Heretic!

I should have decided to wear a costume for Halloween yesterday. I could have been Martin Luther and dressed up as a 16th century monk with a heretical thesis to nail to a church door.
Although I would have had to come up with the costume, it appears that I have the heresy part down.

Actually, I doubt that it's the first time I've been considered to be a heretic, but opinions only matter when you have power and can wield your power like a club to keep the opposition in line.
I'm probably still too frustrated to write sensibly about it, so I'll let it reduce to a simmer before I take to sharing that story. I think I've already been threatened. At least I perceive the "I think you're heading down a path that will end badly for you," as an encouragement to drop the subject and write about it no more, or else...

In any case, I am comfortable in my beliefs and stance and hope that others will judge me by my words and actions. I have always been faithful to preach and teach the gospel of God's grace and salvation in Jesus alone.
There will always be people that feel threatened by differing opinions and there will always be those that use their power (or perceived power) to silence their opposition.

Fortunately, there are few (if any) people that hold such power over me. I am not on staff with any organization, nor reliant on anyone else for my income. I tend to navigate life with few close companions and have no fear of isolation.
The few people whom I trust and those few who trust me know that I will stand firm in my beliefs, but will admit it if I find that I have been wrong.

Maybe I'll just leave it at this. It may also be considered heretical to follow the advice of a Democrat in a Republican dominated religious denomination, but former First Lady Michelle Obama's "When they go low, we go high," might be the best approach.

We'll see...
John  <><