Truth, goodness and beauty for Acadiana and all of Louisiana.

When cockfighting advocates showed up at the Saint Landry Parish Council meeting asking for help to legalize the blood sport again, they came armed with two arguments: money and culture. Louisiana was the last state in America to ban cockfighting in 2008, and Sunset, Louisiana was the cockfighting capital of the nation. Now they want it back, calling it Creole and Cajun heritage.

In this episode, Stuart Amidon sits down with Jonathan Dupuis and David Riley to discuss why the council was right to refuse, why the Bible is clear about how we treat animals, and what happens when Christians fail to bring Scripture to bear on public issues. We break down the two appeals—to majority opinion and economic benefit—and explain why neither holds water when you're deciding what's right and wrong.

We also discuss the reality that cockfighting (and dogfighting) are still happening illegally throughout Saint Landry Parish, why some cultural practices don't deserve preservation, and how the region's actual Christian heritage—visible in city seals, courtroom imagery, and the motto "All things to the glory of God"—provides the real standard for public life.

Because sometimes the right answer is simple: God says no. That's enough.

Welcome to another episode of The Parish Circuit, for truth, goodness and beauty for Acadiana and all of Louisiana.

When Buddhist monks walked through Central Louisiana on a "peace walk" to Washington D.C., Christ Fellowship pastor Jeffrey Mercer made a one-minute video explaining why Jesus—not Buddhism—offers real peace. The internet exploded. Christians called him hateful and intolerant. And then the Wesley Center, a United Methodist facility where his church had rented space for nine years, kicked them out.

In this episode, Stuart Amidon sits down with Pastor Jeff Mercer and Pastor Brian Rhodes from Grace Presbyterian to unpack what happened, why it happened, and what it reveals about the state of Christianity in the Deep South. We discuss the reaction from both Christians and non-Christians, the fear of being labeled a fundamentalist, what it means to speak clearly in the public square, and why young men are increasingly drawn to churches that proclaim truth without apology.

Watch Jeff's Videos:

• Original car video
• Follow-up statement

Christ Fellowship:

• cfcenla.com

In this episode, Stuart Amidon sits down with Building Official and Code Enforcement Director Lance Ned to reveal the real reasons behind the city’s countless empty properties.

Stuart and Jamie sit down to talk about the recent news of a weed shop moving to Opelousas. They discuss Jamie's story, the opioid crisis, alternative medicine, addiction, and the benefits of THC in the right application.

theparishcircuit.com

Sponsored by pagefifty.com

In this episode, we discuss the news of the opening of a medical marijuana pharmacy, “The Apothecary Shoppe” in Opelousas, LA. We delve into the history of The Apothecary Shoppe and examine the issue of marijuana from a biblical perspective. We also had guests share their insights from past marijuana use live in the studio.

theparishcircuit.com

In this episode, we talk about the news of the case for the Police Chief of Opelousas being taken on by the State Attorney General's office.

.

If you have any stories that you think we should cover, please reach out to

Stuart Amidon

Stuart@pagefifty.com

.

Aaron Vaughan, CPA

aaron@mire.group

In this episode, the Parish Circuit team dissects the August 13th Opelousas City Council meeting. Key topics include:

• Surprise tax increases
• A long list of properties slated for demolition
• Updates on the city’s infrastructure
• Lighthearted moments about mysterious water stations
• Quirky email addresses

Why throw a life parade every year? Because it's one way we change the world.