So, tomorrow is Pentecost Sunday. I have been thinking about Pentecost for the past few weeks. For me, that is pretty unusual--every other year it has come and gone and I haven't really given it a second thought. Why is this year different? Something about the day tugs at my consciousness. fire wind spirit inspiration Being open to something more? The big picture? Yes, I think a lot of us need to be reminded of that--myself included. I don't think any of us has the whole answer to "life, the universe, and everything". Yet, especially in this election year, we can see a lot of binary, black and white thinking. Us versus them. I don't think anyone can ultimately win when we set it up as us versus them. Somehow we have to realize that it's all us. There is no "them" that we can truthfully set completely outside of our sphere of concern and connectedness. One thing I discovered recently, in my exploration of the meaning of Pentecost, is that the story of the Holy Spirit coming to the apostles at Pentecost can be seen as a reversal of the tower of Babel story. Some thoughts from the Rev. Ron Robinson on the meaning of Pentecost: Pentecost is the Greek word for Judaism's Festival of Weeks that occurs fifty days (hence pente) after Passover. It is a celebration of the end of harvest and for God's spirit of abundance. It is a commemoration of God's giving to Moses the ten commandments. And it is said to be the birthday and day of death of King David. So it is a time of great expectations for how God continually acts in history, especially as a community-forming and liberating power. In the Pentecost story, Jesus' disciples are in Jerusalem at the time of the Festival of Weeks. They are trying to regroup after the loss of their leader and after the betrayal of one of their own members. Where they are in the story is a little unclear and how many there actually are is unclear. But it says they were all together in one place. That sense of unity is significant because as we will see, for Luke, this story is a kind of reverse to the Tower of Babel myth. In that story early in Genesis, the people of the earth were all together as one people and all spoke the same language and all had the same uniformity of thought. This made them feel like the Gods so they decided to build a mighty tower up to the Heavens to show off their Godly status. The tower would be a kind of Temple to themselves. What happens whenever we build temples to and for ourselves alone? They come crashing down around us. The people of Babel then became the peoples of the world, all with different languages and not able to understand each other--not without effort anyway, and without knowing our own limits and how we need one another, which is why I have read the Babel story as more of a long-term blessing than curse. In the Pentecost story, however, as they are all gathered in one place, and gathered as I suspect out of their sense of weaknesses and loss much different from Babel, and gathered more as separate individuals turned inward on themselves more than any sense of themselves as a community focused outward, with such as them the story says God acts again-but this time to build up and not to tear down. That's right, "When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place." Why had it not occurred to me before that Pentecost was a Jewish holy day before it was a Christian one? The New Testament doesn't refer to Easter or Christmas, because those holidays developed and were named long after the writing of the Gospels. To actually mention the day of Pentecost means that it was already a holy day to the Jewish people before the "tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them." Duh. I'm a little embarrassed to admit that really hadn't occurred to me before. The Rev. Judith Quarles explains, in her sermon "Unitarian Universalists on Fire": Pentecost has its origins in the Hebrew festival of Shavuot, the Feast of Weeks, which originally celebrated the closing of the spring harvest. Shavuot is held 50 days after Passover, and it commemorates God’s giving of the Ten Commandments to Moses. It is an important time for Jews. The Christian Pentecost took place during Shavuot, presumably as all the early followers of Jesus were gathered for celebration. As you heard in the reading from the book of Acts this morning, tongues of fire descended upon the people, and they were given the ability to speak in the many languages of the area. It is interesting that Luke, the writer of the Book of Acts, may have purposely echoed the story of Moses and the Ten Commandments in his account of the happenings. In one place in the Book of Exodus, God’s arrival is announced by thunder and lightening and general uproar, and God comes down the mountain to the Israelites in fire. There is even a document contemporary with the New Testament writings that refers to the tale that angels from heaven speaking in a variety of tongues brought the tablets of the Law down to the Hebrew people from the top of the mountain. Biblical scholar Raymond Brown explains that these parallels had theological meaning for the new Christians. In the case of Moses and the giving of the Torah, God was announcing a covenant with the Hebrew people. And in the case of Pentecost, God was making evident a new covenant, this time with Gentiles as well. ... According to doctrine, the Holy Spirit was given to Christians to replace the presence of Christ in all his humanity. The Rev. Miriam Hathaway, pastor of the first Presbyterian Church here writes in her newsletter column, "Pentecost is the day when we recognize God in action in our personal lives and in the life of the world....The Holy Spirit rouses us from our lethargy and fills our hearts with new courage and our bodies with new strength." That last part makes me think of John Kerry. A while back, some of us who were Dean supporters sent him a letter and questions. I never expected to get a personal response addressing each and every question, but some sort of token acknowledgement would have gone a long way. I know that he is the only way we have right now of getting the dangerous Bush administration out of power. I would like to be able to support him, but so far I can only do so indirectly, by helping to make people aware of the damage Bush has done to the economy, the environment, our global reputation, etc. I would much rather have a positive focus than a negative one. So this is my prayer for John Kerry...I pray that now, at this time of Pentecost, he will allow the Holy Spirit to rouse him from his lethargy, filling his heart with new courage and his body with new strength. I pray that he will be open to the movement of the Spirit, and realize that it can be found in unexpected places. "Conventional wisdom" is not always wise. David Bennett, in another Pentecost sermon, illustrates the importance of remaining open: If in 1968 someone had asked which country would dominate watch making in the 1990s, most people would have certainly said Switzerland. This is because Switzerland had dominated the world of watch making for the previous sixty years. They led the way in discovering new ways to manufacture better and more durable watch parts. They developed the best waterproofing techniques. In fact, in 1968 the Swiss made 65% of all watches sold in the world, and laid claim to 90% of the profits. However by 1980, in Switzerland, watchmakers had been laid off by the thousands, and the Swiss controlled a paltry 10% of the watch market. Why? The Swiss ignored an important new development, Quartz Movement. Ironically a Swiss invented Quartz movement, but it was rejected because it had no mainspring or knob. It was too much of a paradigm shift for them to embrace. It was too new and too strange. ... A past that was so secure, so dominant, so revered, was destroyed in a little over ten years because of an unwillingness to open up to renewal. Past successes had blinded them to the importance of seeing the implications of the changing world. In short, as they declined very rapidly, they were so confident in past accomplishments, they could not even see the decline happening right before their eyes. Bennett connects the story of the Swiss watchmaker's with the importance of the church being open to the movement of the Spirit, even though we often feel that the last thing we want in our lives is more "fire and wind". I think the better and preferable path is that we release the Holy Spirit within us, and experience the mighty Wind. By opening ourselves to the miraculous expectation of divine deeds of power, we put ourselves on the line. What then comes will not always be pretty, much like the tornado aftermath I witnessed. Structures might be shaken, and old ways of doing things changed. The result will not always be harmonious with the rational culture of our mainline churches, but it will be fully harmonious with the strange and new experiences of the earliest Christians, whom the Holy Spirit rushed upon almost 2000 years ago. Anyway, I suppose my prayer for John Kerry is my prayer for all of us. May we all... Be open. Listen. Receive. Recognize the gifts we have given--which may not be gifts we asked for. And may we be ready and willing to use these gifts in ventures that unite, repair, restore, and heal.

By now I suppose most people have heard that George Bush believed he was doing "God's will" when he ordered the attacks on Iraq: According to Abbas, Bush said: '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.'' One thing I have noticed about the stories in the Bible about God talking to people and giving them a mission of some sort, is that they are usually reluctant at first. Moses is told that he will lead the people, and he tries to beg out of it--"You don't want me. I'd be no good at that sort of thing. I've got this stutter, you know." Jonah, as my kids recently learned in the Veggie Tales movie, was told "Go to Ninevah." Johah says, "Gotcha!" and promptly sets sail--in the opposite direction. Whether these stories literally happened, or are an allegorical expression of the faith experience of a people, what stands out to me is the fact that God is often seen commissioning people to do things they find difficult. Challenging. Scary. Seemingly impossible, or at least implausible. God seems pretty unlikely to say, "Attack Iraq, kill thousands of people, get oil contracts for your rich friends." I don't think Bush needed any higher power to tell him to do that. But apparently he needs to invoke a higher power to justify it. Who does God call, and for what purpose? And what does the call sound like...or feel like? Susan B. Anthony once said, I distrust those people who know so well what God wants them to do because I notice it always coincides with their own desires. That quote reflects my thinking to some extent. Again, in the Bible, we really don't see examples of God calling an individual for some person, where the person says, "Cool! That's what I was planning to do anyway, but now I've got your Divine Stamp of Approval. That's really going to come in handy!" No, the God I meet in the Bible told Abraham to leave his home and move to a strange new land. "Just trust me," God assured him. My mission--all of our missions--are not as clear as Abraham's seemed to be. But we're reading the story long after the fact. Maybe God's will wasn't as clear and straightforward to Abraham, Jonah, or Moses at the moment of their calling as it is to us in retrospect. So how do we know what is being asked of us? God has never spoken to us from a burning bush, or sent angels to deliver important messages to us. I once heard in a sermon by Unitarian Universalist minister Mark Belletini that Carl Jung, when asked on his deathbed about God, said that God is whatever crosses the path of his life that he cannot walk around. Maybe our "calling" is that cause or effort that we just can't seem to walk away from, no matter how hard we try...even though we know our lives would be so much easier if we only could.

Since the beginning of May, I have meant to post something about Mary, the Mother of Jesus--this is, after all, considered to be her month. I haven't yet been inspired to write anything, but I thought I would share some words from Kathleen Norris. I really appreciate her example as someone reclaiming Mary from the dogma built up around her, that I often felt was intended to keep women "in their place. Norris has a different insight about the meaning of Mary... The Serene Contradiction of the Mother of Jesus Why I reclaimed the virgin mother as a significant figure in my faith. I think that many Protestants, if they think about Mary at all, get hung up on what they are supposed to believe about her. And she doesn't make it easy. It's as if her calm visage belies our seeking after labels. Is Mary a cultural artifact or a religious symbol? A literary device or a theological tool? A valuable resource for biblical exegetes or the matrix of an extrabiblical piety that we, as Protestants, must avoid at all costs? The point about Mary is that she is all these things, and more, always more. She is poor yet gloriously rich. She is blessed among women yet condemned to witness her son's execution. She is human yet God-bearer, and the Word that she willingly bears is destined to pierce her soul. Had we a more elastic imagination, we might be less troubled by Mary's air of serene contradiction. But ours is a skeptical and divisive age. We are more comfortable with appraisal than with praise, more adept at cogent analysis than meaningful synthesis. Mary is useful to us as a corrective to our ordinary state of mind, the epitome of "both/and" passion over "either/or" reasoning. She has a disarming way of challenging the polarities that so often bring human endeavors to impasse: the subjective and objective, the expansive and the parochial, the affective and the intellectual. Mary's designation as both virgin and mother, for example, no longer seems to be an impossible "model" for women that justifies their continued oppression within church and society. Instead, Mary constitutes a challenge as to what is possible for me, as a married, childless, Christian woman: to what extent can I remain "virgin," one-in-myself, able to come to things with newness of heart, and in what sense must I become "mother," losing myself in the nurture and service of others and embracing life's circumstances with the ripeness of maturity? This Mary is a gender-bender; she asks the same question of any Christian man.

Petition from Howard Dean, Democracy for America Tell Congress we want to count every vote--sign the petition We must act now to ensure that our voting systems produce accurate and verifiable results. Some states are planning to use machines that will not allow voters to verify their choices. This means that any flaws in the machine or software will never be caught -- and no recount will be possible. And the head of the largest e-voting machine company -- who is a major contributor to George Bush and has promised to deliver Ohio to him -- asks that we just trust him. Today we call on Congress and the states to require any electronic voting machine used in this election to produce a paper trail -- one that allows voters to verify their choices and officials to conduct recounts. Click here to sign the petition. And, if you want to help us in our efforts to keep unverifiable electronic voting machines out of Ohio, our Citizens' Alliance for Secure Elections would be grateful for any donations you could make toward the Ohio e-voting litigation fund. If you can't afford to make a donation, helping us spread the word is also a valuable, much appreciated contribution.

I just received this in an e-mail: Lights for Human Dignity: "Recent images from Iraq have disclosed actions that are horrific and dehumanizing. These actions violate core civic and religious values that are embraced by people of every heritage, including our commitment to basic human dignity and the spirit of creation. We encourage people of faith and good will to reflect prayerfully on how we can demonstrate compassion to all victims of violence and foster reconciliation within our human community. We also invite participation in a public acknowledgement of our anguish and our need for self-examination. On the Sunday night before Memorial Day (May 30th), as we prepare to remember the sacrifices made by those who have fought our nation's wars, please turn on the lights or light candles in your houses of worship and in your homes. Leave them on through the night, until the dawn comes on Memorial Day. By this simple action, we can demonstrate to the world that we share common values as people of faith and as patriots. We will also bear witness to our commitment to peace and good will in Iraq, in the United States, and around the world. " Click here to see the list of participating organizations and to add your own. You can also download a printable PDF flyer to print and share and listen to the radio PSA or read the transcript.

Betty wrote in the comments to my May 17 post: Thanks for acknowledging the contributions of the UUs - the longtime courageous stand has taken its toll, but now seems as though it was worth it all. The Boston-area congregations must be estatic right now. You're very welcome Betty. I have the highest respect for Unitarian Universalists and the work they do for social justice issues of all kinds. Which is why I found it disturbing to learn through The Village Gate that a Texas UU church is being denied tax exempt status. But according to the office of Texas Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn, a Denison Unitarian church isn't really a religious organization -- at least for tax purposes. Its reasoning: the organization "does not have one system of belief." Click here to read the article in the Star Telegram. As I noted in the comments at The Village Gate: Well, this is fascinating. And predictable. We were hearing a while back that Republicans wanted to go after 527s and PACs because they are working to get Bush out of office. Unitarian Universalists are certainly known for working for social justice--at our local chapter of B.R.E.A.D. (Building Responsibility, Equality and Dignity)the local UUs are the largest congregation in attendance. And, knowing the hostility Texas Republicans have against separation of church and state, as well as social justice programs it is hardly a surprise that this is happening in Texas. But that doesn't make it okay, and I think more attention needs to be drawn to this sort of bullying.

Locally, as a way of celebrating the first day same sex couples will be allowed to marry in Massachusetts, we have an Interfaith Rededication and Solidarity Ceremony, which is taking place at an area Unitarian Universalist church. The priest from the Episcopal church I attend (which is a member of the Episcopal GLBT organization Integrity) will be one of the clergy participating. Discussing this online sent me on another Googling expedition, and I thought I would share some links to the various GLBT organizations from different faith traditions... DignityUSA "works for respect and justice for all gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender persons in the Catholic Church and the world through education, advocacy and support." Soulforce an interfaith movement committed to ending spiritual violence perpetuated by religious policies and teachings against gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) people. The World Congress of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Jews Witchvox: Gay Witchcraft "There are literally thousands of gay and lesbian witches out there, and they offer not only a unique perspective, but a unique energy as well." Al-Fatiha Foundation "dedicated to Muslims who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, questioning, those exploring their sexual orientation or gender identity, and their allies, families and friends. Al-Fatiha promotes the progressive Islamic notions of peace, equality and justice." Whosoever: Online news journal for gay, lesbian and bisexual Christians. Every other month Whosoever takes a look at issues affecting gay lesbian and bisexual Christians and how they can respond to the world with the love of Christ. More organizations can be found here,in the Google Directory. And you can read more of my posts about the historical events taking place in Massachusetts today in my blog at The Village Gate.

I noted in a post on another blog last night that women who become saints are often listed under either the category of "virgin" or "martyr". Few were married or had children. This morning I read that one of the new saints was an Italian pediatrician who died a week after giving birth to her fourth child. From Yahoo News: Pope John Paul II named six new saints Sunday, including a woman who became a symbol for abortion opponents because she refused to end her pregnancy despite warnings that it could kill her. The Vatican has long championed the case of Gianna Beretta Molla, an Italian pediatrician who died in 1962 at the age of 39 — a week after giving birth to her fourth child. Doctors had told her it was dangerous to proceed with the pregnancy because she had a tumor in her uterus, but she insisted on carrying the baby to term. In proclaiming her a saint, John Paul praised her "extreme sacrifice" and her simple but profound message. "May our era rediscover, by the example of Gianna Beretta Molla, the pure, chaste and fertile beauty of conjugal love, lived as a response to the divine calling," he said. This is disturbing to me, but maybe in a way that is different from most people here. I guess I am sort of an odd bird among progressive Christians in that I do believe abortion is wrong. I wince at much of the rhetoric of people who are outspokenly pro-choice--much of it overlooks that there is a second human being involved in the equation, whose life is ended without ever being given a choice. But as I have gotten older, almost nothing seems black and white any more. I know that making abortion illegal is not the answer, but I do think we need to be working to decrease the frequency with which it occurs. Anyway, I'm just trying to say that this is a complicated issue for me. I have recently become interested in reading the stories of the saints again. I have become better able to stop worrying about which parts of the stories are fact, and which are embellishment, and I have been able to look past the things I find disturbing (such as how many of them practiced severe self-mortification, which in the context of their times and cultures was viewed very differently than it is today.) I try to look past all of this to find the human being struggling to be holy and do good. And there is always some sort of lesson one can take away from their stories. (That probably holds true for any human's story.) One saint for whom I have developed a greater appreciation is St. Catherine of Siena, and one day I plan to devote a whole post to my thoughts about her. Another saint I have been able to rethink is Saint Maria Goretti. She was the patron saint of my home parish and my grade school as I was growing up. She died, stabbed to death in defense of her virginity, at the age of twelve. Maria Goretti has been described as a model of purity for today's youth, because she chose death rather than sin. Lured by the passions of his day and nurturing the dark side of his soul with impious reading and thoughts, Alessandro Serenelli had been a thorn in lovely Maria's side. He propositioned her on several occasions and harassed her with impure suggestions. On July 5, 1902, he would be denied no longer. As she once again rebuffed his sexual advance, shouting, "No! It is a sin! God does not want it!", Alexander lunged to the deed, stabbing Maria 14 times. It was only years after I had left that church and school that I really thought about this--what kind of model is this to hold up for children in elementary school and junior high (the school went from kindergarten through eighth grade)? What if one of my classmates had been sexually abused by a family member or trusted friend. How would she hear this story? I don't remember anyone ever saying that it would not have been a sin if Maria had given in in fear. But recently I was reading her story in a book of saints, and it was emphasized that an important part of her story, and what makes her truly a saint, was her forgiveness of her attacker, even as she lay dying: Doctors in Nettuno tried to save Maria's life to no avail. After 20 painful hours of suffering during which she forgave and prayed for Alessandro, Maria entered Heaven fortified with the Last Sacraments. Her last earthly gaze rested upon a picture of the Blessed Mother. It was July 6, 1902. Almost fifty years later on June 24, 1950, Pope Pius XII stood on the steps of St. Peter's in Rome and pronounced Maria Goretti a Saint and Martyr of the Universal Church to half a million people. He proposed her as the Patroness of Modern Youth and set July 6th as her feast Day. Her mother, and her murderer, attended the canonization ceremony together. Here is Alessandro's story, and a letter from him about the impact Maria had on his life. It truly is a beautiful story of forgiveness and redemption. And we do need models of forgiveness today, since many of us seem to be less than generous in doling out forgiveness. Saints are human, just like the rest of us. When we look at their lives, we usually see human beings who were flawed, as we are, but who were trying to do God's will the best they could. So, I suppose what bothers me is the message the Church sends in its decision to elevate certain people to sainthood. Going back to the new saint that prompted me to write today, Gianna Beretta Molla was clearly a kind, admirable human being: She diligently dedicated herself to studies during the years of her secondary and university education, while, at the same time, applying her faith in generous apostolic service among the elderly and needy as a member of the St. Vincent de Paul Society. After earning degrees in medicine and surgery from the University of Pavia in 1949, she opened a medical clinic in Mesero (near Magenta) in 1950. She specialized in pediatrics at the University of Milan in 1952 and thereafter gave special attention to mothers, babies, the elderly and the poor. While working in the field of medicine--which she considered a "mission" and practiced as such--she increased her generous service to Catholic Action, especially among the "very young" and, at the same time, expressed her joie de vivre and love of creation through skiing and mountaineering. Through her prayers and those of others, she reflected on her vocation, which she also considered a gift from God. Having chosen the vocation of marriage, she embraced it with complete enthusiasm and wholly dedicated herself "to forming a truly Christian family." She became engaged to Pietro Molla and was radiant with joy and happiness during the time of their engagement, for which she thanked and praised the Lord. They were married on 24 September 1955 in St. Martin's Basilica in Magenta, and she became a happy wife. In November 1956, to her great joy, she became the mother of Pierluigi; in December 1957 of Mariolina; in July 1959 of Laura. With simplicity and equilibrium she harmonized the demands of mother, wife, doctor and her passion for life. On the one hand, it is refreshing for me to read the story of a woman who had a career and a happy marriage, and who clearly allowed herself to experience real joy in this world. But would Gianna have been considered worthy of sainthood if she had "only" been a devoted, loving wife and mother, caring doctor, and generous servant of humankind who "gave special attention to mothers, babies, the elderly, and the poor"? I would think so, but since Pope John Paul II praises her "extreme sacrifice", and all the stories about her canonization refer to her as a "pro-life heroine", it is clear that she would never have been deemed worthy of sainthood were it not for the way her life ended. Blessed Gianna Beretta Molla, protectress of mothers and families, died in 1962 as a martyr of maternal love . In September of 1961, at the age of 39, Blessed Gianna was pregnant with her fourth child when physicians diagnosed a large ovarian cyst which required surgery. The surgeon suggested that Gianna undergo an abortion in order to save her own life. Gianna's decision was prompt and decisive: "I shall accept whatever they will do to me provided they save the child." She underwent the surgery but her fate was sealed. The following year, on Good Friday, Gianna was admitted to Monza Maternity Hospital. Her daughter, Gianna Emanuela, was born the next day but Blessed Gianna expired seven days later, on April 28, 1962.

After reading Allen's post at The Village Gate about Bishop Michael J. Sheridan (who recently stated that voters who support candidates or legislation that goes against church teaching should be denied Communion)it was nice to find a story about voting in which Catholics were the good guys. The bad guy is, not surprisingly, another "son of a Bush." Pax Christi USA >> News >> Statements: "Following criticism from Governor Jeb Bush, the national coordinator of Pax Christi USA said that "assuring the integrity of the election process" is the reason that his organization will be inviting international election monitors to Florida to oversee the 2004 presidential election. "What I hope that Governor Bush understands is that the sanctity of every vote and the dignity of every voter is at the heart of our effort to make sure that the 2004 elections are conducted with the utmost integrity," said Dave Robinson, national coordinator of Pax Christi USA, a national Catholic peace and justice organization. After a press conference outside the Florida Supreme Court in which Pax Christi USA announced its plans to bring international election monitors to Florida, Governor Bush told members of the media that Pax Christi USA's plans are "an organized effort to try to create doubt about our election system." "This is all part of some politically motivated thing that tries to scare people to somehow think their vote is not going to count," said Governor Bush. "That's hogwash, hogwash." "It was our great hope that Governor Bush would welcome the monitoring of the elections," said Carol Ann Breyer, state coordinator for Pax Christi Florida. "This is an excellent opportunity to show that the mistakes of the past have been corrected and that this great state can conduct a fair and transparent election, an "election in the sunshine," so to speak. "

Just heard about a new organization/web site and thought I should pass it along... FaithfulAmerica.org aspires to be an online wing of powerful, new progressive faith movement, like the ones that fought for independence, abolition and civil rights.

Those wacky "Fools"... From the "Oddly Enough" news section on Yahoo (which currently also has articles about Australians being encouraged by their government to have more children, and prostitutes in the Czech Republic seeing a drop in business): 3D Church Opened to Woo Internet Faithful Christians in Britain opened a zany 3D Internet church on Tuesday, billed as a first chance for believers to log on and worship interactively. Bishop of London Richard Chartres gave the inaugural sermon -- via a speech-bubble from his cartoon persona -- at the first service on the "Church of Fools" at www.shipoffools.com. "No one has ever before created a stand-alone church where you can log on as a worshipper and join in however you like -- to kneel, cross yourself, sing hymns or shout 'Hallelujah,'" Web site deputy editor Stephen Goddard told Reuters. Whoops--in the article above the forgot the hypens in http://ship-of-fools.com Click here to visit the virtual church. For anyone who missed it, the Ship of Fools people recently did an internet reality game show based on Noah's Ark.

I don't know how many of my readers are Douglas Adams fans...he wrote the Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy, among other things. Demetrius and I have the old BBC tv series on video, and probably have the whole radio show on tape somewhere, as well as the original three books in the trilogy (later there was a fourth, and a fifth book to the trilogy.) We know entire passages from the book and the radio show by heart. You know how some couples have a song that they consider "their song"? Well, we don't really have a song, but the Hitchhiker's Guide has always been "ours" in a way. Expressions from Adams' books have worked their way into our everyday vocabulary. Douglas Adams died suddenly on May 11, 2001. He was at the gym, and it was apparently a heart attack. Completely sudden and unexpected. Although after that it seemed like we started hearing of more cases of people who were not that old and in reasonably good shape dying suddenly. I'm thinking more recently of John Ritter, but there were at least a couple of others, I'm pretty sure. I remember reading the headline on Yahoo that day and just feeling completely stunned. Right away, I wanted to tell Demetrius. He was at a meeting of the central Ohio humanists group. I told him, and he shared it with the rest of the group. Adams was an outspoken atheist, so I think there was a "kindred spirit" connection for the group--a "He was one of us" sort of thing. Plus, a number of them were fans as well. After that I started Googling for stories about what happened--it was later said to be a heart attack, but we were pretty much hearing "collapsed at the gym" that day. (Isn't going to the gym supposed to be a healthy thing to do? We were struck by the morbid irony of this for a while: "Gee, I should go to the gym today and keep up that healthy exercise habit--except that I might die suddenly if I do!" In the process of searching for stories, I found out about his more recent projects, including internet projects, that I had never heard of. I discovered that he was a huge Macintosh fan and couldn't stand Microsoft Windows. I found that he was a founding director of h2g2, formerly The Digital Village, a digital media and Internet company with which he created the 1998 CD-ROM Starship Titanic. And I found this video he made of his 5 year old daughter Polly. That was when the tears came for me--watching this video that a doting dad made of his little girl. Click here to read about the video (John Cleese did a cameo in it) and to watch it.

I just checked the comments in the Dean blog and saw this update from Katie Thomsen on our voting machine situation in Ohio. At the April Meetup we were told that this lawsuit was a possibility, if all else failed to stop the purchase of Diebold machines: A message from DFA Columbus: Many of you are already aware of the very dire situation we’re in regarding the purchase of electronic voting machines for 31 Ohio counties. Right now, the only way to stop the purchase is to file a lawsuit to halt the purchase of these machines in time for the ’04 election. CASE (Citizens Alliance for Secure Elections) needs donations in order to cover legal fees. They’ve been working with The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), a non-profit, non-partisan organization based in California, to set up a fund for Ohio litigation on the electronic voting issue. You can pay two ways: 1. Go to the EFF website http://www.eff.org and pay by credit card online. IMPORTANT: Indicate in the "notes" section that your donation is for "Ohio E-Voting Litigation." 2. Send a check payable to Electronic Frontier Foundation and mail it to: Electronic Frontier Foundation 454 Shotwell Street San Francisco, CA 94110 415-436-9333 IMPORTANT: Be sure to write on your check that your donation is for the "Ohio E-Voting Litigation." EFF is a 501(c)(3) organization and donations to EFF are tax deductible, to the extent permissible by law. Please do this today. Give $100 if you can. If you can’t, give $20 and find 4 other people to do the same. We all are working very hard to get Bush out of office. That’s not going to happen if these machine purchases are not stopped. It’s as simple as that. Thanks to everyone! And please spread the word! Some Background on the Voting Situation: Ohio is about to making a huge mistake. In spite of all you may be hearing from the media about boards of election having second thoughts regarding the purchase of new machines, many counties are poised to purchase these flawed DRE machines for 2004. These DREs will not offer a Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) meaning voters will have no way of knowing if their vote has been recorded correctly. Also, there is no mechanism for a recount. These machines have recently been decertified in California but Ohio is moving ahead to purchase them anyway. For more, please visit http://www.verifiedvoting.org http://www.ohiovoters.org Also, check out Democrats for Ohio for updates.

A Tribute to Mothers A day late because my internet connection was down all day yesterday. I hadn't even been thinking about doing a Mother's Day post, until I heard a variation on this joke: Thomas Edison's mother: "Of course I'm proud that you invented the electric light bulb, Thomas. Now turn off that light and get to bed!" Hearing mention of Thomas Edison's mother, albeit in the context of a joke, reminded me of what a hero that woman was, though many people probably do no know it... Edison's mother, Nancy Elliott, was originally from New York until her family moved to Vienna, Canada, where she met Sam Edison, Jr., whom she later married. When Sam became involved in an unsuccessful insurrection in Ontario in the 1830s, he was forced to flee to the United States and in 1839 they made their home in Milan, Ohio. Edison was a poor student. When a schoolmaster called Edison "addled," his furious mother took him out of the school and proceeded to teach him at home. Edison said many years later, "My mother was the making of me. She was so true, so sure of me, and I felt I had some one to live for, some one I must not disappoint." At an early age, he showed a fascination for mechanical things and for chemical experiments. Temple Grandin, Ph.D. Temple Grandin is an adult with autism who parlayed her different way of thinking into a successful international career designing livestock equipment. She also designed and built the so-called "squeeze machine," which helps many people with autism relieve the anxiety commonly associated with disorder. The author of several books- including Thinking in Pictures, about her life with autism- Grandin attributes some of her success to early intervention. ... Temple Grandin's mother was recently a speaker at an autism conference: Eustacia Cutler - Temple Grandin's Mother Speaks Out - Ms. Cutler will address Temple's childhood and the challenges that she faced. Accused of "over-reacting", Eustacia proceeded on her own to where the doctors declared she had done a job that put the entire staff of The Children's Hospital to shame. "It is as rare as if Temple recovered spontaneously from leukemia." A graduate of Harvard University, with TV documentaries on retarded and emotionally disquieted children to her credit, Ms. Cutler will also explore the effect of autism on the identity of siblings and parents. Temple Grandin dedicated her book, Thinking in Pictures, to her mother. In a time when children with autism were often institutionalized, Eustacia worked tirelessly to provide Temple with what she needed to become a healthy, high functioning member of society. How many other mothers, whose names we will never know, work just as tirelessly every day, with and on behalf of their special needs children? Most of these children will not grow up to dedicate a book to their mothers. Some may never even capable of thanking their mothers for their years of sacrifice, dedication, and advocacy. Let us all, as a society, remember to thank the mothers of challenging children. Let us do all we can to help them in their struggle in any way we can--instead of blaming them for their children's behavior. What if, every time we saw a child having a tantrum in public, rather than trying to figure out what mom did wrong, we imagined what it must be like to be in her position, at this moment in time. In other words, could we train ourselves so that empathy becomes a more natural response than judgement? And, depending on the situation, we could offer a sympathetic smile, or even a kind word. Maybe something like, "Parenting is really hard work, isn't it? Often our children don't thank us for our efforts, so I'd like to say thank you so that you hear those words from someone--because you really do deserve it!"

The following is from Network's (a Catholic social justice lobby) response to Bush's State of the Union address. NETWORK's Legislative HotNews The President addressed the nation with his assessment of the state of the union and his initiatives for the final year of his term in office. NETWORK wished that the nation had heard an articulation of policies and possibilities that are based in the principles we find in the Catholic social justice tradition. The overarching Gospel principle is the obligation to attend to the poor. The moral fabric of a nation is determined by how well it provides for those who are poor in its midst. Have the President’s policies shown a special concern for the 35 million people in this nation who are poor and vulnerable? Amid the list of the proposals, nothing was outlined which would address the growing number of homeless families with children who seek safe and decent housing; the 14 million children of low-income working parents who cannot get affordable child care; or the cost of health care for the 44 million people without health insurance. Where will people who are struggling to move off welfare to pursue the elusive American dream find jobs that pay a livable wage, given that real wages have fallen and 2 million jobs have been lost since 2001. “Peace is not just the absence of war. It involves mutual respect and confidence between peoples and nations. It involves collaboration and binding agreements.” (Pope John Paul II) Peace is the fruit of justice. Has this Administration demonstrated mutual respect and collaboration in international affairs? Has the principle of justice for all been upheld? Has our nation brought about greater peace and justice by waging a pre-emptive war based on faulty reasons? Does the building of new nuclear weapons make us or the world more secure? If the United States rejects diplomacy as a way to work with other nations how will peace be waged? We are one human family and we wished that we heard how we are called to work globally for peace with justice. Government is an instrument to promote human dignity and build the common good. All people have a right and a responsibility to participate in political institutions so that government can achieve its proper goals. We wanted to hear that there is room and a need for open debate in our political process and that democracy is healthier when common ground is sought. How is it that “you are either with us or against us” became a way to deal with our neighbors? How is it that our politicians have become so polarized that differing opinions make an enemy of the other? Wouldn’t true leadership work to bring us together for the sake of the common good? The goods of the earth are gifts from God, and intended for the benefit of everyone. There is a "social mortgage" that guides our use of the world's goods, and we have a responsibility to care for these goods as stewards and trustees, not as mere consumers and users. How we treat the environment is a measure of our stewardship. If this were our guiding principle would we seek to conquer and militarize space? How does the proposed energy policy match the care of creation called for by our teachings? Click here to read the rest. And go here to see their list of priority issues. Wonder if Catholics Against Kerry is familiar with these priorities, which are organized under the broad categories of economic equity, global peace and security, and reordering budget priorities. It makes their focus on Kerry's abortion stance seem rather narrow and counter to the values emphasized by Jesus.

In response to my post of spiritual and religious understanding links, someone at the Majority Report blog pointed me to a page on the Catholics Against Kerry web site. The owner of the site is encouraging people to write to his Archbishop. It might be a good idea for some of us to write to Archbishop O'Malley and point out how Bush promotes the "culture of death" far more than Kerry does. The site includes the following quote from O'Malley: "I have not said for whom I shall vote, but I will tell you for whom I will not vote. I will not vote for any politician who will promote abortion or the culture of death, no matter how appealing the rest of his or her program might be. They are wolves in sheep’s garments, the K.K.K. without the sheets, and sadly enough, they don’t even know it. If I were ever tempted to vote for simply selfish reasons, tribal allegiances, or economic advantages rather than on the moral direction of the country, I should beat a hasty retreat from the curtain of the polling booth to the curtain of the confessional." Click here for the contact information. I don't think it would do any good to write criticizing the church's anti-abortion stance, but I think it would make sense to point out the extent to which Bush is promoting a "culture of death" and how much higher the death toll could get if he is allowed to have four more years.

So, today I'm exploring interfaith religion/spirituality links. You know, tolerance, mutual understanding and respect, what connects us type sites. Actually this started from an effort to put together a home page for my kids. It has a mix of fun and educational links--some things they chose, and some that I chose, available for them to "discover" on their own. I realized that what is missing at this point is some sites that deal with religion or spirituality. But, especially with a son who seems downright allergic to all things religious, I figured I would need to find just the right angle. So I'm trying to find some reasonably unbiased (e.g. not promoting one particular faith tradition) sites that are designed to help kids learn about the different ways people worship and believe. As usual, this foray of hunter-gathering on the web has led me to discover things other than what I was looking for. So, I'll share the links I've discovered here. And, if you know of any sites that fit what I started out looking for, could you let me know? Thanks. Pluralism Project Homepage Adherents.com a growing collection of over 41,000 adherent statistics and religious geography citations -- references to published membership/adherent statistics and congregation statistics for over 4,200 religions, churches, denominations, religious bodies, faith groups, tribes, cultures, movements, ultimate concerns, etc. Religious and Sacred Texts The Joy of Sects "The earth's spiritual traditions are a rich repository of wisdom, practical advice, and healing knowledge, as well as art, music, and mystery. This site is a place to explore all those dimensions, ask questions, and engage in dialogue. " Earth Renewal "Whether or not they know it, most of the world's religions and philosophies start from the same point. Like spokes emanating from a wheel's hub, they converge upon and diverge from a common center." Peace Seed "This site is dedicated to the concept that when one studies different religious traditions, one is struck by the repeated similarities of basic truths." The Cauldron and the Cross "This place is for those who have found or wish to find common ground between the Cauldron and the Cross, away from theology and dogma, perhaps try to eliminate misconceptions, break down barriers, maybe learn something." Fellowship of the Earth "congregation of the Universal Life Church. Dedicated to those who follow Earth Spirituality. Proud of our cultural and spiritual diversity. Educating against religious intolerance. Providing a community network of those with similar beliefs. Celebrating the Earth and Her seasons. Promoting kinship and respect for all. An Ark Called Earth "We hope to capture and preserve a glimpse of how members of all faiths and nationalities, all ages and cultures viewed their own spirituality, our planet and humanity's future at the turn of the latest millennium." Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance International Association for Religious Freedom For the Common Good: "A web site to inform about ethical, spiritual and global issues and to seek humane solutions to the challenges of globalisation." Interfaith Studies: This website will bring you into touch with issues, organisations and initiatives for inter-religious understanding and co-operation.

Anyone who is not familiar with this blog, or hasn't read it for a while, I hope you will check it out and bookmark it. Too often the war is just an abstract concept for us. It became more concrete when we were forced to look at actual pictures of the torture that has gone on. It seems like we don't face the genuine, unedited horror if we can at all avoid it. I fear that many may soon retreat into the abstract, theoretical way of thinking and talking about what our government and military are doing in Iraq. But right now, while we are paying attention, I think it is important to actually hear the voices of the people who are living this reality thousands of miles away. Baghdad Burning Just Go... People are seething with anger- the pictures of Abu Ghraib and the Brits in Basrah are everywhere. Every newspaper you pick up in Baghdad has pictures of some American or British atrocity or another. It's like a nightmare that has come to life. Everyone knew this was happening in Abu Ghraib and other places… seeing the pictures simply made it all more real and tangible somehow. American and British politicians have the audacity to come on television with words like, "True the people in Abu Ghraib are criminals, but…" Everyone here in Iraq knows that there are thousands of innocent people detained. Some were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, while others were detained 'under suspicion'. In the New Iraq, it's "guilty until proven innocent by some miracle of God". People are so angry. There’s no way to explain the reactions- even pro-occupation Iraqis find themselves silenced by this latest horror. I can’t explain how people feel- or even how I personally feel. Somehow, pictures of dead Iraqis are easier to bear than this grotesque show of American military technique. People would rather be dead than sexually abused and degraded by the animals running Abu Ghraib prison. ... I'm avoiding the internet because it feels like the pictures are somehow available on every site I visit. I'm torn between wishing they weren't there and feeling, somehow, that it's important that the whole world sees them. The thing, I guess, that bothers me most is that the children can see it all. How do you explain the face of the American soldier, leering over the faceless, naked bodies to a child? How do you explain the sick, twisted minds? How do you explain what is happening to a seven-year-old? ... I sometimes get emails asking me to propose solutions or make suggestions. Fine. Today's lesson: don't rape, don't torture, don't kill and get out while you can- while it still looks like you have a choice... Chaos? Civil war? Bloodshed? We’ll take our chances- just take your Puppets, your tanks, your smart weapons, your dumb politicians, your lies, your empty promises, your rapists, your sadistic torturers and go.

Arianna Huffington has a petition to Kerry on her site. I think the letter is quite good. I was disappointed, but not surprised, that we never got any acknowledgement of the letter and questions I sent from myself and some fellow Dean supporters. But since this is from someone higher profile and therefore has the opportunity to attract the kind of media attention that would pressure Kerry to respond, I am more optimistic that Kerry will at least "hear" it and respond in some way. Dear Senator Kerry, We all want to send George Bush home to Crawford, Texas, in November. He seems convinced that the way to win is by playing on our fears. You can prove that the answer lies in appealing to the 'better angels of our nature.' Let Bush own September 11th and the politics of fear. You should own September 12th - the spirit of generosity and community that poured forth in the aftermath of the attacks - and the politics of hope. Offer voters a bold moral vision of what America can be. A vision that is bigger than the things that divide us. A vision that brings hope and soul back to our politics and appeals to more than voters' narrow self-interests. A vision that makes America once again a respected force for good in the world. Instead of adopting the familiar - and failed - Republican-lite swing voter strategy, you can reach out to and inspire the fifty percent of eligible voters who have given up on voting. If you do, you will win not in a toss-up but a landslide. Senator Kerry, I'm ready to vote my hopes and not my fears. So please: Go Big, Ask More! " Click here to sign the petition.

Americans United: Progressive Leaders In Oklahoma Sponsor Alternative 'Day Of Prayer' Event This is very cool, I think... "Weary of the partisan political overtones and the narrow religious cast to the National Day of Prayer, a group of progressive religious leaders and church-state separation activists in Oklahoma City will hold an inclusive celebration of religious freedom this year. On May 6, the same day as the National Day of Prayer observances, the Oklahoma Chapter of Americans United, Mainstream Baptists and other advocates of church-state separation will sponsor a truly interfaith event on the steps of the Capitol Building in Oklahoma City. ... The “Interfaith Day of Prayer and Reflection” in Oklahoma City event will include more than 20 religious groups and is also open to non-theistic organizations. It will be a celebration of religious liberty as a key human right and will conclude with a period of silent reflection, during which participants may pray or not, as their consciences dictate. It will also involve the singing of the National Anthem. Prescott and his supporters also drafted an alternative proclamation and submitted it to Gov. Brad Henry. The alternative resolution celebrates “the religious diversity and freedom of conscience which served as an integral part of the foundation of our state and our nation” and expresses the hope that “this day may encourage Oklahomans to affirm our civic unity while respecting the diversity of religious beliefs and practices within our community.”"

We see a lot of news stories describing the huge "war chest" of money Bush has for his campaign...and how he continues to bring in the donations at his various fundraisers. What we sometimes forget is that as president, he also has access to a great deal of free publicity. What you see below is essentially, I believe, a campaign ad. White House prayer event to be televised on prime-time President Bush's participation in a National Day of Prayer ceremony with evangelical Christian leaders at the White House will be shown tonight, for the first time in prime-time viewing hours, on Christian cable and satellite TV outlets nationwide. Frank Wright, president of the National Association of Religious Broadcasters, said more than 1 million evangelicals are expected to see the broadcast. " I was saddened, but not surprised, to read that Mr. Bush, although he famously called the abuse of Iraqi prisoners "abhorrent", he did not apologize. I'm afraid he even considers his habit of never apologizing or admitting to any wrongdoing to be a sign of strength. Even worse, it seems that many Americans agree with him. What sort of prayer will we hear from Mr. Bush in his televised event today? Most likely not the kind that is sorely needed. I am aware that public prayer is not the kind of prayer Jesus recommended, since he is known to have said: (Matthew 6:4-6) And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. Many of us will pray or meditate in our rooms today, without fanfare. FOr what shall we pray? I pray that God touches the hearts of our leaders, and allows Mr. Bush to truly receive and heed the words of Archbishop Desmond Tutu: "How wonderful if politicians could bring themselves to admit they are only fallible human creatures and not God and thus by definition can make mistakes. Unfortunately, they seem to think that such an admission is a sign of weakness. Weak and insecure people hardly ever say 'sorry'. "It is large-hearted and courageous people who are not diminished by saying: 'I made a mistake'. President Bush and Prime Minister Blair would recover considerable credibility and respect if they were able to say: 'Yes, we made a mistake'." And I pray that all people come to recognize our shared humanity, and learn to work together toward a just and compassionate world peace.

Demetrius was able to find some time today to create a bumper sticker I've been wanting him to do. In response to all of the "God Bless America" bumper stickers (and the big sign that's in front of the gym these days), we have one that says "God Blesses All." I like that sentiment a lot better.

Alternative signs for the National Day of Prayer I was working on more, but suddenly I'm having trouble uploading. Maybe later.

From the American Atheists web site, more information about who is involved in the National Day of Prayer proceedings and who is excluded. National Day of Prayer Task Force literature claims that the event "belongs to all Americans, of all faiths. It is a day which brings together Americans from all backgrounds, transcending differences." But does it? Critics charge that NDOP is a shabby propaganda tool for religious right groups, and point to the leadership of the Task Force which is headed by Shirley Dobson. She is the wife of John Dobson of Focus on the Family, a group known for its strident criticism of gay rights, abortion, church-state separation, and programs which it considers to be "antifamily." Chris Allen, the Utah State Director of American Atheists, has been challenging National Day of Prayer activities throughout his home state for years. "The goal of the Task Force is not simply to promote prayer," says Allen, "but to mix government and religion, denying our First Amendment right to separation of state and church." He noted that each year, many governors, mayors and other public officials "prostitute themselves and their offices, with some even leading sectarian religious rallies on public property." A survey of the groups and individuals signing on to the National Day of Prayer Task force suggests that there is little or anything "unifying" about the event; many are hard-core religious right activists, or religious evangelicals-fundamentalists known for their extreme and often intolerant political agendas. At this year's National Day of Prayer event in Washington, D.C., for instance, a leading speaker will be the controversial Judge Roy Moore of Alabama. Moore has attracted considerable attention for his policy of displaying a Ten Commandments plaque above his courtroom dais in Etowah County, Alabama, and opening judicial proceedings with a Baptist prayer. When asked if he would permit prayers from other religions, he argued that America was a Christian nation, and that he would not permit any invocation from a Buddhist, Muslim or other non-Christian believer. Other evidence of the sectarian nature of this "unifying" appears at the NDOP web site, which includes links to Pat Robertson's legal arm, the American Center for Law and Justice. Other links take visitors to groups like the National Prayer Committee or the Christian Legal Society. Still others who have been involved in planning with the NDOP Task Force include representatives from the National Association of Evangelicals, the Church of the Way (linked to the extreme Promise Keepers group), The Navigator Prayer Ministry and the Southern Baptist Convention. At this year's Washington event, Franklin Graham -- playboy-turned-preacher son of Billy Graham -- will headline the program, and be joined by Dr., Lloyd Ogilvie (U.S. Senate Chaplain), Barry McCaffrey ("Drug Czar," Office of National Drug Control Policy), Rep. Steve Largent (R-OK), and others.

Update from The Village Gate. We are working on a letter-writing campaign in response to the National Day of Prayer, which is coming up on May 6. There is an action center where people who write letters can post them--that we can get ideas if we don't know quite where to start. Here is what Allen wrote... Day of Repentance for the Church Would Be Better This Thursday marks the National Day of Prayer originally declared by act of Congress in 1952. In recent years, a group calling itself the National Day of Prayer Task Force has insinuated itself into a prominent leadership role for the day’s activities. While Congress intended for the NDP to be open to people of all faiths, this organization requires all involved in its efforts to agree to a narrow doctrinal statement that would exclude most Christians, much less Jews, Muslims, or others. The “Task Force” notes that the NDP is not intended to promote any particular political view, but being chaired by the spouse of prominent Christian Right leader James Dobson and promoting the book of its honorary chairman, Oliver North, there is little doubt what political agenda this group is advocating. Thursday might be better spent as a day for the Christian church to put on sackcloth and ashes to repent of the spirit within it that would use both well-meaning Christians and our government to promote an ideology that Amos, Jeremiah and Jesus would condemn. Rev. Allen Brill Prosperity, SC Visit this site for help writing letters to the editor.

For some reason haikus seem to be all the rage lately. I see them a lot in the comments of various blogs. This morning I ran across one on the Progressive Theology web site... God's Haiku on Iraq: Some think I condone the bombing of my children. They must not know me."

Looking around the internet to see how other people might be responding to the National Day of Prayer, I found this: National Day of Reason Many who value the separation of church and state have sought an appropriate response to the federally-funded National Day of Prayer, an annual abuse of the constitution. Nontheistic Americans (including freethinkers, humanists, atheists and agnostics), along with many traditionally religious allies, view such government-sanctioned sectarianism as unduly exclusionary. A consortium of leaders from within the community of reason recently endorsed the idea of a National Day of Reason. This observance will be held in parallel with the National Day of Prayer, on the first Thursday in May (6 May 2004). The goal of this effort is to celebrate reason - a concept all Americans can support - and to raise public awareness about the persistent threat to religious liberty posed by government intrusion into the private sphere of worship. Click here to see the events that have been scheduled, or to submit your own event. Click here to see the list of endorsers of the National Day of Reason. I don't see much representation from religious progressive organizations on the list of endorsers. Maybe we should work to change that. To be an endorser, as an individual or an organization, means that you agree with the following principles: We join with all people of good will to encourage the application of reason and tolerance in public discourse and to affirm the value of maintaining the separation of church and state. In so doing, we oppose the division of America along religious lines inspired by the National Day of Prayer. The National Day of Reason is intended to be a secular alternative to the federally-proclaimed National Day of Prayer, and shall draw attention to the fact that: Reason and the scientific method continue to be used to advance humanity and are worthy of recognition; The National Day of Prayer is an exclusionary, government-funded religious observance that violates the First Amendment principle of separation of church and state; Overtly and exclusively Christian prayers in government sanctioned events discriminate against those of minority belief systems as well as those without religion; Government funding of religious activities, programs, and personnel is unconstitutional, and constitutes an inappropriate use of taxpayers' money.

I just realized that in addition to being "Loyalty Day" according to Bush, and the workers' rights holiday, May Day, today is also Beltane. I do generally try to make a point of recognizing the holidays of different faith traditions, since everyone else is pretty much can't help but know about the major Christian holidays. A while back, I remember discussing religion online with someone who noted that Bush does not consider her religion (Wicca) to be a real religion. That is, as far as I'm concerned, "not okay." I feel like we should know more about the many faiths that coexist in our nation, so I feel a little bad that it is this late at night and it just occurred to me that it is Beltane. But, how do you acknowledge it? Is there a usual greeting? Is it Happy Beltane, or Blessed Beltane? Does it count that I'm trying to be inclusive and respectful, even though I'm clumsy about it because I don't know what the heck I'm doing? Off to do some last-minute Googling.... From the Covenant of the Goddess web site: Commonly Asked Questions: "1 May, Beltaine Also called May Day. The first day of Summer, the beginning of the light half of the year. A feast of fertility and burgeoning life. "  Beltane Rituals: " BELTANE: Its History and Modern Celebration in Wicca in America by Rowan Moonstone The celebration of May 1st, or Beltane as it is known in Wicca Circles, is one of the most important festivals of our religious year. I will attempt here to answer some of the most often asked questions about this holiday. An extensive bibliography follows the article so that the interested reader can do further research. 1. Where does the festival of Beltane originate? Beltane, as practiced by modern day Witches and Pagans, has its origins among the Celtic peoples of Western Europe and the British Isles, particularly Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. 2. What does the word Beltane mean? Dr. Proinsias MacCana defines the word as follows: '... the Irish name for May Day is Beltane, of which the second element, `tene', is the word for fire, and the first, `bel', probably means `shining or brilliant'.'(1) The festival was known by other names in other Celtic countries. Beltaine in Ireland, Bealtunn in Scotland, Shenn do Boaldyn on the Isle of Mann, and Galan Mae in Wales.(2) " (click here for more) From Circle Sanctuary:  Beltane: Celebrating the Seasons: "Also known as May Eve, May Day, and Walpurgis Night, happens at the beginning of May. It celebrates the height of Spring and the flowering of life. The Goddess manifests as the May Queen and Flora. The God emerges as the May King and Jack in the Green. The danced Maypole represents Their unity, with the pole itself being the God and the ribbons that encompass it, the Goddess. Colors are the Rainbow spectrum. Beltane is a festival of flowers, fertility, sensuality, and delight. Prepare a May basket by filling it with flowers and goodwill and then give it to someone in need of healing and caring, such as a shut-in or elderly friend. Form a wreath of freshly picked flowers, wear it in your hair, and feel yourself radiating joy and beauty. Dress in bright colors. Dance the Maypole and feel yourself balancing the Divine Female and Male within. On May Eve, bless your garden in the old way by making love with your lover in it. Make a wish as you jump a bonfire or candle flame for good luck. Welcome in the May at dawn with singing and dancing. " Circle Round: Wheel of the Year (by Starhawk) At Beltane, (May Eve, May 1) the earth is fully awake and everything is blossoming. Just as Samhain was a time to connect with the dead, Beltane is the holiday that celebrates life. The Goddess and God become the lovers of all living things, and bless all forms of love. The gates between the worlds are open, and we can connect with the life-spirits of plants, animals, Fairies, and the Mysterious Ones, all those beings who awaken us to the deep mysteries. We honor all mothers who bring life into the world. From Irish Culture and Customs: May - the month of mirth and merriment - World Cultures European In ancient times, the two greatest festivals of the Celtic year were Samhain and Beltane. Samhain was the beginning of winter; it began on October 31st and ended exactly six months later on May 1st - Beltane. The name is thought to be derived from two possible sources - the Celtic pastoral God, Belenos, or the old Celtic words for "bright fire." In Ireland, as in many parts of the British Isles, bonfires were lit around Beltane- sometimes on the night before, and sometimes on the evening of the day itself. One has to always keep in mind that a Celtic feast day or festival always begins at sundown on the eve, and ends at sundown on the day. Eventually, Beltane became more strongly associated with Belenos, who is the god of light, healing and a special protector of cattle. One custom that survived for hundreds of years was driving the cows between two bonfires and carefully singeing their hair with burning material. The fields would also be treated to a singeing from the sacred bonfire, as a means of purification. Remember the old childhood rhyme, "Here we go gathering nuts in May?" Well, there are no nuts involved at all. The word was originally knots, and referred to knots or bunches of flowers. So, while May 1st was an important day in the Irish farming calendar, it was also a time to celebrate the end of winter with the gathering of flowers, dancing around bonfires or May poles, and one very special activity usually performed by Irish children - the making of a May bush. It was once thought that on Beltane, the fairies would get up to more mischief than usual. So, parents were just as eager to help their children in the creation of this important May Day symbol, because it was said to protect the family, ward off evil spirits and ensure a plentiful harvest in the coming months. In more recent times, as the influence of the Roman Catholic Church became stronger and more widespread throughout Ireland, the erecting of the May Bush was done to honor the Virgin Mary. To this day, the month of May is still thought of by Catholics as Mary's month. I can remember as a girl, my mother telling me how, when she was little, they always brought flowers to school to decorate the special May Altar to Our Lady. That wasn't required of us, but I do recall May Day assemblies, when all the girls in my school gathered to sing appropriate hymns. Does anyone else recall Cows in Australia Laytisia? (Causa Nostra Laetitia) How we used to take wicked delight in mispronouncing the compulsory Latin! ...I remember crowning the statue of the Virgin Mary back in my Catholic grade school. It was such a thrill to have that special honor. I had no idea back then how many of our Catholic traditions were derived from Pagan rituals!

From the web site of Americans United for Separation of Church and State: National Day Of Prayer - Or Politics? Religious Right Uses Prayer Day To Advance Political Agenda Congress has designated the first Thursday in May as an annual National Day of Prayer. In recent years, the event has been used by Religious Right groups to promote a controversial religious and political agenda. NDP Event Coordinators are subjected to a Christians-only religious test. The NDP Task Force website solicits volunteers to sponsor local events, but the application makes it clear that only certain Americans are welcome. Applicants must describe “My Personal Testimony (How did you come to know Jesus as your Savior?). ”They are required to list the “local church or fellowship” they attend, state how long they have been members and what ministries they have served in. In addition, local event coordinators must provide a “Christian reference” such as a pastor. Click here to read more about Americans United's concerns about the National Day of Prayer and its ties to the Religious Right. Also on the Americans United site, find out why Jefferson and Madison were opposed to governmental proclamations for days of prayer and fasting: Americans United: Nourishing The Erroneous Idea Of A National Religion: "Jefferson, Madison And Jackson On Prayer Proclamations Thomas Jefferson and James Madison opposed governmental proclamations for days of prayer and fasting. As president, Jefferson flatly refused to issue them. Madison issued such proclamations under pressure from Congress during the War of 1812 but later said he wished he hadn't. Andrew Jackson, the nation's seventh president, also refused to issue religious proclamations. Here is what Jefferson, Madison and Jackson had to say on the subject: Thomas Jefferson: On Jan. 23, 1808, Jefferson replied to a minister named Samuel Miller who had asked him to issue a religious proclamation. Denying the request, Jefferson wrote, “I consider the government of the US. as interdicted by the Constitution from intermeddling with religious institutions, their doctrines, discipline, or exercises.…. I do not believe it is for the interest of religion to invite the civil magistrate to direct its exercises, its discipline, or its doctrines; nor of the religious societies that the general government should be invested with the power of effecting any uniformity of time or matter among them. Fasting & prayer are religious exercises. The enjoining them an act of discipline. Every religious society has a right to determine for itself the times for these exercises, & the objects proper for them, according to their own particular tenets; and this right can never be safer than in their own hands, where the constitution has deposited it….[E]very one must act according to the dictates of his own reason, & mine tells me that civil powers alone have been given to the President of the US. and no authority to direct the religious exercises of his constituents.” Click here to read more. And click here for more discussion of the National Day of Prayer.