At what point do differences become irreconcilable? Visualize a normal bell-curve. At each extreme, there are polarized, immovable positions. Three to five percent are so committed to being right and having their own way, that they no longer engage in any interaction that might influence their opinion. These opponents are […]
For most people in relationship, the words “we need to talk,” rarely bode well. The “we need to talk” talk generally comes as a “so long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, goodbye” turning point, and this seems to be where about 11% of United Methodists (and 15% of General Conference delegates) think […]
This morning I posted a blog entitled Four Unpainted Corners, using a metaphor of four different groups in a large ballroom painting in opposite directions, ending up painted — as far from each other as possible — into the four corners of the space. Well, as we well know, metaphors […]
Drawing on the saying “we’ve painted ourselves in a corner,” I want to offer a metaphor/analogy. Imagine if you will a ballroom. Large, open, massive space, with a sizeable floor. Four groups begin in the middle of the room to paint the floor, each moving in different directions toward a […]
People are perceiving very different lived realities at General Conference. I am writing what I experience and observe, but I admit freely it is only my opinion. Many people are leaving feedback directly on the blog, but I am also receiving emails, tweets, texts, and face-to-face feedback — mostly disagreeing […]
It is amazing to watch various individuals and coalitions try to manipulate our processes, especially when things go against their opinion or will. I am not singling anyone out — many people engage in this conniving behavior for a wide variety of reasons, and I am confident that all of […]
Just a reflection on how things are going at GC. So far, most of our time and energy has gone to process and technology. Our plenary and legislative processes keep bogging down in a poor application of a Robert’s Rules of Order-like amalgam of bits, pieces and fragments of a […]
In all my years, I have yet to meet anyone who is right 100% of the time, or even 100% right at any time. Part of the human condition is that we operate from a partial perspective — we see in a glass darkly, as it were. Yet, we all […]
At a recent event, I made the statement that today’s United Methodist Church exists because our predecessor denominations held three critically important functions in common: missional service, evangelism and social justice. In other words, we hold core values of caring for others, inviting all people into a life-changing, life-fulfilling relationship […]
What is it about we human animals and our tendency to climb the ladder of inference and leap blindly into a steaming pile of assumptions? Each and every day we create chaos, confusion and pain for ourselves by ascribing intention, assuming motives, projecting values and jumping to conclusions. Compounding this […]
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