Geoffrey W. Sutton PhD, Psychology and Culture

  Dietrich Bonhoeffer/ Bing Search A Story of Moral Courage   I’m writing this post at the end of Good Friday 2023 and I’m reflecting on the story of a man who knowingly put his life at risk. On 8 April 1945 Dietrich Bonhoeffer was sentenced to death for his participation in the German resistance movement and the plot to overthrow the murderous Nazi regime. The next day, 9 April 1945, Bonhoeffer was hanged.   This year Easter Sunday is 9 April—the day Bonhoeffer was hanged. However, for years Dietrich Bonhoeffer had lived an authentic life as a living sacrifice. Sacrificial lives are gifts to humanity.     Most of us can hardly imagine the anguish of carrying out a protest that will likely result in severe punishment if not a painful death. Jesus of course took on the oppressive juggernaut of his religious leaders and the Roman rulers who were ready for trouble during Passover celebrations of ancestors who escaped the brutality of the Egyptian empire. ...

I first learned about a Reverse Advent Calendar from English friends who were collecting items for a local charity. There are several helpful sites online, which offer ideas on how to create your own calendar. The idea is to help children approach Christmas with an attitude of giving rather than getting. Of course, the lesson is important for adults as well. Families can do something as simple as putting a pound or dollar (or more) in a container each day, which will be donated to a local food pantry or other community charity at the end of December. Another approach is to place food items or clothes in baskets for each day leading up to Christmas and donate them to a charity. Another suggestion is to organise four bags or baskets to hold items related to nativity themes as suggested by  https://buildfaith.org/reverse-advent/ . The themes focus on the newborn Jesus and his need for food, warmth, care for the parents and care for the newborn. These themes translate ...

Religious testimonies are like stories of good news. We enjoy celebrating good news when we know the family. A recent study might explain a decline in public testimonies.  Imagine visiting a group of Evangelical Christians who are about to study the Gospel of John. They sit on hard plastic chairs while chattering about the weather, problems at work, and some aggravating post on social media. At some point, a leader asks the group to share their news stories and prayer requests. They’ll pray before beginning their Bible study. One woman tells the details of a sister struggling with cancer—she’s not expected to live. There is a concerted sigh of sadness. A man mentions worries about finding work. Heads nod in sympathy. Someone makes a note. Then an excited woman has some good news. She has a large smile on her face as she announces, “We’re pregnant!” She’s gesturing to her husband whose grin widens as his face reddens in response to all the attention. Smiles spread around the gr...

Who is my neighbor? The focus of various compassion ministries and public charities this time of year is naturally on helping those less fortunate--people who are cold, hungry, and lacking life's basics. What some miss in the focus on being a "Good Samaritan" is the identification of the neighbor in the famous story. Who is my neighbor? The neighbor is the compassionate Samaritan--not the beaten victim in need of much love and compassion. The focus of the story is on the people of faith who need to develop the virtue of neighborly love. Advertisement Living Well- an integration of faith and love and nine more virtues  AMAZON Story from Luke 10:25-37 Related Post How to measure compassion:  https://statistics.suttong.com/2018/05/how-to-measure-compassion.html Connections My web page www.suttong.com My Books AMAZON GOOGLE PLAY STORE FACEBOOK Geoff W. Sutton Join me on TWITTER @Geoff.W.Sutton Publications (many FREE downloads)   ...

Convoy of Hope helps after Greensburg KS tornado 2007 King : Come here, you beloved, you people whom My Father has blessed. Claim your inheritance, the Kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of creation. You shall be richly rewarded, for when I was hungry, you fed Me. And when I was thirsty, you gave Me something to drink. I was alone as a stranger, and you welcomed Me into your homes and into your lives. I was naked, and you gave Me clothes to wear; I was sick, and you tended to My needs; I was in prison, and you comforted Me. Even then the righteous will not have achieved perfect understanding and will not recall these things. Righteous : Master, when did we find You hungry and give You food? When did we find You thirsty and slake Your thirst? When did we find You a stranger and welcome You in, or find You naked and clothe You? When did we find You sick and nurse You to health? When did we visit You when You were in prison? King : I tell you this: whenever you saw a...

Recently Resettled Refugees The Psychology of Rejection And How to Help It’s pretty obvious that people are afraid of killers and potential killers. Given the recent violence in Paris and the horrific killings in Syria and Iraq, it’s natural to be suspicious of anyone who looks like they come from that part of the world. Appeals to reason are wasted. When threatened wise people seek safety and arm themselves against danger. Conservatives in the U.S. and elsewhere are vociferous in their stance against taking in Syrian Refugees. Muslims are under suspicion in Western countries. Why is Refugee Rejection So Strong? 1. A Threat Became Reality A video threatening the U.S. and other countries fighting in Syria has made the rounds. The people in the video are from the same part of the world as are the refugees. And one of the Paris murderers had a Syrian passport. There’s some evidence that a killer came to France as a Refugee. The killers are obviously out ...