☀️The Sun in Context
Friday, March 3 - 2023 Week 9
Hello, Marsyville. It’s Friday again, so get comfy, the water’s fine.
☀️Against Methodological Journalism
The greatest lesson I learned in public school was that context doesn’t matter at all. It was a lesson of omission; who would say that context doesn’t count? But it was what wasn’t said, what was ignored, that taught us to pay no attention to any ultimate frame of reference.
In the field of science it has been called methodological naturalism. I asked ChatGPT to define methodological naturalism, and the AI included this key part in its answer: “it is a fundamental principle of science that restricts scientific inquiry to natural phenomena, without relying on religious or metaphysical assumptions.” Let’s go with that. The inquiry is conducted without context by intent. To do science well, we’re told, means to shut our eyes to any invisible starting points or standards.
Of course when we do go looking for natural causes and processes we should be careful of possible prejudice on our part. Pressing our thumb on the scale to make sure the object weighs what we want is monkey business. But it is also valuable, and necessary, to depend on the reality of gravity for sake of a proper weight. And it only takes a minute of thinking about where gravity came from and how it works to realize that there is a bigger context than the lab room. Why is anything in the cosmos in order? How is anything held together?
Week by week I think about what makes the news a real blessing. Good news might add some fun, spark new interests, provide updates on what’s happening. But lying is not a service or a good, even if it is lying by omission. It seems that so many news outlets beg for both-side-ism and unbiased reporting while crossing their fingers behind their apps.
It is true that truth isn’t always on the surface. An ancient sage-king once wrote, “The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him.” It is easy to give an answer before hearing all the question, and that person is a fool. But the wise man listens to the testimonies and looks at everything in front of him, which may include seeing that the governor has his crooked thumb on the scale.
I am against methodological journalism. I am against acting like standards of truth, goodness, and beauty are self-determined, or democratically legislated. News that reports and comments like we are only living under the sun is as meaningless as a fourth covid vaccine booster shot.
The Marysville Sun has at least one crucial thing going for it that no other local news source does. That’s not to say there aren’t other sources. The next section of today’s issue highlights, recommends even, some news provided by the city itself as well as some articles by others around the state. Click the links below! All are yours!
But the Sun shines because the Son of God reigns. Jesus Christ is Lord over every citizen and over every cracked inch of sidewalk. He has all authority in heaven and over Marysville, over Washington, and everywhere else on earth.
Some of us lament the destructive things around us. These things aren’t just “happening,” they are being promoted and decided and pushed upon us, mostly by political liberals in the Democratic Party. Just two examples for today; I don’t want you to be too discouraged. First is SB 5599, a bill that is supposed to support “youth and young adults seeking protected health care services,” which is language for providing “abortions and gender transition services to minor children of any age without parental consent or notification” (see 1, 2). The second is that Attorney General, Bob Ferguson, has proposed a Commission on Domestic Violent Extremism through HB 1333 to address the “general spread of extreme white supremacist, antigovernment, and other ideologies” (see 1, 2). Of course there is no mention of the physical destruction done in Seattle due to the Black Lives Matter, CHAZ/CHOP, or Antifa. Political conservatives, and Christians, certainly have extreme ideologies that challenge the AG, including the idea that the AG doesn’t get to tell us what ideas are allowable.
The Sun seeks to state the quiet parts out loud: the Judge of heaven and earth sees it all, and many are storing up greater wrath for the day of wrath. There are economic consequences for failing to live by ignoring context—see Seattle, and there are eternal consequences. Christians who do have the greater context need not be distressed by evil men. Men and laws can be stupid, men and laws can be evil. But their glory is like the glory of cow-patties; like smoke they vanish away. Trust in the Lord and do good; trust in Him and He will act.
☀️Links in Context
Work starts next week to add a northbound HOV lane between Marine View Drive and just south of Marysville. (The project is not scheduled to be finished until the fall of 2024.) Read more:
Best in Business is back with their March issue. City Councilmember Mark James writes the introduction, and don’t miss the “City Halls through the Years” picture montage at the end:
The Marysville City Scene newsletter for March is also published, with 13 full pages of news related to the Police Department, public works projects, and more:
Regarding the state Domestic Violent Extremism Commission, the AG’s report is here, Representative Jim Walsh wrote a response here, Brandi Kruse has a perfect tongue-in-cheek take here, and reporter Jason Rantz suggests that there’s more to the story than the public messaging here:
☀️March in Marysville
Shamrock Walk - Family Scavenger Hunt - any day, starting March 4 through March 27. Just $5 per family. See the city’s Facebook event page for more info and a link to buy tickets online.
Marysville Business Breakfast - Saturday, March 11, 8:00am to 10:00am, at Evangel Classical School (map/directions). As his Capstone Project, ECS senior Laird Marlatt is organizing this breakfast for local business professionals who want to enjoy a free breakfast, networking, and hearing from three local business owners. For more information call or text Laird Marlatt - (425) 971-5751
Raggant Fiction Festival - Saturday, March 25, 8:30am at Evangel Classical School. Read last week’s article about the Festival in the Sun or go straight to the EventBrite page for details and tickets.
☀️Friday Fun
This is both informational and fun, so, your Friday infotainment:
Bonus fun fact…is this TRUE?
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