Protected: Being Pope is too Limiting
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Religion
The Bestiary
Yet another favorite to add to this year’s list of great reads. Who would have guessed The Bestiary would be that good? Not me. I flipped through Nicholas Christopher’s other novels and don’t think I’ve ever read any. Oh wait, did I read Veronica? I know it was on my list to read at some point but from the description, I’m guessing I never got around to it… anyway, who knew the guy could write a great story with pretty terrific characters?
Toward the end, I was worried I was going to begin to hate it. I began to dislike the story just a tiny bit when Xeno, Bruno and Lena re-connected. I’m still not sure I like the Lena portion, though I suppose I knew it was coming all along. I loved the ending completely. It couldn’t have been better and I was able to overlook “Lena” and still check this one off as a favorite.
Deer Hunting with Jesus
And to think I almost skipped reading Deer Hunting with Jesus, that would have been a shame particularly since I’ve invoked the “C word” quite a bit over the last few months.
Liberals, (politicians and their supporters), should do themselves (and the country) a favor and read Deer Hunting with Jesus. Then, spend some time figuring out how to talk to the working class poor because the status quo is simply not cutting it. Millions of people in this country are under-educated, over-worked and under-paid and they do not have time, interest or knowledge to sort out the rhetoric and propaganda. They can’t relate to wealthy politicians of any political persuasion but they can relate to the conservative BS that scares them or inspires them and doesn’t make it necessary for them to do any thinking – all they have to do is believe in God, Country and Family … and they do. A little healthy fear of people who aren’t like them gets tossed in for good measure and the republican vote is all locked up.
As an aside, it was a pleasant surprise to skim through the Acknowledgments for the book and see one of my favorite blogs listed: Peacebang… Joe Bageant has great taste in religious bloggers.
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The Master of Secrets
Oh boy, another book about God and Jesus. How did that happen? The Master of Secrets wasn’t half bad. A “man behind the curtain”, anti-Christ character and a lost boy. Interesting and troubling and then redeeming. Which is sort of what Christianity is all about, isn’t it?
Not bad at all. But I am sooo done with religion at this point. Maybe TW will let me stay home from church on Sunday. Surely I’ve read enough about God this week to get time off for good behavior… (and how is it that I do not have a religion sub-category in the “books” topic area? weird, very weird.)
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Religious Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know – and Doesn’t
Well. Religious Literacy…. was interesting in places. And boring as hell in other places. Pretty much like religion in general, in my never humble opinion.
I would definitely agree with the author, the US is a country full of believers who are ridiculously uninformed or misinformed about the religion they say the belong to. And they know even less about religions they do not belong to.
I would also agree with the author that removing religion, and The Bible in particular, from public education settings was probably not the best idea. The problem is that I don’t think there is any good solution to the problem. Americans are quick to cry foul and no matter what you do someone is definitely going to cry foul.
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The UUs like y’all
Good news, (or not?) for our Trans friends and family members. Are all you trans men and women going to rush off to the Fellowship on Sunday? You’re welcome any old time. Sort of?
Interesting. Now I really wish my mom had gone to GA this year.
Here’s an update, CC linked with the explanation of what happened with the transgender inclusion issue. I haven’t had time to read it but wanted to put it out there for those who DO have the time.
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PeaceBang!
I read PeaceBang all of the time and I always enjoy her posts. I even sometimes flip over to her special “beauty blog” even though it’s totally not my thing. I just like PeaceBang. This post and this post are part of why. It’s not just that she wrote PRIDE posts, it’s how she wrote the PRIDE posts.
So what if I’m not Jewish!
Is it weird that I was really excited to see The Modern Jewish Mom’s Guide to Shabbat on the BlogHer HarperCollins Virtual Book Tour? Is it even more weird that I was really really excited to find a copy on my doorstep 3 days after I requested a copy? Is it crazy weird that I really enjoyed the book? Nah, you don’t have to be Jewish to enjoy the book or to find value in its message.
The first thing I need to say is not positive – I hated the paper the book was printed on. I hated it so much that I had a hard time turning the first few pages. I almost put it down because I really hate that scratchy paper in a book. But I persisted and fought back the shuddering and found ways to balance the book so I only had to touch the paper when I turned a page.
The next thing I need to say is very positive – Meredith Jacobs is very readable. I had only read a few paragraphs and I was smiling. TW was reading over my shoulder and said “She’s very readable, isn’t she?” Why yes, yes she is! And I love that in a self help book.
Now, about the content. I mentioned I’m not Jewish, right? Well it just doesn’t matter. Shabbat is about being together as a family, making that connection sacred. The religion is icing on the cake and I don’t need icing, I need cake. The very real ideas about how to juggle real life issues and still come together for Shabbat can be used by anyone. They’re simple and reassuring.
I found the religious instruction pieces excellent. Very interesting and not, umm, preachy! Heh. I love religious education of all forms but I don’t like religious education that screams at you, makes you feel guilty or attempts to make you feel wrong if you don’t believe exactly what the writer believes. Jacobs doesn’t do any of these bad things. She’s straight-forward and honest and not pushy.
When I requested the book, I thought I’d read it and then run a contest on ClubMom and give it away. I’ve changed my mind! I don’t want to give the book away. I want to keep it. I want to find a spot in the PURPLE section of my bookshelf and let it live there. I want to pull it down and try all of the Challah recipes (I love Challah.) I want to pull it down and hand it to a kid to read bits and pieces of the Torah section. I want to pull it down after a particularly Jewish service at the UU Fellowship and let the kids look through it and choose a recipe or a craft project or an idea to talk about. Nope, I’m not giving this one away. I might, however, buy another one and run a contest anyway.
I think I need to go and buy some fresh yeast. And think about how to incorporate some of these ideas into our lives REGULARLY.
Technorati Tags: blogher, modernjewishwoman, shabbat, familydinners, nonfiction
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Why? Why NOT?
So there’s a theme for this year’s Blog For Choice Day. The theme is "why are you pro-choice"? I think the simple answer to that would be another question – "why would I be anti-choice"?
I wouldn’t be. I couldn’t be. It’s wrong for me to decide what’s right for YOUR body, what’s right for YOU. I get to choose what’s right for me, you get to choose what’s right for you. That’s it, end of story. No shades of grey. Not one.
A few months ago, I was laying in bed with the laptop – probably reading blogs or writing a blog post – when I heard a knock at the door and a voice saying "Can I talk to you?" I hate it when the big kids do that. It’s never good news they want to share. It always means something’s gone wrong, or there’s some drama they need to talk out. I sighed. I grumbled about hating it when they do that. I got an apology but when I opened the door I saw the 1/2 child standing there looking like he’d lost his best friend.
Someone he cares a lot about was pregnant. He was sad and angry and confused and he wanted to make everything right. He wanted to know if she could have an abortion – she’s under age and we live in the horrid "parental consent state" (I hate parentel consent laws.). We discussed this young woman’s options and before I knew it – he was planning what she was going to do.
Hoooooooooold on a minute dude. This is not your choice. This is not your body. This is not your life. You did not even impregnate this girl and you’re thinking you have the right to make these decisions for her? I am glad you want to HELP her. I am glad you’ll do whatever it takes to make these things happen for her. But dude, do you even know what she wants to do? Because she has three options. And SHE is the one who gets to choose. Until you know what she chooses, you can’t be sitting here making plans.
It’s easy for even the most well-meaning, kind-hearted of people to take control – to take choice away – to think they know what’s best. It’s far too easy.
Yes, I’m pro-choice. How could I be anything else?
Daily Dose of Religion
We went to church yesterday. First time in ages. Well it’s the first time in ages that I have been. TW and the kids have been at least once since last spring. I have not. This was my first look at minister number one, female version, for our church. We’ve had interim ministers for two years and finally we have the real thing. (not that Reverend Barbara wasn’t the real thing, she was – but she was still interim)
Anyway, about church yesterday. Forgiveness. Duh. Yom Kippur. If there’s one thing you can usually count on with the UU folk, they’ll hit Yom Kippur with gusto. (They may not mention Jesus at Easter, or even Christmas, but that whole forgiveness thing of the Jews – UUs can handle that without problem.)
Interesting little sermon given by this new minister. We had a story about an AF reserve pilot who needed forgiveness. A story about a Hispanic drunk driver who also needed forgiveness. And, the minister herself who needed forgiveness for a car accident she was involved in. Tidy little forgiveness package of stories.
I’m interested now in seeing the minister number two, male version, now. I wonder when he’s up to bat errr preach. Ack, hopefully not on the 15th because I am hoping we can skip church again. It will be GLBT feeding time at the zoo service and I’m really not into that.
Unitarian Universalists, interesting people and interesting services.
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