First post here - long time lurker, but wanted to respond to this. Breaks my heart to hear about your deteriorating relationships. I wanted to just give my two cents on what's helped me.

There's a great book I just finished that I recommend EVERYONE on GA check out. It's called "Never Split the Difference" by Chris Voss (former lead negotiator for FBI - now works with businesses). Anyways, in the book he describes how he'd have to talk with bank robbers who had hostages, kidnappers, terrorists, etc. Basically the scum of the earth. But it's insanely interesting the psychological 'tricks' of the trade. Love or hate the FBI, I get it, but what he talks about is gold.

Anyways, one thing that stood out for me was his concept of "Tactical Empathy" - which is essentially 'seeking first to understand' where they're coming from. And keep in mind, understanding is NOT agreeing. Sometimes you have to throw people a bone. If you know all they watch is CNN, or FOX News, or whatever it is, you have to meet them there. You can't simply say "Every mainstream media platform is lying to you, they're controlled by the CIA, they're the cabal, they're the enemy" right off the bat. Because there was a time likely when you didn't think that was the case, and eventually you realized it.

The further down the rabbit hole we go, the harder it is to communicate with someone who doesn't even know a hole exists. Our job isn't to get them to where we are, just like whoever turned us onto this madness didn't do it by verbally vomiting everything they knew. No, they likely got you to start doing one simple, rather innocent thing - start asking questions.

As I tell people I talk to, "Look, I don't know exactly what's going on. But I know what's being told by the mainstream media isn't what's going on." Most people will tend to agree with that. At some point in time they heard something on the news or saw in a newspaper that was patently false. Public 'trust' in the media is at all time lows. People are dying for clarity, and for the most part people don't give a shit. They haven't spent enough time looking into it.

As a Christian, it's about like before you were saved. The problem is that we were 'drowning' in sin, yet we DIDN'T know we were drowning.

In "Never Split the Difference" Voss also described something that has helped me not to burn bridges or have people curse my name (maybe they do, I haven't heard it). He says you need to figure out how to 'disagree WITHOUT being disagreeable'. This single skill has helped me more than I know.

I empathize with you brother. But, we're dealing with serious stuff. It's not a case of right versus left, repub versus dem. It's GOOD versus EVIL.

But keep in mind, the Gospel of Jesus Christ is OFFENSIVE to children of the evil one. It cuts deep. it challenges everything. I'm not likening Q to the Bible, but I am saying truth cuts deep, sacred cows are slaughtered, and you WILL be vindicated in the end even though it's rough now. You're fighting the good fight. You're LEADING. Keep your head up and continue to LEAD from the FRONT.