It is freaking cold outside! Like someone moved the polar cap to my front door.
\nThis posting is not about this phenomenon, but it is about extremes. This nation, if not the world at large, seems to have shifted. Battle line have been drawn, the camps are entrenched behind their dogma and self-righteous doctrine. It is either this cause or that cause, period. Classic dualism.<\/p>\n
In a recent article at Edge.org, Professor Steven Pinker explains the principle of the second law of thermodynamics as follows:<\/p>\n
The Second Law of Thermodynamics states that in an isolated system (one that is not taking in energy), entropy never decreases. (The First Law is that energy is conserved; the Third, that a temperature of absolute zero is unreachable.) Closed systems inexorably become less structured, less organized, less able to accomplish interesting and useful outcomes, until they slide into an equilibrium of gray, tepid, homogeneous monotony and stay there.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
I think that Professor Pinker\u2019s explanation is a proper declaration for what occurs when we divide ourselves into camps of interest whether they are camps devoted to politics, religion, sports, food, cars, clothes or any other camp whose identity is established on a standard that opposes another camp. Camps are closed systems. Republicans do not think like Democrats; Catholics don\u2019t believe like Protestants; Ford truck people don\u2019t know anything like Dodge truck people do. It is everywhere.<\/p>\n
Yet, according to the good professor\u2019s claim, these closed systems are less able to accomplish interesting and useful outcomes. Point at Washington D.C. and any other political center across this globe and you can see this as the daily grind from the clash of camps. Look at our spiritual centers around the world and you\u2019ll witness the proclamation of exclusion rather than the gospel of inclusion as communities of believers fracture more and more around doctrinal issues rather than face the mandate of going into the world to make disciples.<\/p>\n
Disciples. Not converts. But disciples of what? Dualistic thinkers are always stuck right here. They can never see any choice that doesn\u2019t align with their meta-narrative on either side of the issue.<\/p>\n
Paraphrasing author Cynthia Bourgeault from her book The Law of Three, when there are two forces, one opposing and one agreeing, each committed to their ideology, progress never happens. Only when a third force is introduced, will any change or movement occur. This third, or reconciling force, will pull from the other two and develop a new direction that neither had the ability to construct on their own. The new direction will create the next agreeing and opposing forces over time which, as in our example of above, achieve entropy until the third force is introduced again. No advancement or sustained movement will occur without the involvement of the third, reconciling force.<\/p>\n
Did that help you see what type of disciple? No, then how about this little beauty:<\/p>\n
Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us; we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. (2Co 5:20)<\/em><\/p>\nGod does not care what camp you belong too because He reconciled you. You are a new creation. Neither camp could create you, only God could. Now you are to be the reconciling force that causes things to move forward. Believers are not members of a political party; they reconcile parties into a new direction that neither party could advance on their own. Believers aren\u2019t members of a denomination; they are the force that changes the world by advancing the reconciling fact of God\u2019s love for them. Nations\/states are not God nation\/states; they are regions of reconciliation between nation\/states who are unable to move into their destiny because of polarization of ideologies.<\/p>\n
Hunger, homelessness, child abuse, abortion, sex trafficking, pollution, terrorism, military intervention, economic upheaval, just to name a few things; the world has issues, real-life matters that are not being addressed by anyone, simply because battle lines have been drawn. It\u2019s time to take the role we\u2019ve been placed in and use our God-given talents to make things happen rather than choosing a side we think God wants us to be on.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t for one moment think that these matters can\u2019t be changed by the likes of you. Small things make a big impact on global issues. Quit waiting for someone to do something when you\u2019re the reconciling force. Start somewhere, look for an impasse and make it passable. If you can\u2019t envision yourself doing this then it is quite possible that you have succumbed to the second law of thermodynamics, an equilibrium of gray, tepid, homogeneous monotony content to stay there. Sounds like church to me.
\nYou have been called to always be the separation between the entropic institutions of church and state.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
It is freaking cold outside! Like someone moved the polar cap to my front door. This posting is not about this phenomenon, but it is about extremes. This nation, if not the world at large, seems to have shifted. Battle … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"amazonpipp_noncename":"","amazon-product-isactive":"","amazon-product-single-asin":"","amazon-product-content-location":"","amazon-product-content-hook-override":"","amazon-product-excerpt-hook-override":"","amazon-product-singular-only":"","amazon-product-amazon-desc":"","amazon-product-show-gallery":"","amazon-product-show-features":"","amazon-product-newwindow":"","amazon-product-show-list-price":"","amazon-product-show-used-price":"","amazon-product-show-saved-amt":"","amazon-product-timestamp":"","amazon-product-new-title":"","amazon-product-use-cartURL":"","amazon_featured_post_meta_key":"","_amazon_featured_alt":"","amazon-product-template":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[4,6,5],"class_list":["post-559","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-10","tag-grace","tag-mike-hillebrecht","tag-teaching"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/s2ITDy-polarity","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2464,"url":"https:\/\/mikehillebrecht.com\/index.php\/2021\/03\/25\/the-three-pillars-of-grace-pt-5\/","url_meta":{"origin":559,"position":0},"title":"The Three Pillars of Grace Pt. 5","author":"mike","date":"March 25, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"In the first issue of this series, I made the follow distinction of grace: A \u201cthrone of grace\u201d is a description of what proceeds from the seat in thought and action rather than its construction. Just as your friends recognize you in your car, we are supposed to recognize God\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "2021 Postings"","block_context":{"text":"2021 Postings","link":"https:\/\/mikehillebrecht.com\/index.php\/category\/2021-postings\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"hand in hand","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mikehillebrecht.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/inbaby-hand3.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":114,"url":"https:\/\/mikehillebrecht.com\/index.php\/2014\/07\/02\/jealous-of-this\/","url_meta":{"origin":559,"position":1},"title":"Jealous of this?","author":"mike","date":"July 2, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"When was the last time that you were jealous because your neighbor watched television or mowed his yard? Or how about the last time that your coworker drove to work? Or perhaps the last time that our spouse washed clothes? All of those things are pretty ridiculous reasons to be\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "2014 Postings"","block_context":{"text":"2014 Postings","link":"https:\/\/mikehillebrecht.com\/index.php\/category\/2014\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mikehillebrecht.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/inbaby-hand3.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2091,"url":"https:\/\/mikehillebrecht.com\/index.php\/2018\/12\/31\/karma\/","url_meta":{"origin":559,"position":2},"title":"Karma","author":"mike","date":"December 31, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"There are within this universe a set of rules which apply across the board to all people. Gravity is the first. What goes up will come down. Granted the duration between the upside and the down side is not determinable in many cases, however, the effect always comes. This brings\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "2018 Postings"","block_context":{"text":"2018 Postings","link":"https:\/\/mikehillebrecht.com\/index.php\/category\/2018-postings\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"hand in hand","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mikehillebrecht.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/inbaby-hand3.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2925,"url":"https:\/\/mikehillebrecht.com\/index.php\/2025\/02\/09\/the-mulligan-life\/","url_meta":{"origin":559,"position":3},"title":"The Mulligan Life","author":"mike","date":"February 9, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"In the world of golf there is a term called \u201cthe mulligan.\u201d When a player makes a shot which is not to their liking in the early round of the game, they are permitted to call a mulligan, or a do-over shot without being penalized. This rule is typically practiced\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "2025 Postings"","block_context":{"text":"2025 Postings","link":"https:\/\/mikehillebrecht.com\/index.php\/category\/2025\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"hand in hand","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mikehillebrecht.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/inbaby-hand3.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":138,"url":"https:\/\/mikehillebrecht.com\/index.php\/2014\/07\/05\/suburban-christianity\/","url_meta":{"origin":559,"position":4},"title":"Suburban Christianity","author":"mike","date":"July 5, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Rows upon rows of box-like houses dot the landscape of every city of this country. What once used to be a wild expanse of scenery that anyone could freely enjoy has been sculpted into right-angle thoroughfares which have determined egress and access points carefully placed to accentuate the \u201cneighborhood.\u201d These\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "2014 Postings"","block_context":{"text":"2014 Postings","link":"https:\/\/mikehillebrecht.com\/index.php\/category\/2014\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mikehillebrecht.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/inbaby-hand3.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":379,"url":"https:\/\/mikehillebrecht.com\/index.php\/2016\/07\/07\/hyper-grace-is-it-really-true\/","url_meta":{"origin":559,"position":5},"title":"Hyper-grace: Is it really true?","author":"mike","date":"July 7, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"hyper- A prefix appearing in loanwords from Greek, where it meant \u201cover,\u201d usually implying excess or exaggeration ( hyperbole ) loan\u00b7word [lohn-wurd] noun a word in one language that has been borrowed from another language and usually naturalized, as wine, taken into Old English from Latin vinum, or macho, taken\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "2016 Postings"","block_context":{"text":"2016 Postings","link":"https:\/\/mikehillebrecht.com\/index.php\/category\/2016\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mikehillebrecht.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/inbaby-hand3.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mikehillebrecht.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/559","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mikehillebrecht.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mikehillebrecht.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mikehillebrecht.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mikehillebrecht.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=559"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/mikehillebrecht.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/559\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":563,"href":"https:\/\/mikehillebrecht.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/559\/revisions\/563"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mikehillebrecht.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=559"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mikehillebrecht.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=559"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mikehillebrecht.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=559"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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<\/p>\n