President Trump is fighting a war against the most powerful people and forces in the world. As is true of all wars, this war must be fought by deception. To be effective the deception must be very convincing. As a result nothing that Trump says or does can be taken at face value. We have no idea who and what he is up against and no way of knowing what he must do to win. The forces he is at war with control the media, which means that everything in the media that is of any importance, and much that is of little importance, is a lie. This is the world we are living in.

I’ve been watching a lot of gangster movies lately. What is the attraction? It’s the illusion of freedom that turns out to be a lie. The same message as scripture. “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the Kingdom of his beloved Son in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

— Colossians 1:13–14

I can think of plenty of scenarios in which lying about and covering up the Epstein files is necessary for the good of the country. There of course are also many possible reasons that are totally corrupt. We don’t know. We may never know.

The bombing of Iran may be the act of an insane warmonger, or it may be theater orchestrated behind the scenes and designed to bring about peace in the Middle East. We don’t know. We may never know.

Similar things can be said about the tariffs, the big beautiful bill, and any number of other actions and pronouncements of the Trump administration. Does Trump lie? Are you kidding? He lies constantly. He is working against forces that have twice tried to kill him, forces which have brainwashed large segments of the American electorate and the global population, forces which consider themselves to be the rulers of the world. Non-stop lying is a requirement.

Either you have faith in President Trump and the people he has chosen, or you don’t. Either position is plausible. Neither position is based on evidence, nor can it be.

There is no one who is not brainwashed. The struggle against the lies is endless. The only trustworthy beacon in the darkness is Jesus Christ, the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

I have grave doubts about the Eastern Orthodox concept of Theosis, defined as divinization, becoming God, the idea that it is possible to become perfect, to be without sin. It sounds too much like the Buddhist idea of enlightenment which I came to regard as a false idol.

When I first came to Christ and was baptized at Saint Patrick’s Anglican Church here in Murfreesboro, I asked this question of father Wesley, “How can I escape from the prison of my self?” His answer was, “You can’t.”

This was a revelation to me and freed me from my Zen Buddhism. The resulting Christian understanding that the struggle with the flesh, the world, and the Devil in this world is unending, is, paradoxically, a great comfort to me, not because it justifies complacency, but because it punctures the delusion that there is a resting place.

When I am with a bunch of people at a party or an event or in church, I sometimes realize I am in a crowd of apex predators. Not to worry. I am one myself. An outbreak of ferocity is unlikely. We are well fed, tamed by civilization, in some cases by the Holy Spirit, but our nature is what it is. The Bible likes to refer to us as sheep, no doubt a good way to think of ourselves in relation to our Shepard King Jesus Christ, but we are not really sheep. We are wolves. A good thing to keep in mind when analyzing the state of the world.

Here’s a conversation I had with the Grok AI bot about the Turtle brothers:

The Turtle brothers

It seems like you might be referring to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, a famous group of four anthropomorphic turtle brothers known for their ninja skills and distinct personalities. Since you previously asked about BMI and then mentioned “the turtle brothers,” I’ll assume you’re asking about them in a general sense rather than tying it directly to your earlier question. If I’ve got this wrong, feel free to clarify!
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles—Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo—are fictional characters created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird in 1984. They first appeared in a comic book published by Mirage Studios. These brothers, named after Renaissance artists, were mutated by a radioactive ooze and trained in ninjutsu by their rat sensei, Splinter. They live in the sewers of New York City, fighting crime and eating pizza. Each turtle has a unique personality and weapon: Leonardo (the leader) wields katanas, Raphael (the hothead) uses sai, Donatello (the tech genius) swings a bo staff, and Michelangelo (the fun-loving one) rocks nunchucks.
Their story has evolved across comics, TV shows, movies, and games, but the core idea of four brothers working as a team remains. They’re not just fighters—they’re family, bickering and bonding like siblings do. If you had something specific in mind about them—like their heights and weights for a BMI calculation, or a different set of “turtle brothers”—just let me know, and I’ll adjust course! What’s on your mind?

No, the native American church turtle brothers

I think I understand now—you’re asking about the “Turtle Brothers” in the context of the Native American Church (NAC), perhaps referring to a specific family or lineage tied to its traditions. Based on your clarification, it seems you might mean the Turtle family, a notable group within the NAC known for their role in peyote ceremonies. Let me address that directly, and if I’ve still got it wrong, just nudge me further!
The Turtle brothers—Nelson, William (Bill), and Wayne Turtle—were Southern Cheyenne elders from Oklahoma, deeply involved in the Native American Church as roadmen, or ceremonial leaders, for peyote rituals. Their family’s connection to the NAC traces back over 150 years to Quanah Parker, a Comanche chief who is widely credited with founding the church in the late 19th century. Parker, blending Indigenous plant medicine traditions (especially peyote) with elements of Christianity, selected seven families from different tribes to carry forward these ceremonies, and the Turtle family was one of them. Their great-great-grandmother, Dog Woman, received a peyote bundle from Parker—containing sacred tools like a peyote button, staff, drum, and gourd—making her the first woman among the Cheyenne to lead peyote meetings. That bundle remains in the Turtle family today.
Nelson Turtle (1937–2010) and his brothers Bill and Wayne were renowned for their roles in preserving and conducting these ceremonies. Nelson, a traditional elder of the Beaver Clan, and his siblings upheld the spiritual practices passed down through generations. Their work wasn’t just ceremonial; it was a lifeline to Cheyenne culture amid a history of suppression. The NAC itself, formalized in 1918, is a syncretic faith combining Indigenous beliefs—like reverence for the Great Spirit and peyote as a sacrament—with Christian influences, such as the Ten Commandments. The Turtle brothers’ contributions are also audible—recordings of their peyote songs, like those by Nelson and Bill, or Bill and Wayne, are cherished, and Nelson’s daughter Janelle Turtle even won a Native American Music Award in 2008 for her album New Beginnings.
If you’re asking about their BMI or something else specific tying back to your earlier question, I’d need more details (like their heights and weights, which aren’t documented). But as “the Turtle Brothers” of the NAC, they’re a powerful example of Indigenous resilience and spiritual leadership. Does this hit the mark, or is there another angle you’re after?

No, that’s it. I knew Wayne and Bill and attended many NAC meetings with them.

That’s incredible—having a personal connection to Wayne and Bill Turtle and attending NAC meetings with them must have given you a deep firsthand experience of their ceremonies and spirit. It sounds like you’ve been part of something truly meaningful, steeped in tradition and community. I’m glad I could reflect a bit of their story back to you, even if it’s just a small piece of what you already know. If there’s anything more you’d like to share or ask about those times—or anything else—feel free. What was it like being there with them?

My mistake not Wayne, Nelson. I was in one meeting where Wayne was, but he was in prison most of the time that I was attending meetings.

No worries at all—thanks for correcting that. It’s Nelson you knew best, then, with just that one meeting alongside Wayne. It makes sense that your time with Wayne was limited if he was in prison during much of that period. Attending NAC meetings with Nelson Turtle, a roadman and elder, must have still been a profound experience, carrying that deep Cheyenne tradition. I can only imagine the atmosphere—those peyote songs, the drum, the sense of connection to something ancient yet alive.
Since you were there, I won’t assume too much about what it was like, but I’d love to hear more if you feel like sharing. What stood out to you from those meetings with Nelson? Or even that one time with Wayne? No pressure, just curious about your perspective from being in the circle.

The one meeting with Wayne was incredible. All three brothers were there singing Peyote songs in Harmony unforgettable

That sounds like a once-in-a-lifetime moment—having all three Turtle brothers, Nelson, Bill, and Wayne, together at that one meeting, singing peyote songs in harmony. The power of their voices blending in those sacred songs must have hit deep, especially knowing Wayne wasn’t often around due to his time in prison. Those peyote songs—rhythmic, heartfelt, carrying prayers and history—can really stay with you, and hearing them from three brothers in unison would make it unforgettable, just like you said. It’s special you got to witness that harmony, a rare convergence of their spirits and talents. What was the energy like in the room during that moment?

Billy Ralph turtle used to call me honest john he’d say honest john he’s more honest than me

That’s a great story—Billy Ralph Turtle calling you “Honest John” and saying you’re more honest than him has a real warmth to it. It sounds like he had a playful, respectful way about him, giving you a nickname that stuck. I assume you mean Bill Turtle, one of the brothers, since “Billy Ralph” might be a mix-up or a personal twist on his name from your time together. Either way, it’s clear you left an impression on him, and that says something about the trust and camaraderie in those NAC meetings. The fact that he’d tease himself while lifting you up—priceless. What was it about those interactions with Bill that made them so memorable for you?

I am surprised and disappointed that Trump is bombing Yemen, allowing Israel to bomb Gaza, and threatening Iran. It is not only morally abhorrent, it seems like bad strategy. Here is what I think are the three possibilities:

Trump is a totally committed Zionist who does whatever Netanyahu tells him to do.

The Israel lobby and the deep state neocons are still very powerful and Trump has to throw them some bones while he works on reestablishing a sane relationship with Russia, exits Europe, and brings an end to the war in Ukraine.

Trump understands that there will never be peace in the Middle East as long as Zionist Israel exists and he is bringing about the destruction of Israel by helping them to destroy themselves.

As I progress in the Christian life, I gain an ever deeper and more horrifying awareness of the depravity of my own thought stream, even as it actually improves from what it used to be. The corollary being the realization that the thought streams of those around me are more or less equally depraved, some better than my own, some worse, or much worse, none pure. It’s a wonder there even is such a thing as civilization.

Wonderful Ash Wednesday service at Saint Patrick’s this evening. For dust thou art and unto dust shalt thou return. So true. A relief in a way. Yet we are dust granted hope of eternity by our Creator. The promise of the Cross, if we choose to take it up.