Jared Byas

“It is far better to believe in what we love than to be in love with what we believe.” -John Caputo

Christians have outsourced our meaning-making activity to the Bible. The result is that we don't know how to create and thus sold our birthright as image-bearers for the illusion of certainty. This is the nihilism Nietzsche warned us about.

There’s a real cultural danger in pastors and biblical scholars being seen as experts in areas that are beyond their field. We are no longer in a world where knowing the Bible, & that alone, gives folks license to speak into ethics, science, history, or politics authoritatively.

Some Christians when their candidate gets elected: God’s in control and the Bible says God appoints our leaders. Same Christians when their candidate doesn’t get elected: We went against God’s will and are doomed as a country. Pick a lane!

11 years ago today, I took a survey in my class where 85% of my students were self-identified Evangelicals: How many of you believe we can know absolute truth? 5% raised their hands. This is the new normal folks. We have to help people of faith grapple with reality, not deny it.

"If there's two things I'm good at, it's managing my own time and not micro-managing others," he said as he went around the entire house and office unclicking all the pens that were left clicked throughout the day.

Don't get so wrapped up in discovering your future purpose that you forget about creating your present meaning.

Barbie review: loved it. I think I was smiling the entire movie except for the few times I cried. My brand of humor and my blend of humor and philosophical questioning. 100% will be watching again.

I was determined to do the Barbenheimer double feature this weekend until I saw Opp is 3 hours long. So it’s Barbie tonight and Oppenheimer on Sunday. As St Paul says, the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.

Despite what your family system might have told you (explicitly or implicitly), knowing what you want and then asking for it is not selfish.

I'm on Threads. Follow me there if you want. Or don't. Despite what your pastor might have told you when you were younger, I'm not the boss of you just because I'm a man and know the Bible pretty well.

What was the moment when I realized I was finally a responsible adult? Last week, when it occurred to me that at least 5 of my pens have run out of ink in the past year. I managed to keep up with multiple pens so long that they ran out of ink. I can be trusted with anything.

I think it's important to do the personal work that allows us to see the difference between pursuing justice and and pursuing righteous indignation.

"Faith is not a belief. Faith is what is left when your beliefs have all been blown to hell." -Ram Dass

8yo tested at a 12th grade reading level this year. When asked about it, he said it was for 3 reasons: 1. He likes it. 2. He uses it to get away from people. 3. He read rich people read at least 3 hours a day. Proud of the accomplishment but maybe concerned about the motivation.

Fear leads to oppression. Wisdom is learning to be compassionate about people’s fears while still holding them accountable for their oppression.

For anyone in the early stages of a faith shift, I thought this episode of Pete’s podcast is a good start! And not just because I’m on for part of it…

It’s true.

As an Evangelical we were taught we were the center of God's attention & that the real global drama revolved around us. One reason conspiracy theories work is because it feeds this sense of self-importance & gives ppl a self-serving reason why few care about what they care about.