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Good morning,

In the 21st-century fandom culture, we’re rewarded for misdirecting our zeal. I end the week reflecting on zealotry, which you'll find copied below.

This is the Texas Minute for Friday, Jan. 3, 2025.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan

Paxton Tours Texas to ‘Hold Republican Representatives Accountable’ Ahead of Speaker Vote Attorney General Ken Paxton is hitting the road, holding a series of events in the coming days to place a spotlight on the ongoing battle to retain Republican control of the speaker of the House. Brandon Waltens has the details [[link removed]].

Last month, State Rep. David Cook (R–Mansfield) won the Republican nomination for speaker. That hasn’t stopped State Rep. Dustin Burrows (R–Lubbock) and a minority of Republican members from attempting to create a coalition with Democrats in order to win the gavel when the legislature meets later this month.

Paxton, along with Republican Party of Texas Chairman Abraham George, is visiting the districts of members he says are undermining the Republican Party by cutting deals with Democrats. “This tour is about accountability.”

You can find the tour dates and locations in Waltens' article [[link removed]].Related News Bastrop County Republicans have adopted a resolution [[link removed]] voicing disapproval of State Rep. Stan Gerdes of Smithville for his performance in the Texas House. Gerdes is among the breakaway House Republicans supporting Dustin Burrows for speaker instead of the caucus nominee. “The Bastrop County Republican Party Executive Committee condemns any effort by Representative Stan Gerdes to ally with Democrats to elect a Speaker who was not supported by the majority vote of the Texas House Republican Caucus.” — BCRP resolution [[link removed]] Dan Patrick Blasts FBI Claim NOLA Attack 'Not' Terrorism Despite overwhelming evidence, the FBI special agent in charge of the investigation said that the New Year’s Day attack in New Orleans was not an act of terrorism—leading Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick to call for her termination. Will Biagini reports [[link removed]] on the attack that left at least 14 dead and dozens injured.

The perpetrator, 42-year-old Shamsud Din Jabbar of Houston, plowed his truck through a crowd of people celebrating New Year’s Day. Jabbar then opened fire on the bystanders and responding police. Among the items recovered in Jabbar's rented vehicle was a flag used by the terrorist group ISIS.

Although multiple improvised explosive devices were discovered after the attack, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Alethea Duncan said that it was "not a terrorist event."

Patrick described [[link removed]] that response as "idiotic."

Meanwhile, Gov. Greg Abbott said he is working with law enforcement officials in Texas to ensure "the danger is contained." Texas Supreme Court Dismisses ‘Unlawful’ Attempt to Discipline Leadership in AG’s Office Sydnie Henry reports [[link removed]] that the Texas Supreme Court has dismissed a protracted and controversial attempt by the State Bar of Texas to discipline the leadership at the Office of the Attorney General. The ruling puts an end to what the OAG described as four years of “lawfare” and political retaliation surrounding actions taken by Attorney General Ken Paxton and First Assistant Brent Webster related to the 2020 election.

This stems from a lawsuit filed by the Texas State Bar, which sought to impose sanctions against Paxton and Webster over their involvement in a lawsuit challenging the validity of the 2020 election. Texas v. Pennsylvania was filed at the U.S. Supreme Court in December of that year alongside a coalition of 18 states.

The legal challenge questioned voting mechanisms in several states and aimed to temporarily halt those states from certifying vote counts ahead of the Electoral College meeting.

Webster called the actions [[link removed]] of the State Bar “disgraceful, ridiculous, and a disservice to the people of Texas.” Legislator Threatens to Withhold Funding for Texas Medical Board Republican State Rep. Brian Harrison of Midlothian has said he will file legislation to defund the Texas Medical Board if they do not terminate one of the agency’s top bureaucrats, who also works for Planned Parenthood—the country’s largest abortion provider. Emily Medeiros has the details [[link removed]].

Earlier this week, it was reported that TMB’s medical director, Dr. Robert Bredt, has worked for Planned Parenthood of South Texas since 2011—before getting his job with TMB in 2012. His position with TMB pays $185,000 annually.

Following the revelation, State Rep. Briscoe Cain (R-Deer Park) sent a letter urging the TMB to terminate Bredt’s employment immediately.

Now, Harrison has promised to file legislation to “cut all funding to the Texas Medical Board,” if Bredt is not terminated. TMB is receiving $44 million in taxpayer funding in the current biennial budget.

“I will not tolerate a literal abortionist being the top regulator of doctors and nurses in our great, pro-life state!” – Brian Harrison [[link removed]] Lawsuit Seeks May Election for ‘Vacant’ County Commissioner Seat Harris County residents are renewing calls for an election to fill a county commissioner seat they argue is vacant, reports Erin Anderson [[link removed]].

A lawsuit filed against members of the Harris County Commissioners Court asserts that Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia (D) vacated his seat when he took a conflicting government job serving on the board of the Gulf Coast Protection District.

Under the Texas Election Code, if an officer “accepts another office and the two offices may not lawfully be held simultaneously, a vacancy in the first office occurs on the date the person qualifies for the other office.”

Garcia was first elected to the county's governing body in 2018 and then re-elected in 2022. Meet the Freshmen Andy Hopper (R-Decatur) [[link removed]] After narrowly losing to incumbent State Rep. Lynn Stucky two years ago, Andy Hopper decided to run again [[link removed]] in 2024—and this time, he succeeded by a margin of 58-42.

A longtime grassroots activist, Hopper said his experience in the movement helped him navigate the challenges of campaigning and the political landscape. He plans to prioritize election integrity, water conservation, and border security. Friday Reflection

Zeal of the Zealot [[link removed]]

by Michael Quinn Sullivan

Zealotry has a bad name. It’s acceptable to be zealous about a hobby or to approach the new day with zeal. But to call someone a zealot? That’s a bit insulting.

The great theologian R.C. Sproul once wrote, “Zeal without knowledge has wreaked incalculable havoc through history.”

Indeed, we have so many bad examples of zealotry. Yet in Scripture, we find there is a good zealotry and a bad zealotry.

For example, we can appreciate the desire for independence from Rome that drove the Jewish Zealots of the first century A.D. Yet their zealotry was ultimately the bad kind. Yes, they were zealous for freedom from Rome but were pretty hazy about what they wanted to do with that freedom.

Perhaps they had a plan when their movement had begun, but after a while, they became zealous for… being zealous. Killing Romans simply became something they did.

Eventually, the Zealots separated themselves from their fellow, if less zealous, Jews, and their cause culminated in a mass suicide in 73 A.D. at Masada. In a bit of bitter irony, their zeal effectively ended the Jewish bid for independence.

As it turns out, though, Jesus appealed to some of the earliest zealots—a number of His disciples and followers appear to have been of the Zealot persuasion. Some scholars believe Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus, was a zealot consumed with the desire for a military or political coup. And, of course, one of the disciples was referred to as Simon the Zealot—not to be confused with Simon Peter, known as the Rock, who was himself susceptible to zealous impulses.

Jesus directed their zeal and gave it an eternal purpose. He shaped it from a blunt and sometimes reckless instrument into a refined force serving God and others.

In our fandom culture of the 21st century, it becomes easy to misdirect our zeal.

By being zealous for movies, celebrities, and politicians, we can generate clicks and likes and followers in the never-ending quest for another dopamine hit. The more zealous we are, the more attention we gather to ourselves.

And that’s the key.

Isaiah 59:17 reads, “He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on his head; he put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and wrapped himself in zeal as a cloak.”

In Paul’s letter to the Romans, he listed the hallmarks of Christian life. He wrote, “Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.”

What makes zeal good or bad isn’t the zealotry itself but rather its object. Is it ourselves? Or is it God?

The whole of Scripture makes it clear that we have a duty to be zealous for the things of the Lord. Our zeal must not be for the applause of those around us but rather in service to Him, His purposes, and His people.

Quote-Unquote

"We are foolish to expect to serve God without opposition: the more zealous we are, the more sure are we to be assailed... Every man to his post, ye warriors of the cross, and may the Lord tread Satan under your feet shortly!"

– Charles Spurgeon

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