Tag: Reflections

Posted in Countdown to Christmas

Countdown to Christmas 2025: “Thou Shalt LOVE, Not Hate” — Day Five 12/5/25

Posted on by Neal Saye

From December 1-25, I’ll be sharing a quote and its truth from John Fugelsang’s Separation of Church and Hate: A Sane Person’s Guide to Taking Back the Bible from Fundamentalists, Fascists and Flock-Fleecing Frauds, the book Robert and I are currently and fascinatingly reading.

An odd Advent Calendar, of sorts.

If you are interested, you can see the introduction to this new blog category here:

https://nealenjoy.com/2025/12/01/countdown-to-christmas-2025-thou-shalt-love-not-hate-introduction-12-1-25/

Fugelsang remembers: “I was raised to believe that the opposite of faith is not doubt, as doubt is an essential part of any real faith journey.”

“The opposite of faith is certainity.” Separation of church and hate. p. 53.

I love Fugelsang’s brief declaration of truth, which reminds me of Shakespeare’s also-famous and truthful line: “Brevity is the soul of wit.”

Absolute Certainty can get us in all kinds of trouble!

Fugelsang continues: “Extremists of all faiths (or none) are raised in, and live with, supreme and absolute certainty. They don’t think they’re better than you; they know for a fact that God thinks they’re better than you.” p. 53

“Life’s pretty simple for the authoritarian Christian. Since most of their opinions happen to also be God’s opinions— and they believe that they’re the folks who get to speak for God—they generally feel divinely obliged to control whatever part of society they see fit. Y’ know, for God.”

“And if you’re one of the anointed who speaks for the Almighty, eventually you’re liable to believe that anyone who opposes you is, logically, on the side of Satan. And God’s true people are never going to sit down and negotiate things like school curriculum, women’s rights, or marriage equality with Lucifer. People who’ve been conditioned to think you’re on the side of the devil aren’t permitted to meet you halfway.” p. 54

Ouch!

May we all be willing to meet each other halfway this Holiday Season — and beyond.

Last night at the Jepsen Center for the Arts lighting of the Christmas tree here in Savannah. 

We met them halfway!

Posted in Countdown to Christmas

Countdown to Christmas 2025: “Thou Shalt LOVE, Not Hate” — Day Four 12/4/25

Posted on by Neal Saye

From December 1-25, I’ll be sharing a quote and its truth from John Fugelsang’s “Separation of Church and Hate: A Sane Person’s Guide to Taking Back the Bible from Fundamentalists, Fascists and Flock-Fleecing Frauds, the book Robert and I are currently and fascinatingly reading.

An odd Advent Calendar, of sorts.

If you are interested, you can see the introduction to this new blog category here:

https://nealenjoy.com/2025/12/01/countdown-to-christmas-2025-thou-shalt-love-not-hate-introduction-12-1-25/

Today: Another part of Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount” (Matthew 5:3-12) commonly referred to as “The Beatitudes”

Author John Fugelsang writes: “And get a load of these BEATITUDES.

Jesus opens the Sermon with a series of blessings that represent his foundational teachings and core values. Each line begins with the word ‘blessed,’ which can also be translated as ‘happy,’ ‘fortunate,’ or even ‘lucky.’

Jesus pronounces his blessings upon specific groups of people. He focuses on the poor and marginalized; he praises nonviolence and peace-making, radical love, mercy, and inclusion; and he pretty much takes down the status quo.” Separation of Church and Hate p. 25

1. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

2. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”

3. “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”

4. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”

5. “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”

6. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”

7. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”

8. “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Fugelsang jokes: “Imagine the hecklers: ‘Meh, I didn’t trudge all the way up Mount of Beatitudes just to hear some virtue signaling from Woke Jesus.’” p. 25

“The Beatitudes are Jesus’s own guide for ethical conduct in Christian life.” p. 25

May we all be Harmonious and “Beatitude-ish Peacemakers” this Holiday Season — and beyond.

A few of my Photos of Peace:

Inside the Mighty Eighth Museum Chapel, Savannah GA
Peacefully Playing

Posted in Countdown to Christmas

Countdown to Christmas 2025: “Thou Shalt LOVE, Not Hate” — Introduction 12/1/25

Posted on by Neal Saye

My Countdown to Christmas series this year is inspired by a recent simple book recommendation from dear friends Jo and Kathi. “You HAVE to read Separation of Church and Hate! It’s FULL of truth, and it’s often laugh-out-loud funny!”

I Googled the book and saw the full, never-ending title: Separation of Church and Hate: A Sane Person’s Guide to Taking Back the Bible from Fundamentalists, Fascists and Flock-Fleecing Frauds.

“Whoa,” I thought, “That title sounds far too Holiday Heavy.”

But then Robert and I started to read, and we were absolutely flabbergasted by the clear, undeniable truth and push for lovingkindness presented by author John Fugelsang. (And yes, I have laughed out loud many a time during our read.)

So I plan to share with you a quote and its truth from the book each day starting today, December 1 and ending on Christmas Day.

An Advent Calendar, of sorts.

And of course, I realize that everyone is not Christian or religious. That many folks have had awful and problematic issues with organized religion. I get that. And we’ve experienced the same thing. But we are happy today to have found an inclusive, love-embracing and creatively fun congregation here in Savannah, Asbury Memorial.

If possible, may you receive the kernels of truth in these posts without being bogged down by the “Christian-ness” of them.

And may Christmas 2025 for us ALL be a season of pulling away from hatred — and embracing all-encompassing, inclusive Love.

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22: 36-37

Love, then, is the apex of the Christian faith, and I would surmise at the apex of every faith or even non-faith (if that makes a lick of sense).

Adding to the words of Jesus (can I do that?) …

Love Is ALL.

See you tomorrow.

Posted in Encouragement

There’s More Than One Way to Defy Gravity

Posted on by Neal Saye

So this afternoon, HR (Husband Robert, to the uninitiated), Ex-wife Donna and I went to see the current top-grossing film in the nation, Wicked: For Good.

We got our popcorn and headed for Auditorium One, when we decided we REALLY needed photo documentation (well, perhaps I alone decided that, but HR and Donna went along).

Not the greatest photo quality, but (spoiler alert for the rest of the post) I’m with the two Loves of My Life

In a weird way, just the three of us out together on a movie date is … Defying Gravity.

it may look dark in this theatre, but … it’s really not.

“It’s time to try defying gravity
I think I’ll try defying gravity
And you can’t pull me down”

I Have Been.

Posted in Encouragement

Smashed

Posted on by Neal Saye

Taking the trash out into the alley behind our place, I ran into this …

“Uh oh,” I thought, “there’s a story here somewhere.”

A discarded (before Halloween!) strange-looking jack-o’-lantern hunkering down at the feet of a thoroughly smashed mirror.

I moved closer, snapping a few photos (I’m not sure why).

“How very sad,” I cringed, “and somebody’s in for some bad luck!”

“You obviously know not of that which you speak,” a crystal clear voice came from the shards.

I walked away, educated.

Posted in How Has It Come to This?

This Is Why He’s Not My President

Posted on by Neal Saye

Trump and his entourage responded with mockery to weekend “No Kings” protests by millions of Americans — embracing the narrative in a way that explains his growing hubris and belief that he has unchecked power. cnn

The president and Vice President JD Vance this weekend both posted AI memes to social media depicting Trump in a crown. The one Trump shared was a mocked-up vision of the president flying a fighter jet emblazoned with “KING TRUMP appearing to dump raw sewage on protesters. cnn

This Horrific Embarrassment is a President of the United States?