A commentary from Common Dreams: Did Bush say God told him to go to war? Interesting. I had been so focused on the disturbing "God told me to strike Saddam" part, that I had failed to notice how damning it is that Bush may have said he would be too busy campaigning to deal with international relations next year.

This is an excerpt from an article in the Moscow Times. "No, Bush said he derived his moral heft from the Almighty Himself. What's more, the Lord had proven his devotion to the Crawford Crusader by crowning his military efforts with success. In fact, he told Abbas, God was holding the door open for Middle East peace right now -- but they would have to move fast, because soon the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe would have to give His attention to something far more important: the election of His little sunbeam, Georgie, in 2004. Here are Bush's exact words, quoted by Haaretz: "God told me to strike at al-Qaida and I struck them, and then He instructed me to strike at Saddam, which I did, and now I am determined to solve the problem in the Middle East. If you help me, I will act, and if not, the elections will come and I will have to focus on them." Why the average American is not more frightened of this man is beyond me...

In the past few days I have seen articles about how Bush believes that he was chosen by God to lead the world, and that the war in Iraq is God's will. Around the same time, I read this quote by Susan B. Anthony for the first time: "I distrust those people who know so well what God wants them to do because I notice it always coincides with their own desires."

This is a good read: This is Your Story--the progressive story of America. Pass it on. by Bill Moyers

I found out about this article in an online message board. Apparently Donald Rumsfeld is encouraging communities to celebrate the Iraq war this 4th of July. The very idea is sickening. It is being called Operation Tribute to Freedom. Take a look at the "color a picture" link. There you will the those adorable Family Circus kids saying "Thanks for protectin' all us kids". How dreadful. I know a lot of kids were killed and maimed in this war. I am not so clear on how kids were protected. It is hard to be excited about celebating the 4th of July in this atmosphere. But maybe reflecting on the original meaning of the holiday will help.

It has come to my attention that there is sometimes trouble getting this blog to display properly. That I am aware of, this has never happened with Another Mother for Peace, but I started this weblog with the new Blogger software. Blogger is migrating all new weblogs to this software, so I really don't have a choice. I have tried selecting a new template to see if that helps with the display issues.

I'd like to tell you about the origin of the globe and candle image that can be found on the link and resource pages of this site, as well as the home page of the Yahoo Group. This is how I have described it in letters I sent out to people who run other peace-oriented web sites. After September 11, a lot of people put up American flags--physical ones on their homes and businesses and "virtual" ones on their web sites. I wanted an alternative that was more inclusive and expressed my hope that we can all begin to see ourselves as one global family. I asked my husband to create a graphic for me, and he made me an image of the earth with a flickering candle in front of it. This is not about protest or debate for me, but about holding up an alternative vision of the world as a global family. It seems sometimes like that vision has been lost, or at least deeply buried. Seeing the headlines as the current conflict presses on, I feel helpless and voiceless. We would like to offer the image my husband created to anyone who would like to use it, either on their desktop or their web site, as a symbol of hope and peace.

I'd like to call your attention to a resource I just found called the Alliance for Democracy. Among other things, the site has a weekly Freedom Flyer that you can print out. This weeks flyer is called Is There Anything Left That Matters? It was written by Joan Chittister, OSB, a Benedictine sister, author and lecturer. Viewers of this blog are, as always welcome to join the Yahoo Group and discuss the resources you see posted here, or share resources you have found with the rest of us.

I don't usually get to read Boondocks, but I happened to see it in an out of town paper at work today. A strip from a couple days ago is relevant to the "religious left"...or more specifically the "Christian left".

Forrest Church has used a metaphor in his writings and sermons that I find really insightful. It is a metaphor of The Cathedral of the World, and I include one version of it here: Try looking at it this way. Imagine the world as a vast cathedral. This cathedral is as ancient as is humankind; its cornerstone is the first altar, marked with the tincture of blood and blessed by tears. Search for a lifetime-which is all we are surely given-and we shall never know its limits, visit all its transepts, worship at its myriad shrines, nor span its celestial ceiling with our gaze. The builders have labored in this cathedral from time immemorial, destroying and creating, confounding and perfecting, tearing down and raising up arches, buttresses and chapels, organs, theaters and chancels, gargoyles, idols and reliquaries. Daily, work begins that shall not be finished in the lifetime of the architects who planned it, the patrons who paid for it, the builders who construct it, or the expectant worshipers. Nonetheless, throughout human history, one generation after another has labored lovingly, sometimes fearfully, crafting memorials and consecrating shrines. Untold numbers of these today collect dust in long-undisturbed chambers; others (cast centuries or millennia ago from their once respected places) lie shattered in shards or ground into dust on the cathedral floor. Not a moment passes without the dreams of long-dead dreamers being outstripped, crushed, or abandoned, giving way to new visions, each immortal in reach, ephemeral in grasp. Above all else, contemplate the windows. In the Cathedral of the World there are windows beyond number, some long forgotten, covered with many patinas of dust, others revered by millions, the most sacred of shrines. Each in its own way is beautiful. Some are abstract, others representational, some dark and meditative, others bright and dazzling. Each tells a story about the creation of the world, the meaning of history, the purpose of life, the nature of humankind, the mystery of death. The windows of the cathedral are where the light shines through. As with all extended metaphors, this one is imperfect. The Light of God (or Truth or Being Itself) shines not only upon us, but out from within us as well. Together with the windows, we are part of the cathedral, not apart from it. Together we comprise an interdependent web of being. The cathedral is constructed out of star stuff and so are we. We are that part (or known part) of the creation that contemplates itself. Because the cathedral is so vast, our life so short and vision so dim, we are able to contemplate only a tiny part of the whole creation. We can explore but a handful of its many chambers. Our allotted span permits us to reflect on the play of darkness and light through remarkably few of its myriad windows. Yet, since the whole is contained in each of its parts, as we ponder and act on insights derived from even a single reflection, we may experience self-illumination. We may also discover or invent meanings that invest both the creation and our lives with coherence and meaning. A 21st century theology based on the concept of one light (Unitarianism) and many windows (Universalism) offers to its adherents both breadth and focus. Honoring many different religious approaches, it excludes only the truth-claims of absolutists. This is because fundamentalists-whether on the right or left-claim that the light shines through their window only. Skeptics draw the opposite conclusion. Seeing the bewildering variety of windows and observing the folly of the worshipers, they conclude that there is no Light. But the windows are not the Light. The whole Light (God, Truth) is beyond our perceiving. God is veiled. Some people have trouble believing in a God who looks into any eyes but theirs. Others have trouble believing in a God they cannot see. But that none of us can look directly into God's eyes certainly doesn't mean God isn't there, mysterious, unknowable, gazing into ours. You can see the rest of the sermon here. I can't even remember any more where I first read this, but I found it really helpful in getting away from the paradigm that "If you and I see things differently, then one of us must be wrong".

Just wanted to let you know that I have added an "About Me" page to the links. Also, I have changed the Resources page a little bit--I added links so that you can find out a bit more about the books on the list. I have also added a couple of images. I would like to add more, but could use some suggestions for some simple "Religious Left" posters or images we could add.

I read a really good essay by Jesse Jackson, some of which I have excerpted here: QUILTING AGAINST THE BUSH CHILL By Jesse Jackson Tribune Media Services When I was young, my mother would make certain that I was protected against the chill of winter. She would collect patches of material - different colors, different textures, just discarded scraps of material. Then she would arrange them and use a strong thread to attach them together into a quilt, a thing of beauty and of warmth. And now it's time to assemble a big quilt to protect against the chill of the Bush administration's assault on working and poor people. When an outside threat is great, the family comes together. The members discard their bitter disputes and remember the bond that unites them. Old rivalries and lingering resentments are put aside to meet the common threat. And that is now what progressives must do in the face of the threat posed by the Bush administration. A crucial first step is for Ralph Nader and the Greens to unite with Democrats in the coming election year. Democrats must put aside their anger; Greens must put aside their pain. Ralph Nader is a historical citizen leader. The Greens have passion and purpose, and a reach into the idealism and hopes of the young. That energy and that leadership now must be brought back into the tent to meet a greater threat. Democratic and Nader voters in 2000 tallied the largest center-left majority vote since Lyndon Johnson in 1964. In 2004, we will need all of those votes and more. It is time to come together. I agree that we need to do that. What I don't know is how to make it happen. I think it needs to involve pulling together in spite of our sometimes different goals, and supporting each other while we use a number of different approaches. When I had a new baby, other moms would talk about how hard it was to catch up on sleep when the baby finally took a nap, because so much cleaning and other work was staring them in the face that they couldn't rest. I NEVER could relate to that. But that is how I am feeling about what lies before us now. I see something that really needs to be done--taking back America, taking back the idea of people using their faith as motivation to do good for society (rather than to justify punitive policy or the right of the United States to decide what is best for the rest of the world--and to impose its will on the rest of the world through force. I have sent an introductory letter to a number of people by now, and several have asked who am I. When I have more time to response (lunch is almost over) I will write some background to introduce myself a bit better. For now, know that I am a concerned citizen who wants to make a difference. I don't have a grand plan, but would really love to help get something started here, and get some feedback and ideas from all of you.

I have created a Yahoo Group for the Religious Left. Feel free to subscribe and invite others. I really welcome all the brainstorming help I can get.

Check this out--Another Proud Member of The Christian Left bumper stickers Other bumper stickers or posters? E-mail them to mom2spirited2@yahoo.com

Here are some book titles--please pass along any I have left out and I will add them to the list. You can e-mail them to mom2spirited2@yahoo.com God and Other Famous Liberals: Recapturing Bible, Flag, and Family from the Far Right by F. Forrester Church, Anne Eleanor Roosevelt The Heart Is a Little to the Left: Essays on Public Morality Coffin, William Sloane Stealing Jesus: How Fundamentalism Betrays Christianity by Bruce Bawer Rescuing the Bible from Fundamentalism : A Bishop Rethinks the Meaning of Scripture by John Shelby Spong The Heart of Christianity : Rediscovering a Life of Faith by Marcus J. Borg

Here's a resource to start things off. It's a sermon by Unitarian Universalist minister and author Forrest Church, entitled "What Jesus Would Do"

In the 2004 Presidential Election, George W. Bush can count on the Religious Right to put a great deal of time, effort, and money into his campaign. Hopefully, the Religious Left will be equally energetic in their support for the opposing candidate. Most people have not heard of a "Religious Left", but it surely exists. The difference might be that members of the Religious Right are more likely to proclaim their religious values verbally. The Religious Left consists of people working on making people's situations better. Our political action flows naturally from our religious/spiritual convictions. These can actually be remarkably similar across faith traditions: Brahmanism: This is the sum of duty: Do naught unto others which would cause you pain if done to you. Mahabharata 5:1517 Buddhism: Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful. Udana-Varga 5:18 Confucianism: Surely it is the maxim of lovingkindness: Do not unto others what you would not have them do unto you. Analects 15:23 Taoism: Regard your neighbor's gain as your own gain and your neighbor's loss as your own loss. T'ai Shang Kan Ying P'ien Zoroastrianism: That nature alone is good which refrains from doing unto another whatsoever is not good for itself. Dadistan-i-dinik 94:5 Judaism: That which is hateful to you, do not do to others. That is the entire law; all the rest is commentary. Talmud, Shabbat 31a Christianity: All things whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, do ye even so to them; for this is the law and the prophets. Matthew 7:12 Islam: No one of you is a believer until he desires for his brother that which he desires for himself. Sunnah Like it or not, much of the general public automatically associates the Republican party with religious "virtue", and that really does translate into votes. Come brainstorm with us about how we can get the message out that "Religious Left" is not a contradiction in terms. Do you have any thoughts, links, articles, book recommendations, or other resources to share? E-mail them to me at mom2spirited@ (at) yahoo.com and I will post them on this weblog for you. Be sure to let me know if you want me to include your name (even your first name) or if you wish to remain anonymous.