Born on the Fourth of July, Really?

Posted on June 29, 2026 by Paul Harris

Last year, I admitted to a young woman who asked me, “Should we really be celebrating the Fourth of the July where people rebelled against legitimate rulers?”, that for years I had planed my vacation so as not to have to preach on or about the Fourth. I told her that I had once preached a sermon based on the “hymn” written for all those women living in sin and think they’re heading for marriage. “Two out of Three Ain’t Bad”. The chorus tells the sad tale: Continue reading →

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Of Shrouds, Carnivores, and Fathers’ Day

Posted on June 22, 2026 by Paul Harris

Wasn’t sure whether to include this as an entry for Fathers’ Day under the category of Families or  under Big Tech: Big Lie or Promise. Under that heading this reminds me of a classmate’s description of Death as an enormous shroud “that enfolds all peoples” (Is. 25:7, NIV). Or for you techies, the government’s Carnivore internet surveillance tool.
 Continue reading →

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For the Goose but not the Gander?

Posted on June 15, 2026 by Paul Harris

What does this post have to do with birds? Nothing. It’s the proverb “what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.” It means equality of treatment in similar circumstances, and may have come to mean that or meant that from its earliest use in the 16th century. Dickens, 1859, is apparently the first one to say it specifically but there are adumbrations of it as early as 1562 (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/what%27s_sauce_for_the_goose_is_sauce_for_the_gander#cite_note-5).  But this is not about male/female but black/white. Uh-oh. Continue reading →

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The Days of our Lives

Posted on June 8, 2026 by Paul Harris

Can you believe that “Days of Our Lives”  has been on TV 60 years? They have 15,000 episodes, and the fact that I’ve never watched one of them or even have the slightest idea of what that soap opera is about is moot. Those “Days” don’t matter. For the Christian’s “Days of our Lives” is not about our days. The Six Days of our Creation are…or they use to be. Continue reading →

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You can learn a lot from a 19th Century Poet

Posted on June 1, 2026 by Paul Harris

Remember those 1980’s car commercials, “You can learn a lot from a dummy” which showed crash test dummies in unbelted crashes, etc.? I believe these preceded the plethora of books for dummies. Even a 19th century poet who seems to have led a crazed life and died in what most charitably can be called “suspicious circumstances” can be learned from. Continue reading →

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Lovingkindness Never Meant Anything to Me

Posted on May 25, 2026 by Paul Harris

The title belies the subject matter. The word itself is what doesn’t mean anything to me. I liken it to defining a word using the word which is a no-no. Kindness is loving and loving is kindness, right? Why is this a thing for me? Because for 45 years now I’ve been reading NASB77 and lovingkindness is all over that translation like pigeon poop underneath an overpass. Continue reading →

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Adult Confirmation Class 15

Posted on May 22, 2026 by Paul Harris

After looking around the internet and seeing what pastors, particularly my generation, were posting, I decided that my audio only catechism classes were better than some of them, even the video ones, that sounded liked the biology professor in Wonder Years. What started me thinking in this vein was a Confessional Lutheran college student who in a sea of meh Lutheranism remained firm and is now a parish pastor. He grew up in a remote area; he said that he learned Confessional Lutheranism from the internet. That was 7 or 8 years ago. I’ve been thinking about doing this ever since. Continue reading →

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Soulless or Solid Sermons?

Posted on May 18, 2026 by Paul Harris

Almost all of Hollywood’s producers, i.e. those who actually produce films and shows, (writers and actors) went on strike in 2023. One of the major issues being struck at was AI. Either the writers or the actors guild did so because they said it was soulless. Now that I know of LCMS pastors writing sermons with AI is this solid sermonizing or is it soulless? Continue reading →

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Adult Confirmation Class 14

Posted on May 15, 2026 by Paul Harris

After looking around the internet and seeing what pastors, particularly my generation, were posting, I decided that my audio only catechism classes were better than some of them, even the video ones, that sounded liked the biology professor in Wonder Years. What started me thinking in this vein was a Confessional Lutheran college student who in a sea of meh Lutheranism remained firm and is now a parish pastor. He grew up in a remote area; he said that he learned Confessional Lutheranism from the internet. That was 7 or 8 years ago. I’ve been thinking about doing this ever since. Continue reading →

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AI Can Stand for Alien Intelligence, You Know

Posted on May 11, 2026 by Paul Harris

This blog is based on a March 2026 Harper’s Magazine article by Sam Kriss entitled “Child’s Play – Tech’s new generation and the end of thinking.” If my thoughts are scattered it may because I don’t know what I’m taking about or his article blew my mind. Continue reading →

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