Today's sermon made me roll my eyes. I wasn't enraged, just annoyed, the way I was by the way Legolas kept rescuing Tauriel in The Hobbit. I found it frustrating that every time the pastor came up towards a call to do something about a social justice issue, he pulled up and diverted, almost without segue, to talk about some bland uplifting issue ( Read more... )

This is an almost-transcription of what I wrote in my notebook, with small edits.

12/9/14 8:45am Lunch Break
When we sang the closing hymn on Sunday, the facing page was O Come O Come Emmanuel.

( I wanted to write a response. )

This post was originally going to be a question about children--at what age is it OK to expose children to dissenting viewpoints?--and you can ask me about some things I've done recently that in one case did and in one case did not expose children to dissent, and how both choices caused me pain because of the reactions of adults. (I have no idea ( Read more... )

The OTHER thing that made me roll my eyes at Sunday's sermon was the insertion of a picture of Pope Francis into the slide show and about three sentences about the Pope without any transition or context. I don't know what the sentences were, because my notes say "Pope F'n Francis??? That was sudden." at that point. Just in case you had missed it, ( Read more... )

I hated the sermon on Sunday for what I acknowledge isn't a big-deal reason. ( Sighted people talking about blind people. )

In thinking about this post, I make heavy reference to a speech given by C.S. Lewis in 1944. If you haven't read it, go read it or at least skim it now. Here.

( On being a wannabe )

The text this week was from John 4, Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well. I find I disagree, intellectually and emotionally, with Wint's interpretation, even though some of his points were good.

( The story goes like this: )

Believing in the Creator, in the Christ, and in the Holy Spirit: we covenant together in this church to walk in the ways of God known or to be made known to us. As a community of concern, we pledge ourselves to worship together, learn together, and work together to further the cause of human unity.

( Atheism and Zee )

I read this book because my mother recommended it; its claim to fame is that a certain Dr. King carried a copy around with him. It's a short book that took me only about three hours to read. Its basic message--that loving thy enemy is a revolutionary attitude--will be familiar to those who have read a little US history, but to apply that message to ( Read more... )

I've had several socialists, whom I respect to varying degrees, link me to this essay as "proof" that the "duality" of the IWW dooms it to failure as a revolutionary organization. OK, I've read your proof, and I still don't agree. Let's see if I can be civil about this.

( Philosophy lies herein )