I don't often think of the words "adorable" and "archbishop" as going together, but, dang, this man is adorable! I can't think of many people of his public stature who could use words like "boo boo" and "tummy" in interviews. Yet he speaks powerfully about issues of oppression and injustice, and continues to call America to live up to its ideals as a democracy. My first night in Guantánamo Desmond Tutu is taking his off-Broadway debut in his stride. "I'm just waiting for my Tony nominations now," he says from his New York hotel. Tutu, 72, is relaxing for a few minutes after two well-received performances in Guantánamo: Honour Bound to Defend Freedom. Then he is on his way to Rochester, Chicago, Philadelphia and back home. Guantánamo, written by Gillian Slovo and former Guardian journalist Victoria Brittain, is a documentary-drama based on the transcripts of interviews with those detained at the American military base in Cuba. Tutu was asked by Slovo if he would perform the role of Lord Justice Steyn, a law lord who delivers a damning judgment on the American abuse of human rights at Guantánamo. So Tutu brought forward his trip to America to accommodate his performances at the Culture Project in Greenwich Village. ... The fact that this is not a regular war, he says, does not mean the west can lower its standards of justice. "For me, the shattering thing is discovering how there is a sense of deja vu because this was exactly the kind of argument that the South African apartheid government used to make. We asked, why do you detain people without trial? Why do you ban people? Why do you put people under house arrest without the benefit of due process? And they would say: security of the state. "You see, they have decided ahead of time that these are terrorists. The whole point of democracy is the recognition that there are rights which you cannot cancel out even when someone is a prisoner. The treatment meted out to these people, is torture. And if they had to appear before our Truth and Reconciliation, Commission we'd have said that the administration is guilty of gross violation of human rights." ... Finally, Tutu's comments about his performance: How did he go down in the role of Lord Steyn? The archbishop launches into that great, irrepressible hyena laugh. "Well, I myself had considerable butterflies in the pit of my tummy, but there's hardly any acting, really. The actors just come in and sit down and speak. And people were very nice. "When I walked on stage on Saturday, they thought they should give me a standing ovation. And at the end they didn't throw any tomatoes. They thought: that poor guy, let's give him another standing ovation. They are nice to old, decrepit men."

I just saw this headline among those in the "Christian Right" newsfeed on The Village Gate: 'America for Jesus' Plans Major Pre-Election Prayer Event Christians from all over the U.S. are being encouraged to head to the National Mall in Washington, DC, later this month for an event focused on prayer and fasting for the nation. The October event is organized by Virginia-based "America for Jesus" and targets Christians who are concerned about the moral direction of America. In case you are wondering who these "America for Jesus" people are, here is their web site. What is America For Jesus? America’s soul is in peril. But God will yet intervene on her behalf, if His people will humble themselves and pray and seek His face, and turn from their wicked ways. For this purpose, He has called them to a solemn assembly on the Mall in Washington, DC, on October 22. This is the vision He has given John Gimenez. It is similar to the vision twenty-four years ago that resulted in Washington For Jesus. While the new gathering will benefit from the experience his team gained in that and subsequent events, it is entirely new. And America’s need has never been greater.

When I woke up this morning, I checked my e-mail, and was shocked and saddened to learn that Christopher Reeve had died. Apparently it was not sudden, but a pressure wound ( a common complication for people living with paralysis) had become infected, resulting in a serious systemic infection and heart failure. I remember reading about Christopher Reeve's spiritual journey a while back in Rosie magazine. The following is an excerpt from a sermon at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Burlington: "My identity and self-esteem had always been based in the physical world." Reeve says. "I cherished health, athletics, travel, adventure. At first I couldn’t imagine living without those things. In an instant, paralysis created an indescribable void. Family, friends, and well-wishers from around the world assured me that prayers and my faith in God would comfort me. I tried to pray but I didn’t feel any better, nor did I make any kind of connection with God. I wondered what was wrong with me." He goes on, "Gradually I have come to believe that spirituality is found in the way we live our daily lives. It means spending time thinking about others. It’s not so hard to imagine that there is some kind of higher power. We don’t have to know what form it takes or exactly where it exists; just to honor it and try to live by it is enough. Because we are human we will often fail, but at least we know that we do not deserve to be punished. That knowledge makes us safe and willing to try again." "As these thoughts unfolded in the process of learning to live my new life, I had no idea that I was becoming a Unitarian. In my late forties faith and organized religion unexpectedly converged. Dana, Will and I attend services regularly, bringing along whichever nurse happens to be on duty. Sue Citarella, a lifelong practicing Catholic, has come with us a number of times and finds the welcoming, nonjudgmental atmosphere to be very rewarding. In the words of our minister, ‘We see our church as a place where people can truly be themselves, where honest doubt is not taken for heresy, and where the beliefs of the past and the present become the inspiration for future growth and discovery." In a profile of Christopher Reeve as a spritual hero, Mitch Horowitz writes: Today, Reeve holds a set of core beliefs that have emerged in his public statements since the time of his accident. They are: --a dogged certainty that the grace of something higher emerges when we muster the will to face our tragedies; --the belief that our minds wield a crucial measure of control over the health of our bodies; --and the principle that we have the potential to grow beyond what we are told is possible.

What Matthew Shepard Taught Us, by John Edwards This appeared in the Windy City Times: It was almost six years ago that we learned the name Matthew Shepherd. We might someday have learned about how this bright, kind and compassionate man contributed to our country. But we learned Matthew Shepard’s name because of the terrible way he was killed on Oct. 12, 1998. We still remember the fence where Matthew died. His brutal murder opened our country’s eyes to the hatred and violence that many gays and lesbians endure. Yet here we are, almost six years later, with a president who refuses to support legislation barring hate crimes based on sexual orientation. According to the FBI, crimes committed in 2002 due to bias based on sexual orientation represent 1 in 6 of reported hate-crime incidents. There were more than 1,200 incidents and 1500 victims in 2002 alone. John Kerry and I want an America that is stronger at home and more respected in the world. We know we cannot achieve that goal until we recognize that all Americans, including gays and lesbians, are part of the fabric of America’s family. And when it comes to family, we must protect each other. We must recognize that crimes against people because of their race, religion, or sexual orientation have no place in America. That is why John Kerry and I firmly support the bipartisan legislation that will add new protections against hate crimes motivated by the real or perceived sexual orientation of the victim. George Bush has said that this kind of legislation amounts to “special rights.” But there’s nothing special about the right to be free from hateful violence. In America, people ought to be able to take that right for granted. In Columbus, the Shepherd Initiative will hold its annual "Victims of Crimes Against Humanity" service on October 15.

Kevin posted the following on Lean Left back in March. Don't know how I didn't manage to find it until today--must have just been too wrapped up in myself to notice. ;-) I have a faith, too. Speaking of the Bush Administration Kerry asked: The scriptures say, what does it profit, my brother, if someone says he has faith but does not have works?" Kerry told the congregation at New North Side Baptist Church. "When we look at what is happening in America today, where are the works of compassion?" After describing Bush's predictable response (when my son was first verbal, his automatic response to anything he didn't want to hear was "Don't say that!". Bush is slightly more verbal than my son as a 2-year old, but the theme is the same) Kevin writes For far too long, the right wing has gulled the media and the country into thinking that its religion was the only acceptable face of Christianity. It has used the respect for all religions on the left as evidence of the left's irreligiosity. That has never been the case. The teachings of Jesus Christ are at the core of how millions define their support for liberal causes, myself included. John Kerry, with one small statement, has reminded the nation of that fact. Millions of us are liberal because of our religion. Millions of us are not represented by Opus Dei, Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, James Dobson, or any of the other right wing talking heads the media turns to when it wants to "discuss" religion in this country. Antonin Scalia does not speak for all Catholics. And Kerry's statement is also a very Catholic statement. Catholics grow up immersed in the doctrine of works -- that faith alone will not save you, your own efforts are required. Catholic doctrine also highlights the biblical injunctions to aid your neighbors, and the defense of life and dignity throughout a person's entire time on this earth. Kerry, like so many of us, has merged those strands of theology into a world view that compels us to be liberals, in action and thought if not always in name. Kerry's statement shows a depth of understanding about Catholicism that a million of Karl Rove's carefully crafted photo-ops could never hope to discredit. Every Catholic who hears that speech will hear a little bit of their upbringing. The language of religion has always been spoken comfortably on the left, even if the principle of tolerance has caused it to occasionally be spoken too quietly. John Kerry is not speaking quietly now. Whatever George W. Bush may desire, whatever the editors of the Washington Post and New York Times may decree, Christianity and faith are not the property of the right wing. I have a faith, too, as does John Kerry and millions of others. It is strong, and sincere, and, as Kerry has reminded us, powerful. And in the face of provocation and distortion, it has no reason to be silent.

Today volneysimmons shared an e-mail she received from the American Family Association: Would you please print out the list of those U.S. Senators and Representatives who voted in favor of homosexual marriage and against the traditional one man, one woman marriage? Our goal is to have 20,000,000 of these distributed. Please make at least 20 copies and pass out to your friends, at church, at work, etc. Click here to print the list in pdf version Click here to print the list in Word.doc version Sincerely, Don Donald E. Wildmon, Founder and Chairman American Family Association P.S. Please forward this email to at least one friend. Hey, I'll do better than that. Don't know how many people are reading right now, but I know it's got to be more than one. The goal here is clearly to "punish" anyone who didn't vote to write discrimination into the Constitution. I find it terribly discouraging that Christians are being targeted by Republicans so shamelessly with this wedge issue. There is so much more to the same-sex marriage bans on the ballots than most people know. I've been posting articles about Ohio's Issue 1 in my diary at Daily Kos. It's a bad, far-reaching amendment that stands a good chance of passing because people voting on it don't know the whole story. So I would say yes, by all means take note of the names on this list. You might even want to write to them and thank them, not for "voting in favor of homosexual marriage", (wording that grossly misrepresents the vote), but for refusing to write discrimination into our country's Constitution.

Tomorrow is the Feast of the Holy Rosary. I have really wanted to post something about that, but it is disheartening sometimes how hard it is to find any rosary sites with a more progressive bent. I am sure they are out there. Charlene Spretnak, author of Missing Mary, describes herself as a "pro-Mary progressive", as does Andrew Greeley in his review of the book. Kathleen Norris, the Lutheran author of Amazing Grace, The Cloister Walk, and Dakota, has written about reclaiming Mary as a significant figure in her faith. 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. Yet so much of what I find is quite conservative--overtly Republican, even. Our Lady of the Rosary Center for Peace actually has a Bush/Cheney 2004 banner on its home page. I know that would not come as much of a surprise to many people, but it does to me. Pray the rosary for peace (as the Blessed Mother is often portrayed as asking us to do) but then vote for this guy? Do we want to set this up as a challenge for God? Driving home a few days ago, I saw a house with a Bush/Cheney campaign sign, a "Support President Bush and Our Troops" sign, and a semi-circle of American flags surrounding a statue of the Virgin Mary. One of Mary's many names is "Queen of Peace". It just seemed so wrong. I had a brief, irrational urge to "rescue" that statue. Of course I didn't. But what I must do is stand with pro-Mary progressives like Charlene Spretnak in reclaiming Mary as a progressive--even "subversive" voice.

I found out about this in the comments at The Village Gate. The Kerry, Edwards prayer team web site is LIVE!!! visit us at www.keprayerteam.org Submit a prayer, blessing or petition Affirm, visualize and or light a candle God Bless you, keep the faith and enjoy! Mary Lottie (please help us pass the news and build our community) I checked, and it's pretty cool--obviously a lot of work went into it. Click here to visit the site.

My friend Kimmy just posted this in the Blog for America comments, and since tomorrow is the deadline for voter registration in many states (including Ohio) I thought it should be posted as many places as possible. Don't want anyone to miss the chance to vote because they didn't know. In most states, tomorrow (Monday, October 4th) is the last day to register to vote. For those of you who've yet to register, PLEASE make sure you do it tomorrow! And for those who've registered but not received anything back, make sure your registration went through properly. In order to do either of these things, call your local Board of Elections, and they can tell you exactly what you need to do. When calling these numbers, simply tell them you're looking to register or verify your registration. They should be able to help you do so. State Voter Registration Phone Numbers and Links ALABAMA Elections Division (334) 242-4337 http://www.sos.state.al.us/ ALASKA Division of Elections, Juneau, AK (907) 465-4611 http://www.gov.state.ak.us/ltgov/elections/homepage.html ARIZONA Election Services (602) 542-8683 http://www.sosaz.com/ ARKANSAS Election Department, Little Rock, AR (501) 682-3419 http://www.sosweb.state.ar.us/ CALIFORNIA Elections Division, Sacramento, CA (916) 657-2166 http://www.ss.ca.gov/elections/elections.htm COLORADO Elections Center, Denver, CO (303) 894-2680 http://www.sos.state.co.us/ CONNECTICUT Elections Office, Hartford, CT (860) 509-6100 http://www.sots.state.ct.us/ DELAWARE Office of State Election Commissioner, Dover, DE (302) 739-4277 http://www.state.de.us/sos DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Board of Elections and Ethics, Washington, DC (202) 727-2525 http://www.dcboee.org FLORIDA Division of Elections, Tallahassee, FL (850) 245-6200 http://dos.state.fl.us GEORGIA Elections Division, Atlanta, GA (404) 656-2871 http://www.sos.state.ga.us/elections/default.htm HAWAII Elections Division, Honolulu, HI (808) 453-8683 http://www.hawaii.gov/elections/index.html IDAHO Office of Secretary of State for Elections, Boise, ID (208) 334-2300 http://www.idsos.state.id.us/elect/eleindex.htm ILLINOIS Board of Elections, Springfield, IL (217) 782-4141 http://www.elections.state.il.us/ INDIANA Election Division, Indianapolis, lN (317) 232-3939 http://www.state.in.us/sos/elections/index.html IOWA Office of Secretary of State, Des Moines, IA (515) 281-5865 http://www.sos.state.ia.us/elections/ KANSAS Elections and Legislative Matters Division of the SOS, Topeka, KS (785) 296-4565 http://www.kssos.org/ KENTUCKY State Board of Elections, Frankfort, KY (502) 573-7100 http://www.sos.state.ky.us/ LOUISIANA Elections Division, Baton Rouge, LA (225) 342-4970 http://www.sec.state.la.us/ MAINE Division of Elections, Augusta, ME (207) 624-7650 http://www.state.me.us/sos/ MARYLAND Board of Elections, Annapolis, MD (410) 269-2840 http://www.elections.state.md.us MASSACHUSETTS Elections Division, Boston, MA (617) 727-2828 http://www.state.ma.us/sec/ MICHIGAN Office of Director of Elections, Lansing MI (517) 373-2540 http://www.sos.state.mi.us/ MINNESOTA Office of Secretary of State, St Paul, MN (651) 251-1440 (metro area) 1-877-600-8683 (outside metro area) http://www.state.mn.us/ebranch/sos/ MISSISSIPPI Elections Office, Jackson, MS (601) 576-2550 OR 1-800-829-6786 http://www.sos.state.ms.us/ MISSOURI Election Services, Jefferson City, MO (573) 751-2301 http://mosl.sos.state.mo.us/ MONTANA Elections and Legislative Bureau, Helena, MT (406) 444-4732 http://sos.state.mt.us/css/index.asp NEBRASKA Office of Secretary of State, Lincoln, NE (402) 471-2554 http://www.nol.org/home/SOS/ NEVADA Office of Secretary of State for Elections, Carson City, NV (775) 684-5705 http://sos.state.nv.us/ NEW HAMPSHIRE Election Division, Concord, NH (603) 271-3242 http://webster.state.nh.us/sos NEW JERSEY Division of Elections, Law & Public Safety, Trenton, NJ (609) 292-3760 http://www.state.nj.us/lps/elections/ NEW MEXICO Bureau of Elections, Santa Fe, NM (505) 827-3600 http://www.sos.state.nm.us/elect.htm NEW YORK State Board of Elections, Albany, NY (518) 474-6220 http://www.elections.state.ny.us/ NORTH CAROLINA State Board of Elections, Raleigh, NC (919) 733-7173 http://www.sboe.state.nc.us/ NORTH DAKOTA (701) 328-4146 http://www.state.nd.us/ OHIO Office of Secretary of State, Columbus, OH (614) 466-2585 http://www.state.oh.us/sos/elecpage.html OKLAHOMA State Election Board, Oklahoma City, OK (405) 521-2391 http://www.oklaosf.state.ok.us/~elections/ OREGON Elections Division, Salem, OR (503) 986-1518 http://www.sos.state.or.us/elections/elechp.htm PENNSYLVANIA Office of Commissioner of Elections, Harrisburg, PA (717) 787-5280 http://www.dos.state.pa.us/election/cel.htm RHODE ISLAND Office of Director of Elections, Providence, RI (401) 222-2345 http://www.corps.state.ri.us/ELECTIONS/elections_division.htm SOUTH CAROLINA State Election Commission, Columbia, SC (803) 734-9060 http://www.state.sc.us/scsec/ SOUTH DAKOTA Office of Supervisor of Election, Pierre, SD (605) 773-3537 http://www.state.sd.us/sos/sos.htm TENNESSEE Elections Office, Nashville, TN (615) 741-7956 http://www.state.tn.us/sos/sos.htm TEXAS Office of Secretary of State, Austin, TX (512) 463-5650 or 800-252-8683 http://www.sos.state.tx.us/ UTAH Office of Director of Elections, Salt Lake City, UT (801) 538-1041 http://www.governor.state.ut.us/menu/html/elections.html VERMONT Office of Secretary of State, Montpelier, VT (802) 828-2304 http://www.sec.state.vt.us/elections/electdex.htm VIRGINIA State Board of Elections, Richmond, VA (804) 786-6551 http://www.sbe.state.va.us/ WASHINGTON Office of Election Director, Olympia, WA (360) 902-4151 http://www.secstate.wa.gov/ WEST VIRGINIA Office of Chief of Staff, Charleston, WV (304) 558-6000 http://www.state.wv.us/sos/election/ WISCONSIN State Elections Board, Madison, WI (608) 266-8005 http://seb.state.wi.us/ WYOMING Deputy Secretary of State, Cheyenne, WY (307) 777-7186 http://soswy.state.wy.us/election/election.htm

A friend of mine just sent me a link to a site I'd never heard of before. Godchecker - Your Guide To The Gods. Mythology with a twist! Further evidence that I need at least an hour or two added to every day, just have enough time for reading, not just the things I have to read, but the things that make me think, "Hey, that looks pretty interesting! I'll have to look at that in more detail when I've got some free time." (By the way, have you seen my free time? I'm pretty sure I'm missing some. I'll bet it's in one of those boxes in the basement, but I just can't seem to find the time to look through all of them...) Some things you can find on the site: Mythmatics--The Mythology of Numbers On the link from the home page, the number shown was 42. I smiled, wondering if it really was going to be a Douglas Adams reference. Sure enough... Forty-two is the Ultimate Answer to Life, the Universe and Everything. At least in Magrathean mythology. It is also the mystic number which obsessed Lewis Carroll when he was writing about Alice and Boojums. In the Pantheons, you can find out about African, Australian, Aztec, Celtic, Chinese, Egyptian, Finnish, Greek, Incan, Mayan, Native American, and Norse gods, with more coming soon. Here's the introduction to the site: Welcome to Godchecker - your Guide to the Gods. We have more Gods than you can shake a stick at. Godchecker's Mythology Encyclopedia currently features over 1,600 deities. Browse the pantheons of the world, explore ancient myths, and discover Gods of everything from Fertility to Fluff with the fully searchable Holy Database Of All Known Gods So click here and have a look...

Blessing of the Pets Here is an example of a Blessing of Pets Liturgy This is another variation, from the Web of Creation web site. Finally, I quite like this sermon by Rev. Dr. Bob Rowlands: One of the great things about having E-mail is all the wonderfully enjoyable tit-bits that pop-up on my computer screen. Most of the time, these tit-bits take the form of jokes, that lighten my mood and improve my day. But, sometimes, these tit-bits that I get in my E-mail are NOT funny. Instead, they are serious and thought-provoking. That's what happened this past week when I got this message: "If you can start your day without caffeine, If you can be cheerful, ignoring aches and pains, If you can resist complaining and boring people with your troubles, If you can understand when loved ones are too busy to give you time, If you can overlook it when people take things out on you, when, through no fault of yours, something goes wrong, If you can face the world without lies and deceit, If you can eat the same food, day-after-day, and be grateful for it, If you can conquer tension without medical help, If you can relax without alcohol, If you can sleep without the aid of drugs... ...If you can do ALL these things, then, you are probably the FAMILY DOG. I don't know who it was who wrote this (the author is unknown), but, whoever it was, they wrote it because they had stumbled upon a profound truth. The profound truth is that, in many ways, animals are superior to people. What kind of arrogance is it, that makes human beings think that we are superior to the other animals who populate this earth? We are NOT!!! We are most certainly DIFFERENT from the other animals who populate this earth, but we should not kid ourselves, we should not flatter ourselves, into thinking that we are superior to them. Yes, I am well-aware of the fact that the scripture that we just read informs us that humankind was made "in the image of God." That means, that we humans, unlike the other sentient creatures that God has made, have the unique ability to CONSCIOUSLY relate to God. Essentially, that means that we humans have the ability to pray. It means that we humans have the ability to talk to God, and have a conscious and personal relationship with our Maker. I do not believe that my cat has the ability to CONSCIOUSLY communicate with his Maker. But, that does not mean that my cat cannot experience an UNconscious relationship with God, of which I am unaware, which enables him to live in harmony with his Creator. And, in fact, the evidence suggest exactly that!!! Click here for the rest.

Animal Blessings on the Feast Day of St. Francis Sunday, October 3, is Take Your Pet to Church Day in many congregations around the country. All right--actually it's the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi. Many churches celebrate by doing a blessing of the animals. The Episcopal church I ordinarily attend is having a brief service inside the church, including communion "for the two-legged attendees" (we're an "Open Table" congregation, but offering Rover the Body of Christ would apparently be pushing things a bit too far.) Another local church where I sometimes attend weekday services is having an outdoor event with demonstrations by people from the zoo on Sunday evening, along with a pet treat sale and a blessing of the animals. The actual feast day is on October 4, but a lot of churches are doing blessings on Sunday. Anybody else have a pet blessing in your neck of the woods? The American Catholic web site has a partial listing of pet blessings around the U.S., but I think that's just for Catholic churches, and a lot of people probably didn't know to send in their details.

Thanks to rojopelo in the comments for alerting me to this editorial in the National Catholic Reporter: NCR Editorial: Partisans try to narrow Catholics' choices Roughly 25 million Catholics will vote in the upcoming presidential election. Approximately half — give or take a few hundred thousand — will cast their ballots for George W. Bush; the other 12.5 million or so for John Kerry. The latter, say a handful of bishops and a group of Catholic pundits, are sinners. Last May, Colorado Springs, Colo., Bishop Michael Sheridan issued a pastoral letter in which he said that Catholics who vote for pro-abortion rights candidates (or those who favor euthanasia, embryonic stem cell research or gay marriage) should refrain from receiving Communion until they confess their sin. He was taking the matter well beyond the original question of whether Kerry should be welcomed at Communion. While his approach seemed to many a little eccentric and not-too-subtly partisan, the Sheridan formulation is gaining momentum. And, on the page with that article was a link to this one: Critics charge that Washington cardinal misled bishops’ conference A senior U.S. Catholic leader is being accused by critics of misleading his brother bishops and misrepresenting Vatican guidance on the question of how the church should treat Catholic politicians who support abortion rights, reports NCR Washington correspondent Joe Feuerherd.

In response to a thread at Blog for America about the Republicans sending out "Democrats will take away your Bibles!" flyers: Is John Kerry a good Catholic? By Joan Chittister,OSB Catholic Voting Project (nonpartisan) Christians for Kerry/Edwards Kerry Catholics Public Christian The Center for Progressive Christianity The Interfaith Alliance Tikkun Engaged Buddhist Religions for Peace Every Voice Network Faithful America Sojourners: Christians for Justice and Peace Fellowship of Reconciliation The Village Gate Fellowship Magazine

Cool--I just found this site linked from Juan Cole's blog: Church Folks for a Better America An Appeal to America We are Christians, from different communions. And citizens who span the political spectrum. We grieve that our nation is not standing for “liberty and justice for all,” nor treating Iraqis as we would be treated. We believe that accountability begins at home, that wise leaders know their mistakes, and that honest leaders admit them. Fear and resentment will never guide us to a just and lasting peace. Any nation that hopes to be “under God” must live for a positive vision of world community, not a blind response to terrorism that tragically makes others see us as if we were terrorists ourselves.

Thank you Jimmy Carter I didn't know until someone posted a comment about it at Blog for America (I don't watch news) that today was former President Jimmy Carter's birthday. Knowing that, I feel I would be remiss if we did not honor him in some way today. Mr. Carter has been both an eloquent, intelligent voice against the war in Iraq, and a positive present day example of a Christian who really "walks the walk". Thank you, President Jimmy Carter, for continuing to work for justice. For continuing to be an outspoken advocate for peace, and an example of what William Sloane Coffin calls the "good kind" of patriot: Coffin reminded us that there are three kinds of patriots, two of them bad, and one good. The first kind are the uncritical lovers of their country. “To say our country right or wrong is the same as saying my grandmother drunk or sober; it doesn't advance any argument,” he told us. The second kind are those who are loveless critics. Coffin says that you have to hate what's wrong with your country or you become sentimental but if you hate what's wrong more than you love what’s right you become a good hater but not a good patriot. Good patriots, he says, are those who love their country enough to address its flaws. They are the ones who carry on a lovers quarrel with their country, wanting it to be its best and doing what they can to help make it so. In the words of Mark Twain, “Patriotism means being loyal to your country all the time and to its government when it deserves it.”

Happy Michaelmas I actually did not know today was  Michaelmas--don't think I had ever heard the word before--until the priest told us at a noon service today. So of course, I looked it up, and discovered that, much like Christmas and Easter, its timing allows it to replace earlier pagan celebrations of the season. This Christian saint, Prince of All Angels, is an archangel who was the leader of the army of God during the Lucifer uprising, casting Satan out of Paradise. He is one of only two angels named in the Bible, the other being Gabriel. He is associated with the planet Mercury. Muslims, Christians and Jews all express devotion to him, and there are writings about him in all three religions. Considered the guardian angel of Israel, Michael's name means in Hebrew, "Who is like God?". From School of the Seasons: In medieval England, Michaelmas on September 29 functioned as the start of a new business year, a time for making contracts, paying rent, hiring servants, holding court and starting school. Again, food was symbolic. If you eat goose on Michaelmas, you shall not want all year. From the Religious Tolerance.org page describing the Fall Equinox celebrations of Christianity, Pagans, Neopagans, etc. The Christian Church replaced earlier Pagan solstices and equinox celebrations during Medieval times, with Christianized observances. Replacing the fall equinox is Michaelmas, the feast of the Archangel Michael, on SEP-29. "His feast was celebrated with a traditional well-fattened goose which had fed well on the stubble of the fields after the harvest. In many places, a there was also a tradition of special large loaves of bread made only for that day. By Michaelmas the harvest had to be completed and the new cycle of farming would begin. It was a time for beginning new leases, rendering accounts and paying the annual dues."

Prayer for Leadership Give us, O God, leaders whose hearts are large enough to match the breadth of our own souls and give us souls strong enough to follow leaders of vision and wisdom. In seeking a leader, let us seek more than development for ourselves-- though development we hope for-- more than security for our own land-- though security we need-- more than satisfaction for our wants-- though many things we desire. Give us the hearts to choose the leader who will work with other leaders to bring safety to the whole world. Give us leaders who lead this nation to virtue without seeking to impose our kind of virtue on the virtue of others. Give us a government that provides for the advancement of this country without taking resources from others to achieve it. Give us insight enough ourselves to choose as leaders those who can tell strength from power, growth from greed, leadership from dominance, and real greatness from the trappings of grandiosity. We trust you, Great God, to open our hearts to learn from those to whom you speak in different tongues and to respect the life and words of those to whom you entrusted the good of other parts of this globe. We beg you, Great God, give us the vision as a people to know where global leadership truly lies, to pursue it diligently, to require it to protect human rights for everyone everywhere. We ask these things, Great God, with minds open to your word and hearts that trust in your eternal care. Amen. --Joan Chittister, OSB

Malaysia's Abdullah Says Islamic Nations Should Rebuild Iraq So, can we think about leaving now? Soon? Is it possible that the U.S. brand name on this effort is making this take longer--and making it more costly in both lives and resources? Malaysia, which opposed the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003, has said it is willing to provide humanitarian assistance for Iraq's reconstruction. It won't contribute troops to a Muslim force in Iraq proposed by Saudi Arabia in July. Last month, former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said a Muslim security force for Iraq that has the backing of Iraq's interim government won't happen unless the U.S. withdraws from the country. ``We support that the post-invasion reconstruction of Iraq takes place under the supervision of the United Nations,'' Abdullah said. ``We will actively assist efforts undertaken by the UN to rehabilitate Iraq.'' Click for the rest.

Don, from my church, just sent me this in an e-mail. Hope you'll share it with anyone who needs to see it. IF AMERICA WERE IRAQ, WHAT WOULD IT BE LIKE? By Juan Cole Professor of History at the University of Michigan Wednesday, September 22, 2004 President Bush said Tuesday that the Iraqis are refuting the pessimists and implied that things are improving in that country. What would America look like if it were in Iraq's current situation? The population of the US is over 11 times that of Iraq, so a lot of statistics would have to be multiplied by that number. Thus, violence killed 300 Iraqis last week, the equivalent proportionately of 3,300 Americans. What if 3,300 Americans had died in car bombings, grenade and rocket attacks, machine gun spray, and aerial bombardment in the last week? That is a number greater than the deaths on September 11, and if America were Iraq, it would be an ongoing, weekly or monthly toll. And what if those deaths occurred all over the country, including in the capital of Washington, DC, but mainly above the Mason Dixon line, in Boston, Minneapolis, Salt Lake City, and San Francisco? What if the grounds of the White House and the government buildings near the Mall were constantly taking mortar fire? What if almost nobody in the State Department at Foggy Bottom, the White House, or the Pentagon dared venture out of their buildings, and considered it dangerous to go over to Crystal City or Alexandria? Click here for the full article.

I just saw a link to this article in a comment on the Kerry blog: GOP urges Catholics to shun Kerry. The article tells of an official GOP web site, http://www.KerryWrongForCatholics.com, which, predictably, cites reasons Catholics should vote against Kerry. Hmm...I don't know if we have anything "official" to counter that (doesn't seem like the DNC's style) but if you take a look at this page of grassroots resources, you might find something helpful. This in particular could be a useful way to counter the attacks: Why Evangelical Christians Must Vote Against George W. Bush, by Oscar (also available as a trifold brochure, PDF) And, if any Catholics are tempted to cast a vote for Bush, they should probably check this out first: Bush's "Christian" Blood Cult: Concerns Raised by the Vatican. Finally, Joan Chittister, OSB, wrote an article in May entitled, "Is John Kerry a good Catholic?" When I was growing up, for a Catholic to eat meat on Fridays was a "mortal sin," the kind of thing for which you went directly to hell, they told us -- no passing go, no collecting $200. But no Catholic lawmaker I know of introduced legislation to close grocery store meat departments on Fridays to protect Catholics from error or to save others from sin. Click here for the rest of the article, which goes on to discuss positions of Kerry's that are very much in line with Catholic teaching.

High Holy Days on the Net - The Jewish Holiday of Yom Kippur Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is the most sacred of the Jewish holidays, the "Sabbath of Sabbaths." By Yom Kippur the 40 days of repentance, that begin with the first of Elul, have passed. On Rosh Hashanah G-d has judged most of mankind and has recorded his judgement in the Book of Life. But he has given a 10 day reprieve. On Yom Kippur the Book of Life is closed and sealed. Those that have repented for their sins are granted a good and happy New Year. Since Yom Kippur is the day to ask forgiveness for promises broken to G-d, the day before is reserved for asking forgiveness for broken promises between people, as G-d cannot forgive broken promises between people. Yom Kippur is a day of "NOT" doing. The is no blowing of the Shofar and Jews may not eat or drink, as fasting is the rule. It is believed that to fast on Yom Kippur is to emulate the angels in heaven, who do not eat, drink, or wash. Click for more.

Religious voices against the "Pledge Protection Act" So...plenty of "protecting" and "defending" going on these days. Too bad it is only certain worldviews that are deemed deserving. We can't manage to protect our country by inspecting cargo containers coming into the United States. Many American troops were sent to Iraq without life-saving Kevlar in their jackets. But what are many politicians concerned about "protecting"? Their definition of marriage, as we discussed earlier, and now the two words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance. And another thing no one ever seemed to worry about defending is the integrity of the original Pledge, which Rev. Francis Bellamy put a great deal of thought into: The original Pledge of Allegiance was introduced after more than a century of our nation's history. The author, the Reverend Francis Bellamy, grew up during the Civil War. He was acutely aware of the struggle that would decide whether "E Pluribus Unum" was true, or if our states were in fact divisible. Accordingly, he composed "one nation indivisible," with no comma separating nation from indivisible. Liberty and justice, words with religious as well as democratic connotations, were selected from the preamble of the U. S. Constitution. He recognized that "for some" ought to be the concluding phrase if a description of his contemporary America was intended, but he thought that the Pledge should affirm the unfulfilled ideal of "liberty and justice for all" toward which America was moving. Bellamy, like Emma Lazarus (author of "The New Colossus," the poem on the plaque at the foot of the Statue of Liberty), tried to raise awareness of poor immigrants who were "yearning to breathe free." He authored the Pledge during the Gilded Age, when business tycoons stressed economic liberty to the exclusion of justice for all. Finding that his affluent Boston Baptist congregation did not share his passion for addressing social disparities, Bellamy left the pastorate to become an editor of The Youth's Companion, which aimed at instilling public virtue. In 1892, he published in that popular magazine a pledge that he hoped public school students would recite on Columbus Day, which Congress had just recognized. With minor modifications in the early twentieth century, the Pledge came to be widely used, though two generations passed before it received official governmental endorsement. According to Bellamy's granddaughter, he would have resented the addition of the words "under God" in 1954. He had been pressured into leaving his church in 1891 because of his socialist sermons. In his retirement in Florida, he stopped attending church because he disliked the racial bigotry he found there. You can read more about the history of the Pledge of Allegiance in the linked text above, and on the web site of the Pledge Restoration Project. On the CNN Law Center, Marci Hamilton, a visiting scholar at the Princeton Theological Seminary, writes about the Lunacy of the Pledge Protection Act. The fundamental disconnect in this entire debate was beautifully illustrated by former Alabama Judge Roy Moore's testimony before the House Judiciary Committee on an even more extreme bill stripping the federal courts of constitutional review. Moore said that current Establishment Clause doctrine "requires the complete removal of God from the public square." This is constitutional sleight of hand. The public square is that place where the many private voices in this society can be heard. The First Amendment exists to keep the government from intruding on that square, not to ensure the government -- or a cabal of believers--dominates it. In fact, after many years of federal judicial review of First Amendment issues, the public square is filled with a wide array of voices, including many religious voices, like Moore's. What Moore and those behind this embarrassing bill are chafing against is the fact they cannot use the government's power to back up their religious views. The Rev. Barry Lynn has also condemned the proposed amendment "This bill is a dramatic assault on the courts and individual rights, wrapped in phony patriotism," said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, Americans United executive director. "This is election-year grandstanding at its worst. (By the way, Americans United also has a blog, The Wall of Separation, which you might want to check out.) Finally, click here to see a coalition letter from religious, civil rights, and civil liberties organizations, urging the House Judiciary Committee to oppose the "Pledge Protection Act."

Pax Christi USA, the Catholic peace movement, has drafted a statement, "Life Does Not End at Birth: Catholics Called to Vote For the Common Good". The following is an excerpt from the statement: The Catholic Church teaches that all life is sacred. A candidate for office must understand that the Church stands against any policy or course of action which diminishes life, dignity or the rights of the human person: abortion, capital punishment, war, scandalous poverty, denial of healthcare, mistreatment of immigrants and racism, to name but a few. All are essential issues to a "pro-life" voter. From Pope John XXIII through Pope John Paul II, Catholic teaching and tradition has consistently raised the immorality and injustice of modern warfare as a serious affront to our Church's proclamation of the sanctity of life. Over the past two years we have seen more than 1,000 U.S. military and more than 15,000 innocent Iraqi civilians killed in what Pope John Paul II repeatedly stated was an unjust and unnecessary war. Contrary to words used in political speeches, a commitment to the sanctity of life must be judged by the actions taken to defend and promote life in all its forms. War is a defeat for the culture of life and political leaders that bring about or perpetuate war sin against God and humanity and cannot be considered in any sense of the word "pro-life." To endorse this statement, and donate toward the cost of getting it published in newspapers across the country, click here. If you would like to endorse the statement, but cannot give a donation at this time, click here. See also The 2004 Catholic Voter Guide, which strives to be a nonpartisan resource for Catholic voters.

On the 11th, I posted a time-sensitive announcement from Lift Every Voice--inviting people to join in a collaborative writing process Register to join the 1,000 Christians who will write, in two days, a consensus declaration to change the direction of American political life. This declaration will give visibility and authority to mainstream and progressive Christians and expose the narrow, punitive, dangerous nature of the right-wing Christianity now found in the highest reaches of American government. The declaration has now been completed, and can be viewed here. Click here for a downloadable PDF. The following is a brief excerpt from the declaration: Christian faith calls every believer to love God, love neighbor, and seek to heal a broken world. In honoring that call, we honor the inviolable dignity of every human being and we treasure the natural environment as God's good creation. As Christ bears witness to God's love for the world, faithful Christians bear witness to the love that lies at the heart of all that is. We believe that reconciliation and forgiveness are always possible and always necessary. We know that God still speaks, yet we acknowledge that it is through a multiplicity of diverse voices that God's voice for justice can, will, and must emerge. These manifold voices for justice require that we heal the sick, release the prisoner, bind up the wounded, and care for the orphan. "As you do unto the least of these, you do unto me." Christian faith requires that those who have received God's abundance provide for those in need, and so we must insist that God's abundance be shared. We must demand justice for those of our society who live on the margins, those whose very survival is a daily challenge, those whose labors are neither recognized nor dignified, those who cannot demand justice for themselves. As Christ came to bring good news to the poor and oppressed, so must we.

Defending my marriage? Is *that* why we need the AK-47s? Such a sad irony that our country was unable to pass an Equal Rights Amendment, but we now have eleven states responding to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court decision allowing same-sex marriage by proposing to alter their constitutions or statutes to require that the partners be one man and one woman. And back in February, Bush called for an amendment to the United States Constitution, in order to "protect the institution of marriage". This very day, September 18, 2004, people in Louisiana are voting on a Defense of Marriage Amendment to their state constitution. So, it's okay to let a ban on assault weapons expire, but marriage is in terrible danger and must be "defended"? From what? From whom? And, is that what we're going to be needing those AK-47s for? Yeah, I know--somehow the argument is that allowing two men or two women to marry is somehow "damaging" to the institution of marriage. I don't get that. Maybe that's why I find this parody song by Roy Zimmerman so funny: Every time we think about same-sex marriage Makes us sick to our guts I mean, two people who want to commit to a stable monogamous life-long relationship What are they, nuts? This attitude, I suppose, makes me some sort of flaming liberal and far outside the mainstream in American society. Or that's what the Republican spinmeisters would have you believe. A more accurate response would be that, as someone whose own marriage would have been illegal in some states as recently as the mid-1960s, I'm a little touchy about the idea of the government passing laws against committed, consensual adult relationships.

Note: the following entry is published in both my Daily Kos diary and my blog at the Village Gate. To understand why, please read on... So, the big buzz as of yesterday is the the RNC is warning West Virginia voters that "the Bible will be prohibited and men will marry men if liberals win in November." No one has taken away their Bibles yet--so they should have heard of this: Exodus 20:16-18 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. So, another nutty, desperate, fear-mongering plea from radical Republicans. How will we respond? There is plenty of discussion on this matter already, so I will offer one humble suggestion... Can we please, as liberals, progressives, Democrats, or whatever it is we are calling ourselves (when it comes down to it, people who want Bush out of office) stop playing into these people's hands? Can we start reminding people of the important role religious progressives played in the civil rights movement? And that it was a Baptist minister, Francis Bellamy, who wrote the original Pledge of Allegiance--the one that did not contain the words "under God"? And that Barry Lynn, the Executive Director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ? It is not surprising to see the RNC play up the common caricature of the Democratic party. Why not counter that by becoming more willing to show what we really look like? As the party of the people, we look like America--that same America of which Barack Obama so powerfully said: We worship an awesome God in the Blue States, and we don’t like federal agents poking around our libraries in the Red States. We coach Little League in the Blue States and have gay friends in the Red States. There are patriots who opposed the war in Iraq and patriots who supported it. We are one people, all of us pledging allegiance to the stars and stripes, all of us defending the United States of America. In this election season, progressives have been more pragmatic than they were in the year 2000, as demonstrated by the "electability" refrain we heard throughout the primary season and the emergence of web sites like Repentant Nader Voter and Greens for Kerry. Given what is at stake in the November election, and given that most Americans say they want politicians to address matters of faith, isn't it time for Democrats to be more openly welcoming to religious progressives? We are ready and willing to take our place at the table. We're not going to try to baptize you when you're not looking. We're not even going to insist on pronouncing a blessing. We want only to work with you, side by side, toward our mutual goal of defeating one of the most stubborn, arrogant, and ungodly men to ever hold the office of President of the United States. And toward our long term goal of making the America we live in look more like the America Barack Obama described in his speech at the Democratic National Convention when he said that we as Americans share: A belief that we are connected as one people. If there’s a child on the south side of Chicago who can’t read, that matters to me, even if it’s not my child. If there’s a senior citizen somewhere who can’t pay for her prescription and has to choose between medicine and the rent, that makes my life poorer, even if it’s not my grandmother. If there’s an Arab American family being rounded up without benefit of an attorney or due process, that threatens my civil liberties. It’s that fundamental belief—I am my brother’s keeper, I am my sisters’ keeper—that makes this country work. It’s what allows us to pursue our individual dreams, yet still come together as a single American family. “E pluribus unum.” Out of many, one.

These are the introductory paragraphs to the Judaism 101 page about Rosh Hashanah. THe site also includes A Gentile's Guide to Jewish Holidays. Rosh Hashanah occurs on the first and second days of Tishri. In Hebrew, Rosh Hashanah means, literally, "head of the year" or "first of the year." Rosh Hashanah is commonly known as the Jewish New Year. This name is somewhat deceptive, because there is little similarity between Rosh Hashanah, one of the holiest days of the year, and the American midnight drinking bash and daytime football game. There is, however, one important similarity between the Jewish New Year and the American one: Many Americans use the New Year as a time to plan a better life, making "resolutions." Likewise, the Jewish New Year is a time to begin introspection, looking back at the mistakes of the past year and planning the changes to make in the new year. Please use the comments to share any thoughts, links, memories, or other free associations about Rosh Hashanah. I truly believe we all need to learn more about each other's beliefs and traditions, so if you celebrate Rosh Hashanah, I invite you to share with us here.

Tricycle Buddhist Review interview with Dennis Kucinich: There's so much talk these days about faith and politics, and it often has a very evangelical flavor. How does this differ from the spiritual values that you talk about? The founding fathers were clear about separation of church and state. So they established a democratic system that ensures freedom of religion and prohibits the establishment of a state religion. At the same time, the founders imbued the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution with an ethical and spiritual tone. The separation of church and state was never meant to imply a government devoid of spiritual principles. Actually, the two are compatible. But fear of violating this separation leads some people to reject any discussion with spiritual overtones. As a result, we lose the opportunity to strengthen our institutions by asking that they pay attention to the spiritual implications of their actions. Read the rest of the article here

In case you hadn't checked in with the Clergy Network for National Leadership Change lately, I thought you should know that they seem to be getting into high gear for the upcoming election and are looking for local leaders for their efforts: A Program for the next two crucial months: Local Clergy Network committees need to be organized for at least three basic tasks during the next two months up to Election Day: 1) To give a public face and voice in a local community to a progressive religious social vision and the need for national leadership change. Clergy and other religious leaders joining together brings mutual support, reinforces shared moral influence and neutralizes the excessive claims of the religious right to be the sole guardians of public truth. Simple vehicles can be used: candidate forums, public ads or statements, op-ed pieces, letters to the editor, news releases to local media outlets, brief pieces for inclusion in congregational newsletters or bulletins and the like. There is time for a flurry of activities that can have impact. 2) To get progressive religious people to vote. Each congregation needs to set a goal of 100% voter registration. Registration has to completed in most states 30 days prior to Election Day. Check with local voting officials for specific registration requirements. But this means that September needs to be Voter Registration Month. This is a strictly nonpartisan activity and a registration program can be conducted in each congregation. Then this needs to be expanded with voter education programs and a plan to mobilize registered voters to get to the polls and actually vote. 3) To promote "Pastors at the Polls" on Election Day. This includes not just pastors but rabbis, priests, imams, and other religious leaders. It calls for them to spend Election Day away from their normal duties in order to be at the polling places. It calls for them to be an identified presence, a reminder of the necessity to follow reliable election procedures and a readiness to transport or assist voters as needed, free of all campaigning or candidate endorsements. "Pastors at the Polls" becomes then a simple witness to electoral participation as a spiritual mandate. If all clergy take the day off and spent it at the polls, it will draw attention to voting and exert a positive public influence. (More on "Pastors at the Polls" as Election Day draws closer.) Some have said election impact through Clergy Network is impossible. I say, it is merely necessary! This is no time to be timid or to remain a bystander. Together we can make a difference. So, start organizing for it today, and be sure to stay in touch. Albert Pennybacker, Chair/CEO Clergy Network for National Leadership Change Click to learn more

Last September 11, I rebelled by writing about my kitten, instead of about the grim anniversary that everyone else seemed to be writing and talking about. This year, I will not look away, because feels so important for different voices and perspectives to be heard, and for us to remember, reflect, and discuss. Please share your own reflections and insights or those of others if you have found them helpful. Or poems or songs that have special meaning toay. Here is part of the sermon we heard after September 11, 2001 at our local Unitarian Universalist church: "What life have you if you have not life together?" asks the poet T.S. Eliot. "There is no life," he says, "that is not in community." Then he adds that there is "Much to cast down, much to build, much to restore. When the stranger says, 'What is the meaning of this city? Do you huddle close together because you love each other?'" What will we answer? Our lives will be different perhaps, now, but they will resemble more the lives of those who have been our brothers and sisters around the world for decades. Maybe this new awareness of our mutual fragility, our fragility by day, our fragility by night, will help to shape a new awareness of what self-questioning we need to begin so that we can find ways to stop not terrorism, but the reasons for terrorism, alien and frightening as they may seem to us now. If our mighty buildings can fall like stacks of cards, so can we. Therefore I pray that, with this new consciousness wed to our grief, our despair and our hope, we might, 30 years from now, look back on these days and know that the dark red rose of peace can grow even on so cruel and muddy a ruin as we saw created this week. I am sad, but I will not remain sad forever. I cannot feed on tears alone, rage alone, forever, and frankly, the numbness slows me down to a stop. In the end I am convinced I must return to hope. I can't tell you now exactly how I'll get there, but I suspect you and I will have to take hands and go there together. I don't think I can do it all by myself. I don't have a map, and my compass seems to have got broken this week. I think I'll be able to fix it. But I assure you, I will get there. I'll still be fragile when I get there, too, I suppose, but fragile with hope is a lot better than fragile with despair. Give me all the encouragement you've got, and I'll give you mine. We all have a long journey ahead, and a whole hell of a lot of growing up to do. That's right, a lot of growing up. For with our poet Kumin, I don't know what all the answers are, and there sure is no question about that.

This is a time-sensitive announcement. I just found out about it last night in a comment to my Celebrating September 12 post. The deadline for registration is 5 p.m. today. Register to join the 1,000 Christians who will write, in two days, a consensus declaration to change the direction of American political life. This declaration will give visibility and authority to mainstream and progressive Christians and expose the narrow, punitive, dangerous nature of the right-wing Christianity now found in the highest reaches of American government. Lift Every Voice! will offer a vision for America based on our rich biblical tradition, which calls Christians to be faithful to a God who cares about the poor and oppressed, who heals the sick and brokenhearted, and who proclaims liberty, peace, and justice for all. Our declaration will provide those engaged in public life a rich resource for speaking religiously to Christian concerns via a faithful Christian alternative to the Christian right. Our success requires the participation of motivated, talented people. You were invited to participate because you bring such qualities to this project. If you know others who should be a part of our effort to change the religious politics of American society, urge them to register at this web site.

In the Daily Kos, there is a screenshot of a Mad Magazine fake ad depicting a Bush versus Jesus campaign poster. "Jesus is soft on crime." "Jesus will raise your taxes." "Can we trust Jesus to fight the War on Terror?" See the parody here.

Some insights from Al Gore on the common thread/common function shared by all fundamentalist religions appear in an article in the New Yorker entitled The Wilderness Campaign: Gore’s mouth tightened. A Southern Baptist, he, too, had declared himself born again, but he clearly had disdain for Bush’s public kind of faith. “It’s a particular kind of religiosity,” he said. “It’s the American version of the same fundamentalist impulse that we see in Saudi Arabia, in Kashmir, in religions around the world: Hindu, Jewish, Christian, Muslim. They all have certain features in common. In a world of disconcerting change, when large and complex forces threaten familiar and comfortable guideposts, the natural impulse is to grab hold of the tree trunk that seems to have the deepest roots and hold on for dear life and never question the possibility that it’s not going to be the source of your salvation. And the deepest roots are in philosophical and religious traditions that go way back. You don’t hear very much from them about the Sermon on the Mount, you don’t hear very much about the teachings of Jesus on giving to the poor, or the beatitudes. It’s the vengeance, the brimstone.”

I have been thinking that there must be a way to take back September 11 from George Bush and his neoconservative agenda, or to reframe it, neutralize it as a part of his "stay afraid, and know that only I can protect you" campaign strategy. (It really galls me to still see September 11 used as justification to attack whoever this administration says we should attack--long ago Iraq passed the United States in the number of innocent lives lost. When, exactly, can we finally be done "retaliating" against the wrong people?) Today I will share with you some September 12 events that support a different worldview from the one espoused by the Bush administration: "In Pursuit of Peace" takes place in New York City, with Marianne Williamson. Interdependence Day (in Rome, Italy, and in communities around the world)

Thought I would post something a little different that some people here might not have heard of, but might enjoy. My husband and I first heard Roy Zimmerman a couple months ago on the Dr. Demento Show, singing a song called "Saddam Shame." We thought his style was "Tom Lehrer-esque" even before we knew he was billed that way. At the time, Roy didn't have his own web site (although a comprehensive fan site was online). Click here to listen to some of his songs online. Check out "Jerry Falwell's God" in particular--I think a lot of you would appreciate it.

Just wanted to share something here...I believe Dr. Tony Campolo is deserving of our support. I learned this in an e-mail: A retired pastor shared some very upsetting news about his trying to find Tony Compolo¹s new book, "Speaking My Mind." He went to a "Christian Book Store" near Lebanon, Ohio to buy the book and was told that the store had taken all the books off the shelve because one chapter in the book was "Unacceptable". I don't know for sure, but I'm guessing this could be because Campolo says that Evangelical Christians should "get out of the judging business"--in particular about GLBT issues. Click here for a review of Campolo's book on the Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance web site. Tony Campolo is a bit of a maverick: an Evangelical Christian with conservative theological beliefs, who is also a social progressive. He disproves the commonly held belief that, as he writes:"...evangelicals are clones." He notes that non-Evangelicals often "see us as people who have a single way of thinking and talking. Recently, I heard someone refer to evangelicals as 'cookie-cutter Christians.' To be credible, we must demonstrate that we are a body of individuals, each of whom can think for herself or himself. I have made an attempt in this book to do that."

Rev. Jim Wallis and Rev. Jerry Falwell will appear "live" tonight on CNN's popular television program "Anderson Cooper 360." The hour-long program airs at 7 p.m. EST, and the Wallis-Falwell segment is scheduled to run closer to 7:30 p.m. Please check your local listings for more information. The "God is Not a Republican...or a Democrat" petition is being well-received by the media. Look for another overview of Sojourners' press coverage in Friday's SojoMail, including commentary by Jim Wallis on President Bush's convention speech. Also, you might be interested to know that the survey on the Anderson Cooper 360 site asks which party best represents a Christian political agenda.

Here is an article by Andrew Greeley in the National Catholic Reporter: Cover story: Mary makes a comeback Like Charlene Spretnak, I would like to think of myself as a pro-Mary progressive. I would like to believe that it is the genius of Catholicism to say “both … and.” I would like to be able to persuade myself that one can say “both ecumenism and Mary,” “both liturgy and the rosary,” “both Mary and dialogue with Islam” (which devotes a whole chapter of the Quran to her), and “both the Council and the ‘Salve Regina.’ ” It would seem that such deviation is not permitted. In these critical days of the fight for gender equality, such messy paradigms are intolerable. At the end of Father Greeley's review of the book is an interview with Charlene Spretnak about her book. Click here for an article from Life Magazine about The Mystery of Mary

Of late I have been drawn to all things Marian. For me this isn't really a new thing, but more of a resurgence of a continuing theme for me. Mary seems to follow me even when I am not associated with the Catholic church. So, I sense a theme coming on... Yesterday I found the book Missing Mary at the library. It was written by Charlene Spretnak, a liberal Catholic who has also written about Green politics and ecofeminism. Read more about the book here: She offers fresh reflections on the meaning of Mary, situating the Marian renewal in the larger context of contemporary efforts to correct the barrenness and sterility of modernity. Spretnak also notes that much of the cosmological symbolism traditionally associated with Mary as the Queen of Heaven and the maternal matrix is simpatico with recent discoveries in scientific cosmology about the profoundly relational nature of the Creation. And, on a tangentially related note, this looks interesting: The Feminist's Rosary - A New Way of Seeing Jesus

Just saw this on Sojourners. Actually, I had seen the "God is not a Republican. Or a Democrat" headline a number of times, but I was not yet aware that it was connected to a petition. There is a really good Flash animation, "The Heavenly Convention" with actual quotes from Falwell and Robertson here. Don't see a credit on it, but it's got to be Mark Fiore's work. Printable petition (PDF) here It says, in part: We believe that sincere Christians and other people of faith can choose to vote for President Bush or Senator Kerry—for reasons deeply rooted in their faith. We believe all candidates should be examined by measuring their policies against the complete range of Christian ethics and values. Read more here

I have been asked to help spread the word about a new web resource: ProgressiveStart.com: Start-Page for the Progressive Movement Since the site creator is asking for feedback, maybe we can help him fill in the religious progressive shaped gap in the directory... Right now is version 1 -- out the gate fast. And some have criticized "it's too much! simplify it". Give it time. DeanPort, I can assure you, has almost twice the number of links -- but when a web user interface designer connects with this information design scheme, the whole thing will look -- and be -- much more manageable. Help it grow by sending in suggestions for links to top-level resources that are missing from the current list. Check out what's already there, and offer suggestions of links to add.

8-year-old Celiac sufferer's First Communion Declared Not Valid What purpose could this possibly serve? This story just breaks my heart... An 8-year-old girl who suffers from a rare digestive disorder and cannot eat wheat has had her first Holy Communion declared invalid because the wafer contained no wheat, violating Roman Catholic doctrine. Now, Haley Waldman's mother is pushing the Diocese of Trenton and the Vatican to make an exception, saying the girl's condition should not exclude her from the sacrament, which commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus Christ before his crucifixion. The mother believes a rice Communion wafer would suffice. "It's just not a viable option. How does it corrupt the tradition of the Last Supper? It's just rice versus wheat," said Elizabeth Pelly-Waldman. Church doctrine holds that Communion wafers, like the bread served at the Last Supper, must have at least some unleavened wheat. Church leaders are reluctant to change anything about the sacrament. ... After the church's pastor refused to allow a substitute, a priest at a nearby parish volunteered to offer one, and in May, Haley wore a white Communion dress, and received the sacrament alongside her mother, who had not taken Communion since she herself was diagnosed with the disease. Last month, the diocese told the priest that the church would not validate Haley's sacrament because of the substitute wafer. "I struggled with telling her that the sacrament did not happen," said Pelly-Waldman. "She lives in a world of rules. She says `Mommy, do we want to break a rule? Are we breaking a rule?'" Pelly-Waldman is seeking help from the Pope and has written to Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in Rome, challenging the church's policy.

At Blog for America, I have seen some comments recently from people who have had aggravating discussions with friends/family/acquaintances who are voting based on "wedge issues". For example, a person said she would be voting for Bush because of all he has done to end abortion. The posts reminded me that I have seen some web sites and resources addressing these particular issues. I am going to post the ones I know about here, and encourage you to add any others that you know of. PublicChristian.com Check out this site for a paper about why many Christians support Kerry/Edwards. Another article on the site addresses why pro-life Christians should consider voting for pro-choice candidates. Or just click the home page go see the other important topics that are addressed. Also, Sojourners has a special section for articles related to the election. Among the articles is one by Jim Wallis about pro-life Democrats. Other issues addressed include the environment, school vouchers, trade and globalization, immigration, national security, GLBT issues, health care, and taxes.

Some things I learned in church today... Today we had a lay preacher, Jeanne, who I was looking forward to hearing. I had enjoyed her insights when she and I were in a class together in July. It was taught by our rector, George, right after the service. We would discuss the readings for the following week's service, knowing that some of our own thoughts might show up in that week's sermon. Or at least thoughts inspired by our thoughts. Jeanne's sermon today was on faith--our faith in God, and God's faith in us. She shared a story of a time in her life when she felt she had failed in her work, and that this period of time could not have been part of God's plan for her--only to find out years later that the seeds she had sown back then had borne abundant fruit. I like this kind of story, probably because it connects so well with what I am coming to realize. We are always right where we need to be, but we need faith and patience to see the eventual results. But here's what I learned that I didn't know. Apparently Sting sings about God a fair bit. Okay, maybe I'm the last person to find this out, but I really didn't know that before. She quoted some of his lyrics: Some would say I was a lost man in a lost world You could say I lost my faith in the people on T.V. You could say I'd lost my belief in our politicians They all seemed like game show hosts to me If I ever lose my faith in you There'd be nothing left for me to do I could be lost inside their lies without a trace But every time I close my eyes, I see your face One of these days I will have to come up with the intestinal fortitude to volunteer to be a lay preacher. One of these days. After church, I saw that some of my fellow parishioners had copies of a new book that I had not heard of: Why Bush Must Go: A Bishop's Faith-Based Challenge by Bennett J. Sims When I came home, I got online to learn more about the book, and the first thing I found was a review of the book in Whosoever, written by our own Candace. Here is an excerpt from her review: Sims sees our current leaders as practicing unilateral leadership, "the top-down, tight-box command style." Instead, Sims believes our country, as well as our world, would be a better, non-violent place if leaders of all stripes practiced a relational style of leadership that he has dubbed "Servant Leadership." Instead of "top-down," Servant Leadership "takes roughly the shape of a circular network, with the leader as the focus of shared authority and responsive to the automatic feedback loops that are part of the structure of the arrangement. William L. Ury contrasts the two models in a vivid sentence: 'Pyramids are held together by coercion; networks are held together by mutual consent.'" Sims admits that Servant Leadership, while greatly admired, is the least practiced form of management, but he insists that "Servant Leaders are the people who can pull the world back to sanity - back from the teetering brink of weaponized self-destruction under bellicose unilateral American leadership." I will definitely have to get my hands on a copy of that book.

According to an article in the Chicago Sun Times, "Superstars from several diverse genres in rock and country -- among them Bruce Springsteen, Dave Matthews, R.E.M., Pearl Jam and the Dixie Chicks -- are among the more than 20 bands taking part in the Vote for Change tour." Springsteen has written an editorial for the New York Times: Through my work, I've always tried to ask hard questions. Why is it that the wealthiest nation in the world finds it so hard to keep its promise and faith with its weakest citizens? Why do we continue to find it so difficult to see beyond the veil of race? How do we conduct ourselves during difficult times without killing the things we hold dear? Why does the fulfillment of our promise as a people always seem to be just within grasp yet forever out of reach? Asking questions. I like that he sees the value in trying to ask the right questions. I am sure some people will read this and have the knee-jerk "What do celebrities know about these things, anyway?" reaction. But hopefully some people will be reached by this--by hearing admired non-politicians asking questions about things that matter. I don't want people to vote a certain way just because "The Boss" tells them to, but we know that people imitate role models. It would be good to see people imitating role models by thinking and asking questions, and talking about the kind of country we want America to be. The editorial continues: Like many others, in the aftermath of 9/11, I felt the country's unity. I don't remember anything quite like it. I supported the decision to enter Afghanistan and I hoped that the seriousness of the times would bring forth strength, humility and wisdom in our leaders. Instead, we dived headlong into an unnecessary war in Iraq, offering up the lives of our young men and women under circumstances that are now discredited. We ran record deficits, while simultaneously cutting and squeezing services like afterschool programs. We granted tax cuts to the richest 1 percent (corporate bigwigs, well-to-do guitar players), increasing the division of wealth that threatens to destroy our social contract with one another and render mute the promise of "one nation indivisible." It is through the truthful exercising of the best of human qualities - respect for others, honesty about ourselves, faith in our ideals - that we come to life in God's eyes. It is how our soul, as a nation and as individuals, is revealed. Our American government has strayed too far from American values. It is time to move forward. The country we carry in our hearts is waiting.

I don't really have any content or thoughts of my own to add, but felt this needed as wide an audience as possible. What can we do? Holocaust Museum Calls Crisis in Sudan 'Genocide Emergency' The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum has elevated its assessment of the crisis in the Darfur region in western Sudan to a 'genocide emergency' in response to the increasing level of violence and death. This is the first time in the museum's 11-year history that it has made such a declaration, which is intended to draw world attention to the situation and to apply pressure for a response from Sudan's government. Museum officials say they will open a display about Darfur on Monday to allow to the public to view the devastation in the Darfur region, where government-backed Arab militia members have been attacking black residents, most of them also Muslims. After a unanimous decision by both houses of Congress last week to call the deteriorating situation in Darfur genocide, the designation by the nation's official Holocaust memorial further underscores the urgency of the situation.