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The Spirit of the Law

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Tyler: The Bible tells us the same messages about sexual immorality in several places.
Lily: I put the most stock in what Jesus said himself, and he warned against getting caught up in the letter of the law.
Tyler: The law is important, though. He didn't say, "Adultery is okay now, so go and do whatever you want."
Lily: The SPIRIT of the law is important.
Tyler: But we have to glean the spirit of the law from what is written.
Lily: Yeah, and sometimes it's not clear, and we have to tread carefully with the best intentions and keep in mind that we might be wrong. It's so easy to accidentally use doctrine as a weapon.
Tyler: I know. AND it's easy to bend the doctrine to whatever ethics are popular at the time, whether or not they're RIGHT.
Lily: OR whatever ethics the church has been arbitrarily clinging to for CENTURIES.

A Couple of Heretics

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Tyler: It's not arbitrary. Scholars who have been studying the historical context of the Bible all agree.
Lily: If I thought being a Christian meant I had to cling to traditional values about sexuality and gender, I would have stopped coming to church a long time ago.
Tyler: You can't BARGAIN with the Lord's moral authority like that.
Lily: I'm not bargaining. My understanding of the truth is colored by how I make sense of the world as WELL as the Bible. I'm doing my best to believe the right thing, just like we ALL are.
Tyler: Well, I hope your sincerity is rewarded.
Lily: Thanks.
Tyler: I'm always glad to see you here, Lily, even though you're a heretic.
Lily: Likewise, Tyler.
(they side-hug)

Cults

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(Lily is at her parents' house with her family)
Lily's mom: Any group that strays too far from mainstream norms, people say "it sounds weird, it must be a cult." People get arrested for being poor and the police can kill people without consequence, but if a few folks start a voluntary society, THEY must be the ones being brainwashed and held against their will.
Lily: Yeah. One thing that defines a cult is embracing "strange" beliefs. I don't like the term. It sounds like a sweeping judgment tinged with a negative view of unfamiliar cultures. Anna: But some people use the idea of a cult to recognize that the organization they're in is toxic. Lots of groups get called cults. So what? It's like a rite of passage for any cohesive movement with momentum.
(2 people are at a table, newspaper headline says "new cult on the rise" and has the same symbol that's on their wall. Person says, "Look, we're in the news!")

Politics

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Lily's mom: Unfortunately GOVERNMENTS aren't considered cults.
Eve: Every meal Mom ends up talking about politics.
Lily's mom: I rarely mention politics, Eve. Anarchy is the OPPOSITE of politics.
Eve: Only an anarchist would say that.
Joe: Yeah, the opposite of politics is something fun and non-controversial, like... CRAYONS or something.
Anna: It's evident that you've never been a kindergarten teacher.
(panel of kids with crayons yelling at each other)

Obstacles

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Lily's Mom: You have this light inside you that's gotten dimmer ever since the accident.
Lily: Yeah, that's what trauma DOES. There's a therapist I want to see, but I can only get to his office by car.
Lily's mom: Don't focus on the catch-twenty-twos, Lily. YOU'RE the one steering the handlebars of your life. The power to change direction is WITHIN you.
Lily: Mom, I KNOW. But every time I MENTION the obstacles I'm facing, you act like I'm being negative.
Lily's Mom: I'm sorry. Most people ruminate on their obstacles way more than they need to. I'm sensitive to it.
Lily: Yeah, well. Most people ALSO give way more unhelpful advice than anyone ever needs.

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