I was challenged by a friend to show an example of theists actually suffering a hostile atmosphere in a UU setting, as opposed to just the odd comment from a rabid atheist speaking only for himself. An incident sprang immediately to mind, as it had shocked not only me, but the minister as well.
I don't remember the exact date, but it was perhaps five years ago. Rev. Clear ran a program on Wednesday nights called "something for everyone", which involved a pitch in dinner and philosophical discussion. One of those evenings we were split into two work groups with separate and secret instructions. The group I was put into was tasked with listing adjectives to describe the arts. The other group was tasked with listing adjectives to describe religion. The point of the exercise was to show that when we got together, there would be considerable if not total overlap of the lists, demonstrating how both speak to the human spirit.
Except it didn't work the way the way the little book of exercises Rev. Clear took this from had said it would go- there was no overlap whatsoever! There was not one single positive adjective from the group discussing religion; the list was full of things like "intolerant", "judgmental", hateful", "inquisition", "smug", "patriarchal", and on and on and on, for a full page.
I nearly quit that night. Here was a group, not just of Easter and Christmas I-feel-like-some-company churchgoers, but a group active enough to be there on a Wednesday night; well fed, given a half hour in which to work with soft music playing in the background... And they literally could not come up with a single positive word to say about people of faith. For me, the atmosphere felt very hostile indeed that night. For me, their acceptance of me personally felt worse than rejection would have- I understood emotionally how it must feel to hear "You're not like other Blacks."
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Peacebang nails it again
Twice, in fact: Overheard at GA and most especially: Including "God" . I once heard an expert defined as one who has mastered his subject from B to Z, and forgotten A... and those few of us who attend a UU church for religious reasons often feel like the forgotten A.
Why would one choose UU in the first place- what is it that one can get at a UU church that cannot be gotten elsewhere? The Washington Office of Advocacy? Puh-leeze... There’s not one issue they address that isn’t covered by another organization with far, far more influence. For all the discussion, debate, and effort put behind our Statements of Conscience, I fail to see any evidence our lobbying has ever changed the mind of a UU congregate, let alone a congressman. If one really cared about issues, a single dollar sent to GLAD or NARAL or NAACP or whatever would be more effective than all we do. Many of those organizations can even provide a rich social life as well.
The one thing the UUA does that no other mainstream organization in America does is welcome those who do not worship the God of Abraham. For many of us- yes, a minority, but a large minority- we joined a UU congregation to pursue spiritual growth. And I proudly proclaim my congregation has been invaluable in my own personal search for meaning- but that doesn’t mean my experiences have been totally positive. Being a believer in any sort of Divinity can be something of a trial for a UU- if you use the Riddle scale of tolerance , substituting “theist” for “gay”, where 8 is good and 1 is bad, I would rate the UUA as a whole between 3 (tolerance), and 4 (acceptance)- with a minority at the 1 (repulsion) or 2 (pity) level. At least I hope it’s a minority; there were plenty of truly hostile comments during the debate Rev Sinkford called for on the language of reverence- I noted four separate instances of being told that the proper term for “transcendental experience” was actually “psychotic break”. And you’d think any UU would understand that just because I’m Pagan does not mean I welcome anti-Catholic or anti-Baptist comments; an attack on anyone’s genuine beliefs is an attack on mine.
Ask yourselves this: if you applied the standards used to become a “welcoming congregation” to believers rather than gays, would your congregation be welcoming?
Why would one choose UU in the first place- what is it that one can get at a UU church that cannot be gotten elsewhere? The Washington Office of Advocacy? Puh-leeze... There’s not one issue they address that isn’t covered by another organization with far, far more influence. For all the discussion, debate, and effort put behind our Statements of Conscience, I fail to see any evidence our lobbying has ever changed the mind of a UU congregate, let alone a congressman. If one really cared about issues, a single dollar sent to GLAD or NARAL or NAACP or whatever would be more effective than all we do. Many of those organizations can even provide a rich social life as well.
The one thing the UUA does that no other mainstream organization in America does is welcome those who do not worship the God of Abraham. For many of us- yes, a minority, but a large minority- we joined a UU congregation to pursue spiritual growth. And I proudly proclaim my congregation has been invaluable in my own personal search for meaning- but that doesn’t mean my experiences have been totally positive. Being a believer in any sort of Divinity can be something of a trial for a UU- if you use the Riddle scale of tolerance , substituting “theist” for “gay”, where 8 is good and 1 is bad, I would rate the UUA as a whole between 3 (tolerance), and 4 (acceptance)- with a minority at the 1 (repulsion) or 2 (pity) level. At least I hope it’s a minority; there were plenty of truly hostile comments during the debate Rev Sinkford called for on the language of reverence- I noted four separate instances of being told that the proper term for “transcendental experience” was actually “psychotic break”. And you’d think any UU would understand that just because I’m Pagan does not mean I welcome anti-Catholic or anti-Baptist comments; an attack on anyone’s genuine beliefs is an attack on mine.
Ask yourselves this: if you applied the standards used to become a “welcoming congregation” to believers rather than gays, would your congregation be welcoming?
Thursday, June 22, 2006
UUA paints itself into a corner
One of the very first acts of the GA was to pass without debate the peacemaking resolution : Peacemaking study/action issue adopted If the supporters have their way- and there’s no reason to think the won’t- within two years there will be a Statement of Conscience making the UUA a pacifist church. BUT... the UUA has also called for us to go into Darfur. Which produces an interesting dilemma: if we don’t go in with overwhelming force, it will be just another Somalia, and the only ones to benefit will be the movie studio that films “Blackhawk Down II, the Sequel”. But if we do ask them to go in and actually stop the civil war in progress, that will violate the peacemaking Statement of Conscience. Clash of principals?
Wait! Maybe that’s what the two-year discussion period is for; perhaps they hope we can go into Darfur, rebuild the country, establish a new government, and get back out before the SoC becomes official- one last invasion under the deadline. *sigh* Oh, well... I guess if it made sense, it wouldn't require faith...
Wait! Maybe that’s what the two-year discussion period is for; perhaps they hope we can go into Darfur, rebuild the country, establish a new government, and get back out before the SoC becomes official- one last invasion under the deadline. *sigh* Oh, well... I guess if it made sense, it wouldn't require faith...
Monday, June 19, 2006
Dark laughter
This post was inspired by the comments to this blog entry of CC‘s: The ChaliceBlog: Another argument I had with theCSO yesterday
There are many kinds of laughter. There is the spontaneous laughter of joy, when you’re just so happy it bubbles naturally from within, no excuse needed. There is the easy laughter of people having fun, where the slightest lame joke or weak witticism has coffee shooting out of one’s nose. Laughter of this sort is the sound of souls bonding, of spirits lifting.
There is the laughter produced by jokes, a deliberate attempt to rally spirits when they have been deadened by the rat race, the kind of laughter you might hear at a comedy club. Closely related is stress humor, designed to deflect spirit killers... is the Mercury Capsule claustrophobically cramped? Mount a plaque inside that says “No Handball Allowed” This sort of laughter strengthens the spirit, clearing the mind and the heart at the same time.
Laughter is so important to the survival of the species that a sense of humor is seen by both sexes as one of the most attractive features a potential mate can have. The lack of a sense of humor is very nearly, in this modern world of situational ethics and moral relativism, the only thing of which a person is truly ashamed.
Some people learn at a early age that laughter can be more than a survival mechanism, or a bonding moment... it is the armor that deflects all criticism, that turns their nasty personality flaws into an asset. If a dull fellow always lets people pay for him, he’s a cheapskate; if he can make it a joke about how they got scored on, he’s a wit. Truly awful acts of cowardice, vanity, or betrayal- if they can be told with good timing and lots of mugging- make one more popular, not less. Those hearing the stories know they shouldn’t laugh, and indeed may not even want to at first- but they quickly realize that to fail to laugh marks them as “uncool”, “judgmental”, “puritanical”, or (heaven forefend) “intolerant”. It deadens the spirit; it’s operational conditioning against sensitivity.
But then there are those who realize that laughter can be wielded as a weapon. Just as cheapness or infidelity can be forgiven in the example above, they quickly learn that astonishingly vicious acts of hatred can be excused as “practical jokes”, or “parody”. It quickly becomes their favorite, as they learn that it is the easiest sort of thing to do of all. One must actually be clever to make a joke; but anyone can talk as if virtue, or decency, or a particular class of people were funny. If their feelings get hurt, you just say “F&*K em if they can’t take a joke” and suddenly the aggressor becomes the victim, and the victim “intolerant”. This kind of laughter deadens the intellect, blinds the eyes to the pain of their fellow man. Even when it results in the shootings at Columbine, the mocker never gets it- it wasn’t his daily assaults on the inherent worth and dignity of his fellow man that caused the tragedy; it was his victim’s lack of a sense of humor.
How much has the hate filled, empty headed belittler cost mankind over the years? How many tears, how much violence? How many decent people have failed to speak up over social injustice not for fear of the guns of government, but for fear of public ridicule? I don’t know... but personally, I rank the mean-spirited mocker with the mosquito; irritating vermin who may not “intend” harm, but cause thousands of deaths just by existing.
There are many kinds of laughter. There is the spontaneous laughter of joy, when you’re just so happy it bubbles naturally from within, no excuse needed. There is the easy laughter of people having fun, where the slightest lame joke or weak witticism has coffee shooting out of one’s nose. Laughter of this sort is the sound of souls bonding, of spirits lifting.
There is the laughter produced by jokes, a deliberate attempt to rally spirits when they have been deadened by the rat race, the kind of laughter you might hear at a comedy club. Closely related is stress humor, designed to deflect spirit killers... is the Mercury Capsule claustrophobically cramped? Mount a plaque inside that says “No Handball Allowed” This sort of laughter strengthens the spirit, clearing the mind and the heart at the same time.
Laughter is so important to the survival of the species that a sense of humor is seen by both sexes as one of the most attractive features a potential mate can have. The lack of a sense of humor is very nearly, in this modern world of situational ethics and moral relativism, the only thing of which a person is truly ashamed.
Some people learn at a early age that laughter can be more than a survival mechanism, or a bonding moment... it is the armor that deflects all criticism, that turns their nasty personality flaws into an asset. If a dull fellow always lets people pay for him, he’s a cheapskate; if he can make it a joke about how they got scored on, he’s a wit. Truly awful acts of cowardice, vanity, or betrayal- if they can be told with good timing and lots of mugging- make one more popular, not less. Those hearing the stories know they shouldn’t laugh, and indeed may not even want to at first- but they quickly realize that to fail to laugh marks them as “uncool”, “judgmental”, “puritanical”, or (heaven forefend) “intolerant”. It deadens the spirit; it’s operational conditioning against sensitivity.
But then there are those who realize that laughter can be wielded as a weapon. Just as cheapness or infidelity can be forgiven in the example above, they quickly learn that astonishingly vicious acts of hatred can be excused as “practical jokes”, or “parody”. It quickly becomes their favorite, as they learn that it is the easiest sort of thing to do of all. One must actually be clever to make a joke; but anyone can talk as if virtue, or decency, or a particular class of people were funny. If their feelings get hurt, you just say “F&*K em if they can’t take a joke” and suddenly the aggressor becomes the victim, and the victim “intolerant”. This kind of laughter deadens the intellect, blinds the eyes to the pain of their fellow man. Even when it results in the shootings at Columbine, the mocker never gets it- it wasn’t his daily assaults on the inherent worth and dignity of his fellow man that caused the tragedy; it was his victim’s lack of a sense of humor.
How much has the hate filled, empty headed belittler cost mankind over the years? How many tears, how much violence? How many decent people have failed to speak up over social injustice not for fear of the guns of government, but for fear of public ridicule? I don’t know... but personally, I rank the mean-spirited mocker with the mosquito; irritating vermin who may not “intend” harm, but cause thousands of deaths just by existing.
Saturday, June 17, 2006
An interesting theory on illegal immigration
I heard an interesting theory yesterday as to why neither political party shows any real interest in doing anything about stopping illegal immigration, or legalizing those already here. Yes, there's lots of talk- when public events force them to talk- but no viable plans from either leadership. This theory says the heart of the matter is Social Security.
SSI was and is a Ponzi scheme; a simple pyramid... Any private citizen trying to implement SSI as written would be serving time in a federal penitentiary. Like all pyramid schemes, it requires an ever-increasing pool of fresh victims to stay afloat- the WW II generation took care of that at first by breeding like rabbits after the war; the Baby-Boomers pumped trillions of dollars of cash into the pyramid.
But the WW II generation then sabotaged the system by living ten, even twenty years longer than the authors of SSI had counted on. Nor did Baby-Boomers keep up their end of the peonage they were born into; they reproduced at barely replacement rate. By the 80s it was obvious the system was headed for collapse. But something else started in the 80s also- illegal immigration surged far in advance of the historical numbers, driven by the failures of a corrupt Mexican government, and even more corrupt governments farther south. Public sentiment forced the first crack-downs, and Reagan's amnesty act, which introduced sanctions for the employers.
But look at what was required of the employers, I was told- they had to get SSI numbers from all employees. The easiest of all ID's to fake, and the one with the least consequences- the government accepts all money sent in, even for fake accounts, and never, ever calls INS to stop that flow of illegal money coming in. Today, some ten percent of all the money SSI collects is from illegal workers... and it's pure profit for the government, as this money carries no future obligations with it- you can't collect from an account that didn't exist! If the flood of illegals is large enough, it will even pay for the new drug benefit.
It becomes a huge boon to both domestic and diplomatic politics- Mexico needn't reform, nor do anything about its poor and oppressed; just give them maps and instruction books on how to get to, live in, and prosper in the USA. (the Mexican government is in fact doing this). Our politicians can put off dealing with SSI for at least a generation; those currently in power will be long dead before 100 million immigrants start suing for the SSI they've been paying into illegally for all those years.
We don't have to pressure Mexico about human rights- they are doing something about the poor, shipping them here, and the money sent back home will help the rest of the poor. And since we never pressure Mexico about corruption, we get a staunch ally who happens to be an OPEC member.
Do I believe this theory? I don't know- but I do predict that absent some cataclysmic event, the borders will not be closed in our lifetimes, nor will any guest worker plan that involves paying them their share of SSI be passed.
SSI was and is a Ponzi scheme; a simple pyramid... Any private citizen trying to implement SSI as written would be serving time in a federal penitentiary. Like all pyramid schemes, it requires an ever-increasing pool of fresh victims to stay afloat- the WW II generation took care of that at first by breeding like rabbits after the war; the Baby-Boomers pumped trillions of dollars of cash into the pyramid.
But the WW II generation then sabotaged the system by living ten, even twenty years longer than the authors of SSI had counted on. Nor did Baby-Boomers keep up their end of the peonage they were born into; they reproduced at barely replacement rate. By the 80s it was obvious the system was headed for collapse. But something else started in the 80s also- illegal immigration surged far in advance of the historical numbers, driven by the failures of a corrupt Mexican government, and even more corrupt governments farther south. Public sentiment forced the first crack-downs, and Reagan's amnesty act, which introduced sanctions for the employers.
But look at what was required of the employers, I was told- they had to get SSI numbers from all employees. The easiest of all ID's to fake, and the one with the least consequences- the government accepts all money sent in, even for fake accounts, and never, ever calls INS to stop that flow of illegal money coming in. Today, some ten percent of all the money SSI collects is from illegal workers... and it's pure profit for the government, as this money carries no future obligations with it- you can't collect from an account that didn't exist! If the flood of illegals is large enough, it will even pay for the new drug benefit.
It becomes a huge boon to both domestic and diplomatic politics- Mexico needn't reform, nor do anything about its poor and oppressed; just give them maps and instruction books on how to get to, live in, and prosper in the USA. (the Mexican government is in fact doing this). Our politicians can put off dealing with SSI for at least a generation; those currently in power will be long dead before 100 million immigrants start suing for the SSI they've been paying into illegally for all those years.
We don't have to pressure Mexico about human rights- they are doing something about the poor, shipping them here, and the money sent back home will help the rest of the poor. And since we never pressure Mexico about corruption, we get a staunch ally who happens to be an OPEC member.
Do I believe this theory? I don't know- but I do predict that absent some cataclysmic event, the borders will not be closed in our lifetimes, nor will any guest worker plan that involves paying them their share of SSI be passed.
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
My musings on Moral Authority
Peacebang has had a number of magnificent posts recently, most noticeably Clarification and Musings on Moral Authority
. This is a subject I’ve given a lot of thought to- decades of thought, ever since I left the church of my childhood. I have kept journals of my religious journey since those days in the early 70’s, and a few paragraphs from that journal may serve as introduction to my conclusions on Moral Authority. Note: I use the feminine pronouns and the title “the Divine” for God- not because I believe the Divine has a gender, but to avoid the emotional baggage of “God the Father”, and because I cannot bring myself to call the Divine “it”.
My Creed:
I believe in a living Divinity, indescribable, knowable only through personal experience.
I believe that human beings have a soul that is our true self; our conscious personality and rational mind are only tools our true self employs to manipulate its environment. The soul lives in a world of magic; it is to this true self that the Divine speaks.
I believe that the Divine works only through living agencies, by influencing souls. She does not punish by causing natural disasters, nor does she reward by salvation from natural disaster.
I believe that the Divine only persuades, she does not compel. We have the right and the freedom to act against her wishes and our best interests.
I believe that responsibility, for good or ill, is my one irrevocable possession. No one else may pay for my sins, nor I theirs; it is non-transferable. Nor can anyone else claim my triumphs, nor I theirs. I owe my teachers gratitude, but they did not perform my feats any more than I have performed those of my students.
My Covenant:
The Divine does not command. She does not make her love conditional on what you believe or do; her joys are poured forth unconditionally. Although she demands nothing from me, I choose to offer something to her, just as unconditionally, a gift born of my gratitude. I offer her my covenant, my promise of things I will do in her honor.
I will walk the path of least harm; none whenever possible. Nor will I permit by my inaction harm to come to others when it is within my power to prevent it, for it has been said that we will only have justice when those who were not injured are as outraged as those who were. How is it that people can see the defiling of the cross or the Koran- graven images of the Divine- as blasphemy, and yet not understand that defiling their fellow man- the living image of the Divine- is equally blasphemy?
I will return measure for measure; an honest day's work for an honest day's pay, dealing honestly and ethically even if I am the only one who knows it was done.
I will be charitable to the poor and gentle with the weak. I will seek to understand the hopes, fears, and aspirations of those around me. I will leave this world better than I found it.
I will do these things not for fear of death but for joy of life. This is my covenant.
Moral Authority does not derive from God’s word, because the Divine speaks to us (if she does) individually; it could be said that there are six billion religions. Moral Authority does not derive from what we believe, because even the wisest of us believe, in some corner of our lives, some damn silly things. Moral Authority derives from what we promise to do, and whether we keep that promise. Maybe my credo isn’t very profound, and maybe my covenant isn’t very long and doesn’t promise much- but it’s mine, and I keep it.
. This is a subject I’ve given a lot of thought to- decades of thought, ever since I left the church of my childhood. I have kept journals of my religious journey since those days in the early 70’s, and a few paragraphs from that journal may serve as introduction to my conclusions on Moral Authority. Note: I use the feminine pronouns and the title “the Divine” for God- not because I believe the Divine has a gender, but to avoid the emotional baggage of “God the Father”, and because I cannot bring myself to call the Divine “it”.
My Creed:
I believe in a living Divinity, indescribable, knowable only through personal experience.
I believe that human beings have a soul that is our true self; our conscious personality and rational mind are only tools our true self employs to manipulate its environment. The soul lives in a world of magic; it is to this true self that the Divine speaks.
I believe that the Divine works only through living agencies, by influencing souls. She does not punish by causing natural disasters, nor does she reward by salvation from natural disaster.
I believe that the Divine only persuades, she does not compel. We have the right and the freedom to act against her wishes and our best interests.
I believe that responsibility, for good or ill, is my one irrevocable possession. No one else may pay for my sins, nor I theirs; it is non-transferable. Nor can anyone else claim my triumphs, nor I theirs. I owe my teachers gratitude, but they did not perform my feats any more than I have performed those of my students.
My Covenant:
The Divine does not command. She does not make her love conditional on what you believe or do; her joys are poured forth unconditionally. Although she demands nothing from me, I choose to offer something to her, just as unconditionally, a gift born of my gratitude. I offer her my covenant, my promise of things I will do in her honor.
I will walk the path of least harm; none whenever possible. Nor will I permit by my inaction harm to come to others when it is within my power to prevent it, for it has been said that we will only have justice when those who were not injured are as outraged as those who were. How is it that people can see the defiling of the cross or the Koran- graven images of the Divine- as blasphemy, and yet not understand that defiling their fellow man- the living image of the Divine- is equally blasphemy?
I will return measure for measure; an honest day's work for an honest day's pay, dealing honestly and ethically even if I am the only one who knows it was done.
I will be charitable to the poor and gentle with the weak. I will seek to understand the hopes, fears, and aspirations of those around me. I will leave this world better than I found it.
I will do these things not for fear of death but for joy of life. This is my covenant.
Moral Authority does not derive from God’s word, because the Divine speaks to us (if she does) individually; it could be said that there are six billion religions. Moral Authority does not derive from what we believe, because even the wisest of us believe, in some corner of our lives, some damn silly things. Moral Authority derives from what we promise to do, and whether we keep that promise. Maybe my credo isn’t very profound, and maybe my covenant isn’t very long and doesn’t promise much- but it’s mine, and I keep it.
Thursday, June 08, 2006
The Death of Al-Zarqawi
One should never rejoice over the death of a human being; one should hope and pray for the redemption of evil instead. The world, however, is a better place because Al-Zarqawi is no longer in it
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
Why pro-marriage equality IS a conservative position
One way to separate the Goldwater/Reagan conservatives from the Christian right is the issue of gay marriage; a conservative would be in favor, a religious right type against. I can list 3 reasons an old-line conservative would support gay marriage:
1. Individual liberty. The quintessential conservative position is that all rights reside in the individual, and the state must come to the individual hat in hand begging to be granted some power. This is why it sets the teeth of a conservative on edge to hear someone speaking about government giving us the right to do this or that- a citizen’s rights are inherent, and limited only by covenant with fellow citizens. It is clear in every document of our founding fathers that a citizen’s rights may only be curtailed by the most immediate and pressing of social needs- and the burden of proof is on those wishing to curtail those rights, not on the citizen wishing to retain them. The proposed federal marriage amendment is an especially grievous violation of these inherent rights, as previous federal law already gives the states the right to refuse recognition of a marriage conducted in another state if it violates their own laws.
P.S. That law is, in my opinion, a violation of the “full faith and credence” clause in the Constitution. Suppose your state does not have “common law” marriage- would you then revoke marriage rights from couples now residing in your state because they haven’t a piece of paper from their state of origin?
2. Economics. A couple- of whatever sort- save a lot more money than do two singles; one of this country’s greatest economic weaknesses is the low rate of savings. Couples tend to have less personal debt than two singles, and high credit card debt is another of our problems. Couples are more likely to buy, as opposed to renting, than two singles (not counting property purchased as investment), and are more likely to spend money improving the property.
3. Social factors. Having a second person around the house to nurse you when you’re sick, help cover when someone must be home for repairs or installations, and listen to your rap when you’ve had it up to there will make you miss fewer days at work and be more productive while you’re there. It reduces medical costs if insurance needn’t pay for home visits, not to mention postponing (possibly eliminating) the day when you must enter a nursing home- I have seen couples where both had mild Alzheimer’s, but between them they made one functioning adult.
This is not to say that the debate is one sided- balanced against the conservative principals of individual liberty, economic gain, and greater social stability is the irrefutable fact that it makes millions of people feel icky. But for a Goldwater conservative, the issue of individual liberty alone would be enough to say “So go get married already, it’s no skin off my nose!”
1. Individual liberty. The quintessential conservative position is that all rights reside in the individual, and the state must come to the individual hat in hand begging to be granted some power. This is why it sets the teeth of a conservative on edge to hear someone speaking about government giving us the right to do this or that- a citizen’s rights are inherent, and limited only by covenant with fellow citizens. It is clear in every document of our founding fathers that a citizen’s rights may only be curtailed by the most immediate and pressing of social needs- and the burden of proof is on those wishing to curtail those rights, not on the citizen wishing to retain them. The proposed federal marriage amendment is an especially grievous violation of these inherent rights, as previous federal law already gives the states the right to refuse recognition of a marriage conducted in another state if it violates their own laws.
P.S. That law is, in my opinion, a violation of the “full faith and credence” clause in the Constitution. Suppose your state does not have “common law” marriage- would you then revoke marriage rights from couples now residing in your state because they haven’t a piece of paper from their state of origin?
2. Economics. A couple- of whatever sort- save a lot more money than do two singles; one of this country’s greatest economic weaknesses is the low rate of savings. Couples tend to have less personal debt than two singles, and high credit card debt is another of our problems. Couples are more likely to buy, as opposed to renting, than two singles (not counting property purchased as investment), and are more likely to spend money improving the property.
3. Social factors. Having a second person around the house to nurse you when you’re sick, help cover when someone must be home for repairs or installations, and listen to your rap when you’ve had it up to there will make you miss fewer days at work and be more productive while you’re there. It reduces medical costs if insurance needn’t pay for home visits, not to mention postponing (possibly eliminating) the day when you must enter a nursing home- I have seen couples where both had mild Alzheimer’s, but between them they made one functioning adult.
This is not to say that the debate is one sided- balanced against the conservative principals of individual liberty, economic gain, and greater social stability is the irrefutable fact that it makes millions of people feel icky. But for a Goldwater conservative, the issue of individual liberty alone would be enough to say “So go get married already, it’s no skin off my nose!”
Sunday, June 04, 2006
Michael Moore parody
As a number of people have written about the lawsuit a disabled soldier has filed against Michael Moore- The ChaliceBlog: In *gulp* defense of Michael Moore
and Michael Moore Sued leap to mind, I'd thought I'd post a piece I wrote on Mr. Moore for another venue here.
An excerpt from Michael Moore’s next movie
(Note: These are not Michael Moore’s words, the incident described never occurred, and no version of this appears in Michael Moore’s next movie- which qualifies this as a documentary by the standards of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences)
Michael Moore: I’m here with Senator Rightwing. We have both just been witness to a curious incident involving the President; isn’t that right, Senator?
Senator Rightwing: Yes, indeed, Michael! What an amaz...
MM: Just a moment, Senator- let me describe it for the people. We just saw a woman run past as fast as her legs could carry her. I was astonished to see Mr. Bush in hot pursuit! She almost got away, but Bush leaped and caught an ankle, tripping her. As she went down, he was on her in a flash- he jumped on her, pinning her to the ground, ignoring her pitiful screams of terror and agony as he struck her again and again!
SR: But Michael, he...
MM: No ‘buts’-that’s true, isn’t it? Didn’t he just tackle her and savagely beat her?
SR: Well, yes, but...
MM: There you have it, folks- even Senator Rightwing agrees that Bush is a vicious criminal who should be impeached and thrown in jail!
SR: But she was on fire at the time- he saved her life! He risked his own life saving her!
MM: Sorry, Senator, I already turned your microphone off. Have a nice day!
and Michael Moore Sued leap to mind, I'd thought I'd post a piece I wrote on Mr. Moore for another venue here.
An excerpt from Michael Moore’s next movie
(Note: These are not Michael Moore’s words, the incident described never occurred, and no version of this appears in Michael Moore’s next movie- which qualifies this as a documentary by the standards of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences)
Michael Moore: I’m here with Senator Rightwing. We have both just been witness to a curious incident involving the President; isn’t that right, Senator?
Senator Rightwing: Yes, indeed, Michael! What an amaz...
MM: Just a moment, Senator- let me describe it for the people. We just saw a woman run past as fast as her legs could carry her. I was astonished to see Mr. Bush in hot pursuit! She almost got away, but Bush leaped and caught an ankle, tripping her. As she went down, he was on her in a flash- he jumped on her, pinning her to the ground, ignoring her pitiful screams of terror and agony as he struck her again and again!
SR: But Michael, he...
MM: No ‘buts’-that’s true, isn’t it? Didn’t he just tackle her and savagely beat her?
SR: Well, yes, but...
MM: There you have it, folks- even Senator Rightwing agrees that Bush is a vicious criminal who should be impeached and thrown in jail!
SR: But she was on fire at the time- he saved her life! He risked his own life saving her!
MM: Sorry, Senator, I already turned your microphone off. Have a nice day!
Saturday, June 03, 2006
Thoughts on threads from CC and The Happy Feminist
In the weeks I’ve been neglecting this blog, putting my life back together, there have been many intriguing entries on my favorites. I’ve posted the odd comment, but now finally have time to ponder a little more deeply, and two of them are linked in my mind: the first is CC’s post about the over-the-top definitions of racism used by the Seattle Public Schools The ChaliceBlog: New definitions of racism , and the second is The Happy Feminist’s surprise that the word “feminist” has negative connotations MORE STRAY THOUGHTS ON THE F-WORD
.
I think there two phenomena at work here. The first is the natural law that any organization takes on a life of its own, independent of its founders and purposes, and fights for life like a living thing. Conservatives will immediately think of government programs, and they’d be right, but it’s also true for private organizations. For example, the March of Dimes was created for the sole purpose of eliminating Polio; and then one day (much to their surprise) it was in fact cured- so did they disband? No, they just changed their mission statement and moved on. The second phenomenon is that activists must be unreasonable extremists- so that when people meet them halfway, they’ll have gotten what they really wanted.
When these two principals are combined in a political organization, amazing things happen. Organizations created to win women the vote, or title nine programs, etc., actually succeeded, but refused to disband... simultaneously, as society became closer to reasonable on women’s issues, the activists had to go farther and farther out on their extreme limb to maintain their distance. So when a modern young woman avoids the word “feminist” because the word means to her a man-hating communist lesbian, she has some reason to think so- that’s what some modern feminist writing sounds like to young ears. This is also how irrational writing such as the Seattle Public Schools definitions of racism came about; having won so much for race equality and relations, they have to reach farther and farther out into the ozone to try and put white hoods on people who are not in fact racist. This phenomenon is extremely damaging to all of society, but the greatest damage is being done to young African Americans.
For example, defining one form is English as standard is NOT racism. Standard English is not defined by racist white Americans, it is defined by WORLD standards. English is the lingua franca of the entire world; when Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, Imperial Japan and the USSR formed their pact to conquer the world, the conferences were held in English. When a Bolivian airliner requests permission to land in Cambodia, the request is made in English. When a Lithuanian merchant sells his line of products to stores in Argentina, the negotiations were most likely conducted in English. When a German tourist wanted information from a Parisian tour guide, the questions and answers were in English- I was there, I heard. The English that was spoken in every example above was “standard” English- there is no place on Earth outside of the hood where a person speaking only Ebonics can get a decent job, and telling the kids otherwise is only crippling their chances. Telling them that for an English teacher to correct their English is racist only fills their hearts with hatred no reason.
Telling the children that what whites have is a result of white privilege is even more damaging. More so both because it makes them resent the hard work all kids have to do to get past entry level, and therefore hate all whites whom they believe didn’t have to work for it, and because most whites simply stop listening once you start spouting that nonsense. Talking about white privilege might make sense to legacy brats, but for those of us who grew up in poverty it just sounds like bitter whining and an unwillingness to work. 100 million white Americans are working their rear ends off and living one paycheck away from homelessness... if you tell them that white privilege exists, but is invisible to whites, I’m sure they’d agree- at least about the “invisible” part.
You cannot “end” racism, not while human beings remain frail mortals. But you can makes sure the law is colorblind, and this has largely been done. Certainly, we can work harder at enforcement, but the EEOC does exist. We can make racism socially unacceptable- and this has largely been done; nothing will ruin a person in the public eye faster than a charge of racism.
Fact: while racism and sexism have not been, and will never be eliminated, neither one is the determining factor in success any more. Nothing matters more than individual effort and character. It is no longer 1964- for God’s sake, the best rapper in the world is white, the best golfer is black, and the leading candidate for President is a woman Senator. Two of the last three Secretaries of State have been female, and two of them black.
.
I think there two phenomena at work here. The first is the natural law that any organization takes on a life of its own, independent of its founders and purposes, and fights for life like a living thing. Conservatives will immediately think of government programs, and they’d be right, but it’s also true for private organizations. For example, the March of Dimes was created for the sole purpose of eliminating Polio; and then one day (much to their surprise) it was in fact cured- so did they disband? No, they just changed their mission statement and moved on. The second phenomenon is that activists must be unreasonable extremists- so that when people meet them halfway, they’ll have gotten what they really wanted.
When these two principals are combined in a political organization, amazing things happen. Organizations created to win women the vote, or title nine programs, etc., actually succeeded, but refused to disband... simultaneously, as society became closer to reasonable on women’s issues, the activists had to go farther and farther out on their extreme limb to maintain their distance. So when a modern young woman avoids the word “feminist” because the word means to her a man-hating communist lesbian, she has some reason to think so- that’s what some modern feminist writing sounds like to young ears. This is also how irrational writing such as the Seattle Public Schools definitions of racism came about; having won so much for race equality and relations, they have to reach farther and farther out into the ozone to try and put white hoods on people who are not in fact racist. This phenomenon is extremely damaging to all of society, but the greatest damage is being done to young African Americans.
For example, defining one form is English as standard is NOT racism. Standard English is not defined by racist white Americans, it is defined by WORLD standards. English is the lingua franca of the entire world; when Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, Imperial Japan and the USSR formed their pact to conquer the world, the conferences were held in English. When a Bolivian airliner requests permission to land in Cambodia, the request is made in English. When a Lithuanian merchant sells his line of products to stores in Argentina, the negotiations were most likely conducted in English. When a German tourist wanted information from a Parisian tour guide, the questions and answers were in English- I was there, I heard. The English that was spoken in every example above was “standard” English- there is no place on Earth outside of the hood where a person speaking only Ebonics can get a decent job, and telling the kids otherwise is only crippling their chances. Telling them that for an English teacher to correct their English is racist only fills their hearts with hatred no reason.
Telling the children that what whites have is a result of white privilege is even more damaging. More so both because it makes them resent the hard work all kids have to do to get past entry level, and therefore hate all whites whom they believe didn’t have to work for it, and because most whites simply stop listening once you start spouting that nonsense. Talking about white privilege might make sense to legacy brats, but for those of us who grew up in poverty it just sounds like bitter whining and an unwillingness to work. 100 million white Americans are working their rear ends off and living one paycheck away from homelessness... if you tell them that white privilege exists, but is invisible to whites, I’m sure they’d agree- at least about the “invisible” part.
You cannot “end” racism, not while human beings remain frail mortals. But you can makes sure the law is colorblind, and this has largely been done. Certainly, we can work harder at enforcement, but the EEOC does exist. We can make racism socially unacceptable- and this has largely been done; nothing will ruin a person in the public eye faster than a charge of racism.
Fact: while racism and sexism have not been, and will never be eliminated, neither one is the determining factor in success any more. Nothing matters more than individual effort and character. It is no longer 1964- for God’s sake, the best rapper in the world is white, the best golfer is black, and the leading candidate for President is a woman Senator. Two of the last three Secretaries of State have been female, and two of them black.
Thursday, June 01, 2006
Update (sort of)
I'm still alive and well, but haven't had time to catch my breath. New job working out well so far. More later.
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
A Time of Transition
The last few weeks have definitely been a time of transition for me and mine. First, my father in law, and then my employer of the last seven years going out of business. Less important than a human life, but I have fewer reserves. I'll be just fine, and I'll post more regularly in the future, but I just haven't been up to it recently.
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
Bush, America screwing up the Solar System
First there was last September's news from NASA that Mars was undergoing climate change- weather becoming more erratic and more violent, polar ice caps melting. Now there's this story about Jupiter undergoing climate change- after centuries of stability, it's suddenly grown a second "Great Red Spot" super-hurricane. (http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/060504_red_jr.html)
This makes three planets showing the same phenomenon; surely they must have the same cause. Now, we know that increased Solar activity has nothing to do with it- how we know this, I don't know, but the very idea is laughed off by Global Warming experts as Republican propaganda; Global Warming is caused only by America's love of SUVs and Bush's failure to sign the Kyoto Accords. Therefore, I can conclude that the Mars and Jupiter probes were based on Ford Excursion and Chevy Suburban designs, and are screwing up the Solar System! Erase the Red Spot- sign Kyoto!
This makes three planets showing the same phenomenon; surely they must have the same cause. Now, we know that increased Solar activity has nothing to do with it- how we know this, I don't know, but the very idea is laughed off by Global Warming experts as Republican propaganda; Global Warming is caused only by America's love of SUVs and Bush's failure to sign the Kyoto Accords. Therefore, I can conclude that the Mars and Jupiter probes were based on Ford Excursion and Chevy Suburban designs, and are screwing up the Solar System! Erase the Red Spot- sign Kyoto!
Friday, April 28, 2006
In the Midst of Life...
My father in law died this morning. It was not unexpected; he was in home hospice care. And yet somehow it was still kind of a surprise; there's a big difference between knowing something will happen, and having it happen. For a number of reasons he meant as much to me as my own father had, and it affected me deeply.
Some of the effects one expects, and some you think you know how it will feel if you have lost a loved one before- but it's never quite the same. Some reactions you surprise yourself with...he had been dead for hours; why was the moment when the sheet was drawn over his head so powerful? Of all things, why would one start crying when trying to order bagels for the family? I guess I don't want answers badly enough to try to figure it out, even if answers exist... as the king of Siam said, "But... is... a puzzlement!"
Some of the effects one expects, and some you think you know how it will feel if you have lost a loved one before- but it's never quite the same. Some reactions you surprise yourself with...he had been dead for hours; why was the moment when the sheet was drawn over his head so powerful? Of all things, why would one start crying when trying to order bagels for the family? I guess I don't want answers badly enough to try to figure it out, even if answers exist... as the king of Siam said, "But... is... a puzzlement!"
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
movies you can watch over and over again
The Happy Feminist (http://happyfeminist.typepad.com/happyfeminist/) has a delightful discussion going of movies you can watch over and over again, so I thought I’d post my own list. These are not necessarily the best movies I’ve ever seen, but the ones that are old friends I enjoy spending time with- for example, One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest is a great movie, but would be unbearable to watch too often. The first on the list is one I have in common with HF:
1. Jesus Christ Superstar. In fact, I now have three versions- the vinyl double album, the original movie, and the new production filmed in London. If you have not seen the new re-cast, re-staged version, go out and rent it right now. Not all the voices are up to the original cast, but these people were hired for their acting ability, and it really shows.
2. 1776. Even more delightful when you read the production notes and realize that nearly every word actually came from John Adam’s letters or Congressional records… Lee really was- and ought to be- a cheerful extrovert who punned on his own name; congressional debates really did end up in brawls; Franklin and Dickinson really did employ risqué double entendre jokes in formal debate.
3. The Princess Bride. You’re not a fan? Inconceivable!
4. Caddy Shack. Ok, it’s low humor, but coke still comes out of my nose every time. But avoid Caddy Shack II at all costs- it’s stunningly unfunny.
5. Anything with Rosalind Russell. His Girl Friday, Mame, and The Trouble With Angels leap to mind.
6. Sweeney Todd. Angela Lansbury as a psychopathic cannibal killer- who wouldn’t love that?
7. Kelly’s Heroes. Clint Eastwood, Telly Savalas, Don Rickles, Donald SutherlandDonald, and Carroll O'Connor in one movie. Enough said.
8. How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying. Big Business sure has come a long way since then! Not.
9. S.O.B. and Victor/Victoria. Both staring Julie Andrews and Robert Preston, these are in my top five funniest movies ever made, but they also have poignant moments. The musical numbers are outrageously funny, but in addition they were staged back when Julie could shatter glass with her voice- a spectacular combination.
1. Jesus Christ Superstar. In fact, I now have three versions- the vinyl double album, the original movie, and the new production filmed in London. If you have not seen the new re-cast, re-staged version, go out and rent it right now. Not all the voices are up to the original cast, but these people were hired for their acting ability, and it really shows.
2. 1776. Even more delightful when you read the production notes and realize that nearly every word actually came from John Adam’s letters or Congressional records… Lee really was- and ought to be- a cheerful extrovert who punned on his own name; congressional debates really did end up in brawls; Franklin and Dickinson really did employ risqué double entendre jokes in formal debate.
3. The Princess Bride. You’re not a fan? Inconceivable!
4. Caddy Shack. Ok, it’s low humor, but coke still comes out of my nose every time. But avoid Caddy Shack II at all costs- it’s stunningly unfunny.
5. Anything with Rosalind Russell. His Girl Friday, Mame, and The Trouble With Angels leap to mind.
6. Sweeney Todd. Angela Lansbury as a psychopathic cannibal killer- who wouldn’t love that?
7. Kelly’s Heroes. Clint Eastwood, Telly Savalas, Don Rickles, Donald SutherlandDonald, and Carroll O'Connor in one movie. Enough said.
8. How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying. Big Business sure has come a long way since then! Not.
9. S.O.B. and Victor/Victoria. Both staring Julie Andrews and Robert Preston, these are in my top five funniest movies ever made, but they also have poignant moments. The musical numbers are outrageously funny, but in addition they were staged back when Julie could shatter glass with her voice- a spectacular combination.
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
On the excessive/windfall profits tax on big oil
A lot of politicians are calling for an excess profits tax on oil in the wake of the current high prices, and a number of people I had previously considered intelligent are echoing the call, so let’s examine the issue.
Would an excess profits tax lower gas prices?
No. Many people confuse profits with profit margins; while the oil companies are making record profits, their profit margin per gallon is the same as it was before- they’re simply selling more gallons. If we have another recession, their “windfall” profits would disappear as quickly as they appeared. This margin is between 7 and 9 cents per gallon- if they made no profit at all it would have no significant effect on prices at the pump… the real windfall profits are being reaped by the government; combining Federal and State excise taxes with State and County sales taxes, government is making an average of 69 cents per gallon- declare a tax holiday, and gasoline prices would be, after correcting for inflation, the lowest it’s been since the Roaring Twenties!
Tangent- if the government is making more money on gasoline than Big Oil, what are we getting for our money? The Department of Energy was created specifically to deal with price shocks and to create alternative energy to reduce our dependence on foreign oil… and a third of a Trillion dollars and 30 years later, through Republican and Democratic administrations alike, it’s an abysmal failure. Where’s the public outrage against that?
Who would pay this excess profits tax?
The stockholders. Everyone who has a pension, to start with- even if your Mutual doesn’t have any oil stock, (unlikely), it’s invested in other companies that do… companies like your bank, who needs those earnings to pay the interest on your savings account. Your life insurance company. The place where you got your mortgage. In short, every American. And what a great way to encourage the oil companies to invest in research and exploration- cap their earnings and weaken their stock…
Then who would benefit from an excess profits tax?
There is one and only one class of people who would benefit from it- unscrupulous political hacks who care more for their personal power than they care for their country.
Would an excess profits tax lower gas prices?
No. Many people confuse profits with profit margins; while the oil companies are making record profits, their profit margin per gallon is the same as it was before- they’re simply selling more gallons. If we have another recession, their “windfall” profits would disappear as quickly as they appeared. This margin is between 7 and 9 cents per gallon- if they made no profit at all it would have no significant effect on prices at the pump… the real windfall profits are being reaped by the government; combining Federal and State excise taxes with State and County sales taxes, government is making an average of 69 cents per gallon- declare a tax holiday, and gasoline prices would be, after correcting for inflation, the lowest it’s been since the Roaring Twenties!
Tangent- if the government is making more money on gasoline than Big Oil, what are we getting for our money? The Department of Energy was created specifically to deal with price shocks and to create alternative energy to reduce our dependence on foreign oil… and a third of a Trillion dollars and 30 years later, through Republican and Democratic administrations alike, it’s an abysmal failure. Where’s the public outrage against that?
Who would pay this excess profits tax?
The stockholders. Everyone who has a pension, to start with- even if your Mutual doesn’t have any oil stock, (unlikely), it’s invested in other companies that do… companies like your bank, who needs those earnings to pay the interest on your savings account. Your life insurance company. The place where you got your mortgage. In short, every American. And what a great way to encourage the oil companies to invest in research and exploration- cap their earnings and weaken their stock…
Then who would benefit from an excess profits tax?
There is one and only one class of people who would benefit from it- unscrupulous political hacks who care more for their personal power than they care for their country.
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
"Think as I think,"
"Think as I think," said a man,
"Or you are abominably wicked;You are a toad."
And after I had thought of it, I said,
"I will, then, be a toad."
Stephen Crane
I was reminded of this poem reading Rev. Sinkford's statement on Immigration Reform. http://www.uua.org/president/060413_immigration.html Once again, we have the demonization of the other side: those who agree with him are "people of conscience", and are "called to acknowledge that racism has blinded most Americans." He likens it to slavery- in the same paragraph he mentions his ancestors being brought here in bondage, and says, ".America has, once again, created a permanent underclass."
I say that to people of conscience, this language is intolerable. He knows full well that the reason they “...are refused the dignity and civil protections that come with citizenship.” is that they here illegally; in the first paragraph, he acknowledges that it is illegal immigration that we are speaking of. He confirms that in the last paragraph when he sends his thoughts and prayers to the elected legislators who are struggling to revise immigration law. Call for the law to be changed, by all means- he might even find that “most Americans” want reforms made. But to call most Americans (oh, by the way, Rev Sinkford- Mexicans are also Americans; you should say U.S. Citizens) racists, oppressors, and liken them to slave traders is the kind of language that stops civil discussions from occurring- why would anyone listens to someone who sounds like he hates them?
I’d have hoped that if he were just boiling over with righteous anger, he might have reserved some for the Mexican government, might have called for them to end the corruption and oppression that has 46% of their own citizens saying they’d leave for the U.S. if they could. How about calling for some of the Mexican oil wealth to be spent on the Mexican people, rather than the ruling oligarchy? Oh, wait- that would mean being judgmental; I guess only a toad like myself would think of that.
"Or you are abominably wicked;You are a toad."
And after I had thought of it, I said,
"I will, then, be a toad."
Stephen Crane
I was reminded of this poem reading Rev. Sinkford's statement on Immigration Reform. http://www.uua.org/president/060413_immigration.html Once again, we have the demonization of the other side: those who agree with him are "people of conscience", and are "called to acknowledge that racism has blinded most Americans." He likens it to slavery- in the same paragraph he mentions his ancestors being brought here in bondage, and says, ".America has, once again, created a permanent underclass."
I say that to people of conscience, this language is intolerable. He knows full well that the reason they “...are refused the dignity and civil protections that come with citizenship.” is that they here illegally; in the first paragraph, he acknowledges that it is illegal immigration that we are speaking of. He confirms that in the last paragraph when he sends his thoughts and prayers to the elected legislators who are struggling to revise immigration law. Call for the law to be changed, by all means- he might even find that “most Americans” want reforms made. But to call most Americans (oh, by the way, Rev Sinkford- Mexicans are also Americans; you should say U.S. Citizens) racists, oppressors, and liken them to slave traders is the kind of language that stops civil discussions from occurring- why would anyone listens to someone who sounds like he hates them?
I’d have hoped that if he were just boiling over with righteous anger, he might have reserved some for the Mexican government, might have called for them to end the corruption and oppression that has 46% of their own citizens saying they’d leave for the U.S. if they could. How about calling for some of the Mexican oil wealth to be spent on the Mexican people, rather than the ruling oligarchy? Oh, wait- that would mean being judgmental; I guess only a toad like myself would think of that.
Monday, April 17, 2006
Resurrection
Peacebang (http://peacebang.blogspot.com/) has a wonderful post on the resurrection of Christ for Easter Sunday. I do not believe in bodily resurrection, but her post has inspired me to post my beliefs on the subject. What follows is from my personal journals, from a time when I was contemplating the death of loved ones. And yes, I speak to myself in second person- make of it what you well.
I have said that Life comes only from Life, but it is also true that Life can only be sustained by death. I do not refer to the death of our foodstuffs- and yes, even Vegans thrive on death in this manner; I refer to something more fundamental.
Have you heard the myth of the Phoenix? The Phoenix is a fabulous bird that, at the end of its life, bursts into flames and is totally consumed by fire. But when the fire finally burns itself out, among the ashes is a single egg that has been quickened by the fire- the egg from which the Phoenix will hatch anew.
As wonderful as this story is, reality is more wonderful still! The Phoenix is reborn, yes- exactly as before, static, unchanged throughout eternity. The traditional view of reincarnation is much the same, summed up perfectly in a song by Blood, Sweat, and Tears: "And when I die, when I’m gone, there’ll be one child born, in this world, to carry on, to carry on... ". But in reality, the energies released by the dying spark a multitude of new life, an entire flock of Phoenix. This is how a cupful of slime becomes a planet full of life, how a handful of people become six billion.
When a person dies, more dies than the envelope of flesh. Who knows what happens to the incredibly complex patterns of energy that was once the quick wit, the warm soul you had loved? Energy is conserved; it goes somewhere... I choose to believe that the energies of our lives are not dissipated upon our deaths; we release the energies we had gathered into ourselves back into the universe, and we cannot even dream what they will create. Look around you- it is not just the bodies of humanity that grow in numbers and health; new artists, even new art forms spring up every day. New sciences, new beliefs, new concepts, they grow fasters than our bodies. Just as the atoms of my body will someday become part of a flower, so will eddies of my energy inspire a painting of that flower.
When I was younger and a beloved musical group would break up, I would try to figure out who was at fault. I didn’t realize until decades later that frequently no one was at fault; the group as an entity had said all it had to say, and no further growth was possible as an entity. The only way they could say something new was to break up the group and let the members form new relationships that would reveal new truths. This happens to individuals as well as groups. There comes a time when we have said and done all that is new and creative that we can add to the world; there comes a time to release all the components back to the universe to regroup into new truths.
I believe this is how one steps off the wheel; that Nirvana is reached by becoming part of the joyous glow of creation. By dying, we become the ultimate negation of death: new creation. To die is to conquer death.
Most of what we are returns to the universe; personal immortality is a gift we can give to those who have passed before by remembering them. More, this is a gift we share with them, for we are enriched as well.
I have said that Life comes only from Life, but it is also true that Life can only be sustained by death. I do not refer to the death of our foodstuffs- and yes, even Vegans thrive on death in this manner; I refer to something more fundamental.
Have you heard the myth of the Phoenix? The Phoenix is a fabulous bird that, at the end of its life, bursts into flames and is totally consumed by fire. But when the fire finally burns itself out, among the ashes is a single egg that has been quickened by the fire- the egg from which the Phoenix will hatch anew.
As wonderful as this story is, reality is more wonderful still! The Phoenix is reborn, yes- exactly as before, static, unchanged throughout eternity. The traditional view of reincarnation is much the same, summed up perfectly in a song by Blood, Sweat, and Tears: "And when I die, when I’m gone, there’ll be one child born, in this world, to carry on, to carry on... ". But in reality, the energies released by the dying spark a multitude of new life, an entire flock of Phoenix. This is how a cupful of slime becomes a planet full of life, how a handful of people become six billion.
When a person dies, more dies than the envelope of flesh. Who knows what happens to the incredibly complex patterns of energy that was once the quick wit, the warm soul you had loved? Energy is conserved; it goes somewhere... I choose to believe that the energies of our lives are not dissipated upon our deaths; we release the energies we had gathered into ourselves back into the universe, and we cannot even dream what they will create. Look around you- it is not just the bodies of humanity that grow in numbers and health; new artists, even new art forms spring up every day. New sciences, new beliefs, new concepts, they grow fasters than our bodies. Just as the atoms of my body will someday become part of a flower, so will eddies of my energy inspire a painting of that flower.
When I was younger and a beloved musical group would break up, I would try to figure out who was at fault. I didn’t realize until decades later that frequently no one was at fault; the group as an entity had said all it had to say, and no further growth was possible as an entity. The only way they could say something new was to break up the group and let the members form new relationships that would reveal new truths. This happens to individuals as well as groups. There comes a time when we have said and done all that is new and creative that we can add to the world; there comes a time to release all the components back to the universe to regroup into new truths.
I believe this is how one steps off the wheel; that Nirvana is reached by becoming part of the joyous glow of creation. By dying, we become the ultimate negation of death: new creation. To die is to conquer death.
Most of what we are returns to the universe; personal immortality is a gift we can give to those who have passed before by remembering them. More, this is a gift we share with them, for we are enriched as well.
Saturday, April 15, 2006
A genuine act of faith
Our oldest cat, Laurie, is a feral rescue- or perhaps it may be more honest to say she saved herself. The first really cold, wet day of winter ten years ago she presented herself at our patio door and demanded entry. No doubt she had seen the rest of our cats through the glass door and assumed that this was where cats who are cold and wet go.
Fast forward to last night. A record-breaking thunderstorm was pounding the city, a super cell that had spun off tornados just before hitting Indianapolis, and was now dumping hail of near-biblical proportions, mostly the size of golf balls, punctuated with billiard ball sized ones- but worse than the size was that it was not a burst of hail, but went on and on and on, completely covering the yard in white. The noise was phenomenal, making it necessary to raise our voices to talk, and all of God’s creatures were taking the advice of the National Weather Service and staying in the middle of the house, away from windows and doors and glass.
Except for Laurie. I found her in the sunroom, oblivious to the terrifying drumbeat of hail on glass roof so loud your chest vibrated with it. She was calmly sitting in her sling chair, watching the devastation outside with fascination. In her world, weather is an outdoor thing, and warmth and comfort are indoor things, and never the twain shall meet... she was not even bothered when one of the sunroom window screens was torn from its frame and blown over the house to land in the front yard- it was, after all, outdoors. Her faith in The Way Things Are was complete.
This morning we have the start of a bright, warm Spring day. Our neighbors to the north had two windows broken, and our neighbors to the south lost telephone and cable TV lines- but our only casualty was that one screen. Windshields all over the city were shattered- but not ours. West of the city winds capable of blowing over Semis on I74 had driven hailstones horizontally like cannon shot- but not at our house. Do I believe that Laurie’s faith protected our house? Well... not really. Does Laurie? No- that’s just The Way Things Are!
Fast forward to last night. A record-breaking thunderstorm was pounding the city, a super cell that had spun off tornados just before hitting Indianapolis, and was now dumping hail of near-biblical proportions, mostly the size of golf balls, punctuated with billiard ball sized ones- but worse than the size was that it was not a burst of hail, but went on and on and on, completely covering the yard in white. The noise was phenomenal, making it necessary to raise our voices to talk, and all of God’s creatures were taking the advice of the National Weather Service and staying in the middle of the house, away from windows and doors and glass.
Except for Laurie. I found her in the sunroom, oblivious to the terrifying drumbeat of hail on glass roof so loud your chest vibrated with it. She was calmly sitting in her sling chair, watching the devastation outside with fascination. In her world, weather is an outdoor thing, and warmth and comfort are indoor things, and never the twain shall meet... she was not even bothered when one of the sunroom window screens was torn from its frame and blown over the house to land in the front yard- it was, after all, outdoors. Her faith in The Way Things Are was complete.
This morning we have the start of a bright, warm Spring day. Our neighbors to the north had two windows broken, and our neighbors to the south lost telephone and cable TV lines- but our only casualty was that one screen. Windshields all over the city were shattered- but not ours. West of the city winds capable of blowing over Semis on I74 had driven hailstones horizontally like cannon shot- but not at our house. Do I believe that Laurie’s faith protected our house? Well... not really. Does Laurie? No- that’s just The Way Things Are!
Thursday, April 13, 2006
Are our voices being heard? Part 2
I received this email today:
From :
Unitarian Universalist Association
Sent :
Thursday, April 13, 2006 2:13 PM
To :
Subject :
[UUA-L] A Joint Announcement from the Board of Trustees and theCommission on Appraisal of the Unitarian Universalist Association
the Principles and Purposes
(http://www.uua.org/administration/bylaws.html#sectionC-15.1.) This
obligatory review is now overdue, and, at the request of the UUA's Board
of Trustees, the UUA's Commission on Appraisal has decided to undertake
the review. It must be stressed that the Commission on Appraisal is
independent of both the UUA's Board of Trustees and Administration. The
role of the Commission is described in section 5.8 of the UUA bylaws
(http://www.uua.org/administration/bylaws.html#section5.8.) In short,
the Commission on Appraisal shall "review any function or activity of
the Association which in its judgment will benefit from an independent
review and report its conclusions to a regular General Assembly."
The Commission has been doing serious thinking about the Principles and
their place in the life of our Association for several years and has
discussed their relationship to the theological diversity of our
movement in its last report, Engaging Our Theological Diversity
(http://www.uua.org/coa/TheoDiversity/EngagingOurTheoDiversity.pdf). The
members of the Commission are excited about undertaking the important
work of this review.
The early stages of the Commission's work will be focused on
establishing a process that will maximize the input of Unitarian
Universalists from across the continent. The Commission is profoundly
sensitive to the implications of this review for Unitarian Universalists
and is committed to carrying out this review in a way that will allow
the members of our congregations to feel confident that their opinions
are heard. While the timetable is not yet determined, recommendations
resulting from the Commission on Appraisal review will be brought
forward for consideration at a future General Assembly.
The Commission's first review hearing will be held at the Ohio-Meadville
District meeting in Columbus, OH, on April 22nd. The Commission's
workshop at the General Assembly in St. Louis will also be devoted to
this issue. In addition to these in-person events, the Commission will
be developing mechanisms by which all Unitarian Universalists can
provide input to the Commission during the course of its work.
Information on how to provide input will be distributed by the various
electronic and print resources of the UUA, including the Commission on
Appraisal's website at www.uua.org/coa/. For further information,
please email coa@uua.org .
-- Deborah J. Weiner
Director of Electronic Communication
Unitarian Universalist Association
25 Beacon Street
Boston, MA 02108
617-948-6104
617-742-7025 (FAX)
_______________________________________________
UUA-L mailing list
UUA-L@lists.uua.org
http://lists.uua.org/mailman/listinfo/uua-l
From :
Unitarian Universalist Association
Sent :
Thursday, April 13, 2006 2:13 PM
To :
Subject :
[UUA-L] A Joint Announcement from the Board of Trustees and theCommission on Appraisal of the Unitarian Universalist Association
the Principles and Purposes
(http://www.uua.org/administration/bylaws.html#sectionC-15.1.) This
obligatory review is now overdue, and, at the request of the UUA's Board
of Trustees, the UUA's Commission on Appraisal has decided to undertake
the review. It must be stressed that the Commission on Appraisal is
independent of both the UUA's Board of Trustees and Administration. The
role of the Commission is described in section 5.8 of the UUA bylaws
(http://www.uua.org/administration/bylaws.html#section5.8.) In short,
the Commission on Appraisal shall "review any function or activity of
the Association which in its judgment will benefit from an independent
review and report its conclusions to a regular General Assembly."
The Commission has been doing serious thinking about the Principles and
their place in the life of our Association for several years and has
discussed their relationship to the theological diversity of our
movement in its last report, Engaging Our Theological Diversity
(http://www.uua.org/coa/TheoDiversity/EngagingOurTheoDiversity.pdf). The
members of the Commission are excited about undertaking the important
work of this review.
The early stages of the Commission's work will be focused on
establishing a process that will maximize the input of Unitarian
Universalists from across the continent. The Commission is profoundly
sensitive to the implications of this review for Unitarian Universalists
and is committed to carrying out this review in a way that will allow
the members of our congregations to feel confident that their opinions
are heard. While the timetable is not yet determined, recommendations
resulting from the Commission on Appraisal review will be brought
forward for consideration at a future General Assembly.
The Commission's first review hearing will be held at the Ohio-Meadville
District meeting in Columbus, OH, on April 22nd. The Commission's
workshop at the General Assembly in St. Louis will also be devoted to
this issue. In addition to these in-person events, the Commission will
be developing mechanisms by which all Unitarian Universalists can
provide input to the Commission during the course of its work.
Information on how to provide input will be distributed by the various
electronic and print resources of the UUA, including the Commission on
Appraisal's website at www.uua.org/coa/. For further information,
please email coa@uua.org .
-- Deborah J. Weiner
Director of Electronic Communication
Unitarian Universalist Association
25 Beacon Street
Boston, MA 02108
617-948-6104
617-742-7025 (FAX)
_______________________________________________
UUA-L mailing list
UUA-L@lists.uua.org
http://lists.uua.org/mailman/listinfo/uua-l
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