My Life in the Buffy-Verse: 3.11

My life in the Buffy-verse (by request) - season 3. Got this far and then had to stop to catch up on Awake. "Gingerbread" -- After two children are mysteriously killed, apparently as part of a cult sacrifice, Joyce (Kristine Sutherland) leads the town in a witch hunt - but all is not quite as it seems." As if we didn't know those kids were not what they seemed. Right.

Though I never really trusted Buffy's mother to handle the whole Hell-mouth thing well. And we can see that she doesn't really, deep down.

Catholic Church's "social magisterium" informed House GOP budget

About time.

Although never in a thousand years did I think I'd be glancing through Daniel Henninger's piece about  President Obama's war of "rhetorical destruction" (what the heck did he say now? something worse than that comment to the Supreme Court?) and then suddenly see:

In an interview with the Christian Broadcasting Network, he [Paul Ryan] said that in fact the Catholic Church's "social magisterium" had informed his House budget. One goal of that teaching, he said, is to prevent the poor from staying poor. Nor, he added, should individuals become lifelong dependents of their government.

Now that's a little bit of info that made me sit up straight and cough on my coffee this morning. I suddenly started reading every word.

What Mr. Ryan actually said is worth quoting, because it should revive the debate over the proper relationship between individual citizens, including the poor, and the national government:

"A person's faith is central to how they conduct themselves in public and in private. So to me, using my Catholic faith, we call it the social magisterium, which is how do you apply the doctrine of your teaching into your everyday life as a lay person?

"To me, the principle of subsidiarity . . . meaning government closest to the people governs best . . . where we, through our civic organizations, through our churches, through our charities, through all of our different groups where we interact with people as a community, that's how we advance the common good. By not having big government crowd out civic society, but by having enough space in our communities so that we can interact with each other, and take care of people who are down and out in our communities.

"Those principles are very, very important, and the preferential option for the poor, which is one of the primary tenets of Catholic social teaching, means don't keep people poor, don't make people dependent on government so that they stay stuck at their station in life. Help people get out of poverty out onto a life of independence."

Subsidiarity—an awful but important word—attempts to discover where the limits lie in the demands a state can make on its people. Identifying that limit was at the center of the Supreme Court's mandate arguments.

The first major use of subsidiarity as a basis for public policy was in Pope Leo XIII's famous 1891 encyclical "Rerum Novarum" (though the word itself doesn't appear). Leo was seeking a way to protect the dignity of human beings caught during those years in the tension between unfettered capitalism and unfettered government. "The State," he wrote, "must not absorb the individual or the family." Arguments over where the balance sits have raged since.

What kind of a crazy, mixed-up world is it when "Pope Leo XIII" and "Rerum Novarum" pops up in the editorial columns of the Wall Street Journal?

A really glorious world, I'd say.

Read it all.

Bishops propose: "fortnight for freedom"—a great hymn of prayer for our country

The Catholic bishops Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty have an impressive document posted, Our First, Most Cherished Liberty: A Statement on Religious Liberty. You may read it at the USCCB site or they have a pdf you can print out.

I have only glanced through it but was really struck by the numerous, bullet-pointed concrete examples of religious liberty under attack. I had no idea there were so many. I am intrigued to read the details and other information in it. (I've got a pdf print-out to read this evening at home.)

I also was very struck by their proposal for two weeks of prayer, to begin with the vigil for some of the best known and loved martyrs for religious liberty (St. John Fisher and St. Thomas More) and ending with Independence Day. If there is one thing I love about the Catholic Church (and we all know there is more than one thing) it is the way they do symbolism with style.

This year, we propose a special "fortnight for freedom," in which bishops in their own dioceses might arrange special events to highlight the importance of defending our first freedom. Our Catholic institutions also could be encouraged to do the same, especially in cooperation with other Christians, Jews, people of other faiths, and indeed, all who wish to defend our most cherished freedom.

We suggest that the fourteen days from June 21—the vigil of the Feasts of St. John Fisher and St. Thomas More—to July 4, Independence Day, be dedicated to this "fortnight for freedom"—a great hymn of prayer for our country. Our liturgical calendar celebrates a series of great martyrs who remained faithful in the face of persecution by political power—St. John Fisher and St. Thomas More, St. John the Baptist, SS. Peter and Paul, and the First Martyrs of the Church of Rome. Culminating on Independence Day, this special period of prayer, study, catechesis, and public action would emphasize both our Christian and American heritage of liberty. Dioceses and parishes around the country could choose a date in that period for special events that would constitute a great national campaign of teaching and witness for religious liberty.

In addition to this summer's observance, we also urge that the Solemnity of Christ the King—a feast born out of resistance to totalitarian incursions against religious liberty—be a day specifically employed by bishops and priests to preach about religious liberty, both here and abroad.

To all our fellow Catholics, we urge an intensification of your prayers and fasting for a new birth of freedom in our beloved country. We invite you to join us in an urgent prayer for religious liberty.

Almighty God, Father of all nations,
For freedom you have set us free in Christ Jesus (Gal 5:1).
We praise and bless you for the gift of religious liberty,
the foundation of human rights, justice, and the common good.
Grant to our leaders the wisdom to protect and promote our liberties;
By your grace may we have the courage to defend them, for ourselves and for all those who live in this blessed land.
We ask this through the intercession of Mary Immaculate, our patroness,
and in the name of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
with whom you live and reign, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Go read it all and share it with your friends. (Via New Advent).

All Hell is Breaking Loose. With Hilarious Results.

In the beginning
-------------------

It was a nice day.

All the days had been nice. There had been rather more than seven of them so far, and rain hadn't been invented yet. But clouds massing east of Eden suggested that the first thunderstorm was on its way, and it was going to be a big one.

The angel of the Eastern Gate put his wings over his head to shield himself from the first drops.

"I'm sorry," he said politely. "What was it you were saying?"

"I said, that one went down like a lead balloon," said the serpent.

"Oh. Yes," said the angel, whose name was Aziraphale.

"I think it was a bit of an overreaction, to be honest," said the serpent. "I mean, first offense and everything. I can't see what's so bad about knowing the difference between good and evil, anyway."

"It must be bad," reasoned Aziraphale, in the slightly concerned tones of one who can't see it either, and is worrying about it, "otherwise you wouldn't have been involved."

"They just said, Get up there and make some trouble," said the serpent, whose name was Crawly, although he was thinking of changing it now. Crawly, he'd decided, was not hint.

"Yes, but you're a demon. I'm not sure if it's actually possible for you to do good," said Aziraphale.

"It's down to your basic, you know, nature. Nothing personal, you understand."

"You've got to admit it's a bit of a pantomime, though," said Crawly. "I mean, pointing out the Tree and saying 'Don't Touch' in big letters. Not very subtle, is it? I mean, why not put it on top of a high mountain or a long way off? Makes you wonder what He's really planning."

"Best not to speculate, really," said Aziraphale. "You can't second-guess ineffability, I always say. There's Right, and there's Wrong. If you do Wrong when you're told to do Right, you deserve to be punished. Er."

They sat in embarrassed silence, watching the raindrops bruise the first flowers.

Eventually Crawly said, "Didn't you have a flaming sword?"

"Er," said the angel. A guilty expression passed across his face, and then came back and camped there.

"You did, didn't you?" said Crawly. "It flamed like anything."

"Er, well-"

"It looked very impressive, I thought."

"Yes, but, well-"

"Lost it, have you?"

"Oh no! No, not exactly lost, more-"

"Well?"

Aziraphale looked wretched. "If you must know," he said, a trifle testily, "I gave it away."

Crawly stared up at him.

"Well, I had to," said the angel, rubbing his hands distractedly. "They looked so cold, poor things, and she's expecting already, and what with the vicious animals out there and the storm coming up I thought, well, where's the harm, so I just said, look, if you come back there's going to be an almighty row, but you might be needing this sword, so here it is, don't bother to thank me, just do everyone a big favor and don't let the sun go down on you here."

He gave Crawly a worried grin.

"That was the best course, wasn't it?"

"I'm not sure it's actually possible for you to do evil," said Crawly sarcastically. Aziraphale didn't notice the tone.

"Oh, I do hope so," he said. "I really do hope so. It's been worrying me all afternoon."

They watched the rain for a while.

"Funny thing is," said Crawly, "I keep wondering whether the apple thing wasn't the right thing to do, as well. A demon can get into real trouble, doing the right thing." He nudged the angel. "Funny if we both got it wrong, eh? Funny if I did the good thing and you did the bad one, eh?"

"Not really," said Aziraphale.

Crawly looked at the rain.

"No," he said, sobering up. "I suppose not."

Slate-black curtains tumbled over Eden. Thunder growled among the hills. The animals, freshly named, cowered from the storm.

Far away, in the dripping woods, something bright and fiery flickered among the trees.

It was going to be a dark and stormy night.

Good Omens is the book that put The Apocalypse back on the map for our popular cultural imagination. It is fairly ubiquitous now (650 reviews on Amazon can't be wrong) but there's always the off chance that people haven't tried it yet. I can't believe I've never reviewed it, but here's no time like the present so let's get to it.

Fast-paced, witty, and slightly sadistic, Good Omens was written in 1990 by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett at a golden time when both had nothing else going on. One tries to imagine a time like that at any other point in their very busy careers and ... no, you can't do it. Both authors are prolific, clever, and have a way with twisting fantasy that appeals to the book reading public. Gaiman is darker and Pratchett is punnier, but both clearly worked well together and this book is a true classic.

But what's it about, I hear some asking.

Aziraphale and Crowley (who did wind up changing his name after all) have been hanging around Earth since the beginning and the constant association over 6000 years has turned them almost into friends. When Crowley receives the infant Antichrist with instructions to watch over him, they agree that they prefer living on Earth to what they'd find after the apocalypse. The two enter into a pact to keep the Antichrist perfectly balanced between good and evil. Which might work. If someone hadn't misplaced the Antichrist so that Crowley and Aziraphale have been working on the wrong child. Meanwhile, 11 years later it is hard to imagine anyone more human than the Antichrist, who has been living in a normal home in the countryside. It's up to plain old human nature and free will to see whether the apocalypse will begin.

Similar in style to Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, the story turns on one ludicrous misunderstanding after another. It is those misunderstandings that make us laugh and also are the points upon which satire is presented to skewer the religious and unbelievers alike. Gaiman and Pratchett are like a modern-day Jonathan Swift and Mark Twain and we are the better for it. Certainly we have been laughing more because of their book, while at the same time we've been made to think a bit about what we believe, how we live our faith, and why it matters.

Crowley had got a commendation for the Spanish Inquisition. He had been in Spain then, mainly hanging around cantinas in the nicer parts, and hadn't even known about it until the commendation arrived. He'd gone to have a look, and had come back and got drunk for a week...

And just when you'd think they were more malignant than Hell could ever be, they could occasionally show more grace than Heaven ever dreamed of. Often the same individual was involved. It was this free-will thing, of course. It was a bugger.

Hugo Nomination Finalists Have Been Announced

SF Signal has the listing with the free fiction links so you can snap up as many as possible and read them.

Congratulations also to SF Signal, a particular favorite of mine, for their two Hugo nominations. Well done and well deserved!

Easter Reflections

Two things resonated and keep floating back into my mind.

During Saturday morning's practice of RCIA candidates (and catechumen) and sponsors, our priest did a spectacular job of explaining why everything was happening. More than that, and this was what made it spectacular, he continually reminded us of how we should think about our place in salvation history. He continually reminded us that our internal disposition was what would make the difference between those who say about mass "it's just the same thing over and over" and those who continually come away with some new insight or encounter with the risen Christ. It amounted to a wonderfully deep overview of the mass and the difference it makes.

During this overview he said something like, "I say the prayers out loud up here because that's my job. But Christ is praying them for you while I am praying them aloud."

That jolted me. I knew that Christ prays for us but had forgotten it. Now, with it called to the front of my mind, I treasured that idea. Christ prays for us. We matter that much to him. What a gift.

The other thing that struck me came that evening, when the church was dark and the Easter candle was lit. We saw the Easter candle light the little candles of the first candidates and catechumens who stood in the center aisle of the church. They in turn passed the light down the aisle and stood serenely, waiting.

We waited for the next "Lumen Christi" so we could respond "Deo gratias."

("Light of Christ. Thanks be to God.")

It was pitch black except for those tiny candles and I was really struck by how much they illuminated. We could see each person's face and the gentle glow bathing their shoulders and a bit of the night around them. The absolute truth of the symbolism was unmistakable. The darkness of the world except where Christ's light shines. The darkness of our souls except where that light blazes in our hearts. The fact that light is a thing which is never lessened when divided. When we share Christ's light it multiplies. And illuminates. And pushes back the dark.

"Lumen Christi." "Deo gratias."

The light was passed from one to another. I, in my turn, passed it on.

Perhaps it seems a cliche when reading it here. But the reality of smelling the wax burning, the wisps of smoke rising, seeing the light spreading was vivid in a way that burned itself into my mind and soul. As Christ has.

Lumen Christi. Deo gratias.

Three Easy Pieces: Recently Read

Prove It! God by Amy Welborn

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book was recommended to me when I was asking for good books that might help questioning atheists. It is aimed at a young audience (meaning teenage, I assume, from the way it was written). Although I found the arguments didn't change in substance from those I already am familiar with, they were substantially easier to understand in some cases. Welborn does a good job of breaking down the logic and showing where questioners' assumptions may be based on faulty premises. Overall a good resource even for adults, if they are willing to overlook the spots where it is specifically using language to make teens comfortable with it.

Vanished by Joseph Finder

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Where did I first hear of this? I'd have thought Brandywine Books which keeps my mystery/thriller "to read" list filled. But I don't see it there in my extremely casual search. Perhaps it was via The Curt Jester.

Wherever I found it, this book is a really enjoyable, fast-paced thriller. Here's some of the description.

Nick Heller is tough, smart, and stubborn. And in his line of work, it's essential. Trained in the Special Forces, Nick is a high-powered intelligence investigator--exposing secrets that powerful people would rather keep hidden. He's a guy you don't want to mess with. He's also the man you call when you need a problem fixed.

Desperate, with nowhere else to run, Nick's nephew, Gabe makes that call one night. After being attacked in Georgetown, his mother, Lauren, lies in a coma, and his step-dad, Roger, Nick's brother, has vanished without a trace.

I particularly enjoyed the dichotomy of how Nick loves his brother deep down and struggles with whether to trust what appears to be unfolding as he investigates. But without whiny angst one sometimes finds in these books (yes, even from big, strong men). I myself not having Nick's childhood traumas to hold me back rarely trusted anyone in the book (aside from Nick, Gabe and Dorothy) to be who they said they were. Which sometimes paid off and sometimes didn't. A great book and I have requested the sequel from the library.


The Secret Country by Pamela Dean

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I discovered this trilogy in the best way - at the book store long ago when the first book had just come out. So as the story unfolded I was left on tenterhooks until each book came out. Frequent rereading has done nothing to dim my enjoyment. Here's the brief summary.

For the past nine years, cousins Patrick, Ruth, Ellen, Ted, and Laura have played at "The Secret"-a game full of witches, unicorns, a magic ring and court intrigue. In The Secret, they can imagine anything into reality, and shape destiny. Then the unbelievable happens: by trick or by chance, they find themselves in the Secret Country, their made-up identities now real. They have arrived at the start of their game, with the Country on the edge of war. What was once exciting and wonderful now looms threateningly before them, and no one is sure how to stop it . . . or if they will ever get back home.

.I particularly enjoy the fact that when they arrive in the Secret Country much of what they imagined doesn't match the Secret Country's "reality." People look different, the story goes off target occasionally, and so forth. That makes it all the more disconcerting when it is exactly right. Great fun, an imaginative "country" and I highly recommend it.

Real Christianity in Action: Path to Conversion of Heart is Through Actions Inspired by Love

I'm staying off the internet for the most part until after Easter, but wanted to drop in to share this story.

You may recall last week I pointed out a story about an atheist who was dumbfounded by Christians who offered to help pay for his vision problems despite the fact that he'd been on the opposing side in a struggle over having a Nativity scene at the local courthouse.

It has borne fruit in a most unexpected way. Thus does God work in hearts when we have done our part to show His true nature through our actions.

A few months ago Patrick Greene was an atheist who was threatening to sue Henderson County, Texas, if the county didn’t remove a Nativity scene from its courthouse lawn. Today he is a believer in Christ who underwent a radical change of heart that was catalyzed by the compassion of one Christian woman.

In late 2011, Greene joined the fight against a Nativity scene that had been set up outside the courthouse in the town of Athens, Texas, threatening to file a lawsuit over it. Shortly after he made his threat, however, he discovered that his ability to see was rapidly deteriorating and he would soon be blind, so he withdrew his threats and left the Nativity alone.

That’s when Jessica Crye, a Christian woman from Athens, asked her pastor, Erick Graham of Sand Springs Baptist Church, if they could help Greene. As a result of her kindness, thousands of dollars in donations have gone toward helping Greene, who has reconsidered his view of God as a result.

“There’s been one lingering thought in the back of my head my entire life, and it’s one thought that I’ve never been able to reconcile, and that is the vast difference between all the animals and us,” Greene told The Christian Post on Tuesday, as he began to explain his recent transformation from atheist to Christian. The theory of evolution didn’t answer his questions, he says, so he just set those questions aside and didn’t think about them anymore.

But when the Christians in a town that had reason to be angry with him showed him a gesture of love, he began reconsidering his beliefs altogether. He eventually began to realize that evolution would never have the answer to his questions, he says, and it was at that time he began to believe in God.

“I kind of realized that the questions I [was] asking you just had to accept on faith without doubting every period and every comma,” he said. He later began studying the Bible, both the Old Testament and the Gospels, and also discovered his belief that Jesus is the Son of God.

Read the whole story. Again, this is via The Deacon's Bench.

Today is Good Friday when Christ showed his love for us through His own self-giving and sacrificial love, even unto death. We are called up on to follow in His footsteps for thus shall others know our Master.

This is the Christianity that made  Romans say, "How they love one another."

Truly actions speak louder than words. May we all translate our love into such self-giving action as Holy Week ends and Easter comes.

To Be Or Not To Be raises more than one question ... our most controversial episode yet.

It's the sign of a good satire and also of our times when the 1942 classic movie To Be Or Not To Be turns our conversation to politics and Catholicism in America. Get it at A Good Story is Hard to Find podcast.

"Thou"

My contribution to Sarah Reinhard's ongoing series which considers the Hail Mary, word by word. There's a surprising amount to reflect upon in that simple "thou" or so it seemed to me.

We're Alive! Updated.

Sorry that I didn't let everyone know we managed to duck 12 tornadoes, but you never realize when national news is going to pick up your local weather (while it's happening ...what a newfangled world this is)!

Our part of town was never in danger after the Lancaster tornado got done tossing trucks and decided to withdraw into the clouds while moving east. Our big concern was Hannah who, as an arborist, was driving all over creation yesterday. She was in Frisco, which was a comfort because it was far away from the bad weather ... until the Arlington tornado began hotfooting it up there. At which point she called to say that she had taken shelter in a SuperTarget, her boss was holed up in  church bathroom somewhere, and the other salesperson was driving around the deserted countryside looking for somewhere to take shelter. At that point, other than succumbing to buying too many movies, she was out of danger.

It is nice to see how many concerned friends I have all over the country! Thank you so much for your emails checking on our well being. :-)

UPDATE
A friend mentioned that national news made it look as if Dallas were laid waste with few survivors. I consider the miracle to be that no one was seriously hurt. Even at the nursing home that had a wing ripped apart. Minor injuries yes but no one was killed or really injured. Even the 18-month-old boy whose grandmother clung to him by his ankles to keep him from being sucked into the storm (while sheltering with the other grandchildren in the bathtub).

A miracle. I'm just sayin'.

Although my friend says:

There are natural explanations. Because your airport is the only airport on earth that has no free wi-fi, Dallas-area tornadoes are more predictable. They're not bouncing off errant email waves and hitting cars and houses. So write a note of thanks to the airport authority.

And not a trace of bitterness toward the airport. Another miracle?

Worth a Thousand Words: Pure Enjoyment

Kaylee Gets a Treat

Hannah caught this on her phone. It captured our newest dog's enjoyment perfectly. We were able to let Wash and Kaylee play together on Saturday and little Kaylee fell right into line. She seems to relish her spot at the bottom of the pack ... or for that matter belonging to any pack ... and the household feels right again. Not that Kaylee hasn't begun trying to move up a bit, but that's par for the course and will keep us in line as strong leaders.

She's a doll. Sunny, cheerful, and mostly just wanting to be sure everyone's happy. Just like the original Kaylee on Firefly, so she's well named.

A Free E-Book Per Week for 10 Weeks: SF From Phoenix Pick

Not only are we offering a free book from one of true greats in science fiction (Locus Magazine lists him as having won more awards for short fiction than any other writer, ever), but we are going to significantly expand our Amazon program. We will be offering 10 titles absolutely free over the next 10 weeks via Amazon.

Starting April 3rd, we will offer a book absolutely free for two days (Tuesday and Wednesday) for the next ten weeks (a new book every week, free to download that Tuesday and Wendesday),Many of the books will be accompanied by additional promotions.

To get details of this promotion (including specific titles and dates) please go to:
http://www.phoenixpick.com/KPromo.htm (KPromo.htm is CASE SENSITIVE).

What about those who don’t own Kindle Devices? Unfortunately to offer these promos through Amazon we have had to de-list the book in other format…but THE BOOKS ARE DRM FREE. So  most of you should be available to download the book and convert it using any one of the myriad of free applications available on the web (like Calibre).

For  your own use only, of course…the free books are offered only for your own use. Please respect the rights of authors who have agreed to have their books provided to you for free.

And it looks as if there will be nice extras each week also. The first book has the next two book in the trilogy available for only 99 cents each. That is a great deal.

This is in addition to Phoenix Pick's usual monthly free e-book, which this month is from one of science fiction's great writers, Mike Resnick.

Our Free Ebook for April is Mike Resnick’s ‘Adventures: The Chronicle of Lucifer Jones, Volume I. Yes, Mike has won more awards than anyone else (living or dead) for short fiction (as least as per Locus magazine’s count) and he’s near the top for novels as well. He is also this year’s Guest of Honor at the Worldcon being held in Chicago.

Of all the characters that Mike has created, Lucifer Jones remains his favorite. We are proud to republish this hilarious series of adventures starring a most unique character.Adventures is the first volume of the Chronicles.

Being a Stirring Chronicle of Intrigue, Romance, Danger, Hairbreadth Escapes, and Thrilling Triumphs over Fierce Beasts and Fiercer Men in the Mysterious and Exotic Dark Continent, as Recounted by the Daring, Resourceful, Handsome, and Modest Christian Gentleman Who Experienced Them.

It really is a fun book.

Find out how to sign up for free e-books here.

Weekend Joke for Palm Sunday

It was Palm Sunday but because of a sore throat, 5-year-old Johnny stayed home from church with a sitter. When the family returned home, they were carrying several palm fronds. Johnny asked them what they were for.

"People held them over Jesus' head as he walked by," his father told him.

"Wouldn't you know it," Johnny fumed, "the one Sunday I don't go and he shows up."

It's All Downhill From Here: A Little Humor to Get Us Through the Rest of the Week

From the brilliant Doug Savage at Savage Chickens

Short Pasta with Cauliflower

Another of the recipes that Rose tried out when she was our nightly cook. (Oh, those were the days!). This was really tasty and comes in handy for meatless Fridays.

Get it at Meanwhile, Back in the Kitchen.

Palm Sunday is Coming. Is It Personal For You?

Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:6-11

I love this. It keeps me really grounded.

And I had it in mind the whole time I was watching this video about What the Father Saw . Made by Patrick, a youth minister (and future friar), at make a friar.

This is going to keep you grounded too, next Sunday when the Church, around the world, is reading the Passion narrative aloud at Mass. It's a little emotional, a little over the top, you might say.

Maybe.

But think about the readings for Palm Sunday. A lot of people today say that's a little over the top. Who'd believe all that anyway?

Right. You and me. Or you wouldn't be here and neither would I.

It brings it home, makes it personal, when we think about what Christ's obedience cost him ... and why He did it.

Blogging Around: "Too Good Not to Share" Edition

Links to full stories are in the titles.

Dr. Boli's Complete History of the World - Chapter 1

At a certain point in time—in fact, at the very first certain point of time in the history of time—this primordial unity gave birth to multiplicity with a tremendous racket. There is some disagreement as to why this event occurred: theologians believe it happened because God willed it; scientists believe it happened for no reason at all; and Dr. Boli, whose opinion must be allowed to count for something in his own book, believes it was the result of deliberate sabotage. The matter thus set loose in the previously tidy universe busily set about forming itself into galaxies, stars, planets, and other detritus, so that today there is little hope of ever getting the place cleaned up. This should be a valuable lesson for us all on the tragic consequences of slovenly habits.

It was hard to choose what to use to lure you to reading the entire thing, but do go do so. Too, too wonderful.

Christians Raise Money to Help Atheist Have Eye Surgery

Patrick Greene says he has always been “treated like dirt” by Christians because of his atheistic beliefs.

That recently changed, leaving Greene “completely flabbergasted.”

It happened when some Henderson County Christians offered Greene financial assistance with a medical problem despite his opposition to a nativity scene on the courthouse square.

To which I thought, "Yes, this is just as it should be." Sadly, it is rare enough to flabbergast people and raise a lot of notice. This should be the norm not the oddity. However. We are all to blame for that. For inspiration in doing better, let's all go read the entire story. Via The Deacon's Bench.

It's Better to Light One Candle Than Curse the Darkness

A young adventurer risks his life to reunite trafficked children with their families; African-American maids in the South reclaim their dignity through sharing their stories; a priest travels around the world to explore the history of the Catholic Church. These stories and more are told in the 22 feature films, TV/Cable programs, and books for adults and young people being honored with Christopher Awards in New York on May 24th, 2012.

There is a wealth of good reading, watching, and inspirational lives to read about at The Christophers where their most recent award winners have been announced. I can vouch for Little Princes by Conor Grennan which is an engrossing memoir tracing the young man's growing maturity as he helps reunite trafficked Nepalese children with their families.

Father Dwight Longenecker Moves to Patheos
I've long been a fan of Father Longenecker, way back from the days when I nervously typed my first "fan" email (before he converted) to the author of Adventures in Orthodoxy (which I still recommend). Reading his blog was just more of a daily dose of goodness and now he's at Patheos. Drop by and tell him hello!

Illustrations for Vox Clara Pontifical
I've long been a fan of artist Daniel Mitsui, who blogs at The Lion and The Cardinal, and was so pleased to see he had been commissioned to do these illustrations, which are simply wonderful. Check his newletter for more of his creations, which you may have for your very own.

A Thread for Weaving Joy

Catholics need to wake up from the illusion that the America we now live in – not the America of our nostalgia or imagination or best ideals, but the real America we live in here and now – is somehow friendly to our faith. What we’re watching emerge in this country is a new kind of paganism, an atheism with air-conditioning and digital TV. And it is neither tolerant nor morally neutral.

[...]

My point is this: Evil talks about tolerance only when it’s weak. When it gains the upper hand, its vanity always requires the destruction of the good and the innocent, because the example of good and innocent lives is an ongoing witness against it. So it always has been. So it always will be. And America has no special immunity to becoming an enemy of its own founding beliefs about human freedom, human dignity, the limited power of the state, and the sovereignty of God.

A friend of mine has a son with Down syndrome, and she calls him a “sniffer of souls.” I know him, and it’s true. He is. He may have an IQ of 47, and he’ll never read The Brothers Karamazov, but he has a piercingly quick sense of the people he meets. He knows when he’s loved -- and he knows when he’s not. Ultimately, I think we’re all like her son. We hunger for people to confirm that we have meaning by showing us love. We need that love. And we suffer when that love is withheld.

These children with disabilities are not a burden; they’re a priceless gift to all of us. They’re a doorway to the real meaning of our humanity. Whatever suffering we endure to welcome, protect and ennoble these special children is worth it because they’re a pathway to real hope and real joy. Abortion kills a child; it wounds a precious part of a woman’s own dignity and identity; and it steals hope. That’s why it’s wrong. That’s why it needs to end. That’s why we march.

Charles J. Chaput addressed the Cardinal O’Connor Conference on Life and spoke from the heart. It needs to be read from beginning to end and taken to heart.

"All right, Mr DeMille, I'm ready for my close up."

This little lady is now our Boxer, Wash's, new little sister. She's smaller than she looks but makes up for it with huge personality. Unfortunately, so huge that she thinks she should run the household. Did we mention she's a lot more Pitt Bull than Boxer (or maybe Bulldog, we're thinking).

We got her at the SPCA where she could show her sweet, loving side. She'd been adopted and returned once because of an illness in the home that wouldn't allow taking care of a new pet. They also mentioned her fear of doors / doorways and extreme shyness.

We're wondering just what dog they took home. True enough, she doesn't like being taken by the collar and pulled anywhere. But walking through a doorway? No problem. Because maybe there's a camera waiting to take her confident photo.

And, if she gets through that doorway ahead of you it means that she is top dog, not you. Oh yes. There is that.

She has bonded very well to me and either waits to let me walk first or if she "forgets" (ha!), then when I clear my throat or tap my foot or ... yes sometimes she makes me order her ... clap my hands at her, then she comes contritely back (Oh, I didn't see you back there the two times I looked over my shoulder! So sorry!) and very properly follows me down the hall.

Biggest problem so far?

She began a fight with Wash within minutes of meeting him and still would like to settle it. Up went the dog gate (which she can knock over or climb ... what a little darling) and then began the two-dog tango to give each dog plenty of people time but keep them separated. We're going to take them for a walk this evening which should help the bonding because she was trying to get him to play with her through the gate this morning. (In between growls. Talk about mixed messages.)

Keeping in mind that we got her home around 2 p.m. on Saturday, that is not bad progress.

And, when we returned from Mass on Sunday, we discovered she's a little escape artist.

"Wire crate? Ha, ha! I laugh at them!" she chuckled gleefully as she greeted us at the door when we returned.

Thank goodness we had also crated Wash. Our gentle giant was sitting in the far corner of his crate, thanking his lucky stars she was outside and he was inside. And wondering just why we brought her home.

How she squeezed through that little opening she forced between the top and side, we'll never know. Oh, wait, we do know. Because Tom reinforced all gaps yesterday. When we put her in the crate so Wash could have an hour in our company while we were watching TV, we watched with bemusement as she tested every join, tried the wire with her excellent teeth (which are long and sharp and Tom said remind him of Alien), and then moaned with frustration. (Zoe and she could hold lovely concerts with their moaning.)

This makes her sound terrible, but it is really just adjustment pains being felt all around.

She is a little sweetie pie who wants noting more than to sit in your lap while her tummy is being rubbed. And then run 10 circles around the living room at the speed of light. (Which is very much like a Boxer.)

Her name?

We're sticking with the Firefly theme.

Think of a homegrown beauty, from a hardscrabble planet, delighted to see the big, wide world.

Yep, Kaylee.

That parasol makes me think of our Kaylee's spiffy new pink collar. Just the thing for a little lady.

Eternal Rest Grant Him, O Lord ... for Gregg Margarite

I had the privilege of "meeting" Gregg on SFFaudio and he seemed larger than life somehow, so it was with great shock that I heard via SFFaudio that he died of a sudden heart attack.

This is such a shock and I am really sad because I’m going to miss Gregg so much. He was pervasive in my life, whether via his many LibriVox readings, hearing his conversations on the SFFaudio podcast, or our sparring on the occasional SFFaudio podcasts we were on (as is only natural for an outspoken Catholic and an outspoken existentialist). I am doubly sad because I always cherished the hope that I would get to New York City and be able to have cocktails with him.

Maureen commented at SFFaudio that she suspected Philip K. Dick is now showing Gregg around the afterlife and that made me laugh. It made me hope that that stubborn existentialist took the chance offered at the last second to grasp Christ's hand and get to meet all those fine authors who have gone before him and whose work he read so well for LibriVox. And I am praying that when I get to Purgatory, they'll either tell me he's gone on ahead ... or he'll wave a hand at the chair next to his.

Gregg, we will all miss you very much.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

And may Gregg see your face, Lord. This I pray.

This Just In: Sense Nonsense - Updated

Sense Nonsense: Fundamental Propositions Not Too Good to Be True, Just Too Hard to Accept by Francisco J. Garcia-Julve


Can I tell you that I was sitting at the Sense Nonsense book website just chuckling at the sayings rotating? (You can't yet, but go take a look and you'll see what I'm talking about.)

They're funny because they're true (as wise man Homer Simpson has often told us). Although they aren't always funny ... anyway it was enough to interest me in opening the review pdf I received.

And then I read the first paragraph of the Forward and had to laugh again. Can't wait to read this.

UPDATE
And here's a review from Maureen at Aliens in This World.

It's a romance, it's a ghost story, it's like Oliver Twist: Jane Eyre at A Good Story is Hard to Find

Scott and I discuss whether men can read Jane Eyre, Jane Eyre versus The Hunger Games ... and Scott's one big question. All on A Good Story is Hard to Find podcast.

Words Matter ... Especially When We're Hurling Them at Others

I remember years ago my brother was in an altercation with the owner of a parking lot. They managed to exchange loud greetings that sounded to all those in hearing distance like ‘go to hell.’ I remember when I heard them, I suddenly got chills. I thought to myself, “Who the hell wants to go to hell.” Neither one of them I believe, was really thinking that they wanted the other to go to hell. They were simply expressing their feelings at that moment. To understand just the basics of hell would stop all of us from wishing it on anyone else.

[...]

I will never forget in a biography of Bishop Fulton J. Sheen, he commented about praying for your enemies. He said he offered prayers up every day for Adolf Hitler, until the moment he learned of Hitler’s death. So it should be for all Catholics. Pray for your enemies and remember that you don’t want anyone going to hell.

Sammy John preaches it at Catholics on the Edge. And while he's at it, he spares some thought and prayer for prominent Catholics much in the news these days. Go. Read. And let us all do likewise.

Live in Dallas? I'll Be Speaking March 20. Hey - that's today!

Just a reminder that I'll be sharing my story From Atheist to Happy Catholic (and what I learned along the way) with the Altar Society at their evening meeting. And you're invited too!

Tuesday, March 20
7:00 p.m. (following 6:00 p.m. Mass)
St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, St. Anne Hall
(6306 Kenwood Avenue,  Dallas, TX 75214)

You do not have to be a member of the Altar Society to attend.

I will have copies of my book, Happy Catholic, available afterward for anyone interested. If you already have a copy, I'd be happy to sign it.

Rally for Religious Freedom - Nationwide - Friday, March 23 - Noon

Here's the scoop for Dallas (including a map at the link):

Rally for Religious Freedom
Friday, March 23, Noon to 1 p.m. CST
Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla St.

Bleg: Good writing about the relationship between reason and Catholic faith

A good friend asks:

For years now I've been waiting for someone to preach to Catholics that philosophy reinforces rather than challenges our faith. I picture it like what Scott Hahn did for Catholics and popularizing the Bible (embrace it, don't fear it).

I have not devoted the time to read up on the topic to see what is already out there but I imagine it would use JPII's Fides et Ratio and personalism as a jumping off point (basically Thomast). Kind of allowing church-going Catholics to more firmly occupy the shifting ground between fundamentalism and materialism, without criticizing either or apologizing but rather celebrating the richness of our own faith.

Do you know anyone out there who is writing like that now?

I don't, though I am now going to print out Fides et Ratio which I may have read before but can't remember. Just reading the first few paragraphs was pretty exciting. (No, I'm not kidding. That's how I roll.)

Any suggestions for my friend?

Montmartre: a favorite Paris neighborhood and a new favorite cocktail

Check it out at Meanwhile, Back in the Kitchen.

Bleg: Book Suggestions for 13-year-old Girl

A reader asks:

Can you suggest a couple of book titles for my 13-year-old granddaughter? They must be audiobooks as she is dyslexic and mostly listens to books on tape.

I thought, perhaps, you might have some thoughts about good, wholesome books for early Teen girls; I fear that my granddaughter, who will be 13 this month, is already into those Twilight books (on tape) and somehow I don't think they're terribly appropriate, based on what I've heard and read! I always prefer the classics, myself, and if you have any particular audio versions that you like, I would love to hear about that.

Now I had a few thoughts, but they were very few, so I also turned to a couple of readers I trust.

Sarah Reinhard says:

• Regina Doman books -- ALL of them (I once called her books the "answer" to the Twilight books)
• The Eragon books (four in the series, I just read the last ones...I've heard less-than-glowing reviews, but I liked them)
• Book I haven't had a chance to review loudly yet (but will start next week at CatholicMom.com) - The Dragon's Tooth
• Michelle Buckman has a YA series of two books which are GREAT w/ Catholic worldview but no PREACHY (and really, you couldn't tell they were Catholic if you didn't know, which I LOVELOVELOVE): titles are Maggie Come Lately and My Beautiful Disaster

Rose says:

• The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley
• Eon: Dragoneye Reborn by Alison Goodman
• Princess Diaries
• Pride & Prejudice

My thoughts:

• Genesis by Bernard Beckett (SF novella)
• Neeta Lyfe, Zombie Exterminator by Karina Fabian
• To Kill a Mockingbird (I know a couple of these are "classics" which can be a turn-off, but they are classics because they are great stories. It might be that if she heard a good audiobook version the story would be gripping enough, with a great enough heroine, to make her forget the damning "classic" label)

I know there are lots of you out there with other great ideas. Please do chime in!

Weekend Joke: Sherlock Holmes

Thanks again to Seth for this one!

Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson went camping in the forest. After a good dinner and a bottle of wine, they went to sleep in the tent.

Several hours later, Holmes awoke and nudged his faithful friend, Watson.

"Look at the sky and tell me what you see."

Watson answered: "I see millions and millions of stars."

"And what does that tell you?"

Watson thought a minute and answered: "Astronomically, that tells me that there are potentially billions of planets. Astrologically, I see that Saturn is in Leo. Chronologically, I deduce that it is approximately three ten AM. Theologically, I see that God is all powerful and that we are small and insignificant. Meteorologically I suspect that we shall have a beautiful day tomorrow."

Holmes was quiet for a minute and then said: "Watson, you are an idiot. Someone stole our tent."

Who Else is Watching "Awake"?

I haven't seen the most recent episode but just finished up watching the second one recently.

How do I say this with no spoilers?

The moment at the end ... with the motorcycle ... was so wonderful.

But the moment after that, in the park on the bench, almost spoiled the whole thing for me. I thought, "Oh no, really? Do we need this? I know it's a thing right now, but this story already has so much in it that we don't need that too."

Did anyone else feel that way?

Spoilers allowed in the comments box ... so we can talk!

Let's Talk Chicken ...

... Palaver Chicken, that is. Over at Meanwhile, Back in the Kitchen.

John Allen Makes Me Laugh

Not most of the time.

But did you see this?

One month from today, Benedict XVI will turn 85. He's now the oldest pope in the last 109 years, since Leo XIII died in 1903 at 93, and will shortly become one of only six popes in the last 500 years to reign past the age of 85. That list includes three pontiffs (Pius IX, Innocent XII and Clement X) who died within a year of turning 85, so if Benedict's basic stability holds up, he'll surpass them in 2013.

As the saying goes, German machinery is built to last!

I heard that!

You laughed too!

Worth a Thousand Words: La Patisserie Gloppe

La Pâtisserie Gloppe aux Champs-Élysées, Jean Béraud (January 12, 1849 – October 4, 1935) 

via French Painters

What good is a Catholic presence in the land if it isn't Catholic?

In reading Joanne McPortland's honest, angry open letter to President Obama, one part stayed with me.

You have managed this really well from your end, manufacturing a "war on women"--Catholics want women to be pregnant or die!--while waging war on the First Amendment. I sometimes wish the Catholic bishops hadn't jumped at the bait, too (because I truly don't think this is the hill we want to die on)...

"Jumped at the bait" puzzled me because I truly couldn't see what other choice Catholics, including their bishops, had at this point.

As Tom said when I asked him about this, "If not now, then when?"

The only other choice was to let it lie which is unacceptable from a purely American point of view because religious liberty is so bred into our national identity. Not to mention defending our faith as Catholics.

If the Bishops, our fathers in the Church, had not let so many small fights go by with little more than a disapproving glance, then we would not be in the position of having to defend our faith in this way. We wouldn't have to defend it not only to the government but to our fellow Catholics. However, none of us is perfect and nothing is as simple as fingerpointing, especially at those in charge. I do not say this in anger, but just as one looking back on the road that got us to this point. Honestly, I am simply happy that they are standing up in unison.

I think that this is a hill that we must take a stand on, and not simply as Americans, but as Catholics one to another. After I entered the Church, I found I had to do great internal struggling to come to terms with many of the Church's teachings about how to live out the ten commandments and Jesus' two great commandments.

It's trendy to call them "life issues" and "social justice issues," but let's say what we mean. It is about the ten commandments, Jesus Christ, and getting to heaven. If that is in the center of our lives then the fruit will be enough to make "life issues" and "social justice issues" fade because we will be loving our neighbors as ourselves. Old, young, poor, rich, unborn, homeless ... everyone.

Here's one of the big realizations that I had during that process: you can't be really Catholic and be a card-carrying Democrat or Republican. There is no political party on earth that truly lives God's laws.

To say anything else is to fool yourself. It is to be blinded by our own desires and to put the golden calf of politics and controlling things "our way" ahead of the commandments and Jesus Christ.

It is to define, explain away, and excuse ourselves until we are a shadow of what we should be, which is authentically Catholic.

Do we believe the Catholic Church is the bride of Christ? Do we believe that her mission is to get each one of us ... you and me ... to heaven?

Then why aren't we listening? Why aren't we pulling out our Catechisms to examine the places where we oppose Her teachings. Why aren't we delving deep into the "why" of what the Catechism contains and holding our own "golden calves" up to see what needs to go in order to bring us closer to God?

I am not perfect, believe me. Plenty of my family and friends can testify to that. But I do keep getting up and trying again. And God keeps pointing out where I thought I was right but I had it all wrong.

My goal?

I want to be Catholic ... without any adjectives. Just plain Catholic is enough.

I am not a liberal Catholic, orthodox Catholic, conservative Catholic, cafeteria Catholic, or traditionalist Catholic: I am, simply, a Catholic (Roman Rite). That should be enough for you to know where I stand and what I believe about most issues. At least, it used to be.

Thomas L. McDonald

I can tell from Joanne McPortland's blog that she has done the same struggling. She and I may vary in how we try to apply the Church's teachings to ordering our lives or our voting or where we choose to volunteer, but we are not apart at the center. I know that she is honestly trying to do God's will with all her heart and mind and strength. By changing her long-held beliefs, even when it hurt.

She's had to move from her comfort zone to a place where both sides feel self righteous about attacking. Welcome, sister! Here I am too, although I think that I had to come from the other side of the road to meet you here.

In this particular case, on this particular hill, I think we have no choice but to take a stand and politely but firmly explain the truth. My prayer is that hearts and minds are opened, especially those of Catholics who dissent from Church teachings about contraception and abortion.

No Wonder I Never Feel Lonely - The Staggering Growth of the Church in Texas

A quick look at the stats lays out the backdrop: since the last ad limina, Catholics -- their presence increased nearly 60 percent since 1990 -- have eclipsed Evangelicals to become the state's largest religious group. In a matter of years, three of its dioceses have erupted to comprise more than a million members, each reflecting five-or-sixfold expansions over the last three decades. On a 25 percent growth in general population since 2000, the Dallas-Fort Worth "metroplex" is now home to nearly 2 million of the faithful in what's just become the nation's fourth-largest metropolitan area. Along the border, a majority of Brownsville's 1.1 million Catholics are younger than 25; out East, rural Tyler's taken to ordaining more priests than New York, and in the capital, Austin's church of half a million -- projected to double within a decade -- is perhaps the Stateside church's most energetic outpost, boasting the nation's most celebrated Catholic campus ministry, to boot.

On the institutional front, the seminaries are expanding, freshly-built "mega-churches" are teeming, and local RCIA classes routinely set national benchmarks. By and large, the model of church is a decidedly post-Conciliar, 21st century one, blending Africans, Anglos, Asians and Latinos -- each mostly migrants of some sort -- into cohesive, vibrant communities. In a first, Rome's designated headquarters for a significant cross-country project lies not along the Northeast corridor, but in Houston, where the dedication of a new cathedral (above) since the last visit shut Downtown streets as an army priests processed toward it four across. Each named auxiliaries in their early forties, the last decade has seen four homegrown priests succeed each other as the nation's youngest bishop. And of course, in the ultimate reflection of "the dynamic growth of Catholicism in the southern part of the United States, and especially in" this second-largest of them, for the first time its group crosses the "threshold of the Apostles" led by a figure in scarlet, one told by Benedict on his elevation that "Texas needs a cardinal."

Whispers in the Loggia has the whole story including all the links that go with the text above so that you know just what he's talking about. Via The Deacon's Bench, who always has the latest news.

Its Baaaaak - Community

For everyone like me, who's been missing it.

Poster is from Six seasons and a movie, via Scott, another Community fan.

No Man Should Fear the Rieper*: Reviewing "Sons of Cain" by Val Bianco

Sons of Cain by Val Bianco

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

You're either going to love this thriller or hate it. It has a definite Catholic orientation (which is a turn-on for me, let's get that straight right now) and definitely hews to the conservative side of the political spectrum. So there's that.

Here's the book description:

An ancient group of twelve unspeakably powerful men are prepared to implement mass suicide in the United States. Already in control of the Congress and the Presidency, all that they lack is the Supreme Court. The only thing standing between these SONS OF CAIN and the lives of the Court is a small group of dedicated warriors. Wealthy ex SEAL, Nick Rieper, and his dozen, Knights of Longinus, may be the most deadly strike force alive. The have pledged their lives, their fortunes and their honor to battle international Satanism. Battle is joined as they engage the Cainites and their demon leader, Namon, in mortal combat. They stand alone as the only force alive with the knowledge, the skill and the faith to prevent a crime that will change America... forever.

Nick Rieper and his merry band of knights (don't laugh, these guys live as close to the knightly ideal as possible) must stop not only the humans trying to wreak havoc upon the U.S. government, but also deal with their demonic leader. This is slightly complicated by the fact that they must also protect those they care about, including a gorgeous journalist who is just beginning to live a life of faith and a priest who has a checkered past to say the least.

This is told in straight forward fashion with no frills, except for some explanatory sections which were a bit too long and drawn out for my taste. That aside, the book heads straight for an adventure steeped in good versus evil, with angels and demons doing their fair share on the appropriate side.

If you aren't Catholic then my guess is that you may not like the book because the good guys are steeped in it, can't shut up about it, don't mind stopping to press rosary beads into a dying woman's hand, and are quick to gather in prayer for someone in danger before it's time to race to the rescue. Did I mention they talk about it? A lot? Now, as I said before, that's a turn on for me, but your milage may vary. As for the rest, you'll have to read it. All I'm gonna say is we now have the ultimate conspiracy presented about what's been keeping America down in recent years.

On a personal note, it was a good reminder of the implacable hatred that demons bear to mankind. The book's opening which tells of Pope Leo's vision that led him to write the St. Michael prayer was extremely powerful, setting the tone for the story but also acting as a wake up for the reader. Evil does exist and we do well to remember it. It is easy to forget that face when in the daily routine. This book highlighted it for me in a powerful way.

The author provided my review copy but as several authors know, to their sorrow, if I don't like it then it don't matter who gave it to me. And vice versa.

(*My post title? An inside joke for those who have read the book.)

It's March and "Card Carrying Democrat" Joanne McPortland is Mad at the President

I’m a card carrying Democrat, the daughter of a union shop steward, New Deal and Civil Rights and Camelot all the way. In 2008 I let my son’s enthusiasm for you and all you represented woo me away from my lukewarm support of Hillary Clinton, even though I thought even then there was something too-good-to-be-true about the way you absorbed all our war-weary, Bush-burdened projections. I put a HOPE decal in my car window right next to my Go, Flyers! decal. I cheered my heart out at your win, which I truly believed was the start of better days for all Americans. (And for my fellow Catholics who want to read this paragraph as evidence for excommunication, that’s for another combox, OK?)

Since then, though, you’ve disappointed me, Mr President. Even before I returned to the Catholic faith I grew up in, and began to reexamine everything in the light of that faith’s teachings, you showed absolutely no sign of being the bridge-builder you rightly said America needed in that fabulous 2004 convention speech. In your relationships with Congress, even when you had a majority, you talked compromise and did none of it. You ramped up the war efforts you had said were stupid. You kept Guantanamo open, and gave the nod to torture. You approved a return to the US-as-assassin model of dealing with dictators you don’t like, while allowing those who serve your interest to continue slaughtering innocents. You added even more restrictions on Americans’ constitutional freedoms than the original Patriot Act dreamed of. And you wouldn’t fight to keep a single-payer health plan on the table, settling instead for a bloated patchwork doomed to displease everyone, just so you could say you passed a health care act.

But it’s been your administration’s recent cynical manipulation of “the contraceptive issue”–an agenda mandated by your supporters in Big Pharma and Planned Parenthood, and planted in the midst of the debates in order to make the religious right (which now includes extremist Catholics like Rick Santorum and Catholics-by-marriage like Newt Gingrich) snap at the bait. You have managed this really well from your end, manufacturing a “war on women”–Catholics want women to be pregnant or die!–while waging war on the First Amendment. I sometimes wish the Catholic bishops hadn’t jumped at the bait, too (because I truly don’t think this is the hill we want to die on), but you knew they would, and knew that Catholics are already hated enough (for our own sins, in too many cases) in this country to make dissing us equal an automatic double-digit bump in your popularity stats. That’s my biggest disappointment–that you’re nothing but a Chicago pol after all.

Joanne McPortland lays it on the line with President Obama, since he's in town (Dayton) and all. I salute Ms. McPortland for her honesty. I have to say, contraception mandates aside, she brings up some things that I've been wondering myself. Guantanamo, ramped up war efforts, dictator deals, and additional Patriot Act restrictions have had me asking the television more than once, "What happened to all of Obama's promises? I thought he was supposed to go in the opposite direction of the Republicans?"

Now, I didn't vote for him so it isn't as if I felt betrayed. But these were all the things that my Democrat friends rail against and here was their "Change!" guy staying the course or hitting the gas, depending on the issues. Color me confused.

Not to mention the HHS mandate debacle.

Anyway, it was refreshing to see someone who was on his side ask those questions. Even if he finally had driven her away by the time March madness hit.

Via The Deacon's Bench.

Well Said: Friendship Plays the Potter

From my quote journal.

So there they go, Jim running slower to stay with Will, Will running faster to stay with Jim, Jim breaking two windows in a haunted house because Will's along, Will breaking one window instead of none because Jim's watching. God, how we get our fingers in each other's clay. That's friendship, each playing the potter to see what shapes we can make of the other.

Ray Bradbury, Something Wicked This Way Comes

Worth a Thousand Words: Window Light

Window Light

by Duane Keiser

Book Review: Jerusalem: A Biography by Simon Sebag Montefiore

A guest review by Scott Danielson. After I received the review book and realized it was not my sort of book, he filled the gap as someone who could appreciate and evaluate the book for me. Many thanks, Scott!

Prophets and patriarchs, Abraham, David, Jesus and Muhammad are said to have trodden these stones. The Abrahamic religions were born there and the world will also end there on the Day of Judgement. Jerusalem, sacred to the Peoples of the Book, is the city of the Book: the Bible is, in many ways, Jerusalem’s own chronicle and its readers, from the Jews and early Christians via the Muslim conquerors and the Crusaders to today’s American evangelists, have repeatedly altered her history to fulfil biblical prophecy.

A person could read the above paragraph and be inspired to consider how wonderful and sacred a place Jerusalem must be.  Another person would be forced to think about the bloodshed that has occurred in the names of those religions in Jerusalem.  I have never been there, but this book makes me understand that it's both of those things.  The history of Jerusalem contains examples of the best and the worst that humans have wrought on each other.

Simon Sebag Montefiore called his book Jerusalem: A Biography for two reasons.  First, the city has a personality of its own.  In that paragraph above, he refers to Jerusalem as "her".  The Talmud also refers to Jerusalem as a woman.  The second reason is that the book is about "the people that made Jerusalem, and how they built it, and how it developed.  It's people and families that build cities."

The book presents the history of Jerusalem from Abraham to the Six Day War.  It is separated into chapters that usually focus on a single historical figure.  Some example chapter titles: "The Fall of Antigonos: Last of the Maccabeans", "Duke Godfrey: The Siege", and "The Emperor and the Caliph: Charlemagne and Haroud al-Rashid".  The chapters are short and can be read as self-contained stories within the story.  It's extremely well-organized, very readable, and will be an excellent resource for years to come.

I never felt that the author (who is Jewish) was agenda driven.  In fact, I would have to say that the book had a distinct secular feel to it.  Referring to the paragraph at the beginning of this review, he states that people "have repeatedly altered her history to fulfill biblical prophecy", implying that any prophecy that may have been fulfilled was purposeful and deliberate.  This includes Jesus.  Of the Resurrection, Montefiore says: "Archaeologists tend to believe that the body was simply removed and buried by friends and family in another rock-cut tomb somewhere around Jerusalem."  The book is not "about" the religions of Jerusalem, but the subject is impossible to escape.  Overall, I feel he did a remarkable even-handed job, treating all religions with a bit of detachment.

I learned a great deal from this book, and I look forward to visiting Jerusalem someday.  I've stated before that I'm waiting for the dust to settle before I do, but it hasn't settled for 3000 years.  I don't expect it will any time soon.

The Latest Book I'm Reading About Marriage? Would You Believe ... The Odyssey?

It's true! Jesse, Scott, and I discuss books 5-8 of The Odyssey at SFFaudio.

Gloria Purvis: What a Well-Reasoned Response to the HHS Mandate

I am in awe of Gloria Purvis. What an articulate, reasoned, intelligent argument she makes.

So much so that I am going to take my courage in both hands and send it to a couple of friends who may never speak to me again ... but if anyone can make the argument, she does.

It is what we need more than anything ... spokespeople like Gloria who can't be denied as a regular woman.

Five Years, 3302 Yards of Yarn, and Untold Hours Later ... I Present the Sampler Afghan!

Holy moly, I thought this took 3 years. Turns out now that I check the date, it took 5! Oh well, I also was knitting socks, bears, and suchlike so I took many a break.

The pattern worked absolutely perfectly and it went together like a charm. Kudos to Melissa Leapman who wrote Cables Untangled. It worked! (click the image to see it larger)

It is absolutely gorgeous and I want to make one for myself now. (You should have seen the look Tom gave me when I said that. A look that said, "you're nuts!")

I have entrusted it to FedEx to get it to Rose in L.A. Nervously. But I did entrust it. And she got it! Woohoo!

Julie and Scott are forced to spend the entire movie in #$%^ing Bruges. Not all is lost, though, because they're filming midgets!

 In Bruges, written and directed by Martin McDonagh.  PS: It's in Belgium.

Now under discussion at A Good Story is Hard to Find podcast.

At the Crossroads in America: We Hold These Truths

“He might be good, but he’s not that good.” Turns out that Ted Chiang actually is that good.

Wow.

A couple of days ago, I gave John le Carré a “wow” for A Perfect Spy; today I’m giving Ted Chiang a “wow” for pretty much his entire output.

Here’s what I know about Ted Chiang. He’s a science fiction writer. He writes short fiction (his longest published piece is a novella). He knocks my socks off.

Now that's what I like to see. Will Duquette sees the light and gives a look at some of Ted Chiang's stories on the way. Go to The View From the Foothills to read more.

Priceless: You're the friend I'd least want to kill ...

Via the delightful Amy H. Sturgis, queen of the YA dystopian novel appreciators.

They Said It Couldn't Be Done, But They Didn't Know Hannah, Super Arborist!

In fact, here she looks as if she may be leafing out. Or is that moss?

Wait, that's from a 5K race where you get pelted with colored powder.

This is better.

See how happy it makes her just to be next to one of her leafy, bark-covered friends?

Hannah was told that no one passes the arborist test the first time around. But she pulled it off yesterday.

Congratulations, Hannah! We knew you could do it!

Five Leadership Lessons from James T. Kirk

Captain James T. Kirk is one of the most famous Captains in the history of Starfleet. There’s a good reason for that. He saved the planet Earth several times, stopped the Doomsday Machine, helped negotiate peace with the Klingon Empire, kept the balance of power between the Federation and the Romulan Empire, and even managed to fight Nazis. On his five-year mission commanding the U.S.S. Enterprise, as well as subsequent commands, James T. Kirk was a quintessential leader, who led his crew into the unknown and continued to succeed time and time again.

Kirk’s success was no fluke, either. His style of command demonstrates a keen understanding of leadership and how to maintain a team that succeeds time and time again, regardless of the dangers faced. Here are five of the key leadership lessons that you can take away from Captain Kirk as you pilot your own organization into unknown futures.

Read it all at Forbes. You'll laugh, you'll cry, but most of all you'll see the truth of the arguments.

Thanks to Tamahome for this, which I'd never have seen if he, Scott, and I weren't discussing Jane Eyre.

What? From Jane Eyre to Captain Kirk? I'm telling you, Goodreads should never be underestimated for prompting imaginative reading discussions.

The WSJ and the HHS Mandate: They Aren't Going Quietly into the Good Night

It is now common to hear me beginning the morning with the paper, a cup of coffee and a "God bless the Wall Street Journal" as I look at the opinion page.

That's because is a rare day when I don't see at least one mention of yet another reason why the White House's attack on religious liberty (via the HHS mandate). They have examined why it is wrong via the usual logic. They have also taken a look at it from insurance,  economics, and other business viewpoints ... none of which have added up to a good reason to implement the White House's program. In short, the WSJ is relentless in keeping this issue in front of readers.

If only other main stream media had such a talent for using their own brains and not just mouthing the pablum fed them by the White House. (Follow the fact trail for that claim at GetReligion.)

This morning brought two good pieces in the WSJ.

Limbaugh and Our Phony Contraception Debate

At the hearing of the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee chaired by Nancy Pelosi, Sandra Fluke testified as a victim. Having to buy your own contraception is a burden, she said. She testified that all around her at Georgetown she could see the faces of students who were suffering because of Georgetown's refusal to abandon its Catholic principles.

Exactly what does the face of a law student who must buy her own birth-control pills look like? Did I see them all around me and just not know it? Do male law students who must buy their own condoms have the same look? Perhaps Ms. Fluke should have brought photos to Congress to illustrate her point.

Bishop Dolan's Liberty Letter
The Catholic Cardinal describes a chilling visit to the White House.

The debate over the Obama Administration's birth control mandate has been ingloriously fact-free, even more than usual. So amid demonstrably false claims about a plot to relegate women to the era of "Mad Men," if not Salem, Massachusetts circa 1692, Cardinal Timothy Dolan's letter on religious freedom deserves more readers.

Unfortunately, this is a paid-access only piece. However, I found it at Freedom Eden so go read it there.

God and the Machine: In which Thomas L. McDonald joins the Patheos Catholic bloggers

Technology, like fire, can create or destroy, and so we need to consider the vast technological landscape from a uniquely Catholic angle. This is what I hope to accomplish with God and the Machine. I want to look at the intersection of technology and faith: not just the way new tech is being used to evangelize and examine the faith, but the way people of faith encounter their world through technology. In short, I’ll examine technology, in all its wonderful, horrible power and potential, and try to answer the singular question: How do we walk with Christ in the digital age?

I've enjoyed Tom's other blog, State of Play, for some time. Tom's also uniquely suited to look at technology and the Catholic faith at his new Patheos blog, God and the Machine. His credentials are as long as your arm. But I'll just quote The Anchoress on them for you.

Tom’s CV is exhausting and impressive. Aside from authoring three books, and overseeing Games, he’s been a columnist for Computer Gaming World, T3: Tomorrow’s Technology Today, Game Players PC Entertainment, Cemetery Dance Magazine, PC Ace, and Computer Life . . . the techno list goes on and on, and he also blogs at State of Play. On the faith side of things, Tom is a certified catechist who teaches church history and prepares candidates for the sacrament of Confirmation; a few years ago he started writing about religion as well (you’ve read him in the Register, here at Patheos and elsewhere) and — particularly as he works his way through a masters in Theology — a blog called God and the Machine seems a logical means by which to cull together these intersecting interests and ponder where the lines might be drawn within our longings. I have a feeling we’re going to get some very interesting reads out of this extremely energetic writer! 

Also, I'm not gonna lie. Tom is a funny guy and you know how I love funny. For example, his brief illustrated introduction made me crack up. Not that it is all funny. Some of it is just right.

I am not a liberal Catholic, orthodox Catholic, conservative Catholic, cafeteria Catholic, or traditionalist Catholic: I am, simply, a Catholic (Roman Rite). That should be enough for you to know where I stand and what I believe about most issues. At least, it used to be.

And I like that even more than funny. (Plus, you know, I think that is going to have to go into my quote journal. Quotable. I like that too.)

L.A. Diary: Seeing Stars

Part 1: We Begin
Part 2: On the Road
Part 3: We Arrive
Part 4: The Strange Encounter
Part 5: The Best Deal (or Two) in L.A.Part 6: Land of Dreams
Part 7: Meeting New Old Friends
Part 8: Lettuce Love

=============================

I'm not talking about the kinds of stars that you naturally think of when L.A. and Hollywood come to mind.

I'm talking about driving to the Griffith Observatory in Griffith Park. Griffith Park is the largest city park in the U.S. Really.

With over 4,210 acres of both natural chapparal-covered terrain and landscaped parkland and picnic areas, Griffith Park is the largest municipal park with urban wilderness area in the United States. ...

Originally a part of the Spanish land grant, Rancho Los Feliz, the park was named for its former owner, Colonel Griffith J. Griffith.

That would be enough to thank Col. Griffith for but he also was very interested in astronomy and soon Los Angeles had a state-of-the art observatory, built in a charming art deco style (which, now that I come to think of it, was state-of-the-art for ... art!).

Today, the insides have been turned into one of those education places that are au courant. We'd have preferred to see it turned more into a museum of what was "state of the art" at the time, however, we were still able to imagine what it was like when astronomers from around the country and the world worked there.

My favorite part was walking around the outside of the building and up to the top. It features a magnificent view of the park and across Los Angeles where you can see the ocean glinting in the distance. It also has what may be the best view of the Hollywood sign around.

We actually do have pictures of a lot of these things, including us in front of this sign (du rigeur for a L.A. visit, isn't it?), but I've got to get them from Tom.

Next, I'll be talking about our other "must see" tourist destination ... the Los Angeles Cathedral. Is it the monstrosity of architecture that I've heard it is? Well, yes. And no.