There are times where we have no answers or patterns to follow or make sense of what is happening. This seems so disconcerting, but it also allows for growth, imagination, and the potential for anything to happen. We must stop asking, what should be happening and start asking what could exist if we only tried.

If we do not respect the universal rights of our neighbors, can we call ourselves a neighbor, or even a good person? When I changed my beliefs as an adult man, I realized sacrifice would be involved. I realized that it would be a journey and may take time to see joy again in my…

Everyday so many of us wake up and look around and wonder how we arrived where we are today. More importantly, we wonder how we can make change in a world that doesn’t seem to respond to our cries and concerns. Humanity has seen darker times than we have currently, and with each darkness and…

Here is my advice to you regarding the skills I needed to survive under intense stress and in a world where I was not welcome to be me. These are lessons I learned from over 30 years in a cult. Here is my advice to you regarding the skills I needed to survive under intense…

Building Community with Purpose We must build a world where compassion prevails, where the most vulnerable are safe, and where we show that we love our neighbors. It is imperative that we love our neighbor for our own ability to thrive, whether they are rich, poor, homeless, regardless of their gender or race. We must…

Listening First This is a project that I have been working on and trialing, about listening, that I hope various communities will appreciate and perhaps emulate. This is not a project about agreement. It’s not about converting others of a particular position. This is about the kind of listening that does not ask for anything…

A very complex person who made considerable observations on humanity was Samuel Clemens. His commentary and short stories, one of which he published as the diary of Eve, pushed the limits of censorship at the time. This statement to the press after his congressional testimony on copyright in 1906 is very fascinating. He was asked…

In 2015, I began exploring an idea that had been forming in my mind, a project focused on philosophy, religion, and universal concepts. It stemmed from the realization that much of my thinking had been shaped by the JW framework I was exposed to as a child. I wanted to understand these concepts more deeply…

Depression and anxiety, coupled with disquieting thoughts, guilt, and trauma, often feel insurmountable for many including myself, like a constant obstacle where relief is always elusive. Talking openly, and at times very publicly, about mental health challenges is actually quite uncomfortable for me. I grew up in a hyper-conservative, patriarchal community where admitting struggles with…

The overall goal of social consequences for behavior says much about the person who desires them. If justice is sought, two wrongs cannot make a right, and two deaths cannot bring back a life. Two wounds cannot heal a heart. We bind our soul when we seek justice not for ourselves but to protect the…

Values, morals, and ethics are so intriguing to me. Religious indoctrination especially captures my attention because of its power over people. In my case, I have found that if I allow my thinking to go unchecked, it is easy to develop a certain special type of hate and intolerance towards those who, in my opinion,…