Vince Guerra

A quote I use from the above article, taken from an excellent podcast by Expedition 44: We came up with this term called Institution Creep, where more and more, the institution matters more than the people who are in that church. And when the institution matters more than the people, you have problems. When the pressure comes on, they think: How can we preserve this church and my position, rather than that person who’s been wounded?…We discovered that toxic churches, toxic institutions, value loyalty. I can’t tell you the number of people who’ve used the word loyalty as though it’s the most important value in that church. Loyalty to the pastor, to the leader. — Scot McKnight, Expedition 44 Podcast Aug. 24, 2022 I know so many people who’ve been traumatized by those who turned off their Jesus filter in order to protect the brand. [8/12/26 12:32 PM] Vince Guerra: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4oPuPD3KerV7h5QrMF2qxA?si=r0UflpPORQOiQ1r08ZXy0g

I often hear the criticism that the church has become too corporate. Having lived in the corporate world for most of my adult life, I understand the sentiment. I also know how badly the church can screw up simple things that the corporate world doesn't. Perhaps it's time to examine both pools a little deeper: https://vinceguerra.substack.com/p/butts-in-seats-the-paradox-of-corporate

Just sayin...

I’m not feeling super creative today (fighting a headache) so I’ll just say that Science Goes Boom is up and awesome: https://sciencegoesboom.substack.com/p/dragsters-dragons-and-the-worlds

This man is pure gold: https://x.com/japan_nobunaga

👆Dear politicians, I understand that someone in your expensive, national PR firm convinced you that cramming our mailboxes with oversized 100lb Cover Stock advertisements was a good way to maximize your reach without actually having to go through the icky motions of addressing your constituents face to face. I can see why you’d avoid answering hard questions in person and adopt drive-by tactics instead. I get it. But if you were to peek in at any post office, you’ll soon understand that everyone sees your vague, dishonest platitudes in ALL CAPS Helvetica as just more garbage to contend with. Those trash cans teeming with the product of misspent funds might even inform you—if you even care to reflect on it— that your disconnect with the community you represent (or hope to represent) is glaring, and that you’re just proving you can’t steward money. If you want our vote, you’re going to have to do more with your message than just mailing it in. You’re actually going to have leave your islands, knock on our doors, send us emails, and answer our questions. And yes, we’re going to record it. You’ll be on the record, so we can hold you accountable a couple of years later. All of this might be academic anyway. Electronically secure elections may not even exist anymore. But at the very least, stop vomiting your promises into our mailboxes. We’re already weary of bearing the burden of your messes.

If, after watching this one, your kids begin asking you to construct a bike obstacle course above a lake, just know it is possible; it's a lot harder to successfully navigate it: https://sciencegoesboom.substack.com/p/ants-paint-and-19th-century-robot

You know how some people rescue animals from the pound before they can be wiped from existence? I've adopted the same philosophy for obscure movies on DVD that the library has scheduled for destruction. Because with media gatekeepers and AI scrambling to supplant all the worlds books and movies into digital files on streaming services, the day may come when an innovative Rock & Roll fable might suddenly disappear forever. And that would be a tragedy.

Science Goes Boom this week has both saw safety tips AND irresponsible things to do with bicycles and broad swords. And this is why you love me: https://sciencegoesboom.substack.com/p/circular-saws-movie-weapons-and-building

"The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary." — H. E. Mencken

I love this post and identify with so much here. Not all of us homeschool out of fear, nor did we have 5+ kids because of patriarchal pressure (definitely not the case with us)…but it’s so important to recognize the reality that so many have had that experience, without assuming/judging that it is the case for everyone. Also, her footnotes are excellent and brutal. Well done! So grateful for Autumn’s transparency in this post. https://autumnknapp.substack.com/p/how-to-break-a-woman-in-5-easy-stepspart

😂

There’s never been a single criminal investigation into 9-11, the deadliest terror attack in US history. Roger Waters is trying to change that: https://youtu.be/JaKuo6w9TnA

What a strange world we're living in. 😂 But I am so for it! 👇👏

We're blowing up propane tanks and jawbreakers on today's Science Goes Boom: https://open.substack.com/pub/sciencegoesboom/p/sponges-fire-forensics-and-preserving

As a kid growing up near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, I became fascinated with military history. As an adult, that fascination matured into a sober acknowledgement of the complexity of war. America’s military history is marred with contradictions—valor, deceit, heroics, atrocities, innovation, ineptitude, hate, and love. The honest historian doesn’t whitewash events; we study them, warts and all. We also admit it when we when get it wrong. The honest teacher doesn’t paint pictures, be they flattering or accusatory. We tell it like it is and let the students draw their own conclusions. If this is the kind of history study you’d like your mature middle school or high school student to embark on, this may be the perfect fit: https://vinceguerra.com/military-history/