Good gravy, no wonder humans can never seem to get anywhere. We're all so busy just... arguing about opinions (ours and others).
Well put, Nick. Talking about faith really puts folks on edge because it's taught as unquestionable LAW, so any discussion or doubt is blasphemy. I think that's the word for it? Heresy? I dunno, church is the "C" word and... it's all, just like, their opinion, man.
Honor. As a retired navy guy, I saw a lot of peers, subordinates, and superiors use “honor” as a reason or excuse for poor behavior as a human being. So I more and more don’t strictly subscribe to needing to be seen as “honorable.” I think if you value and exhibit decency, humility, kindness, and generosity you are honorable.
Checking in from Richmond Virginia, and lived a few years outside of your hometown in Minooka IL after I was discharged from the military. I love your comments, and I wish others would share those sentiments as well. There is nothing wrong with being humble and kind.
On a completely unrelated note, I just had the best bratwurst of my life - Switchbrat. It’s a beer brat made with Switchback, an unfiltered red ale from Vermont. Highly recommend both.
Love from Adam, Amanda and Levi from Maine, currently in Vermont.
Thank you for this post. It reminds me of the 7 Grandfathers Teachings. I am not an indigenous person, but I find that pondering the teachings of others is very valuable, just as valuable as the pondering the Teachings of Jesus. Who gets to, or did, chose our "faith" for us? I have been dismissive of the church because the love of power has often been more the end result than the power of Love. (See Jimi Hendriks.) These Seven Teachings are Wisdom, Respect, Honesty, Humility, Truth, Bravery, and Love. Most of the best that humanity has to offer can be contextualized with any of a number of organized religions. In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with taking the best and trying to live by those precepts. Thoughts from the other end of the donkey.
Have you read Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer? She presents a perspective on native wisdom and our relationship with the planet in such a compassionate and poetic way.
Also, there's a podcast Restorative Faith that really talks frankly about the present state and history of the Christian faith. I've been learning a lot about where these opinions and rules originated.
Thank you for your suggestions. We have her book here, but I haven't read it yet. Almost all Native writers, on this subject, give us important information on how we can act to create a more just and equity driven solution for many of our social ills and how we can begin to address our climate crisis. It's not perfect, but I rely on the Jefferson Bible for Jesus' instructions about how we can lift up those who require our care and support.
One of the greatest sources of peace in my life has been the idea of a God who loves and lifts people. One of the greatest sources of stress has been the effect of the organization that meets in his name.
From my humid roost in Caledonia, Ontario, Canada....Religion may be an effective way to develop a common heirarchy of values. It is unfortunate that many adherents and non-believers lose sight of the simplest answers, such as honouring (yeah there is a fuckin U in Canadian honour) common values and principles that lead to human flourishing. People may also come about these processes independent of religion. Whatever their path, without humour, humility will be sparse and identities fragile. The Internet may reveal all, but it may also allow us to paint ourselves as honourable in comments sections when we are, in fact, cowards and knaves in action.
Soooo many memories. A ‘Whiska’palian’ attending a Catholic parochial school, in a small Baptist town. Some odd things and funny stuff. Small town Catholics tend to lean Jesuit in their ‘devotion’. Guess it’s to keep fervor at a temperature commiserate w their Baptist neighbors. Both loudly “Damn the Heathens!”. burp. back to my whiskey.
Thank you! As a pastor, I truly appreciate where you are coming from on this! I suppose I would offer that, unfortunately, the church in this day and age has more than its fair share of COF's, white supremacists, and assholes! There are many days when I wonder why I keep with this church thing. I got into it initially because I saw the knee-jerk anti-muslim responses from COF's after 9-11 and wanted to be a part of cleaning up some of the assholes in the church (and yes, there are many days where pastoring feels like wiping a lot of asses!). However, the longer I do this, the more it feels like a lost cause, and the more that I notice the people outside the church seem to take the teachings of Jesus a lot more seriously than the people inside the church. I have listened (and I choose audio books because hearing you read your words really takes your writing to the next level) to most of your books, and delight in your regular posts here, because I hear someone of deep faith that understands what "Faith" is actually about.
[Seth, of Albuquerque, NM] I have yet to offer up a question, but wanted to tag one on here. I am also a woodworker (definitely an amateur), and in light of that post about faith, I was wondering, would you identify in your creative endeavors (woodworking, acting, music, etc.) a deeply spiritual/faithful aspect. Of course, I don't mean in the COF kind of way, but in the way you spoke about faith in your previous post. There you spoke of "the hope that we store in one another," as faith. Is there a place in which that exists in your creative pursuits as well? I have found that as a pastor, church doesn't always do that for me anymore (it's a job, not always a spiritual experience), but sometimes getting into the woodshop does. Or would you think of those pursuits as entirely other? Sorry for the TL;DR responses, but you really got me with that one!
As always Mr.Offerman, very nicely stated. I live my life in perpetual bewilderment at those who adhere to organized religions, yet whose actions defy or distort many of the core teachings, foremost of which is to treat others as you would like to be treated. Growing up immersed in the teachings of the Baptist church, only later to convert to Catholicism via marriage, I have come to the conclusion that there is somewhat of a mutual exclusivity between organized religions and belief in some higher power or selfless greater good among the human race. While there is certainly some cross pollination between the two, the litmus test for me is, which of the two has contributed to more death and persecution over the course of human history and to this very day. Thanks for sharing and keeping me grounded in sanity.
Couldn’t be more pleased with the immediate results from having downloaded the Substack app yesterday and subscribing to this page.
My only source of social media is Twitter and upon realizing that this post was a reaction of yours to the somewhat viral tweet of your friend’s that came across my feed recently…I jumped right in, as it made me recall the smile the tweet had given me.
— You see, these brief moments of joy - the Nick Offerman baby baptismal/ “sacrament” themed tweets have proven themselves to be an important respite from what can only be described as…well…try to imagine wearing a pair of dungarees, the well-fitting type + fitted long sleeved shirt, perhaps a nice pearl snap + boots + square-knotted neckerchief — on top of that, you’re dripping wet, though…fully clothed. BUT, you’re now laying prone and someone has covered you in a blanket, itself also soaking wet.
— This is my best attempt at explaining what its felt like recently...navigating life, day in and day out, down here in my home state of Texas with Abbot and his appalling counterparts at the helm.
Today, I drove from home in Austin to my parent’s home in Granbury and listened to this Substack post then immediately afterwards, replayed the podcast of yours and Ezra Klein’s discussion.
Full circle, perhaps…as there’s currently an active wildfire burning through this area of the Brazos and Paluxy rivers.
Ranches are gone.
One spared; however, was that of the late John Graves, confirmed by his daughter Helen Graves via a tweet of hers that I happened upon yesterday. Goodbye to a River, written by Mr. Graves, is an incredible book and one of my favorites.
A copy of Goodbye was in my father’s bookshelf. I took it with me when I left their home earlier this evening.
I like to imagine that you yourself have read it. If not, please do.
Sacraments and CoF’s aside. I appreciate these brief and fleeting moments that remind me of the good in people.
Cheers from Texas, down here where many of us are fighting the good fight.
Good gravy, no wonder humans can never seem to get anywhere. We're all so busy just... arguing about opinions (ours and others).
Well put, Nick. Talking about faith really puts folks on edge because it's taught as unquestionable LAW, so any discussion or doubt is blasphemy. I think that's the word for it? Heresy? I dunno, church is the "C" word and... it's all, just like, their opinion, man.
Solid “Big Lebowski” reference!
You're out of your element Donnie.
Dear Nick and fellow Muleteers,
I'm a nurse, and American Healthcare is a mess. I just finished reading a book called "Healing" by Theresa Brown, RN. Please read and share so we can make a course correction. FAST. https://tangentialmango.substack.com/p/dear-theresa-brown-rn?sd=pf
Read, share, comment, then get on the boat and get to work!
Love,
Jessie RN
Jesus dad had a wood shop too.
Nick, hang in there. You know when you meet true Christians because they raise you up. You feel safe. You feel inspired.
Thx for all of the belly laughs over the years. So many endorphins🙌🏻
Honor. As a retired navy guy, I saw a lot of peers, subordinates, and superiors use “honor” as a reason or excuse for poor behavior as a human being. So I more and more don’t strictly subscribe to needing to be seen as “honorable.” I think if you value and exhibit decency, humility, kindness, and generosity you are honorable.
Checking in from Richmond Virginia, and lived a few years outside of your hometown in Minooka IL after I was discharged from the military. I love your comments, and I wish others would share those sentiments as well. There is nothing wrong with being humble and kind.
Very well put. Eloquent, as always.
On a completely unrelated note, I just had the best bratwurst of my life - Switchbrat. It’s a beer brat made with Switchback, an unfiltered red ale from Vermont. Highly recommend both.
Love from Adam, Amanda and Levi from Maine, currently in Vermont.
Thank you for this post. It reminds me of the 7 Grandfathers Teachings. I am not an indigenous person, but I find that pondering the teachings of others is very valuable, just as valuable as the pondering the Teachings of Jesus. Who gets to, or did, chose our "faith" for us? I have been dismissive of the church because the love of power has often been more the end result than the power of Love. (See Jimi Hendriks.) These Seven Teachings are Wisdom, Respect, Honesty, Humility, Truth, Bravery, and Love. Most of the best that humanity has to offer can be contextualized with any of a number of organized religions. In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with taking the best and trying to live by those precepts. Thoughts from the other end of the donkey.
Have you read Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer? She presents a perspective on native wisdom and our relationship with the planet in such a compassionate and poetic way.
Also, there's a podcast Restorative Faith that really talks frankly about the present state and history of the Christian faith. I've been learning a lot about where these opinions and rules originated.
Thank you for your suggestions. We have her book here, but I haven't read it yet. Almost all Native writers, on this subject, give us important information on how we can act to create a more just and equity driven solution for many of our social ills and how we can begin to address our climate crisis. It's not perfect, but I rely on the Jefferson Bible for Jesus' instructions about how we can lift up those who require our care and support.
One of the greatest sources of peace in my life has been the idea of a God who loves and lifts people. One of the greatest sources of stress has been the effect of the organization that meets in his name.
From my humid roost in Caledonia, Ontario, Canada....Religion may be an effective way to develop a common heirarchy of values. It is unfortunate that many adherents and non-believers lose sight of the simplest answers, such as honouring (yeah there is a fuckin U in Canadian honour) common values and principles that lead to human flourishing. People may also come about these processes independent of religion. Whatever their path, without humour, humility will be sparse and identities fragile. The Internet may reveal all, but it may also allow us to paint ourselves as honourable in comments sections when we are, in fact, cowards and knaves in action.
Rooting for the St. Louis baseball team is the only true cardinal sin imo. Thank you, thank you; I'll be here all night
Soooo many memories. A ‘Whiska’palian’ attending a Catholic parochial school, in a small Baptist town. Some odd things and funny stuff. Small town Catholics tend to lean Jesuit in their ‘devotion’. Guess it’s to keep fervor at a temperature commiserate w their Baptist neighbors. Both loudly “Damn the Heathens!”. burp. back to my whiskey.
Thank you! As a pastor, I truly appreciate where you are coming from on this! I suppose I would offer that, unfortunately, the church in this day and age has more than its fair share of COF's, white supremacists, and assholes! There are many days when I wonder why I keep with this church thing. I got into it initially because I saw the knee-jerk anti-muslim responses from COF's after 9-11 and wanted to be a part of cleaning up some of the assholes in the church (and yes, there are many days where pastoring feels like wiping a lot of asses!). However, the longer I do this, the more it feels like a lost cause, and the more that I notice the people outside the church seem to take the teachings of Jesus a lot more seriously than the people inside the church. I have listened (and I choose audio books because hearing you read your words really takes your writing to the next level) to most of your books, and delight in your regular posts here, because I hear someone of deep faith that understands what "Faith" is actually about.
[Seth, of Albuquerque, NM] I have yet to offer up a question, but wanted to tag one on here. I am also a woodworker (definitely an amateur), and in light of that post about faith, I was wondering, would you identify in your creative endeavors (woodworking, acting, music, etc.) a deeply spiritual/faithful aspect. Of course, I don't mean in the COF kind of way, but in the way you spoke about faith in your previous post. There you spoke of "the hope that we store in one another," as faith. Is there a place in which that exists in your creative pursuits as well? I have found that as a pastor, church doesn't always do that for me anymore (it's a job, not always a spiritual experience), but sometimes getting into the woodshop does. Or would you think of those pursuits as entirely other? Sorry for the TL;DR responses, but you really got me with that one!
As always Mr.Offerman, very nicely stated. I live my life in perpetual bewilderment at those who adhere to organized religions, yet whose actions defy or distort many of the core teachings, foremost of which is to treat others as you would like to be treated. Growing up immersed in the teachings of the Baptist church, only later to convert to Catholicism via marriage, I have come to the conclusion that there is somewhat of a mutual exclusivity between organized religions and belief in some higher power or selfless greater good among the human race. While there is certainly some cross pollination between the two, the litmus test for me is, which of the two has contributed to more death and persecution over the course of human history and to this very day. Thanks for sharing and keeping me grounded in sanity.
Dear Nick and fellow Muleteers,
I'm a nurse, and American Healthcare is a mess. I just finished reading a book called "Healing" by Theresa Brown, RN. Please read and share so we can make a course correction. FAST. https://tangentialmango.substack.com/p/dear-theresa-brown-rn?sd=pf
Read, share, comment, then get on the boat and get to work!
Love,
Jessie RN
Lombard, IL
Kind of sad that things like this need to be spelled out in our modern society.
Couldn’t be more pleased with the immediate results from having downloaded the Substack app yesterday and subscribing to this page.
My only source of social media is Twitter and upon realizing that this post was a reaction of yours to the somewhat viral tweet of your friend’s that came across my feed recently…I jumped right in, as it made me recall the smile the tweet had given me.
— You see, these brief moments of joy - the Nick Offerman baby baptismal/ “sacrament” themed tweets have proven themselves to be an important respite from what can only be described as…well…try to imagine wearing a pair of dungarees, the well-fitting type + fitted long sleeved shirt, perhaps a nice pearl snap + boots + square-knotted neckerchief — on top of that, you’re dripping wet, though…fully clothed. BUT, you’re now laying prone and someone has covered you in a blanket, itself also soaking wet.
— This is my best attempt at explaining what its felt like recently...navigating life, day in and day out, down here in my home state of Texas with Abbot and his appalling counterparts at the helm.
Today, I drove from home in Austin to my parent’s home in Granbury and listened to this Substack post then immediately afterwards, replayed the podcast of yours and Ezra Klein’s discussion.
Full circle, perhaps…as there’s currently an active wildfire burning through this area of the Brazos and Paluxy rivers.
Ranches are gone.
One spared; however, was that of the late John Graves, confirmed by his daughter Helen Graves via a tweet of hers that I happened upon yesterday. Goodbye to a River, written by Mr. Graves, is an incredible book and one of my favorites.
A copy of Goodbye was in my father’s bookshelf. I took it with me when I left their home earlier this evening.
I like to imagine that you yourself have read it. If not, please do.
Sacraments and CoF’s aside. I appreciate these brief and fleeting moments that remind me of the good in people.
Cheers from Texas, down here where many of us are fighting the good fight.