So a rare moment on the patio while the whiskey barrel water garden gurgles, the crickets breep behind me and the cicadas buzz in the trees. Somewhere in the distance I can hear the whine of the traffic on I-35 (which is not far from the house), but overall it is a peaceful night.

Sometimes I get so caught up in the perversity of human stupidity and how the best-intentioned people can make some of the dumbest decisions on the face of God’s green Earth. But I must remind myself that we foolish humans have been on this planet for a long, long time and, God willing, will be here for an even longer time.

Perhaps all of us who get caught up in discovering the foibles of those evil/stupid (strike whichever is not needed — see ‘Conflict of Visions’ for a guide) people on the other side need to sit down and listen.

Do you remember feeling “persecuted” in high school or college because of your beliefs?

Psalm 78:1-4, 12-16 with additional apocryphal verses

[1] Hear my teaching, O my people; incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
[2] I will open my mouth in a parable; I will declare the mysteries of ancient times.
[3] That which we have heard and known, and what our forefathers have told us, we will not hide from our children.
[4] We will recount to generations to come the praiseworthy deeds and the power of the Lord, and the wonderful works he as done.
[12] He worked marvels in the sight of their forefathers; in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.
[13] He split open the sea and let them pass through; he made the waters stand up like walls.
[14] He led them with a cloud by day, and all the night through with a glow of fire.
[15] He split the hard rocks in the wilderness and gave them drink as from the great deep.
[16] He brought streams out of the cliff, and the waters gushed out like rivers.
[A1] And thus we will will teach our children; and they shall teach their children.
[A2] Unto the 70th generation they will be taught and they shall know the works of the Lord.
[A3] And the 71st generation will say unto their elders, are you kidding me?
[A4] For I learned the truth from my professors; to their words I have listened.
[A5] This is all just sky-god worship. This is all just cultural mumbo-jumbo.
[A6] The split sea was just a cultural tale; the cloud was just a fog.
[A7] There was no fire; there were no streams.
[A8] And thus the Lord will say, “Oh$%@#$, here we go again.”

The Anchoress here is talking about Bill Whittle (another of my favorite authors), “required volunteer service” and the authenticity of political candidates. A worthy read for both the Anchoress’s words and Bill Whittle’s original essay.

I used to volunteer at a local hospital, working with patients recovering from brain accidents, and also at a local Alzheimer’s facility. I did that because I wanted to, I was not compelled to do it (except, perhaps by the Holy Spirit). Because it was truly voluntary, it was real, authentic service.

…

Think of monasticism. A monastic gives up everything, moves into a community, share all his goods and even lets go of individuality; if superficial individuality is subsumed in the cause of something greater, it is because the monks and nuns have individually determined that it must be so. Because everyone there is of a like mind, and voluntarily giving themselves up – voluntarily practicing self-abnegation – it works. It is an authentic life of service and sacrifice because it is voluntary.

If you were to try to force monasticism, to compel people to work at something in which they do not believe, to give themselves up for something that does not speak to their individual hearts and spirits, it would not work. It would be completely inauthentic, and it would die.

Ellipses are mine.

The problem is that Boy Scouts require so many hours of “volunteer work” in order to advance in rank. While I understand what they are driving for, this has bothered me for quite some time. How can this be in any way, shape or form volunteer work? This is work required in order to obtain a goal. Worthy work and a worthy goal. But not volunteerism.

Mind you, I don’t have a solution to this problem. I’m not sure how big of a problem this is as the Boy Scouts are a volunteer organization — Adult volunteers (by and large) and young men who volunteer to join.

No one can pass through life, any more than he can pass through a bit of country, without leaving tracks behind, and those tracks may often be helpful to those coming after him in finding their way.

Is the problem with organization? Or is the problem really with religion?

I think generally you can translate “I really have a problem with organized religion” with “I really don’t like to think about what I believe.”

1“Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

2“So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 3But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

So I am discouraged but not surprised to read that the some within ECUSA have suggested a replacement for the Stations of the Cross. Rather than remembering the suffering that Christ underwent when He redeemed us all, we should all look forward to how the UN will save us all through the Millennium Development Goals. Hence we now have now the Stations of the MDG.

For some time now, I’ve called the leadership of ECUSA “God’s Little Socialists”. I think some would like to replace the Holy Trinity with the Holy Quaternary: Father, Son, Holy Spirit and …

Rev 13:11 Then I saw another beast, coming out of the earth. He had two [ears] like a [kitty], but he spoke like a dragon. 12 He exercised all the authority of the first beast on his behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. 13 And he performed great and miraculous signs, even causing [a credit card to spring forth] in full view of men. 14 Because of the signs he was given power to do on behalf of the first beast, he deceived the inhabitants of the earth. He ordered them to set up an image in honour of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. 15 He was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. 16 He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark [in their wallet or purse], 17 so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name.

Quoting from the article, we find out that the younger Pelosi thinks religion can be a positive influence in life:

A once-lapsed Catholic herself, Ms. Pelosi now wants her two-month-old son to get in the habit of going to church at a young age. “There’s a lot of secular television that provides bad role models. It is important to expose your kid to religion, any religion, otherwise they’ll become uncharged, and those are the ones who may later in life fall into more extreme religions,” she told ABC News.

I fully believe in the importance of religion as well…