There’s a kind of service that starts with the right heart...

but ends up feeling more like a performance.

I’ve been part of communities—faith-based, tech-leaning, recovery-focused—that organize well.

They send thoughtful emails. They assign roles. They light candles. They pray.

And yet, something inside me keeps asking:

Where’s the weight?

Where’s the actual transformation?

Is this real help—or just a curated moment of compassion?

I don’t doubt the sincerity.

But sincerity without structure becomes sentiment.

And sentiment without follow-through becomes theater.

I’m not angry. I’m just hungry—for something deeper.

For community that feels less like casting calls and more like shared labor.

For service that isn’t stylized, but sustained.

For impact that doesn’t end when the applause fades.

Lord, help us trade stage lights for fruit.

Help us put the costumes down.

Help us love in ways that don’t always photograph well—but heal deeply.

Amen.

Crypto/Web3: Just Another Form of Fiat

Crypto/Web3 → Fiat (yes, it's just new fiat)

Bitcoin ⇏ Fiat (Bitcoin is the rejection of fiat)

People think they’ve escaped fiat when they move from dollars to crypto.

But most of what passes for “crypto” today is just fiat in disguise.

Endless token creation.

Centralized teams pulling monetary levers.

VCs printing new supply and dumping it on users.

Communities driven by hype, not value.

Blockchains secured by vibes instead of work.

It’s the same game, just wrapped in code and jargon.

Bitcoin isn’t “crypto.”

Bitcoin is the exit.

Proof of Work matters.

Scarcity matters.

Skin in the game matters.

Everything else is just a new fiat casino.

I totally agree … but let me check with chatGPT

Just adding for indexing...

#OriginallyOnNostr

#BitcoinNotWeb3

#ProofOfWorkNotPerformance

Bitcoin is Web3 ?

❌ Bitcoin is not Web3 in spirit, architecture, or culture.

Web3, as commonly understood, refers to:

Smart contract platforms (Ethereum, Solana, etc.)

Dapps, DAOs, NFTs, DeFi, etc.

Token-driven ecosystems with high programmability

Bitcoin, on the other hand:

Was created before “Web3” existed as a concept

Doesn’t rely on tokens, ICOs, or smart contract hype

Prioritizes immutability, security, and monetary integrity

Has a very different ethos: slow, deliberate, antifragile

✅ But some people lump Bitcoin into Web3 anyway

Usually for one of two reasons:

Marketing convenience – they group all blockchain technologies together for fundraising or branding.

Lack of understanding – they assume “crypto = Web3,” so Bitcoin gets thrown in.

⚠️ Why this matters

The Bitcoin community (especially Bitcoin Maximalists) tends to reject the Web3 label because:

It obscures Bitcoin’s core mission: sound money

It associates Bitcoin with speculative projects and vaporware

Web3 culture often chases features, while Bitcoin focuses on principles

Summary:

Bitcoin is foundational. Web3 is derivative.

One is money. The other is architecture for apps.

Calling Bitcoin “Web3” is like calling the U.S. Constitution a mobile app.

Re: “Thought Experiment: Could Asset-Backed Bonds Ease Global Tensions?”

In response to:

https://www.startbay.org/blog/thought-experiment-could-asset-backed-bonds-ease-global-tensions

Mark, I deeply appreciate your vision for a more stable and multipolar monetary system. Your proposal for asset-backed bonds—anchored in gold or Bitcoin—offers a compelling alternative to the current fiat-dominated landscape.

However, I’d like to gently advocate for focusing solely on Bitcoin as the backing asset, for several reasons:

🌍 Bitcoin: The Superior Asset for Global Bonds

Borderless and Digital: Unlike gold, Bitcoin is inherently digital and can be transferred globally with ease, making it ideal for modern financial systems.

Transparent and Verifiable: Bitcoin's blockchain ensures transparent and immutable records, enhancing trust in the backing of bonds.

Scarce and Decentralized: With a fixed supply and decentralized nature, Bitcoin resists inflation and centralized control, aligning with the goal of monetary stability.

Accessible and Inclusive: Bitcoin's open network allows participation from anyone with internet access, promoting financial inclusion.

🪙 Gold's Limitations in the Digital Age

Physical Constraints: Gold's physical nature makes it less adaptable to rapid, global transactions.

Centralized Custody Risks: Storing gold requires trust in custodians, which can introduce points of failure.

Limited Transparency: Verifying gold reserves lacks the real-time transparency that Bitcoin's blockchain provides.

In light of these considerations, Bitcoin stands out as a more suitable asset for backing bonds aimed at easing global tensions and promoting financial sovereignty.

I’m eager to continue this dialogue and explore how Bitcoin-backed bonds could be implemented to foster a more equitable and resilient global economy.

Probably because they know you are an emissary from the Dark Side of Bitcoin Onlyism ( I am teasing)

Remembering Mom Together. Celebrating Her Love.

Mother’s Day carries both tenderness and joy.

For all us, and me—it’s a day to remember and celebrate the love of our mom, Daphne Chun.

She passed on July 4th, 2011—Independence Day. And in a way, it became her own day of freedom, and a holy mark on our family calendar.

Daphne’s love was not loud, but it was deep. She gave through service, presence, laughter, and food. She was the quiet force that held us, shaped us, and believed in us.

And today, we smile. We remember stories. We share photos. We laugh like she did. We live in the echo of her love—and that is something to celebrate.

Mother’s Day is also a reminder that God is not only Father—but also like a Mother.

“As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you…”

— Isaiah 66:13

“How often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings…”

— Matthew 23:37

In the love of our mom, we glimpsed something divine—something maternal in God that is gentle, nourishing, and strong.

So today we say:

💐 To all who are mothering—thank you.

🕊️ To all who are grieving—grace to you.

🌱 To all who remember—may joy rise alongside the tears.

❤️‍🔥 And to Mom—we see you in each other. We carry your love forward.

Happy Mother’s Day—from all of us who were loved by Daphne Chun.

Reconciling the World (and Our Ledgers)

“In Christ God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the ministry of reconciliation.”

—2 Corinthians 5:19

The word “reconciliation” is both spiritual and economic.

In Christ, God reconciled our account—not by denying the debt, but by paying it Himself. He didn’t fudge the numbers. He didn’t cook the books. He settled them—justly and mercifully.

And then He handed us the ministry of reconciliation. That’s more than forgiveness. It’s a calling to restore integrity in every domain—including how we deal with people, power, and even value itself.

That’s part of why I align with Bitcoin.

It's transparent.

It's rooted in truth.

It doesn’t erase the ledger—it settles it honestly through Proof of Work.

The gospel says: “Your sins are no longer counted against you.”

Bitcoin says: “Your work is no longer stolen from you.”

Both are acts of reconciliation.

Both cost something real.

And both invite us to live differently.

So today, I pause not just to worship—but to reconcile:

My heart. My habits. My value systems.

Not with hype, but with truth.

What is the Victorious Gospel?

The term “Victorious Gospel” refers to the triumphant message of Jesus Christ’s work on the cross—a gospel that proclaims Christ’s complete victory over sin, death, and the powers of evil.

Jesus didn’t come merely to offer a conditional or partial rescue for a select few; rather, His sacrificial death and victorious resurrection guarantee that every human being—is ultimately reconciled to God.

In short, the Victorious Gospel is the good news that Christ’s victory is so complete that it not only conquers sin and death in our present lives but also promises the eventual restoration of every person, affirming that God’s love and saving power ultimately prevail over every form of evil.

This has been a long journey for me but here are some verses which give strong support for this idea (quotes from the New Kings James Version):

1 Timothy 4:10

"For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe."

1 Corinthians 15:22:

"For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive."

John 1:29:

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! "

2 Corinthians 5:17-19:

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation."

Original Post on LinkedIn ->

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/andrew-g-stanton_victoriousgospel-resurrection-goodnews-activity-7299552258126491648-rnC0?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAABQv18BeAPYRkxkYSr1mQStB9TczIhoXvQ

#VictoriousGospel #Resurrection #GoodNews #EternalGospel

great graphic and I agree with you!

This is great would love to go there and check it out

This is very very helpful thanks for sharing

that's weird.

What a great way to let Bitcoin do the heavy lifting !

Can I go with you as a companion when go next time to El Salvador? :)

That must have been fun!!

Isn't this the truth ?

"If you want to lead, you are not fit to lead."

Best leaders are those that don't really want the job but realize no else is able to "step up"

Very well said nostr:nprofile1qy2hwumn8ghj7etyv4hzumn0wd68ytnvv9hxgqtxwaehxw309anxjmr5v4ezumn0wd68ytnhd9hx2tmwwp6kyvtjw3k8zcmp8pervct409shwdtwx45rxmp4xseryerdx3ehy7f4v3axvet9xsmrjdnxw9jnsuekw9nh2ertwvmkg6n5veen7cnjdaskgcmpwd6r6arjw4jsqgq6lcx8fc7h0p8t4ya9u0a92jnwavqe9rgjwwdw3wjgxfuxsz8rd5mths8c

I see leadership as helping those I lead become the best version of themselves.

But that’s hard—really hard—especially in a culture that elevates leaders to guru or god-like status.

True leadership looks more like lowering yourself than raising your platform.

Would we have the humility of Jesus, who washed His disciples’ feet the night before He was crucified?

That’s the model. Not dominance. Not applause. But love expressed through service—even when it costs everything.

I think humans are wired to solve problems—and with that comes an innate drive to create tools, systems, and yes, technology. It's part of what makes us human.

I don't think we’d be fully alive without some form of technological expression. Fire. Shelter. Language. The wheel. Even writing is a kind of abstraction.

So while I agree we should live aligned with the natural world, I don’t believe that means rejecting all innovation or reverting to a hunter-gatherer lifestyle.

The challenge is discernment:

Which technologies make us more human—more rooted, aware, and alive?

And which ones seduce us into disconnection?

And yet here we are communicating in a completely virtual abstracted context. I agree with you by the way with some caveats

Yes AI and bitcoin !!! I have been using chatGPT A LOT

Grateful for those early zaps—thank you 🙏

My zap icon isn’t active yet (still using Strike to receive sats), but it works.

If anything I’ve posted—on faith, Bitcoin, or mission-driven building—has encouraged or resonated with you, feel free to zap ⚡

I’m the CTO at StartNation and actively exploring how Bitcoin can support missions in places like India and Africa.

Building on Bitcoin. Rooted in the Victorious Gospel.

#bitcoin #zap #nostr #faith #missions #victoriousgospel #startnation

Hi Marcp, thanks for your zaps on my recent post on custodial risk