Timothy Isaiah Cho

“Our country is divided” is only part of the truth. “…by ethics” is the missing part.

Not politics, opinions, or news source fundamentally, because there are people who are calling evil good and good evil, and the solution to that problem is most definitely not to reduce division.

To my knowledge, there isn’t anything in print (I hope to be proven wrong!) about the effects of dopamine in the church. But there are several noteworthy observations about dopamine that can directly relate to the church.

Church High: How Dopamine Can Enable Abuse We’ve often heard of dopamine being talked about in the context of smartphones – namely, that smartphone usage stimulates dopamine release and therefore can result in addictive behaviors.

We’ve often heard of dopamine being talked about in the context of smartphones – namely, that smartphone usage stimulates dopamine release and therefore can result in addictive behaviors. But what about churches?

timothyisaiahcho.substack.com/p/church-hig...

YouTube video by City of Refuge Columbus Guiding Principle 9

We’ll have a chance to discuss this really important topic tomorrow at City of Refuge. If you’d like to join us, reach out and I’ll send you the zoom link and details.

Here’s the message we’ll be watching together to frame our discussion.

youtu.be/apo6MUx-JBM

Christian life talked about in the same sentence and have been left confused.

So, what does the Bible have to say about mental health, and how should we as the church change the way we approach the topic?

It’s an understatement to say that Christians have a bad reputation when it comes to mental health.

While many have heard from other Christians that mental health struggles are signs of unrepentant sin, a lack of faith, or the work of demons, others have simply never heard mental health and the

can refute without even trying.

I'm also not interested in listening to or reading a post by some "pastor" from a "church" who is defending DHS and ICE or his "Jesus" for that matter.

entirely contradicts eyewitness footage and testimonies and aligns with DHS and ICE's claims.

I'm also not interested in your favorite political pundit's half-baked theories about how immigration and immigration enforcement "actually works" that anyone specializing in immigration law

Actually, no, I'm not interested in watching your Youtube video, reel, or TikTok from a random person online who claims to have the "real facts" when they are just parroting DHS and ICE's talking points.
I'm also not interested in your gnostic secret "true knowledge" of what's happening that

All of that is basic human decency 101 stuff. If you aren’t already convinced of these things, then you likely aren’t engaging in good faith discussions about what is right and wrong, legal and illegal, moral and immoral.

I am not interested in trying to persuade people that shooting an unarmed person in the face, forcing the elderly out in the cold without adequate clothing, detaining young children, breaking into peoples houses without judicial warrants, and harming peaceful protestors is wrong and evil.

I am not interested in trying to remind so called Christians that justice and mercy aren’t woke and leftist.

I am not interested in trying to convince Christian leaders that the “middle way” and always being moderate is forsaking their calling and responsibility.

I am frankly not interested in trying to convince people that inhumanity is wrong and that compassion is right.

I am not interested in trying to persuade people who don’t want to believe lived experiences of immigrants and those who advocate for them.

Churches and Christians will be talking and posting about MLK’s dream of a nation where people “will not be judged by the color of their skin,” and then support ICE agents who are doing exactly that.

denominations that fault an abuse victim for not following their institutional procedures instead of addressing the abuse they received.

a whole should be asking *why* protestors felt they needed to do what they did.

Protests are aching cries in the face of injustice, and the church should be the first to address the injustice itself rather than the ways in which these cries are being made. This is not much different than

the interruption of protected spaces while they are kidnapping people in once agreed upon protected spaces, then they’ve lost the weightier matters of the law.

To be clear, I am not in favor of interrupting worship services or using worship services to attain political ends. However, the church as

When church leaders are more visibly upset about protesters disrupting a church service than a pastor of that church *serving with ICE and defending ICE’s actions,* then there is something deeply wrong.
If the church leaders are also not willing to call out the fact that the feds are decrying

in our country, whether or not you and your circle is experiencing it firsthand. If you haven’t had any exposure to ICE, then you are in a place of privilege. And the calling of Christ followers is to move from privilege to solidarity with the vulnerable.

(by the way, online personas can often show someone’s true colors)? Or is it left to “personal conviction” and “freedom in Christ” to hold and espouse such views? Again, you may need to find a new faith community that does not refuse to use its prophetic voice.

ICE is a threat to all people

urge them to. If they refuse, you may need to find a new church with a spine and heart like Jesus.

Is anyone in your faith community directly calling out the falsehoods and support of inhumanity that people in your community are saying in real life conversations and online interactions

the evil that ICE is doing? Have you heard your church say without equivocation that Jesus hates injustice against immigrants, especially the most vulnerable of them? Has your church gone beyond simply asking what is “legal” and asked what is Christ-honoring and according to His ethics? If not,

Churches are siding with empire if they are recruiting for ICE, not praying and speaking against ICE, and failing to protect their people from ICE. ICE needs to know without a doubt that they are unwelcome by the church.

Have you heard your church speak clearly and unquestionably about

your Christianity is just your excuse to sanction cruelty and violence.

I’ll say it again and again - churches are not doing the loving thing by allowing ICE agents and their supporters feel like they at home in the church and unchallenged regarding whether they are living in step with the gospel.

You cannot support ICE while taking seriously the ethics of Jesus. You can call yourself a Christian, go to church, and claim to know all the right theological answers, but if you are supporting such blatant acts of evil and disregarding on the ground requirements of Christ’s righteousness, then

Update: another very generous person has helped me get to 45% funded!

for the sake of power is truly empire masquerading as church.

Today ICE murdered an innocent and unarmed US citizen and then lied about it.

If you're in a church community that cannot clearly and without hesitation call this a murder, then you need to find a new one. A "church community" that is desensitized to evil and believes in convenient lies

bathwater” for the sake of healing your soul and body. And this will look different person to person.

when it comes to that leader’s books, sermons, and teachings. The same talking points are used when traditions and denominations have their proverbial skeletons pulled out of the closet for all to see.

The fact of the matter is that it actually is sometimes good to “throw the baby out with the