Paying Attention Yet?

Paying Attention Yet? Opinion page for local, state, national and world events.

10/05/2026

This is another long read, so if you're only interested in the "short attention span" material, you may want to pass. I am writing this not only to show respect for our military and police, but also to provide a lead-in to another post I am working on. It's become obvious we have political leaders in our community who seem to think that, since they were elected, they can use their positions to attempt to silence those who disagree with them. They have no clue what it means to physically serve. They hide behind a desk, keyboard,, and video camera with their arrogance, ignorance, and bias and expect the public to bend to their voice. I will not. Our law enforcement officers put it all on the line daily, only to be judged and led by those whose only experience is either textbook or shallow work experience. I am tired of watching these so-called leaders use their position to push their racist, anti-police agenda.
More to come as I complete the research.

I want to address something from both a civic and biblical perspective. This is not about comparing pain as if one group’s suffering must be greater than another’s. Scripture does not call us to measure suffering to dismiss one person and validate another. It calls us to tell the truth, honor sacrifice, defend what is right, and bear one another’s burdens. Galatians 6:2 says, “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” That includes our military veterans. And it includes our law enforcement officers.
First, our military veterans deserve honor. Those who have served in the armed forces, especially those who have seen combat, have carried burdens most citizens will never fully understand. Combat is violent, dangerous, and life-changing. Service members may face enemy fire, explosions, injury, death, fear, separation from family, and the loss of brothers and sisters they served beside.
Many veterans come home with wounds that cannot be seen. PTSD, anxiety, depression, survivor’s guilt, moral injury, and the difficulty of returning to normal life are very real. Their service should never be minimized. Their sacrifice should never be forgotten.

Romans 13 reminds us that lawful authority has a role in restraining evil. While that passage is often discussed in relation to civil government and law enforcement, the principle also reminds us that God has ordained order in a fallen world. Sometimes force is used to defend the innocent, preserve life, and resist evil. A nation that sends men and women into harm’s way has a moral obligation to honor them, care for them, and acknowledge what that service cost them. Veterans deserve our respect and our support; more than ceremonial words, they deserve sincere gratitude and long-term care.
But another group's burden is often overlooked: law enforcement officers. Recognizing the trauma of law enforcement does not diminish the trauma of the military. It simply tells another truth that is too often ignored. Police officers also serve in dangerous, violent, and emotionally damaging environments. Their trauma is different, but it is real. It is not usually tied to deployment. It is not always recognized as service-related. It does not always come with public sympathy. In fact, the very people officers protect are often the same people who criticize, condemn, or dismiss what officers endure.
A career law enforcement officer may spend 20 years responding to the worst moments of other people’s lives. Fatal crashes. Suicides. Shootings. Domestic violence. Child abuse. Sexual assaults. Homicides. Overdoses. Decomposed bodies. Death notifications. Abused elderly victims. Dead children. Screaming parents. Broken families. Violent offenders. Ambushes. Fights. Threats. Shoot outs. Fellow officers murdered. That is not normal human exposure.
Biblically, we should understand this better than anyone. Scripture teaches that evil is real. Sin is real. Violence is real. Human brokenness is real. The officer does not deal with theories about fallen humanity. He deals with its evidence on the street, in the home, at the crash scene, in the bedroom, and on the front porch. That is not soft work. Protecting the innocent, confronting evil, and standing between the vulnerable and the violent comes with a cost.
One law enforcement trauma study cited research findings that police officers experience, on average, about 3.5 traumatic events every six months. That equals roughly 7 traumatic events per year. Over a 20-year career, that can reach approximately 140 traumatic incidents. In a busy or violent jurisdiction, that number may be even higher. But numbers alone do not tell the whole story. Police trauma is often close-range and personal. Many military firefights, while terrifying and deadly, occur at a distance. The enemy may be 50, 100, or 200 meters away. In law enforcement, violence may happen across a kitchen, inside a hallway, beside a vehicle, in a bedroom, during a traffic stop, or within arm’s reach.
An officer involved in a shooting may not be firing at a distant enemy. He may be looking directly into the face of another human being only feet away. He may have spoken to that person moments earlier. He may have tried to calm the situation down. He may have had only seconds to decide whether he or someone else would live or die. Then, once the threat is over, the officer’s burden is not over. He must secure the scene. Render aid. Protect evidence. Face investigators. Face internal review. Face attorneys. Face the media. Face public opinion. Face people who were not there but are certain they know what should have happened. And then he must live with that moment for the rest of his life.
Proverbs 31:8-9 says, “Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction. Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.”
That passage reminds us that righteousness is not passive. The Bible calls us to stand for those who cannot stand for themselves. In many moments, law enforcement officers are the ones physically standing between the innocent and the violent. Yet too often, the cost to the officer is ignored. Law enforcement trauma is also unique because it happens at home. The soldier may deploy to a battlefield overseas. The officer’s battlefield may be the same community where he lives, shops, worships, and raises his family. He may see the same neighborhoods, the same offenders, the same victims, and the same cycles of violence again and again. That creates a chronic type of trauma. Military trauma is often acute, intense, and mission-based. Police trauma is often cumulative, repeated, close-range, and community-based. And yet law enforcement officers are often expected to absorb it silently.
They are expected to see death, control emotion, make decisions, comfort families, fight when necessary, use restraint when possible, write the report, clear the call, and go to the next one. They are expected to be warriors, counselors, problem-solvers, witnesses, protectors, and public servants, sometimes all in the same shift. But they are still human.
Scripture never commands us to ignore the humanity of those who serve. In fact, 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 tells us to recognize those who labor among us and are over us, and to esteem them highly for their work’s sake. That does not mean every officer is perfect. No profession is perfect, because every profession is filled with human beings. Accountability matters. Justice matters. Righteousness matters. But biblical justice requires truth, not selective outrage. It requires honest judgment, not public emotion detached from facts.
Too many people want protection without understanding the cost to the protector. They want officers to respond instantly, act perfectly, absorb abuse quietly, and carry trauma privately. They want safety, but they often refuse to acknowledge the human being wearing the badge. That needs to change. We can honor combat veterans and still recognize police trauma. We can support the military and still support law enforcement. We can acknowledge that both professions involve sacrifice, danger, and emotional wounds.
The point is not to compare suffering as if one group must matter more than the other. The point is to tell the truth. Veterans deserve honor for what they endured in service to the nation. Law enforcement officers deserve acknowledgment for what they endure in service to their communities. Both carry burdens. Both face danger. Both may live with memories they cannot erase. And both deserve more than silence when the cost of service finally shows.
From a biblical standpoint, this should not be difficult. We are commanded to honor sacrifice, seek justice, defend the innocent, restrain evil, comfort the wounded, and bear one another’s burdens.
Recognizing police trauma does not take anything away from veterans. It simply reminds us that trauma is not limited to the battlefield. Sometimes it is found on a patrol shift, at a fatal crash, in a child’s bedroom, on a front porch, in a hallway, at a traffic stop, or in the quiet moments after the call is over and the officer is left alone with what he has seen. If we are going to thank people for protecting us, we should also be willing to understand what that protection costs.
And if we claim to believe Scripture, then we should be willing to honor those who stand against evil, comfort those who carry unseen wounds, and speak truthfully about the burden of service.

Paying Attention Yet!

09/29/2026

There is something wrong when the law says a pregnant woman on death row cannot be executed until her child is born, but that same unborn child can be aborted under different circumstances, namely because someone wants it and an immoral doctor will perform it.

That tells me the law already understands there is another life involved. The child did not commit the crime. The child is innocent. That is why the ex*****on is delayed in the first place.

Scripture is clear that life in the womb is not invisible to God. David wrote, “You formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb” and “I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:13–14). God does not speak of the unborn child as tissue, inconvenience, or potential value. He speaks of life known and formed by Him.

The Lord told Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you” (Jeremiah 1:5). That means a child’s worth is not created by birth, by circumstance, by convenience, or by another person’s approval. That worth comes from God.

Even in the Gospel account, when Mary visited Elizabeth, the unborn John the Baptist “leaped in her womb” at the presence of Christ (Luke 1:41–44). Before either child was born, Scripture presents them as real, living, spiritually significant persons within the plan of God.

So if the unborn child matters when the state is preparing to carry out an ex*****on, then that same child matters when someone walks into an abortion clinic.

The value of that life should not depend on whether the mother is in prison, afraid, pressured, abandoned, or simply does not want the pregnancy. Hard circumstances may explain fear and desperation, but they do not erase the humanity of the child.

Jesus said, “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40). If anyone qualifies as “the least of these,” surely it is the unborn child: voiceless, powerless, defenseless, and completely dependent on someone else for protection.

To me, abortion is not compassion. It is not justice. It is the taking of innocent life while calling it mercy. Proverbs says the Lord hates “hands that shed innocent blood” (Proverbs 6:17). That is not a political statement. That is a moral one.

And if we cannot protect the most innocent and defenseless life among us, then we have lost something sacred. We have lost the ability to call evil what it is. We have forgotten that every life, born or unborn, carries the image of God.

09/28/2026

Someone asked why Christians accept the angel who appeared to Mary but reject later claims of angelic messages that contradict the gospel. It is a fair question, and Scripture gives us a clear answer.

Gabriel did not bring Mary a replacement for Jesus Christ. He announced Jesus Christ. He told her she would bear the Son of the Most High (Luke 1:26–35). This happened before Jesus’ birth, death, and resurrection. The angel’s message pointed to the One through whom the gospel would be fulfilled.

Paul’s warning came after Christ had risen and the apostles had proclaimed His gospel: even if an angel from heaven preaches a different gospel, reject it (Galatians 1:6–9).

That warning does not condemn every message an angel has ever delivered. It condemns a message that contradicts the gospel already revealed through Christ and preached by His apostles.

So when someone points to Mary, ask this: Did Gabriel lead her away from Jesus, or announce His coming? The answer settles the comparison.

A claimed encounter with an angel is no reason to set aside what Christ and His apostles taught. Whether the claim is associated with Joseph Smith, Muhammad, or anyone else, the test remains the same. No messenger, human or angelic, has authority to rewrite the gospel of Jesus Christ.

09/22/2026

John 1:1–2 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.”

To me, these two verses establish the foundation for everything I believe about Jesus. He did not begin in Bethlehem, and He was not simply a good man who eventually became an important religious figure. Before the world was created and before time as we know it began, Jesus already existed. He was with God, and He was God.

That is why, whenever I consider another religion or system of belief, one of the first things I want to know is what it teaches about Jesus. Does it recognize Him as the eternal Son of God and as God who came in the flesh? Does it accept His place in the Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? Does it acknowledge that He died for our sins, rose bodily from the grave, and is the only way to the Father?

If a religion teaches that Jesus was merely a prophet, a good teacher, a created being, or simply one of many ways to God, then I cannot accept that theology. That does not mean I hate or disrespect the people who hold those beliefs. I believe every person should be treated with dignity, kindness, and love. But loving someone does not require me to agree with everything they believe, especially when that belief denies who Jesus said He is.

Jesus did not describe Himself as one possible way to God. He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” in John 14:6. He also said, “I and my Father are one” in John 10:30. After seeing the risen Christ, Thomas called Him, “My Lord and my God.” Scripture does not present Jesus as merely another prophet standing alongside other religious leaders. It presents Him as the eternal Son of God, the Savior of the world, and the Lord of all.

This is why I cannot say that all religions are simply different roads leading to the same God. They make very different and often contradictory claims about who God is, who Jesus is, what separates us from God, and how we can be saved. Those claims cannot all be true at the same time.

For me, everything comes back to Jesus. If He was only a prophet, then Christianity has no foundation. If He did not rise from the dead, then our faith is empty. But if He is exactly who Scripture says He is, the eternal Son of God who came in the flesh, died for our sins, and rose again, then we cannot treat Him as merely one religious figure among many.

My position is not based on hatred, arrogance, or a desire to condemn others. It is based on my belief that truth matters and that Jesus is exactly who He claimed to be. I can respect another person’s freedom to believe differently while still refusing to compromise what I believe Scripture clearly teaches.

God did not send us merely another messenger. He came to us in the Person of Jesus Christ. The Creator stepped into His creation, the eternal Word became flesh, and the sinless Son gave His life so that we could be forgiven and reconciled to God.

That is why, when I examine any religion or theology, my question is simple: What does it do with Jesus? If it diminishes Him, denies His deity, removes Him from the Trinity, or makes Him only one way among many, then it is not a theology I can accept.

Jesus is not merely part of God’s plan. Jesus Christ is at the very center of it.

Paying Attention Yet

09/18/2026

In studying what the Bible says about Hades, hell, and the Lake of Fire, one thing becomes clear, many of the things people commonly say about death and the afterlife come from tradition, emotion, or attempts to comfort the grieving rather than from the Bible.

The Bible uses several different words that English translations sometimes combine under the word “hell.” In the Old Testament, Sheol generally refers to the realm of the dead. In the New Testament, Hades carries a similar meaning and is presented as temporary. At the final judgment, Hades will surrender the dead who are in it, and they will then be cast into the Lake of Fire.

“And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.”
—Revelation 20:14

Jesus also used the word Gehenna (I want you to look this one up and think about what's going on in today's society) when warning about the final consequences of sin and rebellion against God. The Lake of Fire, described in Revelation, is the final judgment called the second death. It is the final destination of Satan, the beast, the false prophet, and everyone whose name is not found written in the Book of Life. As we consider these truths, we also need to address several ideas people frequently repeat after someone dies.

First, the Bible does not teach that purgatory exists. Scripture does not describe a place where people who have died can be temporarily punished or purified until they become worthy of heaven. Jesus did not pay only part of the price for the sins of those who trust Him. His sacrifice was complete and sufficient.

“For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.”
—Hebrews 10:14

A person’s eternal condition is not changed by suffering after death, prayers offered by the living, religious ceremonies, or money given to a church. Hebrews 9:27 says, “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” After death comes judgment, not another opportunity to earn salvation or be cleansed from sins that Christ supposedly failed to cover.

Jesus’ account of the rich man and Lazarus also describes a “great gulf” that was fixed between the place of comfort and the place of torment. No one could cross from one side to the other. Our opportunity to respond to the Gospel is during this life.

We should also be careful when we say that our deceased loved ones are in heaven looking down and watching everything we do. The Bible assures us that believers who die are with the Lord. Paul said that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord, and that departing to be with Christ is “far better.” That is a wonderful promise.

However, Scripture does not teach that our loved ones spend eternity watching every event, mistake, sorrow, and private moment taking place on earth. Their attention is centered upon the Lord and the glory of His presence. Hebrews 12 speaks about being surrounded by a “great cloud of witnesses,” but the context refers to the faithful people described in Hebrews 11 whose lives testify to the faithfulness of God. It does not clearly say that deceased Christians are spectators watching us from heaven.

That does not mean our loved ones cease to exist, or that it lessens our hope of being reunited with those who died in Christ. It simply means we should not claim as biblical truth something the Bible does not clearly teach.

Our loved ones also do not become angels when they die. Angels and human beings are different creations of God. Angels are spiritual beings created to serve God and carry out His purposes. Human beings are made in the image of God and are promised resurrection.

Hebrews 1:14 describes angels as “ministering spirits.” First Corinthians 6:3 even says that believers will judge angels. Jesus said that resurrected believers will be “equal unto the angels” in the sense that they will no longer die, but He did not say that they will become angels.

When a Christian dies, that person does not grow wings, become a guardian angel, or receive an assignment to watch over family members. The believer goes to be with Christ and awaits the resurrection of the body. Our comfort should come from what God has actually promised, not from ideas that may sound comforting but are not found in Scripture. The complete message of the Bible is not simply a warning about judgment. It is the Gospel.

God created us to know Him, love Him, and live in fellowship with Him, but sin brought death, separation, and judgment. Romans 3:23 tells us that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” That includes every one of us. Because God is just, He cannot ignore sin. Because God is loving, He provided the way of salvation. Jesus Christ took the judgment sinners deserve upon Himself. He died for our sins, was buried, and rose bodily from the grave. Through His death and resurrection, He conquered sin and death.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
—John 3:16

We are not saved because we attend church, were baptized, grew up in a Christian family, try to live morally, or consider ourselves better than other people. We are not saved by spending time in purgatory after death. We are saved by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ. The Bible’s warnings about death and judgment were not given merely to satisfy our curiosity about the afterlife. They were given to awaken us while there is still time. A resurrection is coming, a final judgment is coming, and a Book of Life exists. Most importantly, only one Savior exists. Refusing to believe the Gospel does not make judgment disappear. Ignoring a warning does not remove the danger, and comforting traditions cannot replace the truth of God’s Word.

God’s invitation is still open. Turn from your sin, believe that Jesus Christ died and rose again, and trust Him rather than yourself. Those who die in Christ are with the Lord. They do not enter purgatory, they do not become angels, and the Bible does not tell us that they spend eternity watching us from heaven. Their hope. and ours, is Jesus Christ, resurrection, and eternal life in the presence of God. Hades is temporary. Final judgment is certain. Eternity is real. Jesus Christ is the only Savior.

Are you paying attention yet?

09/15/2026

One of the greatest dangers facing people today is not that they are searching for truth. The danger is that too many are searching for the right path and end up sitting under the wrong voice.

Bad biblical theology is not merely harmless, it confuses people and weakens faith. It turns the pulpit into a platform for personality, politics, entertainment, or money instead of a place where the gospel is clearly proclaimed.

There are people standing in front of congregations every week preaching everything but Christ. They speak about prosperity, popularity, self-help, and emotional hype, but rarely speak of sin, repentance, grace, the cross, salvation, obedience, and the Lordship of Jesus. That matters.

The church was never called to sell people a version of God that makes them comfortable. The church was called to preach the truth of God’s Word, whether people like it or not.

That is one of the things I deeply appreciate about my church. The messages come straight from Scripture and straight from the gospel. They are not built around trends, money, or applause. They are built around Christ.

People do not need a preacher who tells them what they want to hear. They need shepherds who will faithfully point them to Jesus.

Because when the theology is wrong, the path becomes dangerous and we're witnessing results of such teachings.

Pay attention yet?

09/14/2026

America does not need a louder argument as much as it needs a clearer view of Jesus Christ. We live in a time when anger is easy, division is profitable, and truth is often shaped by whichever side speaks the loudest. Families are divided. Communities are suspicious. Politics has become a kind of religion for many, and fear has become the language of the day. But the gospel reminds us that the problem in America is not political, it is spiritual.

Scripture tells us, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). That means our brokenness is not limited to one party, one race, one generation, or one group of people. Sin touches every heart. Pride, hatred, greed, dishonesty, bitterness, and self-righteousness are not just problems “out there.” They are problems within us. I am just as guilty as the next.

That is why Jesus did not come to reform governments. He came to redeem souls. The cross of Christ stands above every flag, every platform, and every human institution. At the cross, we see both the seriousness of sin and the greatness of God’s mercy. Jesus did not die for people who already had it all figured out. He died for sinners. He died for enemies. He died for the broken, the proud, the angry, the lost, and the ashamed. And then He rose again, proving that darkness does not get the final word.

If America is to be healed, it will not begin with hatred dressed up as conviction. It will not begin with mocking those who disagree with us. It will not begin with treating people as enemies simply because they see the world differently. This doesn't mean I have to tolerate their ideology, but I must stand on my conviction and not be run ramshod over.

The gospel does not call us to weakness. It calls us to truth with grace, courage with humility, and conviction without cruelty. Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers” (Matthew 5:9), not because peace is easy, but because peace reflects the heart of God. It doesn't mean being weak, it means being able to stand for truth.

We should care about our nation. We should speak truth. We should stand for righteousness. But we must never forget that our ultimate hope is not in Washington, elections, courts, or candidates. Our hope is in Jesus Christ.

America needs laws, leadership, and accountability. But more than anything, America needs repentance, revival, and the redeeming grace of Jesus.The answer is still the gospel. Not because the gospel ignores the problems of this nation, but because it reaches deeper than all of them.

Paying Attention Yet?
rwd

09/13/2026

I believe it is time to make a change on the direction and purpose of this page.

For a long time, I have used this page to speak about government, law, leadership, public safety, and the failures we continue to see in our nation and in our communities. I still care about those things. I still believe truth matters. I still believe leadership matters. I still believe law, order, and accountability matter.

But I have also come to realize something very plainly: no matter how much we argue, debate, explain, or expose, many of those in power will still do what they want to do. It appears the masses are buying into it as well and are blinded by what is happening.

From the executive branch to the judicial branch, from national leaders to local leaders, it has become painfully obvious that we are watching a downward spiral where moral courage, humility, wisdom, and truth are far too often missing. And it's obvious they are the vast majority of society into nothing more than puppets.

So, for me, the debate is over. You know where I stand. If you enjoy my thoughts on legal issues, public safety, government, or leadership, and you want my opinion without all the emotional noise, feel free to message me. I will gladly talk with you. But going forward, this page will have a new and better direction.

This page will be dedicated to sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. Because at the end of the day, politics cannot save us. Government cannot redeem us. Courts cannot cleanse the heart. Leaders cannot give eternal life. Only Jesus can. The world does not need more anger. It does not need more division. It does not need more empty promises from people who have no real answer for sin, suffering, corruption, or death. The world needs the truth of the gospel.

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came into this world, lived without sin, died on the cross for our sins, was buried, and rose again on the third day. Through Him, there is forgiveness, salvation, hope, peace, and eternal life. That is the message I want to share.

I am sure I may lose some followers over this. I hope I do not. But if I do, I would rather lose followers speaking the truth of Christ than gain attention arguing endlessly over a world that only He can fix.

This page is still called Paying Attention Yet. And now, more than ever, I hope we are.

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
John 14:6

Paying Attention Yet!
Richard Dixon

09/12/2026

This is from Matt Walsh -

"We’ve never seen anything like this before. A man was conscripted into jury duty by the government. He performed his civic duty and followed his conscience, refusing to acquit a woman who confessed to systematically executing her three children. The defense attorney immediately launched a public smear campaign against the juror. Soon several other jurors joined the campaign. Then the media. Even the defense attorney’s wife has joined. Now they’re doxxing the man, digging into his past, contacting his family, showing up at his house. All of this both to punish him for refusing to go with their program, and to pollute any future jury pool by making it clear that anyone who votes to convict Clancy will have their life destroyed. It’s truly one of the most outrageously evil things we’ve ever seen from the Left, and that’s saying something. A direct assault on the integrity of our justice system. They are burning down every boundary and standard in their path. And doing it all for the sake of a child murdering psychopath. Unfathomable."

Matt Walsh is exactly right on this.

Whether someone agrees or disagrees with a verdict, attacking and doxxing a juror for performing his civic duty is dangerous, disgraceful, and a direct threat to the integrity of our justice system.

A juror is summoned by the government, asked to listen to the evidence, follow the law, deliberate with others, and render a verdict according to conscience. That is not supposed to make him a public target. It is not supposed to invite harassment of his family, digging through his past, or people showing up at his home.

If this becomes acceptable, then the message to every future juror is clear: vote the “wrong” way, and we will destroy your life. That is not justice. That is intimidation.

I am disgusted by anyone who supports this kind of behavior. You can disagree with a verdict. You can question a case. You can criticize arguments made in court. But trying to punish a private citizen for serving on a jury crosses a line that should never be crossed.

The jury system depends on ordinary citizens being able to serve without fear of retaliation. Once that protection is gone, the justice system itself is in danger.

Paying Attention Yet

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