Why do Catholics tend to eat a lot of fish on Friday? What is also interesting the grade schools seemed to copycat this serving fish as well even if they are not Catholic schools. Maybe it is due to the famous loaves and fishes story where Jesus fed a huge crowd with the bread and fish in boy’s basket. Using this theme, I am hoping Jesus can pull out some better news this Friday for that proverbial basket.
The future of America may be many things, but one thing is for sure, we will continue to live in a country where daily gun shootings are the norm and the mass shootings become more frequent than weekly. And, while some watered-down gun governance legislation was finally passed this past summer, we still live in a wild-west environment. The sad fact is the significant majority of Americans want some commonsense changes, including gun owners. Let’s start there. If the gun industry does not like, so be it. They truly have had their chance to offer reasonable changes, yet decided fighting any change was the better tactic.
This same example could be used with the fossil-fuel industry. A recent study revealed an old story that needs more airplay. Companies like Exxon have scientific data and reports in their files dating back about forty plus years defining climate change as a major problem. Another study revealed the industry has done more window dressing change than actually make change to address climate change. Like the gun industry, instead of offering reasonable and knowledgeable changes, they hired PR people to naysay climate change. They determined that blocking change was a better tactic than helping make thoughtful change.
We should have remembered the lesson we finally learned after thirty plus years about tobacco. For over thirty years, the industry has known nicotine was addictive which is why they used it in their products. Just before a whistleblower let the cat out of the bag, I watched eight tobacco CEOs sitting at a table facing a Congressional committee. When asked directly if nicotine was addictive, in a row, all eight said “no.” They all lied. And, they all knew. Within a few years, the industry was penalized with huge fine in the neighborhood of a billion dollars for their cover-up, which was not near enough. They deserved the fine.
And, what I find interesting is the PR firm that helped the tobacco industry lie and cover-up was hired by the fossil fuel industry to help them naysay climate change. My guess is they were trying to buy more time to make huge profits.
So, Jesus, you may need a bigger basket of truth and good stories to overcome these folks. There is a lot of money to be made in dangerous habits. We need someone to point that out. Of course, the PR people will paint You in a poor light as a defense tactic, but You are likely used to it.
musingsofanoldfart 
For some money seems to make lies legal.
Erika, well said. The attitude it can be done with impunity is annoying as well. Seeing the eight tobacco CEOs lie in a row to Congress made me ill. Seeing an investment bank CEO lie to Congress about creating an investment fund to bet against clients who bought risky collateralized debt obligations his company peddled made me ill. And, so on. Keith
Oh, yes, the immunity card. As if that erased a a conscience and responsibility. Unfortunately, lying appears it has become a socially acceptable. Then again, have they all flushed their sense of conscience down the toilet?
Erika, if you are following the story of newly elected US Congressman George Santos, it was discovered he fabricated most of his resume never working for companies he said he did. That lying still did not matter to some. But, now he is being accused of campaign finance fraud. Blatant lying should have been enough, but folks like Kevin McCarthy support another largely untruthful acting person named Trump, so lying is tolerated by a tribal member if they win. And, that is the problem. Keith
Sadly, many “religious” organization are involved in the big lie. Jesus has his hands full
VJ, that is sadly true. I remember how the Jim Crow era lasted in part because of the air cover provided by some segregationist ministers. This is a key reason I detest bigotry from the pulpit, as it is one of the worst breaches of trust I can imagine. Keith
Your remarks about fish on Friday reinforces the influence that religion has had … and still projects … on folks whether they are believers or not. And from my perspective, that’s unacceptable.
Nan, your overall point is well taken. Given the many other influences religion has had on society, I won’ t sweat having fish as an option on Friday. Of course, I need to eat less fried food, so maybe some grilled salmon would suffice. Keith
You do know, of course, that my comment was meant to point out the continuing influence that religions have on modern society.🙂
Having said that, I have absolutely nothing against meals that include fish — whether it be on a Friday or any other day!
I wonder how those who work for that PR firm can sleep at night… or look at themselves in the mirror, especially if they have children.
Janis, agreed. I don’t know how paid spin doctors can sleep at night, lying for a living. Keith