Live from the Pathway Studios in Johnston proper. And you're listening to live from the Pathway coming from the Pathway Studios here in Johnston Proper. Here you go.

Wait. Was it was that an affirmation of what's actually going on? No. I didn't come up with anything beforehand, so I just said the first thing that came to mind. Okay. That makes sense. Here's what we got going on the show today. So we do have some, we have an a couple articles that I wanted to go through. Some of them, I'm gonna admit, are not necessarily, you know,

church related. No. I I here's what so here's what happened is is I thought that I was I was real close to doing a non biblical signs of the apocalypse because I thought that'll be that'll be fun. But, like, I didn't get around to putting it together. So now I just have these kind of stray articles of which, you know, we gotta use. I mean, it seems like the best we can do, Ben. Yeah. So for example, one of them is did you guys hear about those they they put, sidewalk urinals out on, out in Paris?

Oh. So, like, they look like trash cans, except there's like a opening where the man just kinda walks up and,

you know, goes to the bathroom. Well, is it be was it trying to address a problem that people were doing it without the Yes. People people were peeing in the streets. Oh. Yeah. So I mean, they're essentially still peeing in the streets. Yeah. They just happen to be doing it, into this trash can looking thing. Now, where where in Europe? Yeah. So it's in Paris, like, the city of Paris and, like, a long, like, it's next to the to the river in the Notre Dame Cathedral. I mean, it's, like, out because that's what people were doing, is all these touristy places, and they were going out and they're whizzing in the street. I mean, does it just go right into the river? Is that the deal? Or do they collect it and have to have some guy come get it? Yeah. You know, I don't know. Okay. Well so, anyway, we're gonna check that out. Uh-huh. And then there was an article about thieves who took a shark from a San Antonio aquarium and wheeled it out in a baby carriage. Did you read that, Dan? I saw that. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Cool. That's awesome. Yeah. We're gonna read that one. Oh, shoot. Then there was, I just I just accidentally closed out of it. But there was an article on

Mike saw it on Apple News, it was on CNN and it was about, 10 reasons why people go to church and nine reasons why they don't. Yeah. It seems super interesting and it's right it follows our list criteria of where we get to go some things and then critique each one. And there's more reasons to go to church than not. Yeah. Well, one. I suppose that's good news.

Anyways, that's why we got got on the dock of the children and we got some advice on dear life and the path. And here's the deal, I had a tangent. I I kinda wanted to talk about two major things going on in the news, like people's reaction basically, I was concerned about people now leaving

churches, both for the Catholic church because of the the Pennsylvania stuff and and, like, what they found about priests and children and then also with the follow-up from Willow Creek. So here's the deal. I I we started talking a lot about that a little before the show started, and I think we'll just wait till another show. It will digest that a little bit more, and I'll try to focus some questions on it.

And if you don't know what I'm talking about, we'll rehash it when we get to that point. But, so we'll skip that point. We're just doing some new news articles, do some advice on dear life and the path. I wanna cut you loose. Yeah. Try to get out get out of hit while we're ahead. Yeah. Okay. So let's let's start with the article, the 10 reasons Americans go to church and nine reasons they don't by Dan Burke, the CNN religion editor. He says, if American religion were traded at a stock exchange, you're broke. Hold on. What? If if they call you an editor, does that mean you're in charge, or is that is everybody an editor? No. No. Yeah. Does that just mean you're a reporter? No. No. The editor is like the guy in charge. He decides what, a a what shows up, what actually gets published and then helps the other people kind of form the stories. Okay. So this is the top rung? Yeah. This is the king king of the weeds right here. Okay. Go ahead. Mean, my my thought on that was, like, the CEN CNN religious

editor. Is that, the Fox News Democrat editor or I mean, I'm thinking anyway, I just that's just what went yeah. I'm trying to didn't have to say that out loud. That's just what I'm I'm taking him in. I'm trying to tell to see if I can tell if he's a fraud. Okay. But it's not not coming across.

Anyway, if American religion were traded at stock exchange, your broker might be advising you to sell. The trend lines don't look great and haven't for quite some time. Social scientists and religious leaders have lots of theories about the long slow slide, blaming it on everything from the Internet to the politicization of politicalization of conservative Christianity or the lack of a of a charismatic despot. Yeah. Right? Wasn't that the problem? Yeah. That was the in that article, we read about the computer atheism. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Alright.

A new Pew Research Center study offers something different, a survey of 4,729 Americans telling us precisely why they do or don't attend religious services. Some of their answers are unsurprising. Americans who don't believe in religion don't often attend church because duh. But the survey complicates other stereotypes about Americans who rarely if ever attend religious services. As it turns out, they're not all atheists or even members of the spiritual but not religious crowd. Many say religion is important in their lives and lean conservative politically. The people who attend religious services less often are not a monolithic group, said Becca Alper, a research associate at Pew. Here we go. Here are the top 10 reasons given by Americans who attend religious services at least once a month. Survey respondents were allowed to give more than one reason.

No. Wait a minute. Well, the criteria, top 10 reasons by Americans who attend religious services at least once a month. Well, no wonder they're not all atheists. They go to church once a Once a month. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, this is goofy. They've really framed this incorrectly. Alright. Anyway, here's what we say. First of said this was a very important reason for their decision. One, to become closer to God, 81%. Hey. Now hold on, fellas. Yeah. Is that a is that a good reason to go to church? To be to become closer to god? Yeah.

You think that's what it's designed for? Is that what it does? I think it's a good step. I mean, is If it you don't know how, that's you know, and you're trying to figure it out. Yeah. Mike, are you thinking of it as someone's like, hey. I'm far from god when I'm not at the church. I'm I can become closer to God because I'm there versus Dan representing someone who's like, hey, man. I I don't know how to be closer to God. Can I go for instruction? Yeah. So I yeah. So so from Dan's perspective, I would say, look, if there's a good place to start to try to become or to get to know God, then, yeah, this community is the right people for you. Right? But, like, if you're a church going community, if they are looking at your Sunday service as the time to become closer to God, I guess that's not what how I that's not why I I wouldn't list that as something as as the reason I would go.

And so I'm just interested to see if that's two pastor fellows. Like, is that a that's a is that a good is that what you want people to do? You want people to think, come to Sunday service to become closer to God? I I would go so with with the originally the date answered, I would I would lean to that. I would say, for instruction, for encouragement,

for those types of things, yes. If the thought process is I come here because this place, gets me closer to God, then no. Okay. I think that's a false that's a false thought. K. Dan? So you're talking about, like, the physical location of the church, what doesn't help? I mean, do I somewhere in my mind, I I because I say look around with because I think you could read it as if someone says, look, I go to church to become closer to god as if the being in the church

Yeah. Or in the service otherwise does that. That's the false part. Well, I and maybe my question is does does it actually do that? Is that what its design is? Like like, is it designed to

is the Sunday church service on its own designed to bring you closer to God? I mean, I think it's it's part of the goal to help. It's still on you and what you do after that and with that but

Mike, I suppose if it helps, I think I would say yes. I think, like because remember, part of the think back to what god puts into place in, with the the tabernacle or whatever in Exodus. Like, he put things in place to as a design specifically to remind them of things, right, which is to retain their their, like, to re be reminded and remember who god is, what he has done, his his place in their life and their place in as his people. And so,

to the extent that that worship, communal worship does that and keeps you or or draws you back into a closeness to God because you're being reminded of those true things, then, yeah, I think there's no reason to say that that isn't true. Okay. It very well is. Okay. Alright. Number two, so their children will have a moral foundation, 69. Okay. Do you fellas believe?

Yeah. See, so I struggle with this one because here's the deal is I think that it is beneficial. But if but if, if you're otherwise not reinforcing these things except for as a moral framework, it runs a risk that kids don't meet Jesus.

But here's the deal, kids can meet Jesus in spite of you and so that opportunity is also good. I don't know. Yeah. I mean, here's the thing, it's like Jesus holds up the morality because he's the foundation. Right? So, like, without it,

you know, just the morals of of Christ's teaching, like, there's no benefit to it. I mean, to to a certain extent, like, sitting on the side that that obviously knows God's heart, I would say, yes, all these things are beneficial and definitely the way to live. But, like, if you take God's heart out of it and a love for people, it's a disaster. You you can't follow any of these things. You'll end up with nothing. Right? If the if if it's merely to teach morality for morality's sake, there's actually no reason to live that way because there's never a the positive will never show up. Yeah. But you know what? If you let's let's say, I I guess I'm approaching this from the person who just doesn't even really they're just, like, I grew up in a religious home where Jesus was, like, yeah. Yeah, Jesus. You know? I mean, it wasn't we weren't, like, Jesus followers. Right? And and my parents would have thought, well, I'd sure like my my kids to grow up moral.

They would encourage me to go to church. Yeah. So so I this will be true of of all these questions. I guess, and and I will we'll finish going through them, I promise. But the thing that I'm getting at is is, like, through all of these different 10 reasons that people go to church, is this actually the reasons that we want people to go to church? Are are is is this what are are we doing this and saying, well, it might happen if they, you know, they do this or they might catch them if they do this. Like, are are these the reasons

that we want people that that that God set up? Okay. So so so it's a dichotomy of one, we we obviously will take you for any reason. Yes. Any reason you wanna walk in the door, we're certainly in. Exactly. If you're like, I thought my shoes would smell better in here than outside, we're like Sounds great. Will. You have a solid chance of meeting Jesus in here. But if but if someone were to straight up ask, why do I why should I come here? Would I say, so that your children will have a moral foundation? No. That would not I I wouldn't offer that as part of the equation. So yeah. So so these are the interesting things to think about. Right? Like, obviously, since, you know, you guys have both had experience in the running of a church and and and how we would how would you approach people. And and even with some of the PR problems we were just talking about about the church's reliability and and the way that we do things, like I mean, know, just just to say, like, if these are all the reasons if if 85% of your parishioners or the people that attend your church on a regular basis are saying, we come here to give my child a moral foundation.

Like, oh, no. I I you know, this is not what I mean, it's a sweet ancillary benefit, but, like, we want you here to meet Jesus. This is what we want you here for, you know? So, anyway, that's that's what what I'm thinking as you go through these. Okay. But Jesus brings the morality though. So it's like, what comes first, the chicken and the horse? Is that kind of the way interpreting that? Well, I I think that that has been a risk though that, like, people don't You learn the morals but not the Jesus. That's right. That's right. And so, so I would agree, like, this would this is also true to I guess, Mike's point, it's an ancillary benefit that comes with following is, like, he changes your life, and there there is a righteousness associated with it, that requires some of your action. And so, so I think that's true. But if the parent is just saying, look, I know that the Christians say teach people to respect their parents and not lie, and I I would prefer my kid to act like that, so I'll take them in there. I mean, again, glad you're here, but if you you were saying, hey, does your church offer,

like, I would I would I say if someone said, why should I come to your church and I say so that your children have a moral foundation? I probably wouldn't I probably wouldn't say that. Okay. I think I would though. Dan would. Yeah. Yeah. Got it. Because you're probably talking to people who who who aren't able, for whatever reason, to provide that, and so they need an outside source. So so some hope their schools are teaching. Rather than math, they're teaching them how to get along. Yeah. But then aren't you just trying to get people to come to church and not know Jesus? The answer is the Jesus thing. That's You're right. Can't dangle it, but I'm just saying that that's that is a benefit. We're gonna teach your kid

morality. Yeah. But it feels like you're taking an angle instead of just going straight on. You know what I'm saying? It feels like you're it's like you're saying, and you get a free toaster for signing up for this checking account. But, really, you should be signing up for the checking account because we're gonna keep your money and that's what we're gonna do. Well, so I don't think it's I don't think it's wrong to to recognize the impacts of following Jesus. Right? Like, the the the truth was it it it does come with, it it does actually impact your physical tangible day to day life. It impacts how your marriages are, your friendships, your the the type of behavior that you have. I mean, like, it it tends to to impact that. There's no reason not

to recognize that that's true. But, like, here's the deal. If they if if there's a 100 ancillary benefits and they're excited about all 100 of them but not excited about Jesus, then then, yeah, I think we still have a So I maybe what I'm saying is, like, to to to the point to the this the staggering numbers that are being that are behind these statements, you run the risk of the ancillary benefits driving the ship. You know what I'm saying? Well, I think it is I think to a certain extent, it is driving the ship. It's like for some of these folks, it is driving the ship. Yeah. And that is that's that's where the where you find a miss. And so I don't wanna I don't wanna over crank on this exam on the connection here because if there are differences but, like, again, put put yourself back in the the original institution of god's people meeting in in worship communally, like, that isn't for for to say, hey, your kids will have morality. It's a recognition of who God is. Yes. And your worsh it's a worship session. Like, if you're how can you worship a god you don't believe in? You're not you're not participating in worship. That isn't quite what we're doing here. Right? That isn't like, if we're for the all the other things that are going on, like, you've kind of tacked on the extra things that come with it, and then people are latching on and saying this is good,

if we miss the worship god part. Like, no one's disagreeing with that, but, like, that that that's, I guess, why I probably wouldn't say that, lest they get the wrong idea of what it is that we're actually after here. And maybe that's my broader point is is is just if if people would come up to you and say, this is why I attend x church because it gives my kids a moral foundation, I would say, shoot. I mean, yeah, it does. But, like, that is not what I we wanna be known for. Right? We wanna be known for for pointing people to Jesus. And, like, where if if their takeaway is kid moral foundation

and what what our intended takeaway was a disciple of Jesus Christ. You know what I'm saying? Like, that that's that's the thing that I was that I was kinda getting at. Yeah. Actually, that's a that's a pretty classic business example of someone saying, look, here's what we wanna do and, hey, we're getting a lot of good actually, social media is primarily that. Hey, we want we want a lot of it we want a lot of attention on social media so we get business. And what they end up getting is just a lot of attention and they don't it doesn't translate to business and so, like, it's not really a success. Yeah. And so, like, it's it's that type of question. So I'm trying to double interpret these numbers, I guess, basically what I'm trying to do. Right. Shifty. Okay. Go ahead. Number three, to become a better person. I don't know. We have our own share of rum dums. There's no doubt.

Depends on your yardstick for better people. I mean, here's if it's within the context of if I if I'm defining better, in terms of more faithfully following Jesus, then right on. Yep. You're living out the sermon on the mount, you're a better person. Yeah. True. Yes. Yes. Yeah. Four, for comfort in times of trouble or sorrow. 66%.

Boy, what does that tell you about how many people are feeling trouble or sorrow at any given time? Wow. That's a lot. Number five, they find the sermons valuable. What's

the percentage? 59%. That's pretty good. Six out of 10. It's weird though. So I actually thought that was weird relative to, some of the other options because it's not, the the it requires further definition. Like, if I say this is a value to me, the reasonable question is of of what value?

Because it helps make you a better person? Because it lays a moral foundation? Because it gets you closer to god? Right? Like the so the sermons tend to be a they're a path to these types of things. And so I I I struggle with that one because I feel like I like I wanna know the next question. Yeah. Reasonable question to that. Number six, to be part of a faith community. I thought that one would have more more legs. 57%. Yeah.

It's interesting. I I'm finding this more, like, like, millennial generation folks are getting,

like, I I think you're seeing a resurgence in, like, community type organizations with those with those folks, like, doing things in the community, putting on community things, being part of, like, lions clubs and and things like that. And I it could just be me, like, just I happen to maybe know people like this but, like, I I see a lot where whereas the the church for I think for a while felt like the only game in town here. I feel like people are trying to do

do their own, to because there's a desire for community, but they don't wanna do it in the church and so Like the like the hippies. Yeah. I mean, I don't know. I'm not sure like the hippies.

But yeah. So fifty fifty seven. So what do think, Dan? How did you feel like that would have been higher or lower to be part of a faith community, 57%? I I guess I feel pretty good about that because I think a lot of people are I I would assume most people had pretty shallow reasons. And and some of these answers are a little bit shallow, like like, it's entry level stuff. Right. And you hope that from there, you grow them. Yeah. And that that seems like kind of a mature approach, like, wanna be I wanna be part of the commune community of of believers. I wanna I wanna wanna do

See, would have had that as my number one reason why I go to a church on Sunday. It's to be far part of a part of a community of believers, like, that are worshiping and following Jesus and it was a set apart time to get together and do that. That would have been probably one of Would have been your number one? Yeah. So it was interesting, I had someone mention to me, this was probably three or four years ago and they are they're a

person who wasn't going to church and they said, hey, you know, I started checking out the Unitarian church because I was basically interested in a in a community of folks. And like, I thought, oh, well, you know,

I get it because I feel like we have an innate desire for that type of community. I don't know if I'd do it there. Yeah. And so, like so but I guess the interesting part of that discussion was, like, just thinking about, it's not like either you follow Jesus and desire community or you don't follow Jesus and do not want community. Like, that is it's not that.

People have an I I think an innate desire just like they have an I I think for most people, there's there's just an innate feeling. There's something bigger. And whether they point it to god or whether they point it to nature or even even the a all know a power of wheels in motion of the the universe or something.

Wheels in motion that can't be stopped that had, like, defined laws. Whatever it is, there's a sense of something that's bigger than them. Like, everyone has a sense of that and everyone has a sense of desire to be around and with other people sharing, ideas and songs and, like, in in acknowledgment. They wouldn't say worship, but in acknowledgment of something that's bigger than them. And so,

it's one of those things that that who did that well? Paul did that well at the Areopagus. Right? Remember when he was talking about pointing to all the all the statues and stuff that were around him? Like, it's just this acknowledgment of, hey, I know what you're after. I get this. Yeah. Here's the true here's the true one. It's it's what you think, but it's it's this. This is the thing. Anyway, like, I I it was just a good reminder that, like, it's it's, people have these things in them and that to the extent that we're not making the most of those and helping them meet Jesus is prob we're probably missing an opportunity. Number seven was to continue their family's religious traditions, 37%.

Mhmm. Over a third over a third are saying, go once a month because my family keep my family's traditions alive. Just what we do. I mean, it's kind of a lazy tradition. You only gotta show up once a month. That's our tradition to show up to church once a month? Yeah. That's true. Heck, I could pull that off with a turtle. Man, that's it. It seems like a lot of work. I mean, churches are pretty heavy on, like, hey, we try like, they're trying to help you become closer to Jesus. Right? They're trying to just go through a discipleship. Right? So, like, you got someone sitting in your joint for three years,

how many times have I had the wade through, hey, you wanna get more involved in this thing? No. No. No. Although, you know, I do gotta respect their family traditions. I've been aiming way too high. I should just say things like, we should do this every once in a while, and this will be our tradition when I feel like it. Dan, has ever anybody ever said that straight out to you? Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Interesting. I think I'm gonna take another approach. I'm gonna say, you know, your dad and your grandfather used to do this weekly. How about you?

Yeah. Use the old guilt. The it's a family tradition. That's right. We feel like once a month is fitting and dad's dead. He won't know the difference. Good luck, Dan.

Your dad used to come to Sunday school. Oh, yeah. You should put a put a picture of him in the Sunday school room so they'll weep when they get there. Grand Pepe.

Number eight, they feel obligated to go, 31%. Hey, you know what's interesting? It's 37% said they go because of family religious traditions. Is should I think of the 31% as part of that or, like think so. Or they're forced to go for like, they feel obligated for other reasons?

I I no. I think I think they're they're Baptists and Catholics. Yeah. There's gotta be a good amount because if you add those two together, that's like 68% of your churches there because they either feel like it's part of their tradition or they're obligated to go for some other reason. Yeah. You're right. There's gotta be a combination. Okay. Number nine, to meet new people or socialize. This is a very important reason for their decision to go to church. 19%. I don't know if you've ever socialized at church, but it's weird. Hey, man. It's a weird time. Most articles,

are are trying to help people, like, dodge socialization in the church. These guys are like, I want more. I tell you what though, so that is a risk of, what we

we do church in a pretty small context and, like, that is one of the the the risks of a small community is, like, you just you can't meet as many people, like, future spouses and such. And, like, that's the pool to choose from, church folk. Yeah. It's true. And so, I don't know. That actually that occurred to me the other day that I mean, it's just, when you're looking out amongst the young boys in the in the church crowd and thought, man, this is it. Yeah. Yeah. Low. And

so Talk to them boys. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So new yeah. New meet new people and socialize. I I mean, what it doesn't tell you is whether that's in combination with other things, like, hey, it's very important to me so I can become closer to God. Also, it's very important so I can meet new people or socialize. That kind of implies a larger church if you're constantly picking out new people.

Yeah. I always found it very hard to socialize, like, on a Sunday morning

just because there's stuff going on, you know, and and and I don't know, there's all kinds of people there. And by the time you talk to one guy, the other dude that you wanted to talk to is gone already and, like, it's this is really hard to do. And so I always moved my socialization to some other day. That's why I found it odd that it was on the Sunday. Like, I just found it really hard to talk to people after church or something. Is that is that kinda true? I mean, I suppose it depends what you're doing. Like, some things like, a lot of the let's say, you're the person handing out the the the donuts or the being the grater. I mean, that's socialization to the nines. I mean, we put we put the best foot forward with those dudes. Yeah. Yeah. Alright. Number 10, to please their family, spouse or partner, 16.

Yeah. That's That's Seem about right? Yeah. That's expected. Yeah. Okay. Okay. So those are the top 10. Said African Americans are more likely than whites or Latinos to say that becoming closer to God, being a better person, and finding spiritual solace in tough times are top reasons for attending religious services. Oh, man. The implication is the whites and Latinos are farming it in looking for looking for a husband and because the family made him go. Yeah. Yeah. The weekly sermon is less a draw for Catholics than other Christians. So I Well, they don't really have sermons, do they? No. I mean, do holy thing or whatever? They do. And, like, they'll they'll teach, but, like, there's it's it tends to be super dry. Yeah. About four minutes. I told this was this was years ago. Maybe five years ago, I was just talking with my boss at the time and like she said,

I'd taken a day off. We talked about something I did on my day off and I said, well, I was I was I was gonna I was preaching that week and I said she goes, how long does that normally take? I said, well, I don't know. For any given servant, I'm probably spending between eight and twelve hours in preparation for that. Go oh, yeah. That's why I've taken the day off, is to do that. And she goes, oh, I go to she goes, I go to a Catholic church, I feel like that he's not putting near that much time into it. I thought, well, alright then.

I have no comment on that. This feels like a three hour father, whatever your name is. Dang it. But it seems like they're basically, yeah, reading out of the book of the day, and and they read the tell me is they have, like, a yeah. They have, like, a set schedule. Yeah. They read the prayer. They read I've been to funerals. They just insert the name.

I mean, always think, what do these guys do? Refrain. Alright. Skipping it. More women say there are they are there are a variety of reasons for going to religious services, while men more commonly say they sit in the pew to please their spouse.

Painful. A healthy slice of adults younger than 30 say they visit the sanctuary mainly to socialize. Perhaps, coincidentally, they are also less likely than older churchgoers to say they feel God's presence at services. Why are older people more likely to feel God at church? Is there something in our makeup that opens us to religious experiences as we age? Or maybe more Americans are searching outside of sanctuaries for the divine. According to Pew, that was the top reason survey respondents gave for skipping regular religious services. Here's the whole list. Number one, they practice their faith in other ways.

How many what percentage? 37%. Yeah. But perhaps assault ceremony on your back deck. Yeah. Like, I watch I I there's a slew of people like, I watched, Jesse Duplantis this morning, and I was fine. I'm like, for certain after you get to a certain age or whatever you have a time getting in the house, I get it. You know? But guys, like, either they and the problem is they're half lying to me. That's the part that drives me nuts. It's like, normally, people that's been like, I I I don't like going to the big church. I like to do it in my own way. And then I ask follow-up questions, and then they start getting real waffly on me. You know, I'm like, well, what do you mean? Like, well, you know, I'll put on some worship music or something while while I'm cooking breakfast. I'm like, yeah, cool, cool. I'm with you so far. And then then me and my family will go out to a park or whatever, and we'll just kinda walk around, enjoy God's nature or whatever. I'm like, yeah. I'm with you so far. Yeah. Yeah. I'm like, okay. Still, I've I've not heard any type of either taking in the word or or read your bible or even sing and join along with the worship tunes with the community of people. You know, and it doesn't have to be all these things, but what you're trying to do is describe a regular Sunday that you've attached holiness to in weird fashions, you know? Like, one of them one of them them jackets with the padded elbows on. You're putting one of those on your sundae and acting like it's a professor

and it is not. Yeah. Yeah. That's true. Like well, only very regulars, you know, when said, like, yeah, I do that my own way and they've they've explained it and like, oh, yeah. Cool. That's legit. That sounds awesome. You find a guy that's like, actually, we like to hardcore celebrate the feast of booths at our place. And so, you know, we just don't we don't show up for Sunday service there because it's it's halfway through the booth action. I'm like, that's awesome. Yeah. That's way hardcore and cool, and I'm with you. But, no, it's never any of that. It's like, sometimes I like to cut down my profanity when I watch the bears because it's Sunday.

Okay. I'm supposed to Sabbath from profanity. Alright. So, anyway, they're practicing their faith in other ways. Two, they are not believers. That would make sense. Yeah. 28%. Yeah. That's that's you're honest. That's 9% fewer. Three, no reason is very important.

Oh, they don't have a good reason why they skipped the services. They're just like, All reasons are good enough. Yeah. They haven't found a house of worship they like. 23%. Okay.

I hear you. They can't land on one. Yeah. They're higher or lower than you thought. Dan? What was the percentage? 23. Twenty three? Twenty three can't find a place they like. I that's lower than I would figure. We're a pretty consumer driven society. You find them more fickle than that. Yeah. Dan was expecting them be high forties. Yeah. Okay. Really wanna go to church, but they're all stupid. Oh, yeah. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

20 only 23%. Hey, maybe the well, they're not going they can't find one, so they gave up and they practice in other ways, like the worship of with the eggs in the assault ceremony. Number five, they don't like the sermons, 18%.

I've been there. That's rough. That's rough. Six, they don't feel welcome, 14%. We on the side of phony there. I mean, you know, like most churches I've been to, I remember this one church that I went to when I was just first married, and the wife and I were trying to find a place. And like we got there and,

man, it was every five minutes. Someone was coming up giving me the hassle, they're like blah blah blah blah blah. Welcome to our place. We're so glad you guys are gonna start coming here now. I'm like, woah. Woah. Hey, We've been here like five minutes. I don't I haven't even passed judgment on this place yet. And then they showed up my house the next day with a pie, and I'm like, creeping me out. I don't even remember giving you my address. You guys I mean, it was too much. It was way way too much for me. And and so, like, it was just it was way over the top ridiculous. And then, man, what's this other place we went to? And, I remember they we weren't there for ten minutes, and they're like, well, you know, your wife should be on the cooking ministry. It starts on Tuesday. Here's the address. We'll see you then. I'm like, hey. We've been here five minutes. I don't even know your name. You know? You're like it's it's like like felt like they signed us up for a cold one. I wasn't even paying attention. And so I say all that to say, when people say they don't feel welcome, it's I've not had the experience where I've gotten the cold shoulder. I've had us we try too hard. Like that annoying friend in in grade school or center that that's got a Sega Genesis and then holds it over your head all the time. That's what it feels like with these guys. Like, it was just way over the top. So I find that odd, that 14% seems a little high. Yeah. I suppose because a lot of people, like, don't wanna like, they don't want that.

And so they kinda hide and then, you know, maybe they'll sit in the back and they'll try to get in and get out and be like, well, I mean, if you didn't feel welcome because you dodged everybody Yeah. I mean, I don't know what there's nothing that can be done. You know, that is a question to to be asked though is, like, generally, we we stage greeters or whatever to make people feel welcome when they first come in. But, like, most people, if it's their first time, try to be pretty much largely left alone, which makes it odd that we have placed greeters and welcoming people as if it's that's what they want when most people don't want that. They wanna just sneak in and be part of the deal and see if they like it first. So I think it doesn't feel odd. I think there's there's just a measure of overdone. Like, if you someone says, hey. How you doing? Here's the and you hand them, like, a bulletin or something and say, look. Here's the bathrooms. Here's the here's the cafe. Here's the sanctuary.

Like, that's that facilitates your ability to move along quickly. Yeah. And if you and you can kinda get the vibe that people are like that. It's as if, like, they got that vibe and you follow them and said, let me show you into the bathroom. This is my favorite urinal. Like, that's where you've overdone your your situation. This is what I call the devil flusher. Yeah. So, I mean, I think there's a way to even do that. Right? Like, people don't people don't flinch at that because that that seems like a functional thing as opposed to, hey, it's it's been overdone. And then, like, there are some people who are, like, are really chatty, and then you can just you just meet them with that, and then you're fine. Yeah. Let's see. They, seven, they don't have the time. 12%.

They do not have the time to go to the church. Mhmm. Mhmm. Yep. I mean, really?

That's an hour. That's an hour in the morning. I talked to a guy a week ago who said he doesn't have time. Said, dude, you have time. Yes. You can't tell me twenty four seven. He owns a cleaning business. Uh-huh. And, oh, I'm cleaning. So you're telling me you you you can't not clean for one hour on Sunday night? I know I am. He easily defeated. Give me the other 11%.

Let's see. Poor health or mobility, 9%. That's legit. K. And no house of worship in their area. I mean, maybe in Montana. I wonder if that's gotta be they haven't found a house of worship they like. Because I mean so here's the I drove through Mitchellville today. I was I filled my the back of my car with a bunch of junk because I was cleaning out my shit. And, like, my my 2003 Trailblazer is to the nines with crapola.

And so, I feel like I can't see out the rearview mirror. Is that illegal? No. I don't think so. No. Oh, good. I was under the impression it might be illegal, so I take the back roads so that I don't get pulled over for such a thing. And so, I go through Mitchellville. And so,

Mitchellville, as from what I could tell, has the five churches, three of which are on the main drag, and that's Mitchellville. And there's, like, 1,200 people living in Mitchellville. Yeah. And so, I mean, you tell me, like, where are you at? Where are you at that there's no one in your area, like, that you're not willing to travel unless you're saying, look. If it's not on my block, I ain't going. I mean, it could be it could be in the in in Montana. I mean, far between. What percentage of the survey respondents do you think live in Montana? I don't know. Pew didn't didn't vet that out for us. Yeah. They said see where these numbers are coming. They said, look. It's probably for CNN. We're not answering. Like, Montana don't do that stuff. I mean, some people are pretty loose on when they say their area. Like, it's not within a block of them. They're like, I've looked everywhere on this whole block, and there's no church to be found. That's what I'm saying. Okay.

Okay. Let's see what they say. Oh. Oh, wait a minute. They're gonna they're gonna prove me wrong. When you read the phrase practice their faith in other areas, that was all 10 or that was nine. Sorry. It may be tempting to visualize dreadlocked Jew boos and throw wannabes wandering barefoot around Walden Pond. That's Mike's accusation. Yeah. Go into the park. But that's not the picture Pew's data paints. The believers most likely to say they practice their faith in other ways aren't spiritual freelancers with a disdain for discipline. They're republican women in their fifties, and a lot of them are Christians. Who cares whether they're republican women in their fifties? Well, they're trying to say they're not like gone just smoking, you know, hoop dees. They're not trying to say that they're religious hippies.

Here's the deal. 50 year old republican women, I don't know automatically disqualifies you from doing stuff like that. That's true. Because that I mean, that's their generation. And so and a lot and he says, and a lot of them are Christians. Of those who believe in religion but don't regularly attend religious services, nearly seven in ten still identify with a particular tradition, including six in 10 who say they are Christian.

More than half the people who hey. Wait. Hold on a second. That's interesting. If seven in 10 of people who don't go attend, regular religious service still say I'm part of this and six in 10 are Christian, that means of the o other major faiths, it would imply that that this is a far less acceptable thing in those for either for, like, for for Judaism or Islam or or pick one. Like, one in 10, where Christianity

whatever whatever we've done with our organization, it feels like six in 10 are like Yeah. But I'm still a Christian. I just don't come. I mean, of the 5,000 people that they asked, can I assume they asked in America? I mean, that's just the predominant religion. So, I mean, it could just be a straight numbers game. Yeah. I suppose. Okay. More than half the people who believe but don't attend religious services regularly are women. Many say they haven't found a house of worship they like and so practice their faith in other ways. We say many, but I have direct numbers for this. One was 37.

And, what was the one one I don't like? 23. Yeah. Okay. And why so why so many women failed to find a house of worship they like? More than six in ten said it's because they have poor health or difficulty getting around. That's sixty percent, but that that was only made up nine percent, poor health or mobility. I don't understand these numbers anymore. More than half said it's because they haven't felt welcomed by congregation,

54%, But that is represented as 14% up here. So what does this all mean? American pastors, imams, and rabbis have spent endless amounts of time trying to cater to millennials' tastes. Wait. Were these just millennials?

No. They said 50 year old Republican women. Yeah. I just got lost. Alright. Let's hold on. Alright. Hold on. What was the guy's name? Daniel Burke? You better pull this together. American pastors, imams, and rabbis have spent endless amounts of time trying to cater to millennials' tastes, or at least what they perceive to be millennials' taste, coffee bars, hip young clergy, mission trips to exotic locales. But this study suggests that there's an underserved group of believers who seem like they'd actually like to go to religious service if someone could help them get there and welcome them when they arrive.

I mean, am I misreading the data? Because that really doesn't feel like there's that many. What was it? Hold on. Haven't found one. Wait. Can't get there. Poor mobility, nine percent. Don't feel welcome, fourteen. Twenty three percent of people who said that they skipped the services are because they can't get there. Mean, there's plenty of places that do. I I swear every Baptist church has got a bus on them. Oh, man. Everyone owns the same, like, nineteen eighty four piece of junk with, like, their name assembly or something half faded on the outside. I think they have secret meetings where they sell them used buses to the Baptist church And probably one guy that paints them. Because, I mean, everybody's got them. It's not like you ever see them driving a nondescript bus. It's got the Baptist church name right right the heck of it. And it's either light blue or maroon, like, is obnoxious coloring for no reason. Yeah. It really is. No one's got a van made within the last five years. So I so so ask yourself this. Are we are are do you feel like us as a church community, but not us specifically, but like Christ Church, are we guilty of this?

Do are are are we not very welcoming or do we refuse to pick up people of ill mobility? Because some of this seems like their choice. You know, there's maybe there's pockets of this that says, I ain't coming to get you. But, like, I haven't been to a church yet that acts that way. If somebody would just say, hey, man. I have a hard time getting there. I mean, we'd rent a van for the day to get you there. Yeah. Yeah. I think if churches knew, you know, these people were looking, they'd they'd pick them up.

Yeah. I wonder I mean, it's I I suppose that's the question. There probably is a thought that says, hey, like, you should be coming for me, like, or if someone doesn't show up to my house with a pamphlet that says, hey, ever need a ride to church? Let us know. Like, did you pick up the phone and call your nearest Methodist church and be like, hey, will someone come get me? Because I I mean, I just can't I just don't see someone saying no to that. See, I'm it was funny that no one answered like me and God are fighting right now. Like, I'm I'm angry at God. I don't like him. You know what I'm saying? Like, it's odd that somebody didn't answer that, that there wasn't more answers that way. Maybe that's hidden in the people with no faith. Well, I suppose. I mean, no. But that that's where I always get confused because the no faith people are just they don't believe he exists at all. And then other people believe he exists and just don't like him. That's true. And, like, I mean, I figured there'd be at least a couple dudes at least answer it honestly. Like, look, I I grew up with it. I don't like it. I don't me and God are we're not getting along right now. And that's why I don't wanna go. Don't wanna hear from him. Alright. That's it. That was the I don't know, Mike, any surprises in there? Yeah. I I suppose it's pretty straightforward. I I and at the end of the day, maybe I don't really care about these conversations as much as I thought. Because I'm it because, I mean, the truth of the matter is is I I want

oh, I I don't want people to join the church. You know what I'm saying? I want them to love Jesus. They'll join the church on their own. It's just it's a byproduct of of following Jesus. You took you find a community around you. And so I I don't know. I don't know. Okay. Very good.

So hold on. I don't wanna lose it. I don't wanna lose it here. Wait. Hold on, Dan. Any any surprises for you? No. Not not really. I don't know if there's any action steps either. It's just like, it's what it is. Right. Kind of affirmed a few things. No no no major surprises.

Yeah. Some people come to church for the wrong reasons, and other people don't come for the wrong reasons. Yeah. That's true. Yeah. Nothing fantastic there. Austrian Let's let's

do this. Let's talk about let's talk about this talk about this urinal problem in in Paris just because I'm super interested about it. So the deal is in Paris, author authorities are taking an unusual approach to combat the scourge of public urination, make urination even more public. Hold on. This is a scourge. Hold on. I gotta I have to show you the

I gotta show you this picture of this guy because, like, he's everywhere. Just a second. I'll put it up on the board here. For you guys on the podcast, you're just gonna have to Google it. In fact, don't Google it. Watch the show on YouTube. Okay. Hold on. Here we go.

Okay. Got it? Look at this thing. It's it's it's a trash. Yeah. Looks like a garbage can. It's a trash, man. It's garbage can. Just standing really close. They just put a urinal on it. Well, that's wild. Hold on. Let's see if I can get a shot of it. It is right by the river. Oh, hold on. Yeah. I mean, so so, like, they they show a picture of here, hold on. Let me get you another one. Look at this boat coming by watching. Yeah. Yeah. Look at this one. Hey, buddy. Look at this old guy. And then look, there's a big tourist boat right here coming by.

And look look look at the sign. Look at this free wheeler up here on the sign having a jolly of it. He's peeing from, like, three inches out. Boy, it would be super hard to play it cool, like, no. I'm not peeing in here. I'm just standing by it. So what what do girls do? They don't get to do it. This is only a man problem.

No. Hey, Dan. That's true of most public urinations. Dan, did you see that in Zimbabwe? Were people peeing in the streets all the time? Yeah. Okay. Not all the time, but I I saw it more than once. Yeah. Dudes in Ethiopia were doing that all over the He's like, oh, here we go. Like, oh, there it is. Yeah. And some of them actually didn't even have the courtesy to turn away from the bus. And so Yeah. Yeah. Some of the some of the gals got I mean, they got an eye full. Yeah. Anyway Sure did. So here's here's what's going on in, in Paris. So the city is experimenting

with completely exposed eco friendly urinals. The I'm gonna I'm gonna butcher this. The devices are called urochoitrois, which combines the words for urinal and pavement.

Oh, good. Oh. Toilet street. They're not at all subtle. They're bright red and in heavily trafficked areas, for example, directly next to the Seine River or the Notre Dame Cathedral. And if there's any confusion, a large white and red sign with a red arrow and a cartoon of a man peeing probably clears it up. French authorities say they are using the surprising solution to try to supplement existing toilets in heavily congested areas where there are urine issues.

The interest of this new urban fixture lies in its mobility, ease of installation and use, as well as its ecological dimension. Holy cats. How much do they have to pay for that sentence? Pretty good. They introduced three of these toilets in March and added a fourth in July. They're planning to install a fifth urinal soon. Wait a minute. What what why was all this planning into an easy installable item? I mean, we gotta go through a meeting and get the guys together? You made it sound like you could just drop one off at the end of the block and be done.

Yeah. Well, it kinda makes you wonder, like, what was the what were they waiting on? So what like, was there a data collection? It was, a test and learn in March. And, like, what were the results? Were they, like, we're on it. Put another one in in July. Yeah. Do they have a counter? Be like, we collected 300 gallons a year. Oh, gross. I mean, it's gotta be smelly. It's gotta be attracting flies. And there has to be dudes

with their stuff out in the middle street. Alright. No. Hold on. So, I mean, just a just a question. You're in Paris and you see one of these I mean, do you use it? No. No. No. You I mean I mean, I might do it as a novelty. You're like every other stupid tourist, man. Why you gotta do stuff like that? I mean, maybe if no one was around.

I mean, here's the deal. Like, it you you stand right behind it. It's like peeing into a a garbage can. Right? And so, like, you still can't you can't zip up your pants while you're with your thing in there. Yeah. Right. And so you're gonna be exposed at some point. At some point, your your stuff is gonna be out for Paris to see. Now granted, Europe has a little bit less to be upset about than maybe Americans do in that arena. But still, at some point, there's gonna be a free wheel and wiener around. Yeah. And that cartoon kind of encourages it. Yeah. That guy looks like he's having a real real heck of a time. I don't know, Ben. This doesn't seem right. The new additions have appalled some residents such as Paolo Pes Pelizari,

who owns a Venetian art store. There's no need to put something so immodest and ugly in such an historic spot, she tells Reuters. Oh, it's a lady. Paolo. Paolo. Some other few of the urinals are straightforwardly sexist. They've been installed on a sexist proposition. Men cannot control themselves from the bladder point of view, and so all of society has to adapt. Gwendolyn Kopalt of the feminist group, Femmesolidaire,

tells the news service the public space must be transformed to cause the minimum discomfort. Oh, now hold on a minute. Now with that same rationale, we wouldn't put up stoplights because it's infringing on our freedom to wheel and wheel through an intersection and not stop for the other guy. If people would evolve to stop like they're supposed to, we wouldn't have to have the stoplights is your basic rationale. Now I'm hoping that also that that she is is also opposed to women whipping their boobs out

to, feed their child. Also frowned on less in pairs, I believe. Yeah. So it was like there there like, there is there much of a difference? I mean, they're both generally private areas doing natural things. Yeah.

Answer for Europe, Ben. I mean, I cannot speak for Europe. I find I find one to be providing nourishment, one to be relieving your waste into a bucket in the middle of everywhere. Because you've used your nourishment. Yeah. I mean, I don't care where it came Same process. It's still waste.

One's at the beginning, one's at the end. It's all natural. Yeah. That's true. One says, hey, look, I have this. Would you like some? And the other one says, I'm done with this. I'm gonna put it on the street. I have this. Would you like some? That's what breast that's what breastfeeding is. Here, I have this. You should have some. I have some to share with you. Yeah. It says, the designers advertise their product as the urban ecological solution for civilizing wild peeing.

That's the advertisement? Wow. Brilliant. They'd obviously do not spend the same amount as the city council to come up with some propaganda. Hold on. I wanted to see the I wanna see if I can get a look at the

oh, it's taking too long. Forget it. Men men pee into the receptacle, which is filled with straw and other composting materials to keep odors down. That material eventually becomes compost that can be used to fertilize plants. On top of the is a small flower garden to beautify your public spaces. Oh, nice. I didn't see a flower garden in that picture. It hasn't grown yet. Frankly, the smell of ammonia is kinda killing off the plants above. We gotta clean out these pea soaked stacks of of hay. Let's just soak into the, flowers. City city authorities even said this could reduce the amount of chemical fertilizer used. This isn't the first time Paris has had tried to tackle the wild peeing problem according to The Guardian,

and this is from a early article. In an effort to stem the flow, Paris has installed 400 self contained, self cleaning unisex public toilets known as sense sense sets sense sets. Sorry. Free to use since 2006. It also employs a small army of street sanitation workers who disinfect and deodorize thousands of square meters of walls and pavements every month. Wow. Laurent Lebeau, a designer of the Euro Tropois, tells the newspaper that the device isn't a complete fix to the problem. Still, drunk blokes just keep pissing, he said.

People may laugh at our solution, but it could just work. Can I order one of these? Look at yeah. Look at them. They they got a picture of the guy

taking a real wheelie on it. Well, he really is freewheeling it. Okay. How do they know? Is there is there, like, a thing in there? How do they know when it's Yeah. I don't know. It doesn't say. Hold on. Let's see if there's a cost. Would you buy one for your place? No. I pee outside all the time in my house.

No no box necessary. This is my house. Okay. Hold on.

Urinal one a 100 it it it the the hold on. The XL allows a 180 urinations. Oh. But you have to at least buy oh, it's it's out of stock and unavailable.

Okay. Anyway, that's wild. So hold on. So I know I didn't hit the premise, but if this were non biblical signs of the apocalypse,

what are the thoughts here? We have more time or is this a sign of the end of the world? No. We got way more time. Guys, this is just regular living, man. Just just regular people doing regular things, Dan? I I'm keying in on the wild peeing thing, and I think we're getting close to the end. Dan says when when people just can't restrain and pee wildly. You know what? That's what he said. He said, you don't shut the book. Don't write that wild peeing thing down. That's too much for people to take. In fact, there there there is a rumor that that is part of, god could have kind of cleansed the earth in many different ways, but he sent the flood because there was a bunch of wild peeing going on. He's like, we're not setting up pee boxes. We're just gonna clean this thing out. Flooded up to the top of that air rat.

Ted peed on air rat. It's like one guy who climbed up there and did it. That's so good. One giant flesh. Alright, Mike. You're up. Alright. Here we go. A couple of deer life from the past. Deer life from the past. I've been seeing this guy, quotes Jason, for a year and eight months. I love him, and he loves me. But I've been offered a really good job about three hours from where we live. It is a job I've been wanting for a long time with retirement, pension, and other benefits. Once I get in and there's an opening here, I can apply and move back. Jason doesn't want me to accept the job because he says long distance relationships never work. I told him I'm willing to try. Is it selfish of me to accept this job in spite of being in a relationship with someone I want a future with, knowing it could possibly break us up? Using the West.

Long distance relationship, fellas. Where we at? I think you really gotta ask yourself, is this a long term relationship? Yeah. I mean, if it breaks you up, then I guess you have your answer. Yeah. If you you're yeah. Yeah. You're you're ready to to move and get on out of there,

even though you're telling yourself it's gonna stay long term. You're lying to yourself. Yeah. Like, hey, significant other, I found this sweet gig that I've always wanted, and and it's three hours away. It's even more significant than you. Yeah. Significant other says, great. When are we moving? This sounds like an awesome opportunity. I'd like to support you any way I can. And that's not what he said. He said, if you move there, we're gonna break up. Yeah. I don't know. I think it's probably I just but based on his answer, think it's time to dump the man.

He's either saying, look, don't do it, because I'm not willing to try to make a long distance relationship work for a little while until we get it straightened out. Or don't do it because I'm not gonna move there with you. Both answers are like, hey, do exactly what I tell you to do or this thing's over, which is no good. It's fairly controlling. Yeah. I mean, there's there's plenty of options here. But, hey, three hours isn't that bad Yeah. Just in general. But, like,

it didn't state, like, what his reasons were for not a wanting to move or Yeah. I mean, unless he owns, like, Bob's Deli and his name is Bob, then I suppose maybe he's got reasons to flagship in town here. But, like, I mean, if his situation is the fact that he does a job that can be done anywhere, he's going to school or something, then, I mean, he can move. What's the problem? Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I don't think it's so I was supposed to answer the question. Was the question was it's not whether is it reasonable? Is it selfish of me to accept this job? No,

it's not. No. And and frankly, it's just it's it's not a it it it we we think of these types of things wrong. It is not causing a problem, it is revealing a problem. Right. And so, it is just your opportunity to talk through things that frankly, if you didn't talk about, you're gonna run into later on anyway. And so have the discussion. I But I would say you learn a lot from someone who says, look, I don't wanna do a long distance relationship and I refuse to move or go along with you or marry you or whatever the appropriate things are to do in this situation. If they're flat out like, look, you either stay, do what I want,

even though this is a good opportunity for you or I will break up with you, then I feel like then that's probably the right answer. Yeah. Regular says, it's not selfish. Quote selfish is a boyfriend, not even a fiance, who would expect you to pass up an opportunity that offers retirement pension and other benefits knowing how important it is to you. I mean Sorry.

I was gonna say, like, I mean, there are a lot of jobs that offer mean, isn't like the king of all jobs. I don't know. There's not very many jobs left that offer a pension though. I mean, this is a rarity. Yeah. Maybe the pension part. Yeah. But your adults are able to defer gratification and forego an immediate reward in anticipation of a later one. Mike, do wait. Do you have a pension? No. No. No. And then, Dan, you don't you don't you don't have any kind of pension here. No. Everybody put the XNA on the pensions. I'll be living in a little pea pod in the urinator. Living on the I'll be holding the pod in there. Uritatois at the Dan Dan Kessel.

Alright. Last one. Ready? Yep. Dear life from the path. I am almost 14 and entering high school. I am really scared and don't know what to do. I just want to go to class, study hard, get good grades, and get out. But it's not that simple. Can you give me some advice about high school and what I should watch out for? Oh. Oh, probably not. Yeah. Listen, it's tough times. Nobody actually likes it. You're gonna there's maybe like two guys in all of high school that think it's great. Everyone else is just shining it on because they don't know what to do with it. I mean, it it is kind of that simple though. Yeah.

I mean Take a day at a time? Yeah. You just do it. I mean and you want here I mean, here's the thing, it's like, it is that simple and then when you run into things that start to complicate it, refuse. Yeah. Right. And there you go, it'll it'll re simplify itself. That, like, the hardest part is calling on is is recognizing something that starts to complicate things and saying, I don't want that.

Yeah. I mean, isn't that true of life though? That is that is that is true of all of life. Right? Like, there's some especially when we talk about following Jesus, right? There's some very there's a lot of joy to be had through simple obedience. And we let it get piled up and weird with all these weird things and, like, if we'd have just done simple obedience, we'd have been we'd have been fine. And we don't, and we let it be all gray and and funky. So, yeah, I think I I think the fellows are right. It's it is you nailed it. You know exactly what it should be and anything more than that is unnecessarily complicated and gonna cause you the trouble. Yeah. I mean, people who who can maintain, like, a focus on stuff,

like that's just a real winner right there. You don't let stuff pull yourself off your course. You say no to things you don't wanna be part of. I mean, you can pick up other things, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's a complication. You just something else you took on. But yeah. Yeah. I would say if that's what you want, find ways to remind yourself that that's what you want. Stick that in front of you, put it in a diary, say it to yourself in the morning when you leave, like, whatever it is you gotta do to keep that keep that kind of at the front front of your mind, and then be prepared to to react to it when when someone tries to take that away from you by otherwise trying to complicate your life, and then kind of do your best to refuse.

Secular says, calm your fears. It may come for you to know every student feels the way you do when first entering high school. It's a new environment, and you will encounter new people. Be nice to everyone, and most of them will most of them will like you. That's how friendships are made. Not my experience in high school. Look for extracurricular activities that interest you, and join some if you can. You already know you will need to study hard. If you do, good grades will follow. As to what you should watch out for, if some of the other students are doing things that you consider wrong, don't join in. And keep in mind, there's a school counselor you can talk to if you have have any problems or concerns. Yeah. Yeah. That's some solid advice. Are are we a feeling that school counselor? No. It's all fine. It's just like something you'd read on a bookmark with a worm on it eating an apple. You know what saying? Like I mean, these these don't the way that she's phrased it has made it feel feel like it it could never apply to me as an incoming high school student. Oh, yeah. That's understandable.

Alright. Hey. You've been listening live from the Path. Thanks for hanging out with us today. We really do appreciate it. If you got thoughts on the show, shoot us an email, [email protected]. You know what you should do? You should send us the 10 reasons why you should listen to the show and then 10 reasons why you shouldn't, and then we can go through that list. Hey. That'd be funny. That's a good idea. Yeah. Yeah. You should do that. Consider that. In the meantime, be faithful in the in the means. God will handle the ends. You've been listening to Live From The Path.