for my dad and a new venture counseling at risk youth (in addition to his pastor duties).
let's pray this new opportunity is in God's plan for dad.
Friday, July 29, 2005
'if you can read this...': virginity panties
Ship of Fools: Gadgets for God
can it be??
has the christian right finally gotten the hang of (dare i say it) irony???
via lutheranchik.
heh.
can it be??
has the christian right finally gotten the hang of (dare i say it) irony???
via lutheranchik.
heh.
the 'number' is ... mine
Hugo Schwyzer: "Don't ask, don't tell" and the right to a private history
once, when i wasn't paying attention, i told a friend of mine (we were in that getting to know you stage) a story about how i had met someone else. it was a funny story and was actually connected to our conversation, but it made him stop and ask about my past. the number, the who, the when, the where, the why - he even wanted to read the letters. i firmly refused to discuss it.
'this belongs to me', i said.
he insisted.
'you don't have the right to it, yet,' i said. 'my past is mine.'
he insisted.
i hung up. we're still good friends (never became more than that) and he perhaps is one of the few who know me well enough to know where my boundaries are. but my past is still mine.
this week on hugo, a discussion about the Number and the ethics of disclosing one's past to a partner. (follow up is here and the conversation has been picked up in other places, too.)
it's an especially good conversation about social mores, faith, relationships and privacy.
once, when i wasn't paying attention, i told a friend of mine (we were in that getting to know you stage) a story about how i had met someone else. it was a funny story and was actually connected to our conversation, but it made him stop and ask about my past. the number, the who, the when, the where, the why - he even wanted to read the letters. i firmly refused to discuss it.
'this belongs to me', i said.
he insisted.
'you don't have the right to it, yet,' i said. 'my past is mine.'
he insisted.
i hung up. we're still good friends (never became more than that) and he perhaps is one of the few who know me well enough to know where my boundaries are. but my past is still mine.
this week on hugo, a discussion about the Number and the ethics of disclosing one's past to a partner. (follow up is here and the conversation has been picked up in other places, too.)
it's an especially good conversation about social mores, faith, relationships and privacy.
missing: latoyia figueroa
have you seen this woman?
she's not blonde, she's a pregnant single mother, and she's been missing from her philadelphia home for ten days. her family is frantic.
follow the clicks for the story, the timeline, the reason why a circle of bloggers are trying to spread the story as far as possible. donate to the reward fund if you can.
she's not blonde, she's a pregnant single mother, and she's been missing from her philadelphia home for ten days. her family is frantic.
follow the clicks for the story, the timeline, the reason why a circle of bloggers are trying to spread the story as far as possible. donate to the reward fund if you can.
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
exactly.
while doing some late night surfing before bed, i found this post on god-of-small-things about the emergent church thing.
strange as it may seem, i sort of agree:
'...the emergent movement mistakes ambiguity for a virtue.
The problem with modernity isn't certainty--it's pride. Pride in human accomplishment that blinds whole societies, and allows people to do imhumane and monstrous things because they are absolutely convinced of the rightness of cause.
[snip]
But the world doesn't need ambigious Christian. It needs humble and generous Christians, who accept each other's shortcoming, and who live their lives in service to their God and to their neighbor.'
strange as it may seem, i sort of agree:
'...the emergent movement mistakes ambiguity for a virtue.
The problem with modernity isn't certainty--it's pride. Pride in human accomplishment that blinds whole societies, and allows people to do imhumane and monstrous things because they are absolutely convinced of the rightness of cause.
[snip]
But the world doesn't need ambigious Christian. It needs humble and generous Christians, who accept each other's shortcoming, and who live their lives in service to their God and to their neighbor.'
Monday, July 25, 2005
all about africa: zAfrican
zAfrican
found this blog via my friend zeke who recommends it for a good discussion of africa and african issues. i've only just skimmed it, but so far i like it.
dang, i like having smart friends.
found this blog via my friend zeke who recommends it for a good discussion of africa and african issues. i've only just skimmed it, but so far i like it.
dang, i like having smart friends.
Domestic Violence: too much of a bad thing
a really good collection of articles and stats on domestic violence can be found here on Mother Jones. it's an important 1 1/2 months until VAWA and VOCA are reauthorized - or not.
check 'em out.
check 'em out.
Saturday, July 23, 2005
slapped a woman lately?
no, really. have you? if you did, would you expect to go to jail? if you did it repeatedly, escalating into larger acts of violence, would you expect to go to jail then?
if you expect to go to jail, you can thank VAWA for that (Violence Against Women Act.) if you're a woman who's been slapped, beaten or raped, would you expect the law to do something about it and would you expect to get some help besides? if so, you can thank VAWA for that, too.
now why, if VAWA can stop men from killing, beating, raping women and children - if VAWA can save women's lives (and has) - is our new golden boy
john roberts against it? hm.
[more info on VAWA here and here - and, yes, i work for them.]
if you expect to go to jail, you can thank VAWA for that (Violence Against Women Act.) if you're a woman who's been slapped, beaten or raped, would you expect the law to do something about it and would you expect to get some help besides? if so, you can thank VAWA for that, too.
now why, if VAWA can stop men from killing, beating, raping women and children - if VAWA can save women's lives (and has) - is our new golden boy
john roberts against it? hm.
[more info on VAWA here and here - and, yes, i work for them.]
Thursday, July 21, 2005
Wednesday, July 20, 2005
mobilize until it hurts
It’s that time again.
Bush made his announcement and the rallying has begun. This morning, between emails and phone calls at the office, I made out checks to Planned Parenthood and HRC. Later, I’ll probably make another donation to another group. I suppose I should pay off my tax bill first, but you know, my priorities are different.
I think of what this country has become because of regressive policies and politics and I shiver; but I am also angry. We’ve become cowed, inured to the idea of helplessness – ‘oh, well, no one is going to do anything anyway. There’s no point.’ That may be. There very well may be no point. But I can’t live like that. I can’t live like there’s no point in fighting back.
So what to do?
Write your representatives – an actual letter with an actual stamp. The staffers in charge of the subject you’re writing about read them and actually pass them on. These matter more than an email or fax. You say you don’t know what to say? Say what you feel: I’m scared of what this person could do to the country; I’m scared of what my life will turn into because of the decisions this person may make; I’m angry that moderation matters less than ideological bullying.
Write your newspapers and religious publications– become that wonky crank and give it your best, simple eloquence. Don't let just one face of faith be seen. Show them yours and make them hear you – and keep writing.
Write the members of the Judiciary Com’tee. And keep writing them.
Write your family and friends – and ask them to pass it along.
Support those groups who wobble on a thin financial line so they can mobilize research and action in opposition to right-wing ideologues.
($20, people. We can spare $20, right?)
Bush made his announcement and the rallying has begun. This morning, between emails and phone calls at the office, I made out checks to Planned Parenthood and HRC. Later, I’ll probably make another donation to another group. I suppose I should pay off my tax bill first, but you know, my priorities are different.
I think of what this country has become because of regressive policies and politics and I shiver; but I am also angry. We’ve become cowed, inured to the idea of helplessness – ‘oh, well, no one is going to do anything anyway. There’s no point.’ That may be. There very well may be no point. But I can’t live like that. I can’t live like there’s no point in fighting back.
So what to do?
Write your representatives – an actual letter with an actual stamp. The staffers in charge of the subject you’re writing about read them and actually pass them on. These matter more than an email or fax. You say you don’t know what to say? Say what you feel: I’m scared of what this person could do to the country; I’m scared of what my life will turn into because of the decisions this person may make; I’m angry that moderation matters less than ideological bullying.
Write your newspapers and religious publications– become that wonky crank and give it your best, simple eloquence. Don't let just one face of faith be seen. Show them yours and make them hear you – and keep writing.
Write the members of the Judiciary Com’tee. And keep writing them.
Write your family and friends – and ask them to pass it along.
Support those groups who wobble on a thin financial line so they can mobilize research and action in opposition to right-wing ideologues.
($20, people. We can spare $20, right?)
Monday, July 18, 2005
an essay: This is What Religion Should Look Like
via The Revealer here's an introduction and brief analysis of an article on the church/state dilemma (personally, i don't see the 'dilemma' but ok).
in light of a short thread about 'revelation' v. 'intellectualism' below i thought the revealer's critique of reason (heh) resonated a little bit.
one of the reasons i started this blog wasn't (and never will be) to show how good i am. i'm not good. i'll never write about the sweet soft light that came upon me while i was doing my morning devotional. (like i told my father, i don't write church.) most likely, my morning devotional is going to be a hurried prayer as i rumble to work on the bus, crammed between a short order cook and a bitter hipster. that is, when i remember to have a devotional.
churchgal exists to be a cracking interesting conversation about culture, feminist politics and, oh yes, faith. not necessarily in that order and not necessarily without a healthy dose of snark. over here, that's what religion looks like.
in light of a short thread about 'revelation' v. 'intellectualism' below i thought the revealer's critique of reason (heh) resonated a little bit.
one of the reasons i started this blog wasn't (and never will be) to show how good i am. i'm not good. i'll never write about the sweet soft light that came upon me while i was doing my morning devotional. (like i told my father, i don't write church.) most likely, my morning devotional is going to be a hurried prayer as i rumble to work on the bus, crammed between a short order cook and a bitter hipster. that is, when i remember to have a devotional.
churchgal exists to be a cracking interesting conversation about culture, feminist politics and, oh yes, faith. not necessarily in that order and not necessarily without a healthy dose of snark. over here, that's what religion looks like.
Sunday, July 17, 2005
geez
geez
more than an exclamation from fargo, it's a magazine about to launch in the fall.
having just come back from canada this weekend, i'm a little interested in it.
(and they sent me an email with their press release - an email i finally read today. i thought they were spam.)
anything that has the word 'poop' in it has to be worth a look.
more than an exclamation from fargo, it's a magazine about to launch in the fall.
having just come back from canada this weekend, i'm a little interested in it.
(and they sent me an email with their press release - an email i finally read today. i thought they were spam.)
anything that has the word 'poop' in it has to be worth a look.
Monday, July 11, 2005
no. way: Praise/Liturgical Dancewear
euww.
there was a rumor that our church once had liturgical dancers. i'd heard stories about faces getting hit with flapping sleeves, women dressed in white prancing down the center aisle for palm sunday, pastors hiding their faces in embarrassment.
thankfully, i've never seen it.
and after seeing the costumes i hope i never will.
there was a rumor that our church once had liturgical dancers. i'd heard stories about faces getting hit with flapping sleeves, women dressed in white prancing down the center aisle for palm sunday, pastors hiding their faces in embarrassment.
thankfully, i've never seen it.
and after seeing the costumes i hope i never will.
Sunday, July 10, 2005
review: The Best American Spiritual Writing 2004
Bookslut | In Praise of Immersion: The Best American Spiritual Writing 2004
i totally would have checked out this book from the library if the review hadn't sounded so daft.
it would be great if spiritual writing didn't seem quite so ... breathless.
i totally would have checked out this book from the library if the review hadn't sounded so daft.
it would be great if spiritual writing didn't seem quite so ... breathless.
Saturday, July 09, 2005
G8: from the other side
no, not the side of the industrial nations who (if a bit naively) want to give aid to africa; i'm talking about the other side, where the people of africa actually live.
AfricaVox is a group of african journalists covering the G8 summit for their readership back in africa; it's a great source of information on african politics, economics - well, basically everything we don't know about africa. (which is plenty.)
[via black looks, another great african blog by a woman!]
AfricaVox is a group of african journalists covering the G8 summit for their readership back in africa; it's a great source of information on african politics, economics - well, basically everything we don't know about africa. (which is plenty.)
[via black looks, another great african blog by a woman!]
Friday, July 08, 2005
now *this* is what i call living a mission: bethel new life, inc.
doing research at work i came across this site.
when i said below in my mclaren post (see the comments) that we religious folk often use points of doctrine as a screen to defelct attention from what we're NOT doing (the two are often separated), this group shows how mission and bible mesh.
i know i'm painting a broad picture of lax church activism here, but i can't help it. all the talk about doctrinal authority falls on fallow ground with me when that's all there is to your faith.
who cares about your inner spiritual intellectualism when you can't reach out a hand to your brother?
when i said below in my mclaren post (see the comments) that we religious folk often use points of doctrine as a screen to defelct attention from what we're NOT doing (the two are often separated), this group shows how mission and bible mesh.
i know i'm painting a broad picture of lax church activism here, but i can't help it. all the talk about doctrinal authority falls on fallow ground with me when that's all there is to your faith.
who cares about your inner spiritual intellectualism when you can't reach out a hand to your brother?
Tuesday, July 05, 2005
the supremes: a fantasy
who says professorial types are without humor?
michael berube dreams of the new supreme court nominee...
michael berube dreams of the new supreme court nominee...
mclaren post coming
i haven't forgotten i said i was going to put down my thoughts on 'a generous orthodoxy.' i have to finish reading the book this week.
so far i've found a problem: his weird ideas on atonement and the revision of the TULIP. um...not so down with that. i'm not sure if he's de-emphasizing atonement because he's just chosen not to focus on it (it's his project so he can make any focal decisions he wants) or because he truly thinks that christ's atonement for our sins is really unimportant and unnecessary.
i find that strange. cuz, if that's the case, then what the hell's the point of salvation?
jesus wants to be my best friend?
so far i've found a problem: his weird ideas on atonement and the revision of the TULIP. um...not so down with that. i'm not sure if he's de-emphasizing atonement because he's just chosen not to focus on it (it's his project so he can make any focal decisions he wants) or because he truly thinks that christ's atonement for our sins is really unimportant and unnecessary.
i find that strange. cuz, if that's the case, then what the hell's the point of salvation?
jesus wants to be my best friend?
Saturday, July 02, 2005
ok, i need to start making my meatballs...
as an update to my texas/gay post, this is a very good post about the church's attitude about sex from a south wales methodist minister.
what makes this stand out is the conversation in the comments between two readers who enter scripture from two very different hermeneutical entryways. at the end, there is no consensus between them (nor should there necessarily be one) but it's a great illustration of hermeneutic/exigetical difference.
what makes this stand out is the conversation in the comments between two readers who enter scripture from two very different hermeneutical entryways. at the end, there is no consensus between them (nor should there necessarily be one) but it's a great illustration of hermeneutic/exigetical difference.
before you barbecue...
Friday, July 01, 2005
oh crap: O'Connor is retiring from Supreme Court
via Bitch. Ph.D
sooo...5 years...8 years...10?
how long until roe v. wade topples and other anti-women decisions get legitimized?
sooo...5 years...8 years...10?
how long until roe v. wade topples and other anti-women decisions get legitimized?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
