The Warrior Priest Podcast

Hope is not a wish. It is not optimism or naivety. It is an assertion. It is telling the world, “No, this is not the way things will be; things will be better.” For both Marcel and Tolkien, it is only with hope that we banish despair.  You do not haggle with or beg the darkness. Like a blazing torch, you must shine hope brightly and fiercely. - Jonny Thomson, The Secret to a Good Fairy Tale Link: https://bigthink.com/high-culture/tolkien-marcel-and-hope/

“Obviously there is no need of fighting to overcome this single tyrant, for he is automatically defeated if the country refuses consent to its own enslavement: it is not necessary to deprive him of anything, but simply to give him nothing; there is no need that the country make an effort to do anything for itself provided it does nothing against itself. It is therefore the inhabitants themselves who permit, or, rather, bring about, their own subjection, since by ceasing to submit they would put an end to their servitude. A people enslaves itself, cuts its own throat, when, having a choice between being vassals and being free men, it deserts its liberties and takes on the yoke, gives consent to its own misery, or, rather, apparently welcomes it.” (Étienne de La Boétie, The Discourse on Voluntary Servitude)

“…physical attacks lead to a corresponding increase of trust in political leaders and submission to them. This effect is likely the same whether the attack be a surprise, known to political leaders yet allowed to happen, or directly orchestrated by these same leaders who stand to benefit from the increased trust and submission…False flag operations are used because people generally do not have access to the details, so they are prone to rely upon what they’re told, and thus are easily deceived. People will, for the most part, believe what they are told in times of crisis, and so government officials, whether their motives are good or evil, capitalize on or completely fabricate the crises.” (Feardom: How Politicians Exploit Your Emotions and What You Can Do to Stop Them, Conor Boyack)

In the relentless battle-space of spiritual warfare, where the fires of sin and temptation constantly threaten to burn down our faith and lives, Christians are called by God to stand as warriors of faith. We take to heart the words of Psalm 119:11, “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” Like King David, who faced the giant Goliath with nothing but a sling and his unwavering trust in God (1 Samuel 17), we stand against the giants of our time, the adversary’s of the Lord, armed with an unshakable faith that comes from the Holy Spirit and God’s Word. - Donavon L Riley  Link: https://spotterup.com/praying-down-evil-the-christians-battle-cry/

We are raised and educated to believe that failure should be avoided at any cost. The harsh truth is that we cannot be successful in everything we do, but we can strive for excellence as long as we embrace the lessons of failure. Failure is a part of life and can’t be avoided, so how can we learn from failure and use it to succeed?

That wise man sang, the word-ready warrior, and he retold this legend: “He who elevates himselfin this perilous moment through his overmastering pride, heaving up his lofty spirit, he must be humbledafter his passing journey, crushed down low, dwelling fixed in torments, encompassed with serpents.That happened many years ago in God’s realm that overweening mounted high among the angels,the struggle of the far-famed. They heaved up a crime, a severe expedition, polluting the heavens,despising their betters, those that thought too deceitfully to rob the power of the regal throne from the Majestic King,as was not right, and then set themselves over that delightful land of glory, upon their own judgment.That fate the Father of First-Creation resisted them in war— that struggle became too grim for them. - from "Vainglory", author unknown Link: https://oldenglishpoetry.camden.rutgers.edu/vainglory/

“Brotherhood has nothing to do with feelings; it has to do with how you define your relationship to others. It has to do with the rather profound decision to put the welfare of the group above your personal welfare. In such a system, feelings are meaningless. In such a system, who you are entirely depends on your willingness to surrender who you are.” ― Sebastian Junger, War

“For most of human history, freedom had to be at least suffered for, if not died for, and that raised its value to something almost sacred. In modern democracies, however, an ethos of public sacrifice is rarely needed because freedom and survival are more or less guaranteed. That is a great blessing, but allows people to believe that any sacrifice at all—rationing water during a drought, for example—are forms of government tyranny. They are no more forms of tyranny than rationing water on a lifeboat. The idea that we can enjoy the benefits of society while owing nothing in return is literally infantile. Only children owe nothing.” ― Sebastian Junger, Freedom

“The most alarming rhetoric comes out of the dispute between liberals and conservatives, and it’s a dangerous waste of time because they’re both right....If you want to make a society work, then you don’t keep underscoring the places where you’re different—you underscore your shared humanity,” ― Sebastian Junger, Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging

“What would you risk dying for—and for whom—is perhaps the most profound question a person can ask themselves. The vast majority of people in modern society are able to pass their whole lives without ever having to answer that question, which is both an enormous blessing and a significant loss.”  ― Sebastian Junger, Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging