Millennial hot take: Most love songs aren’t about “love.” They are unhealthy romanticizations of codependent relationships.
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Jonathan Merritt
@JonathanMerritt
Retired Twitter Gladiator | Author | Columnist | Commentator
Jonathan Merritt’s Tweets
Deep down in religious Twitter, I am absolutely living for Rick Warren’s SBC smackdowns right now. ☄️
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For 80 yrs, the SBC grew without ANY confession of faith. For the next 90 yrs we grew with a consensus confession. 8 yrs ago it was weaponized as a creed to coerce uniformity in every jot & title. 3 million members lost since. Denial is not a strategy for revitalization
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Pat Robertson, Christianity’s wacky uncle, has passed away -
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Man celebrating LGBTQ people who die by suicide (predictably) has Twitter bio that reads, “Saved by the grace of God”
If this is what being “saved” does to you, no wonder fewer and fewer people are interested…
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If this stat doesn’t break your heart, regardless of your theological convictions, the person you’re following isn’t Jesus
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Studies show that queer people who stay in the church are 30-55% more likely to die by suicide than those who leave.
Let that sink in.
We are MORE likely to die if we go to church on Sunday.
Jesus saves.
It’s time for his church to stop killing us.
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Receive the good news: “God loves you this day exactly as you are, and not as someone else says you ought to be.” Happy #Pride everyone 💜 🌈 -
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MY LATEST: How My Optometrist Saved My Life (Or, Some Thoughts on Miracles) -
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Fundamentalism is a FAR greater threat to Christianity than secularism. Because no one mistakes secularism for Christianity.
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Love celebrating our Pop!
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Well it took a while, but my three sons Jonathan, and the two pictured here, James Jr. and Joshua gave me these two sign jerseys of @StetsonIV and @brockbowers17 for my birthday I celebrated 5 months ago. Best birthday gifts ever ftom 3 best God-given sons ever! I 
my boys!
my boys!
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Here’s my postscript of . He might have been the most effective communicator of historic Christian teachings in America. Hard to think of any pastor w/ a resume like his. I try to explain his legacy and the void he leaves behind.
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“Over time, minority groups and individuals that had moved within evangelicalism for decades were pushed out. Evangelicalism became whiter, straighter, more patriarchal and more conservative theologically and politically as institutionalism proved to be a powerful mechanism for… Show more
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“Most people think of evangelicals as white, conservative, anti-gay, and patriarchal, but evangelical identity has evolved over time, and in certain ways, it has gotten narrower.”
religionnews.com/2023/05/02/can
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In order to believe in miracles, you don’t have to walk through a parted sea or witness a corpse springing back to life. You only have to live awake and aware in the present moment.
What does a miracle look like? instagram.com/reel/CsHYk9wJy
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Q: What do you believe is more sacred—the Second Amendment or second graders?
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Gun laws seem to work in literally every other country in the world. We’re all well aware you don’t like that fact. What’s next? We keep dying until there are electoral consequences for Republicans who believe the Second Amendment is more sacred than second graders. twitter.com/megynkelly/sta…
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“Most people think of evangelicals as white, conservative, anti-gay, and patriarchal, but evangelical identity has evolved over time, and in certain ways, it has gotten narrower.”
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Here two beloved, talented ex-evangelical friends engage each other around great new book & personal journey as well. A must read!
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MY LATEST: “The Great Evangelical Purge” - A new alternative history recounts the black, feminist, progressive & queer evangelicals who once existed within the movement—and the untold story of how they were ejected.
This is their story. And mine: religionnews.com/2023/05/02/can
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🚨MY LATEST: “The Great Evangelical Purge” - A new alternative history recounts the black, feminist, progressive & queer evangelicals who once existed within the movement—and the untold story of how they were ejected.
This is their story. And mine: religionnews.com/2023/05/02/can
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“Compassion is the fire that Jesus came to set on the earth.” - Thomas Merton 🔥
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How can spirituality assist in healing the very wounds it helped inflict?
This is the question I explore on the latest episode of the Living Centered Podcast by . Check it out: instagram.com/reel/CrYNjXjpo
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However you are present to the Presence, you might find, as I have, that that this practice becomes a lifeline, opening your heart and mind to the One who is always near. 🙏🏼 (5/5)
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Sometimes it can look like REMEMBERING, just setting aside times to recall all the moments that rattled your bones and yet somehow you found the strength to cope with the unexpected or you encountered God’s grace in the midst of it all. (4/5)
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Sometimes it can look like BREATHING, just sitting and really centering on your breath, which is Life and Spirit. Taking a moment to breath the breath that birthed the world. (3/5)
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Sometimes it can look like STILLNESS, just stopping in your tracks and letting the spinning earth do all the work for you. “Be still and know that I am God.” (2/5)
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One spiritual practice I’ve been learning this season is being present to the Presence. It’s simple, and the best part about it is that it can take so many forms. (1/5)
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Yep. Yes. Uh-huh.
What David said…
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The settlement represents justice for Dominion, but by no means does it cleanse Fox of its corruption.
Liars must be fired. Viewers must be informed. The company must apologize. And then it needs to hire new, honest producers and hosts.
Until then, it's still corrupt.
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The Merritt family is grieving with and praying for the Stanley family on this difficult day. 💔🙏🏼
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Today I join the thousands mourning the passing of Dr. Charles Stanley. He was not just a paragon of faith and one of the great preachers of our time. He was also a friend for many decades and someone who offered wisdom and guidance for my life and ministry on numerous occasions.
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“Compassion is the fire that Jesus came to set on the earth.” - Thomas Merton 🔥
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3) Meanwhile, Hillsong founder Brian Houston shared on Instagram that he had been arrested in the US on a DUI charge
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2) And it was also announced that Lentz and his wife would spill tea in the forthcoming FX docuseries “Secrets of Hillsong”
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Lots of Hillsong news today…
1) Carl Lentz makes his return to ministry
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"Human beings never behave more badly toward one another than when they believe they are protecting God." - Barbara Brown Taylor
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Q: Do I think the Southern Baptist Convention can be “reformed?”
Unlikely. But that’s not necessarily bad. What if what we / SBC really need here is not *reformation* but *revelation*? Here’s what I mean… 👇🏼
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“The problem is, many of the people in need of saving are in churches, and at least part of what they need saving from is the idea that God sees the world the same way they do.” - Barbara Brown Taylor
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Getting very Handmaid’s Tale down in Tennessee…
The TN House passed a bill granting county clerks the ability to deny a marriage based on conscience or religious beliefs. It applies to gay couples, a couple w/ a trans partner, and mixed race couples.
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This is definitely a stay in your lane situation. I’m not exactly sure what Jordan Peterson’s lane is, but it ain’t Christian theology.
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There is nothing Christian about #SocialJustice . Redemptive salvation is a matter of the individual soul. twitter.com/Pontifex/statu…
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Whether or not you’ll have ashes smudged on your brow today, take a moment to read the Ash Wednesday blessing from and ’s latest book, which can be found here: amzn.to/3Spgz8l 8//
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But Ash Wednesday’s message is that you can trust God to handle your death with gentleness, compassion and love. And that frees you to live your life with, well, gentleness, compassion and love. 7/
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“From dust we came and to dust we shall return.” If you’re like me, the second part of that sentence is a tough pill to swallow. But… 6/
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One of the best tools that the Christian tradition provides to help with this is Ash Wednesday. This is a day where we ritualize a conversation on human finitude and death. 5/
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