Dear Peggy,
Thanks for thinking of me and for extending your kind invitation.
I read the book titles with great interest and was particularly struck by Sasse's "THEM, Why We Hate Each Other - - and How to Heal."
"THEM" immediately brought to mind an essay I've been working on - long and hard - and finally finished yesterday.
"How We Ended Up In 2 Totally Divided Camps, Both Convinced They're Absolutely Right"
http://paxonbothhouses.
I am reasonably confident you will find some of this writing offensive.
It may be a personal fault of mine but when I deal with people who align with the following meme, I have limited patience and pull out some "big guns" just for climactic relief.
I realize that many people are just plain stupid, but a very large percentage of these "cerebrally-challenged folks" use what intelligence they do have to deliberately avoid learning, while eagerly welcoming lies.
It's not just that they are uninterested in truth; they have become hostile to truth.
So...
I hope you have opportunity to spend some time with "Two Camps."
Please know there is no need to reply.
Perhaps one day soon we will sit down and talk things over.
Pax et amore
Alan
PS I was also struck by two other titles: "Not Suppose To Be This Way, Finding Unexpected Strength When Shattered" and -- because it included a line by the great Jesuit poet Gerard Manley Hopkins - "As Kingfishers Catch Fire: A Conversation on the Ways of God Formed by the Words of God."
(Please read "Kingfishers Catch Fire" three times, out loud.)
I am reasonably confident you will find some of this writing offensive.
It may be a personal fault of mine but when I deal with people who align with the following meme, I have limited patience and pull out some "big guns" just for climactic relief.
As Kingfishers Catch Fire
As kingfishers catch fire, dragonflies draw flame;
As tumbled over rim in roundy wells
Stones ring; like each tucked string tells, each hung bell's
Bow swung finds tongue to fling out broad its name;
Each mortal thing does one thing and the same:
Deals out that being indoors each one dwells;
Selves — goes itself; myself it speaks and spells,
Crying Whát I dó is me: for that I came.
I say móre: the just man justices;
Keeps grace: thát keeps all his goings graces;
Acts in God's eye what in God's eye he is —
Chríst — for Christ plays in ten thousand places,
Lovely in limbs, and lovely in eyes not his
To the Father through the features of men's faces.
Dear friend,
Stephen Durham organizes and facilitates a reading/conversation group each summer which spurs our thought on our faith in Jesus Christ. It may be virtual this summer. Usually at 7:30 am on Saturday morning. I would be honored if you would consider joining us. Steve’s letter is attached if you would be interested in joining us.
I will send the brief descriptions separately as I did not include them in my copy.
Sincerely and Shalom,
Peggie Murray
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Stephen D
Date: Tue, Apr 21, 2020 at 10:19 AM
Subject: CHOOSING BEGINS. Summer Reading Group 2020
To: Undisclosed
Plans are in almost setup Jello firmness for the Summer Reading Group. Will we meet virtually, face to face or a mix? That question wasn't will we meet but more about how. So we will continue to now narrow our choices. One choice has been removed. Most likely there will be three rounds of narrowing down to the choices. The full list with flyleaf information is below the choice selection grid. This is the final list with some additions. Feel free to dig deeper about any possible choice if you desire more information.
You can also be directly inviting others to participate. An invite personally delivered is often the nudge a person needs. Should we invite some of the college kids among us?
Stephen
Instructions.
1. Reply by Friday
2. Look over the expanded list
3. Select 10 choices that interest you out of the 20, No ranking needed, just your 10 top choices
4. Select reply to begin email, you can then enter info in the grid for reply (include "original" if that a choice)
5. Enter a mark in the first column of the grid below next to the 10 selections that you choose
6. Send reply email.
As kingfishers catch fire, dragonflies draw flame;
As tumbled over rim in roundy wells
Stones ring; like each tucked string tells, each hung bell's
Bow swung finds tongue to fling out broad its name;
Each mortal thing does one thing and the same:
Deals out that being indoors each one dwells;
Selves — goes itself; myself it speaks and spells,
Crying Whát I dó is me: for that I came.
I say móre: the just man justices;
Keeps grace: thát keeps all his goings graces;
Acts in God's eye what in God's eye he is —
Chríst — for Christ plays in ten thousand places,
Lovely in limbs, and lovely in eyes not his
To the Father through the features of men's faces.
Dear friend,
Stephen Durham organizes and facilitates a reading/conversation group each summer which spurs our thought on our faith in Jesus Christ. It may be virtual this summer. Usually at 7:30 am on Saturday morning. I would be honored if you would consider joining us. Steve’s letter is attached if you would be interested in joining us.
I will send the brief descriptions separately as I did not include them in my copy.
Sincerely and Shalom,
Peggie Murray
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Stephen D
Date: Tue, Apr 21, 2020 at 10:19 AM
Subject: CHOOSING BEGINS. Summer Reading Group 2020
To: Undisclosed
Date: Tue, Apr 21, 2020 at 10:19 AM
Subject: CHOOSING BEGINS. Summer Reading Group 2020
To: Undisclosed
Plans are in almost setup Jello firmness for the Summer Reading Group. Will we meet virtually, face to face or a mix? That question wasn't will we meet but more about how. So we will continue to now narrow our choices. One choice has been removed. Most likely there will be three rounds of narrowing down to the choices. The full list with flyleaf information is below the choice selection grid. This is the final list with some additions. Feel free to dig deeper about any possible choice if you desire more information.
You can also be directly inviting others to participate. An invite personally delivered is often the nudge a person needs. Should we invite some of the college kids among us?
Stephen
Instructions.
1. Reply by Friday
2. Look over the expanded list
3. Select 10 choices that interest you out of the 20, No ranking needed, just your 10 top choices
4. Select reply to begin email, you can then enter info in the grid for reply (include "original" if that a choice)
5. Enter a mark in the first column of the grid below next to the 10 selections that you choose
6. Send reply email.
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