Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
What's That Day, Again?
I wasn't near a computer on Monday or Tuesday, having rediscovered the joys of the rugged life [early morning hikes, wood chopping, turkey stalking, and fibreglass installation] that now take the place of sitting numbly in front of a screen and reading of the world, and didn't have a chance to comment on two important days.
Monday was the birthday of the United States Marine Corps. 233 years if I remember correctly. ["Whatever It Takes"] I appreciate that marking this anniversary must puzzle some Episcopalians, but I have my reasons. If this angers someone, I would suggest they read about that Jesus fella. He wasn't keen on hating.
Tuesday was Veterans' Day. I looked to the front page of the New York Times that day for some wisdom and found this:
Well, that's okay. The NYT hasn't been a big fan of veterans for about forty years now. Maybe the Episcopal Church had something to say:
Errr, never mind. Respecting the dignity of every human being is difficult work. I know The Church didn't mean to ignore the day out of malice. I'm sure there were Sunday bulletin inserts that could be found. Besides, I stopped by a Veterans' Day ceremony on Tuesday and realized that I was the youngest person in attendance by about ten years. [I guess younger folks find it hard to lay a wreathe with an Ipod in one hand and a Starbucks cup in the other.] Maybe this is a day that has lost its relevance.
So, thanks to all those who have born the cost of democracy in ways that are not always respected in the post-modern world. It's the best we can do for those who did their best.
Monday was the birthday of the United States Marine Corps. 233 years if I remember correctly. ["Whatever It Takes"] I appreciate that marking this anniversary must puzzle some Episcopalians, but I have my reasons. If this angers someone, I would suggest they read about that Jesus fella. He wasn't keen on hating.
Tuesday was Veterans' Day. I looked to the front page of the New York Times that day for some wisdom and found this:
Well, that's okay. The NYT hasn't been a big fan of veterans for about forty years now. Maybe the Episcopal Church had something to say:Errr, never mind. Respecting the dignity of every human being is difficult work. I know The Church didn't mean to ignore the day out of malice. I'm sure there were Sunday bulletin inserts that could be found. Besides, I stopped by a Veterans' Day ceremony on Tuesday and realized that I was the youngest person in attendance by about ten years. [I guess younger folks find it hard to lay a wreathe with an Ipod in one hand and a Starbucks cup in the other.] Maybe this is a day that has lost its relevance.
So, thanks to all those who have born the cost of democracy in ways that are not always respected in the post-modern world. It's the best we can do for those who did their best.
An Obituary Of Note
Maybe one of the most gracious men I've ever met. He had a lot to do with my spiritual formation. No, he wasn't a bishop.
Of Course
Four years ago, when John Kerry lost the presidential election, the portions of the country that did not vote for him were viewed...harshly...by certain folks. Actually, it wasn't just that these folks were disappointed that some states were not overwhelmed by the ideology of Kerry or his remarkably Gallic looks, they placed the blame on faith in Jesus. Y'know, the religion that guarantees that it's practitioners are against the benefits of liberty and education.
Apparently in 2004, you could choose either Kerry or Jesus, a choice that either absurdly elevated a remarkably prosaic politician or obscenely diminished a 2000-year-old trans-cultural religion. To choose the former meant you were so high minded that you could import Canada into the United States [I'm sure Canadians were delighted at that prospect]. To choose the latter meant that you were a dolt, and a superstitious one at that. Through Jesus we may be granted remission of sins, but only through Kerry would one get both liberty and education.
Now that the bulk of the counties of the country voted for the current President-Elect, I'm wondering if that means those of us who were born and raised in "Jesusland" are now permitted acceptance into the United States of Liberty and Education. If so, gee, thanks.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Election Results
Some millionaire won. Another one didn't.
According to the conventions of my denomination's theology, the winning millionaire is "good", the losing one is "bad". This assignment of values has nothing to do with winning or losing, just to which political parties they belong. I wonder if dissent will still be the highest form of patriotism.
[I wish I had thought to buy a couple of cases of solvent to sell at an obscene profit to my colleagues and neighbors so they could remove their "Don't look at me, I didn't vote for him" bumper stickers as soon as possible.]
According to the conventions of my denomination's theology, the winning millionaire is "good", the losing one is "bad". This assignment of values has nothing to do with winning or losing, just to which political parties they belong. I wonder if dissent will still be the highest form of patriotism.
[I wish I had thought to buy a couple of cases of solvent to sell at an obscene profit to my colleagues and neighbors so they could remove their "Don't look at me, I didn't vote for him" bumper stickers as soon as possible.]
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Actually, It's the M.Div
America's Most Overrated Product: the Bachelor's Degree
Except at Princeton Theological Seminary, where it was apparently the D.Min.
Except at Princeton Theological Seminary, where it was apparently the D.Min.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Bishops Get the Best Vestments
Above is an ensemble recently modeled by our Presiding Bishop. Priests never get to wear goods like these. Not only is it wonderfully post-modern, but it reminds me of one of my favorite Batman stories.
Bishops Get the Best Vestments, Again
Again, that same model, as joined by an episcopal supermodel from Idaho, gives us a glimpse of what's new for fall. It's kind of making me hungry for lobster. I don't know why.
I hope I can get a knock-off at Gimbel's.
[This is written out of jealousy as those of us who are mere presbyters, and part-time at that, have to wear off-the-rack stuff from catalogues.]
Quote of the Week
“When your memories become more vivid than your dreams, you’ve begun to die.” - Howard Hendricks, Dallas Theological Seminary
The Ghost of Birthdays Past
A long time ago, when I was single and living in the Chelsea neighborhood in Manhattan, one of my acquaintances, David, was to celebrate a birthday. Of the things that David, a pastry chef, abhorred were ice cream cakes from Carvel. I don't know why, but there you go. Especially since, for those New Yorkers old enough to remember, Carvel had the loopiest and, for that reason, most enjoyable commercials on local television.
Anyway, for reasons that should be obvious, we decided to get David a Carvel ice cream cake. I recall it was "Fudgie the Whale". My friend Ben, who is now a reporter in Atlanta, was in charge of seeing that the cake carried the prosaic message, "Happy Birthday, David."
Now, I'm not sure from what nation the Carvel employee originally hailed from, but clearly it was from a culture where "David" was not a common name. Ben pronounced it for him, spelled it verbally, wrote it out on a piece of paper, re-pronounced it and, fifteen minutes later, the Carvel fellow exclaimed, "Oh, you mean Da-veed." We did indeed.
Two days later we picked up the cake, opened the box, and it read "Happy Birthday, Dadiv."
Now, I hadn't thought of this for about 26 years. That is, until I came home from work today and found this waiting for me:
My wife has both a great sense of humor and a long memory.
Anyway, for reasons that should be obvious, we decided to get David a Carvel ice cream cake. I recall it was "Fudgie the Whale". My friend Ben, who is now a reporter in Atlanta, was in charge of seeing that the cake carried the prosaic message, "Happy Birthday, David."
Now, I'm not sure from what nation the Carvel employee originally hailed from, but clearly it was from a culture where "David" was not a common name. Ben pronounced it for him, spelled it verbally, wrote it out on a piece of paper, re-pronounced it and, fifteen minutes later, the Carvel fellow exclaimed, "Oh, you mean Da-veed." We did indeed.
Two days later we picked up the cake, opened the box, and it read "Happy Birthday, Dadiv."
Now, I hadn't thought of this for about 26 years. That is, until I came home from work today and found this waiting for me:
My wife has both a great sense of humor and a long memory.
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