The "Love Your Neighbor*" Project

lent 2025

Friends.

We live in wild times, don’t we? Phew. Wild, loud, explosive times. And for me? As a "Progressive-Thinker"? I've noticed that (as of late) I've been becoming (on the LEFT) the very same energy that I so longed to leave behind when I moved away from the RIGHT - just as angry, just as judgemental, just as opinionated, just as hateful ...

Yes, hateful. I will own it.

... just directing that energy at a different group, a different set of people, a different candidate, etc. It's all too easy (on the RIGHT and the LEFT) to demonize the "other" - to demonize, to shame ... to see "them" and "those people" as less than human, which rallies “US” (as Progressives or Conservatives or whatever) closer together.

And so for Lent this year I'm focusing on love.

And not just for 40 or so days, but for well beyond that. I'm choosing to leave behind hate and judgement - I want to extend love and light with my words (when I can / it's safe to) and with my thoughts (always).

I want to be “vigilant” - vigilant with my love. Love for everyone - whether they be Christian or Atheist or black or white or straight or LGBTQ or MAGA or Progressive or Trump or Harris or Musk or Biden or a citizen or an immigrant ... everyone.

And, yes: this is a big move for me - a big, uncomfortable, and challenging move. I’m a very opinionated person, I have very strong feelings regarding the treatment of my LGBTQ friends, my black friends, my immigrant friends, etc. Just go back through my Facebook posts over the years and even my BLOG posts - all the fiery passion is there for the world to see.

Even so, in this moment:

I'm choosing to approach life with open hands that make room to understand as opposed to closed fists that are looking to fight.

I'm choosing to approach these confusing days in a way that allows me to continue to grow and expand and make room for more - just as the Universe grows and expands, just as (I believe) the Divine continues to grow and expand.

I'm choosing to ask more questions.

I'm choosing to become more aquainted with the stories that have led people to beliefs that are different than mine.

I'm choosing to stop wondering "what's wrong with those people" that led them to those "horrible beliefs" and I'm choosing to (instead) wonder, "what happened in their life that brought them to this space?"

I'm choosing to extend light and hope to those who think differently than me - to pray that the Divine meets them, touches them, brings them further in their journey ... not so that they agree with me or think like me, BUT so that they can move further in their journey, become more like the Divine, and make a lasting difference (for the good of all) in their part of the world.

I'm choosing to make the Table longer instead of the Wall higher.

Now.

Does this mean I need to be in relatonship with everyone? That I need to be friends with everyone? That I need to think everyone is amazing and great and wonderful? That I need to turn a blind eye to evil and wrongdoing?

No. There are some people in this world and even in my life that I'd never be in relationship with because it's not safe - mentally, emotionally, and (in some instances) physically.

Read that again:

There are some people in this world and even in my life that I'd never be in relationship with because it's not safe - mentally, emotionally, and (in some instances) physically.

Instead - it just means I refuse to see other people as less than human, that I choose to see the Divine spark that is deep at the core of every human being before I open my mouth to cut them down. I want to extend love and light with my words, with my thoughts, with my actions. I want to hold a "Progressive Theology" that is less a list of doctrines and beliefs and more a "theology of progress" where I am constantly evolving and growing and changing and making room for more.

I want to hold a theology that is more confessional than it is confrontational - vocal about what it’s against, yes, but all the more vocal about what it’s for.

Phew.

Will you join me?

I made these shirts if you want to get one. They are priced as low as they can go so that I will make ZERO money from them. I wanted to make them as accessible as possible and price them as low as Bonfire will let me.

Also.

I’ll be making my way through THIS book by Marianne Williamson - “The Mystic Jesus: The Mind of Love” during the Lenten season as well as reading something from the Gospels every day. Want to join me? I’ll probably post a few thoughts here on Substack and over on Patreon and invite you to share some thoughts if you’d like.

Lent, by the way begins Wednesday, March 5 and goes through Thursday, April 17.

Much love.

• Glenn || PATREON / ART STUDIO

PS - And no: not everyone needs to be on board with this. This is my journey, my decision to follow the still, small whisper inside - what I sense it’s leading ME to do, the direction I sense it’s leading ME to walk. This is what I need to do even if it’s not what you need to do. Even so, you are welcome in this space - welcome to dialogue, push back, share your own thoughts. I have nothing but love and respect for you all. As I said earlier and as the picture on the shirt depicts, I hope this Substack/Patreon page can be a long, long table where the only rule is that we make space for and recognize the dignity of every human being.