how much Jesus confronted demons (the apostles still a little in the Acts). It seems that hordes of demons appeared with the dawning of God's great salvation in His Son, and they knew who He was and that He had authority over them. It seems to me we need a much more robust demonology to function as God's faithful people in this empire of lies, and unfortunately we are prone to a cartoonish caricature of evil instead of recognizing the demons for what they are, and speaking to them unapologetically and authoritatively in the name of Jesus from a position of not being captive to them. Unfortunately, we're sheep without a shepherd in this regard. The way in which the serpent gains power over humans is by enticing them to accept his lies. "Sin is crouching at the door," God warned Cain. "Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it." That rule starts exactly as you say, by choosing what is good, true, and beautiful. and rejoicing in it. Because Jesus is risen, rhythms of grace will always exert more influence than the drumbeats of doom, but they are calmer and easier to miss if you've grown inattentive to those frequencies. We have been given the means of grace and the hope of glory, if only we humbly embrace them for the treasure they are. You help me a lot to do that, and I'm so grateful.
Can we have love without responsibility? Can we have joy without the cross of suffering? Can we have anything truly good without the sacrifice it takes to attain it? If we believe in the Fall of Mankind, is that the ultimate consequence it caused, that we can't have goodness until we sacrifice for it? It seems that Marxism understands that rule of life implicitly and perverts it by saying the sacrifice we need in order to attain Eden is human blood and bodies.
What Marxism, and unbridled Capitalism as well, misses is the second consequence that the Fall of Mankind produces, namely, we also can't have it all in this life. There's an angel with a flaming sword blocking the way back to Eden. Yet we yearn to gain it back, regardless. There is an unconscious knowledge and desire for the wholeness we lost. But there is no heaven on earth until the Lord Jesus Christ comes again. We can make room for him in our hearts and our souls, and there he can reign and make us new, but the world will remain fallen until the end of days. Any effort wholly made on our part, without the help of God, only brings us deeper into the pit.
“All we can do is joyfully choose life and hope that those mired in the misery of their furious convictions yearn to follow along.”
Reminds me of the trope: “people don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.”
Great, good things are contagious, and don’t usually require justification. If you choose life, live it joyfully and care for other people, minds and hearts change.
I just realized something...the other conservative (and Christian) commentators/podcasters etc. to whom I listen do dispense the truth; however, I often feel lower than a snake's belly in Grand Canyon afterward. Why? I am realizing that they are only giving the truth of the bleakness of our situation but often forgetting to give God's truth, which overcomes it all. Even if they speak encouragement, they don't seem to believe it themselves. Thank you, both (Klavan Sr. and Jr.) for presenting the unvarnished truth while drenching it the joy of the Lord, which is our strength. (And the humor is helpful as well.) Can I get an Amen?
I feel this way every Saturday morning after listening to Andrew's show.
Madwomen in attics? You’re too kind. The woman in “The Yellow Wallpaper” was(went) mad. Bertha is more like batshit crazy. You know, somewhat more sane than the social media lunatic you were talking about. 😂