(ALSO not that this isn't RELEVANT (cough) but Ruth was a foreigner, an immigrant, etc etc and she STILL GOT GOVERNMENT BENEFITS)

Ruth's whole story revolves around how the law was built to help poor people and institute a welfare system.

GLEANING WAS GOVERNMENT WELFARE.

Like y'all. Y'ALL.

These aren't little-heard stories! These are major Sunday school characters! And y'all just MISSED the whole damn point!!

Next up is Ruth. Also a beloved story, but something Christians seem to gloss right over when it comes to "application" is the fact that Ruth benefitted from Bethlehem's welfare system. The GOVERNMENT said every farmer had to leave some of their harvest for the welfare recipients.

That's Joseph's triumph! The thing he's the most proud of, the thing he attributes to God's direct intervention! Getting THE GOVERNMENT TO FEED PEOPLE.

First up: Joseph. Very dramatic story, but "what you meant for evil, God meant for good" is probably the most popular text.

Y'know what Joseph's WHOLE THING was? The Thing he accomplished that he said made it all worth it?

CONVINCING THE *GOVERNMENT* TO STOCKPILE FOOD AND THEN FEED PEOPLE.

And I can reject the "not the government's job to feed people" premise AS A CHRISTIAN using THE BIBLE. And no I'm not going to reference some obscure-ish laws but two of the most famous Bible stories. If you grew up in church, these people were featured in dozens of sermons.

I'm boycotting all things Bezos, but a while ago I would go in, because they're the only place in my area that carries Jeni's mint chocolate chip-- my favorite flavor and the only brand who makes it that I'm not allergic to.

they also carry the only decent gluten free ravioli I've ever had

😭😭😭

Student couldn't look me in the eye the rest of the semester.

He was angry and bitter, but he also cited his sources.

I got a DM from the history teacher confronting me about it. 🤷‍♀️

Me: I am prevented by federal law from discussing this with you.

Student later sends an email explicitly telling me to talk about it.

🤦‍♀️

🤷‍♀️

I tell Mark EXACTLY everything that was wrong with the paper, virtually line by line.

~Shockingly~, he had not corrected any of the problems by the due date. I graded according to the rubric, and he received a failing grade.

He was irate. Wasn't I a fundamentalist Christian like him (wildly incorrect assumption) who saw that all these ideas were self-evident?

The second paper of the class was a Definition essay, and this student's first draft was abysmal. Not in writing quality (although that wasn't great) but he refused to cite sources on huge claims. I pointed this out to him multiple times through the drafting process.

My second semester, a student found out I'd graduated from Pensacola Christian College. His history teacher was from there, turns out I attended his history teacher's wedding. Small world.

Adjacent, my MIL is a bleeding heart liberal but still goes to a conservative church. When the little old ladies find out I go to a church "downtown," they whisper, scandalized "one of those LIBERAL churches??"

Yeah, and where do *your* kids go, Barbara? Nowhere? Yup. That's what I thought.

That really sucks, I'm sorry.

Prioritizing moving to a place where I could go to church again (not the only priority, but one of them), has been a huge bonus for me. I hope you find what you need in a faith community.

That sounds like so much fun

Me, but silently because the one year old is finally sleeping

We got Hutchinson, we'll be ok