I've been Spirit-pilled: my citizenship is in Heaven. And because that is where my treasure lies, my heart is there. My duty to this world is to follow Christ's commandment to love others. That means sticking to the political process as long as possible, but not pinning my hopes on anything or anyone here on earth. It is not about giving up on the world, but realizing that the world will be judged and I should not become a part of it (or stained by it) lest I share in its judgment.
The "high" never wears off Christians because it is the Spirit within us who makes us stand. Nor is the "high" a hope for this world because we know it is passing away.
David, thanks for sharing this! Jesus spoke about the drinking of the living water where we will never thirst again (John 4:14). Scripture seems to indicate it is the continual drinking of this water that allows us to maintain the “high” you speak about [the well, John 4:14, the fountains, and the rivers within (John 6:37-38-various translation/versions)] just as we are told if we [continue to] walk in the spirit we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh (Gal 5:16). It is the continuation of the doing of something. . .
It's a nitpick, but I don't think the metaphor works exactly that way (i.e. continually drinking salvation). The water is salvation: we are granted it once at our rebirth (the Greek literally means our "birth from above" in John 3:3). To continually be in need of salvation is to crucify Christ each time (Hebrews 6:4–6). By obeying Jesus (loving one another and fulfilling the Great Commandment of Matthew 28:19–20), we become a fountain of living water to others. Our progressive sanctification (dying to the desires of the flesh) is what makes us fruitful (2 Peter 1:5–8), yielding the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23) which draws others to faith.
"In a way, we are exactly where we should be because so many otherwise good people have left politics and every institution a man can think up to people who want to use them for their own power."
This revelation is so spot on and encourages me as I have been realizing the need for public officials to have a Fiduciary Heart. Even in the Church this quality seems to be minimized. (broad brush stroke)
This has recently become my prayer...that we can find in the local and state levels those who have been given such a heart balanced with knowledge and wisdom and will be willing to be as Washington....preferring their private life but recognizing their God given duty to serve.
Very good take. I also feel that “purple pilled” is another option - especially if you are active in conservative circles, you will often encounter the milquetoast moderate “principles first” crowd who will always be quick to criticize any tiny deviation from the ideological principles of conservatism (which as you have said, is meaningless today especially if you are concerned with actually achieving results). In the last week and a half, these are the individuals who cannot differentiate between holding individuals who post vile comments supporting political violence and/or mocking Charlie Kirk’s murder accountable, and the cancel culture that the leftists have used for years against anyone, be they high profile or ordinary citizens, who dares to criticize the narrative or expresses an opinion outside of the ever-shifting Overton Window of the left.
Purple pilled people believe they are redpilled (or have no concept of the analogy). They are the ones who are smart enough to oppose leftist ideas and policies, but would rather be “nice” (and lose) than get real and make a real difference.
Do not despair brothers & sisters in Christ. Only run the race with faith. But as 2 Timothy says, we must run the race according to the RULES, if we be crowned with victory.
It's disheartening when the old ways and traditionally involved folks preclude new approaches and new folks - and that's often a problem because of leadership. Politics are messy but we definitely need to stay the course of involvement - you are so right.
One of the joys of my very old age is that I can lecture active people whose work I completely admire in the same way I get to admonish our beloved child. She has to endure her Dad's picking of nits because she knows she has absolute trust. The Captain is one of those people who has saved and will continue to save the Republic. Now, can he please stop believing in the idiot successors of George Washington who believed in the virtues of foreign wars - Adams, Jefferson, and Madison - and move on to the veteran who knew better - James Monroe. Here endeth the picking of the latest nit.
Just got around to reading this one. I've come to realize that , unfortunately, the war is already here, and has been for some time. It was mostly fought in the shadows, out of the public eye. Now it is becoming more and more out in the open for all to see. When federal officers are repeatedly attacked with intent to kill, federal offices are under siege, Trump supporters are attacked on the streets, and state and local governments are siding with the attackers in some cases, the war has already begun. It started small, but is slowly spreading across the country.
So I get emails that says you are going to be live for subscribers and when I go to the link it wants me to subscribe to someone else’s Substack. Or it wants me to subscribe to your Substack.
I’m paid up till sometime in December. What should I do?
Terrific perspective, Captain K! The only governing system worse than our Constitutional Democratic Republic is every other governing system. The fundamental motive of Our Founders, one of the most brilliant gatherings of human intellect in history, was to create a system of government placing as much control as possible in the hands of We The People while also including an organizational structure that would withstand the test of time. That it has with the primary evidence being the fact that it is still standing after more than a century of effort on the part of progressivism/leftism/globalism to destroy it. And not only standing but having enough of its founding principles left to be worthy of saving. A process that, like the tip of an iceberg, has made much more progress than can be readily seen.
Having come of age preparing to meet the Soviet hordes in the Fulda Gap, I’ve always been anti-Communist and remained so, through the 90’s and 00’s when it was distinctly out of fashion. Know who your enemies are and aim to defeat them. Use the boxes in their escalating nature. There are no good Reds. Always remember that.
As someone who’s never seen The Matrix, I needed this explanation. Sounds like we need a new category for those who expect bad news and prepare for the worst without letting despair ruin a productive life.
Here's a bombshell interview Adam Carolla did recently with two guys who wrote a book about election fraud that is coming out in October; curious what you make of their assertions [which, if true, might explain Trump's sudden interest in Venezuela, other than the Stabroek oil field and Chinese exploration there]...
I've been Spirit-pilled: my citizenship is in Heaven. And because that is where my treasure lies, my heart is there. My duty to this world is to follow Christ's commandment to love others. That means sticking to the political process as long as possible, but not pinning my hopes on anything or anyone here on earth. It is not about giving up on the world, but realizing that the world will be judged and I should not become a part of it (or stained by it) lest I share in its judgment.
AKA White Pilled
The "high" never wears off Christians because it is the Spirit within us who makes us stand. Nor is the "high" a hope for this world because we know it is passing away.
David, thanks for sharing this! Jesus spoke about the drinking of the living water where we will never thirst again (John 4:14). Scripture seems to indicate it is the continual drinking of this water that allows us to maintain the “high” you speak about [the well, John 4:14, the fountains, and the rivers within (John 6:37-38-various translation/versions)] just as we are told if we [continue to] walk in the spirit we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh (Gal 5:16). It is the continuation of the doing of something. . .
It's a nitpick, but I don't think the metaphor works exactly that way (i.e. continually drinking salvation). The water is salvation: we are granted it once at our rebirth (the Greek literally means our "birth from above" in John 3:3). To continually be in need of salvation is to crucify Christ each time (Hebrews 6:4–6). By obeying Jesus (loving one another and fulfilling the Great Commandment of Matthew 28:19–20), we become a fountain of living water to others. Our progressive sanctification (dying to the desires of the flesh) is what makes us fruitful (2 Peter 1:5–8), yielding the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23) which draws others to faith.
"In a way, we are exactly where we should be because so many otherwise good people have left politics and every institution a man can think up to people who want to use them for their own power."
This revelation is so spot on and encourages me as I have been realizing the need for public officials to have a Fiduciary Heart. Even in the Church this quality seems to be minimized. (broad brush stroke)
This has recently become my prayer...that we can find in the local and state levels those who have been given such a heart balanced with knowledge and wisdom and will be willing to be as Washington....preferring their private life but recognizing their God given duty to serve.
Thank you for sharing this insight.
Very good take. I also feel that “purple pilled” is another option - especially if you are active in conservative circles, you will often encounter the milquetoast moderate “principles first” crowd who will always be quick to criticize any tiny deviation from the ideological principles of conservatism (which as you have said, is meaningless today especially if you are concerned with actually achieving results). In the last week and a half, these are the individuals who cannot differentiate between holding individuals who post vile comments supporting political violence and/or mocking Charlie Kirk’s murder accountable, and the cancel culture that the leftists have used for years against anyone, be they high profile or ordinary citizens, who dares to criticize the narrative or expresses an opinion outside of the ever-shifting Overton Window of the left.
Purple pilled people believe they are redpilled (or have no concept of the analogy). They are the ones who are smart enough to oppose leftist ideas and policies, but would rather be “nice” (and lose) than get real and make a real difference.
Regardless, reject the black pill at all costs.
Do not despair brothers & sisters in Christ. Only run the race with faith. But as 2 Timothy says, we must run the race according to the RULES, if we be crowned with victory.
It's disheartening when the old ways and traditionally involved folks preclude new approaches and new folks - and that's often a problem because of leadership. Politics are messy but we definitely need to stay the course of involvement - you are so right.
Thank you, Seth, for bringing some clarity to the medicine cabinet.
Beautiful
One of the joys of my very old age is that I can lecture active people whose work I completely admire in the same way I get to admonish our beloved child. She has to endure her Dad's picking of nits because she knows she has absolute trust. The Captain is one of those people who has saved and will continue to save the Republic. Now, can he please stop believing in the idiot successors of George Washington who believed in the virtues of foreign wars - Adams, Jefferson, and Madison - and move on to the veteran who knew better - James Monroe. Here endeth the picking of the latest nit.
Just got around to reading this one. I've come to realize that , unfortunately, the war is already here, and has been for some time. It was mostly fought in the shadows, out of the public eye. Now it is becoming more and more out in the open for all to see. When federal officers are repeatedly attacked with intent to kill, federal offices are under siege, Trump supporters are attacked on the streets, and state and local governments are siding with the attackers in some cases, the war has already begun. It started small, but is slowly spreading across the country.
So I get emails that says you are going to be live for subscribers and when I go to the link it wants me to subscribe to someone else’s Substack. Or it wants me to subscribe to your Substack.
I’m paid up till sometime in December. What should I do?
Pls forward me the email. Skeshel@protonmail.com
If there’s an issue I can connect you to tech support.
Terrific perspective, Captain K! The only governing system worse than our Constitutional Democratic Republic is every other governing system. The fundamental motive of Our Founders, one of the most brilliant gatherings of human intellect in history, was to create a system of government placing as much control as possible in the hands of We The People while also including an organizational structure that would withstand the test of time. That it has with the primary evidence being the fact that it is still standing after more than a century of effort on the part of progressivism/leftism/globalism to destroy it. And not only standing but having enough of its founding principles left to be worthy of saving. A process that, like the tip of an iceberg, has made much more progress than can be readily seen.
As always, a top notch read and analysis of our current situation from "the Cap'n". Will try to make the Live today.
Very informative article!
Having come of age preparing to meet the Soviet hordes in the Fulda Gap, I’ve always been anti-Communist and remained so, through the 90’s and 00’s when it was distinctly out of fashion. Know who your enemies are and aim to defeat them. Use the boxes in their escalating nature. There are no good Reds. Always remember that.
As someone who’s never seen The Matrix, I needed this explanation. Sounds like we need a new category for those who expect bad news and prepare for the worst without letting despair ruin a productive life.
Here's a bombshell interview Adam Carolla did recently with two guys who wrote a book about election fraud that is coming out in October; curious what you make of their assertions [which, if true, might explain Trump's sudden interest in Venezuela, other than the Stabroek oil field and Chinese exploration there]...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NzjzMvDJzQ