Good morning,

Too often, we allow faith to become a cold, intellectual pursuit. Just as David took delight in singing psalms while playing his harp, I end the week reflecting on the need for Christians to joyfully enter Holy Week because we know the promise has been fulfilled.

This is the Texas Minute for Friday, March 22, 2024.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

Illegal Border Crossers Riot El Paso

• In a week marked by federal judges in New Orleans and Washington, D.C., weighing the merits of Texas' border security law, the border itself remains only barely under control.

• In the video, soldiers from the Texas National Guard were attempting to fix a break in the fencing when the foreign nationals began to push past them.
       
• In court... Texas is arguing that the state has a right to defend its borders when being invaded, while the federal government says the states don’t have the power to enforce immigration law.​​​​​​

Tom Oliverson Decries House ‘Dysfunction’ in Bid for Speakership

• Standing alone in a conference room blocks from the Texas Capitol, Republican State Rep. Tom Oliverson of Cypress announced yesterday his candidacy for the House speakership. He decried the “secretive” impeachment push against Attorney General Ken Paxton, the general “dysfunction” of the House, and the chamber's failure to advance school choice. I covered the announcement with support from Brandon Waltens.
      

• Most significantly, Oliverson said he would end the practice of appointing Democrats as chairs of House committees.
      
• “The majority must not be held captive by the tyranny of the minority. I believe the majority party should hold all committee chairs,” said Oliverson. “The people elect us to come to Austin to address the issues that matter to their community. They do not send us here to attend a frat party.”
      
• Later in the day, incumbent Speaker Dade Phelan (R-Beaumont) hosted an Austin fundraiser that he hopes will provide the cash necessary to even keep his seat in the House. Phelan was forced into a May 28 runoff with David Covey. The speaker decried the "timing" of Oliverson's announcement, saying members (like him) are still in runoffs.
     

• Actually, the timing is VERY appropriate for a speaker's race to start because there are runoffs. Phelan and his pals really don't want his speakership on the ballot ... but it is.

Ken Paxton Sues More Porn Websites

• Two more pornography distributors have found themselves in the crosshairs of Attorney General Ken Paxton for failing to comply with a new law requiring age verification for internet pornography.
      

• Fines can add up quickly. Companies violating the age verification requirement are subject to fines of up to $10,000 per day, an additional $10,000 per day if the corporation illegally retains identifying information, and $250,000 if a child is exposed to pornographic content.

       
• Earlier this month, the world's largest pornography company, Aylo Global, shut down access to its website from users in Texas after being sued by Paxton. Now, Paxton is suing Multi Media, LLC and Hammy Media, the companies behind two other pornography websites (the website names are not being listed here).
      
• "In Texas, companies cannot get away with showing porn to children. If they don’t want to comply, they should leave Texas." – Ken Paxton

Midland ISD Removes Sexually Explicit Library Book

• After objection from district parents, Midland Independent School District says a sexually explicit library book, titled Push, is no longer shelved in its school libraries. Will Biagini reports that the book features instances of pedophilia, rape, molestation, and abuse.
      
• When Pastor John K. Amanchukwu read an excerpt from the book during the school board meeting this week, district officials cut his microphone and had him removed from the auditorium.
    
• MISD's Lyndsey White told Texas Scorecard that the district "has collected the books of concern that were brought to the attention of the school board to expedite the review process."

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Friday Reflection
The Promise of the Stories

Faith, we are told in Scripture, “is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Yet, somewhat paradoxically, faith has, for many of us, become an intellectual pursuit. To grow in faith, we have Bible “studies.” We attend weekly lectures (er, sermons). We read commentaries on the variations of translations.

That is all well and good. But our faith is also experiential because it is grounded in real events, real people experiencing real life.

St. Paul explained in his first letter to the Corinthians that our faith is meaningless if the events of the Bible did not actually happen in real life. “If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.”

As Easter approaches, I frankly grow weary of the obligatory dialogues on the medical realities of the horror of crucifixion. There will be podcasts galore marking the events of the Holy Week, putting them in the cultural, religious, political, and economic contexts of the First Century.

Our intellectual faith can get a little … tiring.

There is a yearning to simply experience the events leading up to and following Jesus’ crucifixion. It is why I like taking groups to Israel (check out our 2025 trip). I like seeing the Judean Hill Country teeming with wildflowers the way Jesus would have seen it in those days. I like walking people through the ancient cities and along the banks of Kinneret (the Sea of Galilee).

Not everyone can visit Israel or even wants to, but that doesn’t mean the stories cannot be brought to life.

That is why I so dearly appreciate that for nearly four decades, "The Promise" in Glen Rose has faithfully tried to bring the stories to life. While most known for their annual fall performances, spring brings "The Promise of Passover" to the purpose-built outdoor amphitheater.

Frankly, I am inclined not to like such things. For a long time, the thought of religious-based musicals would send me scrambling for a commentary written by a long-dead theologian.

Yet, their faithful effort to joyfully tell the stories we usually read … and boldly proclaim that these things really happened … is immensely rewarding. The musical moves through the Gospel’s best-known stories, bringing into focus the uncomfortable necessity of Jesus’ crucifixion … and the joy of His resurrection.

The promise of "The Promise at Passover" is not that you will be transported to Broadway but rather that your joy at Easter will be renewed. (Get 50% off the ticket price with the code SCORECARD50.)

In that letter to the Corinthians noted above, Paul encourages them in their faith by stringing together the promises of Isaiah and Hosea: “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”

If we believe that promise, we should each do more to proclaim His story everywhere we go.

Quote-Unquote

"Run toward the roar, that is where Christ's most glorious victory will be won. I know I shall die, and I shall die on time. I must make the most of the moments between here and there."

– St. Boniface