Andi M.

“Yet in his encounter with Jesus, something dramatic happens: he humbles himself before Jesus, recognizes Jesus’ authority as greater than his own and asks Jesus to heal his servant. Jesus responds with amazement, “I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.”5 This must have come as quite a shock to Jesus’ audience. Within the people of God, the community that carried God’s name in the world, Jesus has not found such great faith as he has found here in this outsider—a Roman centurion identified with the powers and structures of Gentile imperial domination that God has vowed to demolish. Jesus finds faith in unexpected places.”
― Joshua Ryan Butler, The Skeletons in God's Closet: The Mercy of Hell, the Surprise of Judgment, the Hope of Holy War

“Nothing is compulsory. Free will is paramount. But free will comes with the burden of consequences.”
― Kelly Sue DeConnick, Bitch Planet, Vol. 1: Extraordinary Machine

“Jesus’ warning to Revelation’s churches—and to ours—is that if we do not repent, he will remove us from God’s presence, fight us with a sword, cause us to suffer intensely, and spit us out of his mouth.7 No small words. Jesus is prepping for a fight—and it’s with his own people. Like the prophets of old, God’s words of judgment are directed first and foremost at the “insiders,” not at the outsiders.”
― Joshua Ryan Butler, The Skeletons in God's Closet: The Mercy of Hell, the Surprise of Judgment, the Hope of Holy War

“There is nothing sane, merciful, heroic, devout, redemptive, wise, holy, loving, peaceful, joyous, righteous, gracious, remotely spiritual, or worthy of praise where mass murder is concerned. We have been in this world long enough to know that by now and to understand that nonviolent conflict resolution informed by mutual compassion is the far better option.”
― Aberjhani, Splendid Literarium: A Treasury of Stories, Aphorisms, Poems, and Essays