Eric Cochran was a software developer at Pinterest until a short time ago. His exit from his employer was a bit too much like my own somewhat over a decade ago. As described, I am a repeat offender.

His saga is found at: https://www.projectveritas.com/2019/06/11/tech-insider-blows-whistle-on-how-pinterest-listed-top-pro-life-site-as-porn-bible-verses-censored/

Mr. Cochran has my respect.

Transcript

Greetings,

Project Veritas recently released a series of videos from an initially undisclosed whistleblower who worked as a software developer at Pinterest. The story is presented that he was identified by Pinterest and summarily fired. He went public and his name is Eric Cochran.

In a subsequent video, the no longer masked Mr. Cochran described in detail his last day at Pinterest. When I listened to him, I could envision exactly what happened, and what he felt at that moment, as I have been through it, and I am a repeat offender.

His description of how his internal accounts became disabled, which raised a concern, I have lived. In his case he was escorted out be a security team. In my case it was the US Military.

Mr. Cochran may or may not have had another related experience where on one occasion I was asked to step outside for a dialog. We discussed, or perhaps I was informed, the importance of being a team player. The message was clear. We live the fraud together, or you are toast.

It reminds me of a scene from the movie “The Untouchables” and the dinner discussion of being a team. It shows well what happens to anyone who isn’t fully part of the team. In reality, and even for the mild-mannered software developer, such as Mr. Cochran and myself, a price will be paid if you don’t sacrifice ethics for the team. You will be disfavored, demoted, shunned, fired, or some form of the baseball bat to the head. I have seen it with others and lived it myself, with the last option still pending.

With that understanding, I would like to encourage Mr. Cochran and others like him, or perhaps I should say others like us. Press on with vigor! Never give up!

Always check yourself to make sure you are on the right path, or as the Bible says “Test Everything”. Make sure you are testing yourself as we need to admit we are flawed men. But be a flawed man seeking the truth rather than resting in the comfort of the team. Be a free man, not an owned man.

Mr. Cochran, because you made a bit of news, you might find alternatives for your life to keep you going. But to be honest, I doubt it. You will probably be shunned and abandoned. You are in a sense an “untouchable”. It is my hope that you have the strength of character to last past your time in the limelight. It is my prayer that your future includes joy.

A concept I embrace is the idea that the institution is not your friend. This includes religious, corporate, government, and fraternal. The institution protects the institution. The individual serves the institution or is crushed by the institution. Please ponder that.

For me my hope is in being a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, but not institutions that use His name. I will joyfully discuss the veracity of the Bible with anyone. In obedience to the commands in the Bible I proclaim but not impose. But to the Christian community, when they do not follow the commands of the Lord, I will call them out on it as the Apostle Paul did to the Apostle Peter in Galatians 2, with the hope of the reconciliation as seen in 2nd Peter 3. For that effort, the institutional church, in particular the PCA leadership, has sent the police to my door to shut me up. What is set before you is evident that I have not shut up. If you stand on the truth, don’t shut up! Even more, to the follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, remember 2nd Timothy 3:12 “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted”. Don’t just read it, live it!

Mr. Cochran and others like us, both past and future, don’t be a captive to the things of this world, but follow the truth. As Mr. Cochran states “It’s all worth it”. Be willing to lose the niceties that are placed in front of you rather than lose your allegiance to the truth. Don’t be a team player for personal gain while the team, especially the large institutional team, steals from others, or destroys others, for your gain.

It will cost you. Never give up! Endure to the end!