For LisaRose

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

If inanimate corporations didn’t profit from wars, we might be able to do away with them.

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

Going forward, you will accompany me. If I go backward, I’m not so sure you will.
When I’m on the ground, you’re surely with me. If I’m in the air, I’m not so sure.
When I focus on the bottom line, not a chance. Your focus is on top of the line efforts.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“Hey guys, Silas, our friendly inn-keeper, says I can put this meal on my tab if I promise to pay by Saturday. With that kind of service, we’ll be coming back to this place forever!”

[No, that never happened, not even on Maundy Thursday.]

D. Blog: Word of the Week – “doldrums”

I heard a friend was in them, but I knew she had not left her house… Aha, dictionary.com has an explanation of sorts.

1. a state of inactivity or stagnation, as in business or art: August is a time of doldrums for many enterprises.

2. the doldrums,
a. a belt of calms and light baffling winds north of the equator between the northern and southern trade winds in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
b. the weather prevailing in this area.

3. a dull, listless, depressed mood; low spirits.

Origin: 1795–1805; obs. dold stupid (see dolt) + -rum(s) (pl.) n. suffix (see tantrum)

So, number 3 must be the one where my friend is. But that number 1 and the origin seem to describe Congress perfectly, don’t you think?

Conversion or Else

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

The Auctioneer says: “What am I bid for this marvelous Peace on Earth?”

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

Change is the constant. We adapt or stagnate. Bodies and brains deteriorate, then die (assuming “natural” death). Billions of years in the making, too many of us never see the grand opportunity of being co-creators with you, co-conspirators in making your dominion of life abundant and loving on Earth, thus proving the lie to eternal death and destruction.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“Okay. That’s not funny, guys. Who put the sugar in the salt container?”

[Hmm. Salt or sugar? Interesting question. Which are we? Can we be both? ... But He never asked that question.]

D. Blog: Climate Change and Peak Oil

It’s clear that governments have a hard time responding to climate change, and most of them (and big oil companies) don’t want their citizens to know about Peak Oil (i.e., that we will soon, if we don’t already, face a decline in the supply of easily accessible and easily refined oil). The Transition Movement offers some hope for local communities to respond to the twin threats, and in the process build stronger, more resilient communities with lifestyles far less dependent on the use of fossil fuels, lifestyles much less consumption oriented, and economies better able to sustain when growth is no longer possible. I’ll be devoting more time to our local efforts as Transition Asheville, likely meaning less time for this blogspot. Here are some of the resources that our group has found helpful in beginning to work on the transition to the inevitable descent to a society with less fossil fuel energy. I encourage anyone reading this to get informed and involved, if you aren't already.


Resources for Transition Movement “Mullers”

http://www.transitiontowns.org/
Website for the international movement

http://www.transitionus.org/
Transition movement in the US, includes online training modules/webinars and means of registering for future live webinars, plus many other resources under:
http://www.transitionus.org/resources/reading

http://www.chrismartenson.com/crashcourse
Understanding the prospect of coming economic, energy and environmental crash(es)

http://www.thomasberry.org/
Several resources on this site. His books have inspired many. The Great Work speaks powerfully to the task of changing our attitudes toward and beliefs about Earth.

http://www.brianswimme.org/
Berry’s colleague/collaborator, Swimme presents the new cosmology based on scientific findings of the past century, especially. Humans are the unique product of a process that has lasted billions of years, the cosmos and Earth coming to self-conscious life. The Hidden Heart of the Cosmos gives an excellent, readable overview of this process.

- Peak Oil – a film, and topic of many websites, including some that claim to debunk the threat as a myth.

- “End of Suburbia” (a film) More on the changes that will likely occur with the end to oil supplies sufficient to keep our current lifestyles going

- “The Awakening Universe” (15-minute film based on the work of Thomas Berry and Brian Swimme, inspiring!)

The Transistion Handbook: From oil dependency to local resilience, Book by Rob Hopkins, founder of the Transition movement

- Permaculture (a topic that should become familiar to people who are active in Transition, lots of information in libraries and on the Internet)

- Ecozoic Age (Berry & Swimme idea that should also become familiar – lots on the Internet)

Politicians' Infidelities

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

Disturbing the peace is an offense that can land us in jail. So why do we put up with those who promote war?

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

Do you mind if I call you God? Or Goddess?
How about Allah? Krishna? Buddha? Father? Mother? Mystery?
Ground of all being? Yahweh? Great Spirit? Source?

No, you don’t? Just call you.
Okay.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“The fortune-teller said that in a former life I was an island princess sacrificed to the goddess Makiri.”

[Something about that does not sound authentically Jesus…]

D. Blog: Politicians and their Infidelities

Why am I so little surprised when politicians break their marriage vows?

I suppose it’s because so many of them break the vows they make to the public. The main one being the vow to serve the interests of the people who elect them. (I distinguish between those who elect them and those who buy their loyalty.)

Aged and Sparkling

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

Disturbing the peace is an offense that can land us in jail. So why do we put up with those who promote war?

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

As my story unfolds, I encounter many surprises and countless pleasures. I enjoy new sights, walk new paths, explore new places. In truth they are quite old, most of them. That they seem new to me bestows a freshness upon them. Even though some of them show signs of old age, deterioration even, that, too, carries a measure of freshness for me.

It is, I hope, similar with me. I age, but I am not simply old. I carry newness within, originality, creativity, provocative sparkle. Like you, ever new.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“Whatever you say, Peter.”

[Nope, it never appears in the gospels.]

D. Blog: Supreme Court Activism, Yikes!

Well, sure, corporations get a blank check. Founding Fathers never really believed in the will of the people. While we’re at it, the slogan on our currency should be changed to “In Corporations We Trust.”

Corporation Defined

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

And for dessert, I’d like a slice of peace pie, please.

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

The “supernatural” wonders we hear about and the “miracles” we read bout are okay as far as they go, I suppose. But I’m far more impressed by the natural wonders of life on Earth – trees, flowers, birds, bees, diverse animals including humans, water, air, wind, rain, rivers, oceans, mountains, rocks and sand. I’m certainly more impressed by the miracle of life. To focus on other “wonders” or miracles distracts us from the vastly larger picture you’re creating.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“No, I’m sorry, Mrs. Friedman. I don’t think I’m altar guild material.”

[She tried, but He didn’t have to say it.]

D. Blog: Word of the Week – “corporation”

The most common form of business organization, and one which is chartered by a state and given many legal rights as an entity separate from its owners. This form of business is characterized by the limited liability of its owners, the issuance of shares of easily transferable stock, and existence as a going concern. The process of becoming a corporation, called incorporation, gives the company separate legal standing from its owners and protects those owners from being personally liable in the event that the company is sued (a condition known as limited liability). Incorporation also provides companies with a more flexible way to manage their ownership structure. In addition, there are different tax implications for corporations, although these can be both advantageous and disadvantageous. In these respects, corporations differ from sole proprietorships and limited partnerships.

[Definition provided by investorwords.com]

[I couldn’t help but notice that a corporation is an entity, not a person. An entity separate, in fact, from its owners when it comes to legal rights. Nothing in there, either, about civil rights – like freedom of speech -- for the corporate entity.

For an extremely convoluted argument in favor of the “Supreme” Court decision, check out George Will’s column that appeared in yesterday’s Washington Post. I’m getting the idea that
the modern US government is about protecting the health and welfare of its big businesses and financial institutions, much moreso than its people.]

Judicial Activism -- Yikes!!

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

Maybe we should try asking questions first, so we won’t feel that shooting is required.

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

As my story unfolds, I encounter many surprises and countless pleasures. I enjoy new sights, walk new paths, explore new places. In truth they are quite old, most of them. That they seem new to me bestows a freshness upon them. Even though some of them show signs of old age, deterioration even, that, too, carries a measure of freshness for me.

It is, I hope, similar with me. I age, but I am not simply old. I carry newness within, originality, creativity, provocative sparkle. Like you, ever new.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“Sure, whatever you say, Peter.”

[Nope, it never appears in the gospels.]

D. Blog: Supreme Court Activism, Yikes!

Well, sure, corporations get a blank check to pay for politicians. Founding Fathers never really believed in the will of the real people. While we’re at it, let’s change the slogan on our currency to “In Corporations We Trust.”

Eve's Apple?

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

Ready or not, Eirene is coming around the mountain.

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

So, here we are again, you and I. You mostly silent. I waiting for the words to express a thought or two for you. Even when the words do not seem to come, it doesn’t matter. For here we are again, you and I.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“Why do I always have to clean up the mess?”

[He was the first-born child, but did He whine as a child? Not like this.]

D. Blog: Apple Varieties

Tom Brown has made it his mission to locate and keep old apple tree varieties. There are thousands of varieties beyond what we find in grocery stores. He has found more than 900 “old timey” varieties in this region of the country. Most of the names you will never find in the stores. Here’s a small sampling of names:

Church, Biscuit, Black Bud, Big Rambo, Accordian, Bug Horn, Burningtown Spice, Candy, Chintz, Coffee, Fired Sweet, Fall Limbertwig, Flat Top, Grandma, Green Horse, Half Acre, Horseshoe, Iron Wedge, Jewel Smoker, Joe Buff, Kansas Sweet, Twenty Ounce, Trout, White Sheepnose, World’s Wonder, Yellow Spitzenburg, Pokey Seedling, Neverfail, Night Dropper, Luet’s Great Keeper, Little Brushy Spice, Mongolian, Greasy Ball, Prissy Gum, Red Cheese, Vagabond, Pig Nose, Thinskin, Granny Christian, Duchess of Oldenburg.

I don’t think the selection at the grocery store will ever look the same. Monocultured apples can’t cut it. Now I'm wondering, if we edit the story, what was the name of the variety Eve ate?

What Do We Ask For?

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

Is it just me, or do lots of other people think war is a huge waste – of lives, energy, time, money, material, minds, spirits – when there are many more important things we should be doing?

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

I like to think that I’m a good person. Then I recall that Jesus said only you are good. Okay, I won’t argue that point. However, that might just mean my goodness is not the same as yours, that mine does not reach your perfection. That’s okay, too. You’re the holy and perfect One. I am but a reflection of your goodness, but I’m as good as I can be, because ultimately I inherited all my best qualities from you.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“I’m sure I did not ask the caterers for escargots at this last supper.”

[And I’m sure He never said this.]

D. Blog: Tuesday Haiku

Military conflicts prove
The old maxim:
You get what you ask for.

Democracy or Corporatocracy?

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

Waiting on deck: Peace.

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

A gray and rainy day dos not dampen my spirits, for there are so many of life’s joys that take place on the inside.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“Mom, it’s nice that you take an interest in my travels, but I think your spoon collection has gotten out of hand.”

[I’m pretty sure I have this one right – He never said it.[

D. Blog: Extra Word of the Week – “corporatocracy”

[I thought this was a word I had created. Nope. It’s been around long enough to have this Wikipedia article that explains it.]

Corporatocracy or corpocracy is a form of government where corporations, conglomerates or government entities with private components, control the direction and governance of a country. This is sometimes considered to be a form of fascism.

Concept
This belief has two factors: campaign finance and special interests, also includes government ownership.

First, corporations provide financial support to competing political parties and major political party candidates. This allows the corporations to hedge their bets on the outcome of an election so that they are assured to have a winner who is en-debted to them. As politicians are increasingly dependent on campaign contributions to become elected, their objectiveness on issues which concern corporate interests is compromised.

Second, in many cases former corporate executives are appointed as powerful decision makers within government institutions. They are often charged with the regulation of their former or future employers. Government employees who collude with corporations often accept high ranking positions within corporations once they have demonstrated their commitment to serve the corporate interest. These lucrative offers provide incentive for government employees to serve special interests as well as provides their new employers with access to governmental decision makers. This is known as the "revolving door" between corporations and the institutions established to regulate their behavior; and can lead to regulatory capture.

Arguments
There are currently no governments designated by any governmental agency as a corporatocracy. Political progressives, however, have criticized governments for being de facto corporatocracies. Because governments tend to obscure the degree to which corporate interests are entangled in their affairs, an objective standard for declaring a government a corporatocracy is difficult. However many Western governments based on a capitalist system have been accused of being corporatocracies. Many corporations contribute abundantly to political candidates and causes. This creates a dependency of the politician on the corporation - in order to keep his power and wealth (i.e. continue receiving support for re-election bids), he might be obliged to "pay back" to the corporation using his political influence.
Some have argued that corporations exert their influence through the WTO (an international agency), although this is hotly debated. In this view, governments are in control of their countries at one level, while international corporations rule those governments at a different, level, and so there is in place a sort of "global corporatocracy". This global influence in turn has a great deal of power over the national and trans-national (e.g. the EU) governments, who rely and to an extent depend on them.

Some say the term "corporatocracy" has no real place in the lexicon, adding that corporations are primarily fictional entities possessing no real power. In fact, it is the people behind those corporations that hold the power. In that sense, a corporatocracy is nothing more than a democracy where the class which owns the means for producing wealth is fighting for its best interests. However, corporations have also been ruled to be considered a 'person' legally, so meaning they have the ability to exert power.

It is significant that the richest 1 percent globally own almost 40 percent of the world, and that most of these same people have significant ties to the richest and most influential corporations.

Buying politicians controversy
Those who dismiss the idea of a corporatocracy often say the only way it is possible is if it were legal to buy a politician's vote. In such a way, the corporation would, in fact, have a direct vote on major policy matters. However, all true democracies have made vote buying illegal. However, under the terms of at-will employment, corporations can require their employees to vote a certain way in exchange for (continued) employment. Such a policy is legal, although people intuitively know it probably shouldn't be.

However, those who believe there may be corporatocracies argue that no one individual, and perhaps no other groups of individuals, would have that much power, money or influence. Further, they argue the decisions on what to push for and who to support are made by a relatively few from inside the corporation. Therefore, while thousands of people may make up a corporation, only a few have the power to speak for the corporation and advocate issues on behalf of the corporation. That provides those corporations with a substantial amount of power, leading to a corporatocracy.

Further, they argue that it does not take an overt effort to buy a politician's vote. Making a substantial donation to a certain politician's campaign could be seen as sending a signal to that politician that the money is there if they vote in a way the corporation desires. Conversely, the money could be donated to an opponent if the vote does not go the corporation's way.

The January 2010 Supreme Court decision on Citizens United v. FEC could be construed as a gateway ruling towards a corporatocracy.

Use of the term
U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower himself argued against the strengthening corporatocracy in the form of a military-industrial complex that sets national and international financial, economic, political and military policies due to a permanent war economy.

In his 2004 book Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, John Perkins writes; "corporations, banks, and governments (collectively the corporatocracy)".

The concept of a government run by corporations or instances where governments are actually weaker (politically, financially, and militarily) than corporations is a theme often used in both political fiction and science fiction. In these instances the dominant corporate entity is usually dubbed a megacorporation.

Inner and Outer Shadow

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

On a sinking ship, they say “women and children first.” In war, of the same women and children they say “collateral damage.”

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

If I had it to do over again, I’d do some things differently.
If I had it to do over again, I’d hope for more humor.
If I had it to do over again, I’d spend more time outside of buildings.
If I had it to do over again, I’d spend more time looking at and listening to beauty.
If I had it to do over again, I’d spend less time worrying about what people think of me.
If I had it to do over again, it would certainly be different – but no better.
If I had it to do over again, I certainly would!
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“Alright, which one of you guys borrowed my razor?”

[This is not why He’s usually pictured as having a beard.]

D. Blog: Inner and Outer “Darkness”

Matthew’s gospel has Jesus speak of sending some people into the “outer darkness.” So, I wonder what might merit such banishment.

How about blatant greed? It appalls me.
How about merciless killing? It horrifies me.
How about sexual predators? They disgust me.
What about seeking self-interest at the expense of the public well-being? It outrages me.

Inexcusable? Irresponsible? Unforgivable?

To me, they reveal what I’ll call “inner shadows” that become manifest as “outer shadows” and, without a strong light shining on them will lead to permanent shadow. I know of some people who live there...

Gettysburg Address - 2010 Version

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

I expect nothing holy or noble in war, so its reality does not surprise or shock me.

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

My days are filled with good things, so it is also good to spend some time with you who make it all possible. Otherwise there arises that dread possibility of too much of a good thing (hah! Can there really be such?). Whatever. Slowing enough to appreciate the goodness, however, permits some perspective and allows me to distinguish between good things, and, to avoid that paradoxical possibility of o-d’ing on goodness. Life is good! Yeah!
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“Don’t go ballistic on me, Pete. I just meant I have to take on the Jerusalem establishment.”

[I doubt that “ballistic” was in His vocabulary. Taking on the establishment, perhaps.]

D. Blog: Un-quoting Lincoln

“…and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” -- President Abraham Lincoln, November, 1863

The Supreme Court decision of 2010 un-quotes him:

“and that government of corporations, by corporations, for corporations, shall not be limited in any way whatsoever.”

Have You Stolen Anyone's Thunder Lately?

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

I have no time for violence and killing. There’s a peace to build.

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

When I consider your works, I am in awe.
When I consider the works of humans, I can be surprised, disgusted, inspired or disgusted.
When I consider your works, I bow in reverence.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“You know, Dad, this Pat Robertson disciple is trying to steal our thunder.”

[So it seems. Won’t work. And He never had to say this, but see below for where the phrase came from.]

D. Blog: Word (phrase) of the Week – “steal one’s thunder”

Meaning
Someone 'steals your thunder' when they use your ideas or inventions to their own advantage.
Origin
Devices that produce the sound of thunder have been called on in theatrical productions for centuries. The methods used include - rolling metal balls down troughs, grinding lead shot in bowls, shaking sheets of thin metal. The latter device, called a thunder sheet, is still in use today…

The story that lies behind 'stealing someone's thunder' is that of the literary critic and largely unsuccessful playwright, John Dennis. In 1704, Dennis's play Appius and Virginia was produced at the Drury Lane Theatre, London and he invented a new method of creating the sound of thunder for the production. We don't know now what this method was (some texts say it was a refinement of the mustard bowl referred to by Pope, in which metal balls were rolled around in a wooden bowl), but it is reported that after Appius and Virginia failed and was closed, the method was soon afterwards used in a production of Macbeth. Dennis was less than pleased at having his idea purloined and this account of his response was recorded by the literary scholar Joseph Spence (1699–1768) and later quoted in W. S. Walsh's Literary Curiosities, 1893:
"Damn them! They will not let my play run, but they steal my thunder."

The actual words are in doubt and are also reported as "That is my thunder, by God; the villains will play my thunder but not my play!" What is clear is that Dennis's experience was the source of this attractive little phrase.

[I won’t try to steal Gary Martin’s thunder. He wrote this article for phrases.org.uk]

Who are We in Comparison?

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

The desire for peace will never go away.

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

In a sacred grove of ancient trees that have truly stood the tests of time, I got a better sense of my place in the world. I might think I’m pretty special – and I know that we humans can destroy these magnificent lives – but even profit-hungry lumbermen eventually felt awe in the presence of the complex and hardy survivors. I went into the redwood grove and came out changed, too.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“Pat Robertson is the only person in the world who understands me and what I’m about.”

[Yeah, right, like an earthworm understands my wife.]

D. Blog: Who are We in Comparison?

Cologne or Mace?

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

Peace is a gift from God. Can we open it now?

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

I find my thrill in many places, as you know. Most important, I believe, is knowing your grace. To me that means your loving care, which has far more meaning than the traditional language of “salvation.” (What that word usually signifies I’ve never really believed – saved from my sin). Never mind any of that. What’s important to me is that I’m no longer confused by or trapped in that mindset, which basically keeps people at a distance from you and from their neighbors. Too concerned about pleasing you, they don’t learn to enjoy your presence in this life, on Earth, and with others who might come to know you apart from traditional Christianity. I am so thankful to have been released from that onerous kind of religion. Free to be, you and me!
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“Peter, I think my church should be controlled by bureaucrats and Yes men.”

[But no women. Never said it.]

D. Blog: Creative Criminal Mind

ASHEVILLE — City police on Tuesday arrested a man charged with breaking into another man’s home, spraying him in the face with cologne and robbing him at knifepoint.
James Keith Robinson, 47, address unknown, was charged with robbery with a dangerous weapon, simple assault and breaking and entering. According to the arrest warrants, Robinson broke into the Lamancha Drive apartment on Tuesday and stole $20 from the man at knifepoint.
Bond was set at $5,000.
-- Asheville Citizen-Times, Jan. 20, 2010

[James would never carry mace. Too effeminate. Cologne worked fine, but it only got him $20 and an arrest.]

Human Intelligence

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

Birds, fish, and wild animals are so inferior to humans when it comes to acting with intelligence. They don’t know anything about war.

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

I’m too pre-occupied this morning for being creative, maybe even for focusing on you for any length of time. But I know you forgive me, that you want me to enjoy my life, to be active and filled with the wonder of it all. I also know that I could never pay “proper” attention. So I will avoid going through the motions of piety or dutiful obedience or following the “rules” of religion. I will heed your voice and your presence in all things. That seems to be enough, thanks to you.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

"In years to come, Peter, we will become unrecognizable. We’ll be like Jewish idols.”

[What we all want, right? He didn’t. And He didn’t say it.]

D. Blog: Tuesday Haiku

We shall walk through the valley in peace –
And the mountains,
The woods and plains.

Transition Movement

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

If Jesus had appeared as a warrior, then Christians going to war might make sense. He didn’t, so what gives?

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

Marvelous are your works, such that we see signs of your activity in even the most natural of coincidences. We experience sickness or distress, then assume you punish us for some violation of religious or moral “law.” We witness natural calamity; you have brought judgment for someone’s wrongs. A chance encounter with someone who assists us on our path; you brought us together. We double-book on our calendar and another person has to cancel one of those appointments; thank you, God, we say, for re-arranging the schedule. Whatever.
In addition to making you a “God of the gaps,” we make you a "coincidental God."
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“Mom knows best. So for my first trick, I’ll turn this water into wine, symbolizing the fact that cleansing on the inside is more important than cleansing on the outside.”

[I always wondered about that story, but He didn’t explain it.]

D. Blog: Wind at Our Backs?

I’ve been part of a group that’s trying to stir a movement in the Asheville area to begin preparing for more severe climate change and the inevitable decline in cheap oil supplies and what that will mean for human life on Earth in terms of economies, transportation, food production, building, etc. How to we prepare our communities to be resilient enough to survive the drastic changes that we will face? If you haven’t yet encountered the Transition Initiatives, or Transition Towns Movement, look for them on the Internet.

Our local group has twice shown the film, End of Suburbia, and this past week sponsored two presentations on climate change by a professor John Brock of Warren Wilson College. He says we appear have the wind at our backs in terms of what we're doing locally. His presentations (the first at 1 on a weekday afternoon, the second at 7 on a Sunday evening) were attended by about 125 people from in and around Asheville. Our emailing list now numbers about 200 people who are beginning study groups, networking, and thinking about the various working/action groups that will begin to plan and put into place some of the ideas that will make ours a more resilient community.

For me personally, it’s exciting to see how many people are concerned and ready to do something to build a more cohesive community that will be able to respond to life without cheap oil and to make it a better life in the process.

Going with the Flow

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

God provides peace on Earth. Our task is to expand that peace.

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

Time and events pass.
A natural disaster. “My” team’s victory. New things learned.
They linger within me, sometimes even to shape me.
They lie behind me.
But they also carry me into the future.
Time and events pass.
A birth. A death. A resurrection
They linger in me, shape me, carry me with your flow.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“Not all roads lead to Rome, nor to Jerusalem. God is not confined in either place.”

[Sounds like Him, but He didn’t say it.]

D. Blog: Earthquake in Haiti

Another earthquake, another calamitous loss of life and property, a situation of great need and great suffering. One friend asks what kind of God could allow this to happen. A celebrity preacher of some infamy says the Haitian people brought this tragedy upon themselves because of their “pact with the devil” – practicing voodoo. Isn’t it interesting how we can jump to such wildly different conclusions (wrong conclusions) about divine involvement in natural disasters? Why do we try to establish a supernatural explanation for a natural event?

A GPS Might Not Help Find the Way

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

The war against Earth is not going well for humans, either.

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

I have never seen an end to your blessings, your goodness, your mercy.
I have never heard an end to your wisdom, your example, your demand for justice.
I have never experienced an end to your creation, your peace, your life.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“Fill it up, check the tire pressure, clean the windshield and change the oil, please.”

[His mode of transportation required none of those, unless we think metaphorically.]

D. Blog: A New Crime on the WNC Scene

Timothy Robert Cutshaw, 23, address unknown, charged with failure to enroll/tamper with GPS device. Bond was set at $10,000.
-- Asheville Citizen-Times, Jan. 16, 2010

[By all means, let’s discourage a crime like this. We wouldn’t want a young man to find his way.]

Obnibulated Yet?

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

Like the truth, peace will out.

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

Can you forgive me for thinking that Pat Robertson should have a voodoo curse put upon his mouth?
Meanwhile, I’ll pray for his conversion to Christianity.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“I don’t see the point of your hula-hoop, Eli.”

[No point, and not something He said.]

D. Blog: Word of the Week – “obnubilate”

Verb
1.
obnubilate - make less visible or unclear; "The stars are obscured by the clouds"; "the big elm tree obscures our view of the valley"
becloud, befog, fog, haze over, obscure, mist, cloud
conceal, hide - prevent from being seen or discovered; "Muslim women hide their faces"; "hide the money"
overshadow - cast a shadow upon; "The tall tree overshadowed the house"

2.
obnubilate - make unclear, indistinct, or blurred; "Her remarks confused the debate"; "Their words obnubilate their intentions"
obscure, blur, confuse
alter, change, modify - cause to change; make different; cause a transformation; "The advent of the automobile may have altered the growth pattern of the city"; "The discussion has changed my thinking about the issue"
confuse, confound - mistake one thing for another; "you are confusing me with the other candidate"; "I mistook her for the secretary"
muddy - cause to become muddy; "These data would have muddied the prediction"

[Thanks to yourfreedictionary.com for making the meaning of this word clear…]

Playing Cards with Jesus

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

I read that there’s an ammunition shortage in Western North Carolina. Right. I have none at all.

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

Life is good. Yeah!
Just being here is magnificent!
It’s a wonderful life.
They got it right.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“I’ll match your 50 and raise you 100. The cards are falling my way tonight.”

[Maybe He had 3 threes? Nope, never said it.]

D. Blog: Oh, the Gall!

ASHEVILLE — A Cherokee man will spend six months in prison for selling 51 bear gall bladders.
The U.S. Justice Department also announced Wednesday that Clement Calhoun was sentenced in federal court in Asheville to a year of supervised release and revocation of his hunting license.
Authorities charged Calhoun, a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, as part of a three-year undercover investigation called Operation Botanical focused on the trafficking of ginseng and bear parts in the Southern Appalachians.
According to court documents, Calhoun sold bear gall bladders outside the reservation between January and September 2005. He pleaded guilty in December to transporting and selling bear parts in violation of the Lacey Act.
Calhoun said in court in December that the bladders were worth at least $6,600.
Traditional Asian medicines involve the use of many parts of the bear, with bile from the gall bladder being the most coveted part. Increasing demand for bear gall bladders may threaten the black bear population, authorities said.
“This operation and its resulting conviction and sentence should send a message to those illegally trafficking in animal parts,” said Ignacia Moreno, assistant attorney general for the Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division. “We at the Justice Department take these crimes seriously and will continue to focus on regions and areas where this activity is suspected.”
The defendant's attorney, Rich Cassady, of Sylva, said in court documents that Calhoun, 48, has lived his whole life in the Big Cove community and is one of only about 400 fluent Cherokee speakers left on the reservation.
Calhoun also was required to make a public apology for selling the gall bladders.
“I understand that the selling (of) bear gall bladders could threaten the black bear population by creating a financial incentive for poaching,” he said in a letter published last week in the Cherokee One Feather.
--Asheville Citizen-Times, January 14, 2010

[This story raises a lot of questions for me, but I’ll limit myself to one: what medicinal purpose is bear gall bladder bile supposed to serve? See below.]

Bear bile from the bear gall bladder is one of the most treasured of traditional Chinese medicines. Prescriptions for bear gall first appeared in writing in the 7th century (Bensky and Gamble 1986). Bear bile is believed to have special qualities to treat ailments of the liver, stomach and a diverse illnesses from fever to digestive disorders.
As Asian bear populations decline and wild bear bile and other bear parts become more difficult to obtain, sources of bear parts outside Asia will be developed by traders and others willing to make significant profits.
-- clickerado.com

Impotent Jesus?

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

God’s presence in the midst of war is understandable.
God’s favoring one side in a war is not likely.
God’s support for war is impossible!

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

You have heard our saying that “beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” True enough, for instance, in matters of landscape or flowers or colors. All will appeal to some people as beautiful.

As the ultimate be-holder, you see everything as beauty, everyone as beautiful. And, I think, the Genesis and /or the English translation understates your response to creation. Not only “good” or “very good,” but a goodness that includes “beautiful.”
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“No, Mary, I can’t have children. I’m impotent.”

[How about a virgin birth, then, Jesus? No. He didn’t say this.]

D. Blog: Stewardship of Earth

Earth’s self-care makes our “stewardship of Earth” look like rape. She might well convict, sentence and punish us for our abusive behavior. “Punish” isn’t the right idea; it’s more a matter of her causing us to experience the inevitable consequences of our actions. If we don’t respect her, we cause our own destruction. If we don’t understand the nature of our relationship with her, we can only bring about harm to both her and to us.

Have You Been Brainwashed?

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

“I think peace is round, like Earth. And like an orange – good for you.” -- Emily, age 10.

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

I have a lot on my mind, many possibilities that vie for my attention. I need your help in focusing on the next good thing I should do, so I might do that well before moving on to another good or necessary thing.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“We are the champions, my friends!”

[That wasn’t the theme song for Palm Sunday.]

D. Blog: Tuesday Haiku

Enough brainwashing convinces
People that war
Is beneficial

Be Prepared

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

Ever notice how much oppressive governments fear peace activists?

[A friend of mine, executive director of a peace organization in the US, was recently denied entry to Israel when he wanted to help lead a Christian Peacemaker Team to work in Palestinian communities.]

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

I just did some things I never did before, never even tried before. It involved some effort, took some learning and some proper tools, but the outcome was good. So, I feel pretty good about myself, too, good enough to declare that yes, an old dog can indeed learn some new tricks. Thanks for your help, you old dog.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“I’ll pick up the tab – but only tonight guys.”

[Not what He said at their last supper together...]

D. Blog: Peak Oil and Climate Change

Think of them as reflected in the parable of the wise and foolish virgins. Or, for those who were Boy Scouts, remember the motto: be prepared.

Inadequate God Talk

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

Peace does not surpass divine understanding; it expresses divine wisdom.

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

You are everywhere, in everything and everyone. The Life Force, force behind everything, incarnate in everything, without being confined to any thing, any time, or any place.

So why do I keep trying to put such thoughts into words? What hope is there that I express them adequately?

I suppose the answer could be simple: just because. Or it could have more depth: because I know no other means of expressing my thoughts; because unless they come in words, the thoughts cannot become real.

Just as the Word became flesh. Without physical expression, Christ is but an ideal, never a reality. So, I know you, Life Force, in the words you give me.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“There’s a light at the end of the tunnel!”

[If He said it as the stone was rolled away from the tomb, it was not recorded in English.]

D. Blog: Absolute Mysterious

Photography Questions

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

Another military conflict in store? No thinks. I’ll sit this one out, too.

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

In case you missed it, I’m happy with our latest purchase.
In case you missed it, I’m okay with the frigid weather.
In case you missed it, I’m delighted with our warm home.
In case you missed it, I’m pleased with our life together.
In case you missed it, I’m so glad you led us to this place!
In case you missed it, I’m grateful for everything!
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“Actually, James and John, I thought you would sit with the servants.”

[The real places of honor for Him, but He didn’t say it like this.]

D. Blog: Common Questions about My Photography

- “Did you take all of these photos?”
[Huh? Yes. I stole them from someone whose work I admire more than my own…]

- “What kind of camera do you use?”
[Huh? Are we interested in technology or in artwork? When I’m in a museum, do I care what kind of brush a painter used?]

- “Is that really what it looked like?”
[Hmm… Do you want realism or art? If you want journalistic photography, that’s seldom art. Besides, a camera might not lie, but it never recreates exactly. Does a painter?]

- “What software did you use?”
[Hmm… In your opinion, is that cheating? Again, are you looking for realism or art? The painter recreates a vision, why not a photographer using another medium?

The "Secret" Messiahship

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

A just peace can never create as much injustice as a “just war” does.

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

Our words fail to capture our experience of you.
Your Word captures us.
Our words cannot describe the influence you have on our lives.
Your Word describes our potential.
Our words become idols that then turn to ashes.
Your Word is true and leads us to abundant life.
Our words are flexible and deceptive.
Your Word is a trustworthy guide for our way.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“Don’t ask, don’t tell.”

[Not the way Mark recorded His “secret” messiahship.]

D. Blog: Word of the Week -- Bloodgeon as Eggcorn

In linguistics, an eggcorn is an idiosyncratic substitution of a word or phrase for a word or words that sound similar or identical in the speaker's dialect. The new phrase introduces a meaning that is different from the original, but plausible in the same context ("old-timers' disease" for "Alzheimer's disease"). This is as opposed to a malapropism, where the substitution creates a nonsensical phrase. Classical malapropisms generally derive their comic effect from the fault of the user, whilst eggcorns are errors that exhibit creativity or logic. Eggcorns often involve replacing an unfamiliar, archaic, or obscure word with a more common or modern word ("baited breath" for "bated breath").
The term "eggcorn" was coined by Geoffrey Pullum in September 2003, in response to an article by Mark Liberman on the website Language Log, a blog for linguists. Liberman discussed the case of a woman who substitutes the phrase egg corn for the word acorn, arguing that the precise phenomenon lacked a name; Pullum suggested using "eggcorn" itself.

[Thank you, Wikipedia]

bludgeon » bloodgeon
Classification: English
Spotted in the wild:
§ On Sunday morning (2:30am), a mexican woman and her 19 year old daughter got bloodgeoned to death here in Fremont. (Livejournal post, 2 Feb, 2004)
§ Democracy is the bloodgeoning of the people, by the people, for the people. (reader comment, accessed Jan 4, 2009)
§ There are waaay too many games out there with ‘rap’ gangster types on it or games that encourage people to bloodgeon their friends to death with bats or whatever. (Forza2 motorsport forum, July 5, 2007)
§ My first day saw the brutal task of bloodgeoning a mouse to death to feed a jaguarundi, and my eyes were the first to behold the 5 hour old baby Spider Monkey. (Blog post, June 07, 2007)
Analyzed or reported by:
§ Pat Schwieterman (in the Eggcorn forums)

A bloodthirsty eggcorn. The origin of bludgeon is not well understood. AHD4 laconically states “[Origin unknown.]”, and the OED offers several lines of inquiry — or speculation:
[Not found before the 18th c.: origin unknown.Blogon (with g = j) is quoted by Dr. Whitley Stokes from the Cornish drama Origo Mundi (? 14th c.), but its relation to the English is uncertain. Other Celtic etymologies sometimes proposed are on many grounds untenable. A Du. vb. bludsen to bruise, has also been compared; and it has been suggested that the word is of cant origin, connected with blood.]
It is therefore possible — though not very likely — that users of the eggcorn are even going back to the word origin.

[Thank you, Eggcorn Database.]

Exercise for the Heart

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

Peace: from dream to vision to plan to reality.

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

In hard economic times, a young man returned to his parental home. It can be very tough to “make it” financially in a tight job market. There is no shame, then, in going home to Mom & Dad, right Mom & Dad?
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“My favorite joke goes like this…”

[Sorry, it wasn’t recorded.]

D. Blog: An Analogy

Physical exercise makes the heart pump faster and keeps it functioning as it should. Spiritual exercise makes the heart pump faster, too, so that it develops and functions as it should – with compassion.

Going Forward?

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

The road to peace has lots of potholes and detours, but we can get there.

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

There are divine wonders. There are “natural” wonders. There are human wonders. Conclusion: it’s a wonder-filled life.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“One grateful leper is worth a dozen dutiful disciples.”

[I wish He had said it.]

D. Blog: “Going forward”

One of my mini-rants: what a stupid speech element! It’s used by all manner of pundits, politicians and executives, of course, to indicate time progression. I liked this one: “Be assured that going forward, this road block will be cleared.” Just be careful. Going backward in time, that roadblock will be worse than you can imagine!

I.e., time can't go any direction other than forward.

Too Much, Too Little

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

Military officials in Afghanistan have said this “war” isn’t working. Well, DUH! (Or, millions of us told you so from the beginning.)

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

“I thought it would never end.” We use that statement for both positive and negative experiences. Then we say “All good things must come to an end” about the positives and “This, too, shall pass” about the negatives. Some of us also say “The end is near.”

From our perspective, all the above are true. I can’t begin to decide which might be true from your perspective. Let it be.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“Matthew, it had to be a UFO, not a star!”

[In those days, nobody would have believed it, so He didn’t explain it.]

D. Blog: Tuesday Haiku

Too much on our plates, or
Too little on our plates
We choose the former

DC Pro Sports

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

I know peace, Sir, and what my government is doing is not peace!

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

Throughout that day after the storm, I thought of you and the marvels of your Earth. I must have shoveled a ton or more of snow, thinking occasionally of the amazing systems of water and clouds, climate and evaporation. Who do we think we are to mess with these things of divine magnitude and mystery?
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“Say, guys, since we’ll be hanging out together for a while on these crosses, maybe we could have a game of 20 questions to get better acquainted.”

[I’m not saying He didn’t say it, I’m just saying He didn’t say it in English.]

D. Blog: Sports Town?

Washington, DC, where I used to live, has teams in each of the major professional sports. Except for the hockey team, however, it’s tough to apply the word “professional” to them. The players get paid like professionals, but one wonders… The baseball team is a joke. The basketball team, built around three very good players, is in shambles because the star won’t behave professionally – even put guns in his locker because of an argument with a bench player. The football team is in disarray under an arrogant, ego-centric owner whose every move seems to undermine the authority of those he hires as general manager and coach.

This leads me to my latest resolution: I’ll focus my sporting attention elsewhere – until one of those teams gets into the playoffs, and that might not be in my lifetime.

Jesus' Christmas Message

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

“War sucks.” – Jules, age 11.

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

A dog barks before sunrise. At a deer perhaps? It knows. You know. I’d like to know, but can only wonder and speculate. We perceive in different ways, but we are part of a whole, a network of perceiving life even as we experience it. I like it that I’m a part of it, not separate from it. And, if I like it, I assume you do, too. And that you are part of it, too, not separate from the network. I might liken you to the sys-op of this incredible creation net. But then, my perception is quite limited.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“Did you get the message I sent on Christmas?”

[That “peace on Earth” thing, I suppose. But He never said this.]

D. Blog: A Week

If it’s Tuesday, I’m visiting away from home. (but not Belgium)
If it’s Wednesday, I’m communicating with people thousands of miles away.
If it’s Thursday, I’m sending postcards to new friends I met through my work.
If it’s Friday, I’m enjoying the chance to watch tourists enjoying my city.
If it’s Saturday, I think I’ll work in the yard, then take an outing to walk along the river.
If it’s Sunday, I get to be in worship with my spiritual family.
If it’s Monday, I’ll be eager to outline a new week of a wonderful life.

Who's Fidimplicitary?

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

We don’t need propaganda to convince us that peace is what we need.

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

When the roll is called up yonder???
When the saints go marchin’ in???
You know those images no longer work for many of us, as I imagine they would not have worked for Jesus. He said “Whenever two or three are gathered in God’s name,” we’re already there, Heaven on Earth. We’re already in that number.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“I wear this rabbit’s foot around my neck to ward off evil spirits.”

[One of the many sayings you won’t find in the texts.]

D. Blog: Word of the Week – “fidimplicitary”

Meaning: having faith in someone else’s views.

Originally applied as criticism of academics who put implicit trust in the work of earlier scholars, I think it fits a lot of the general population who rely on others to determine what they think or believe. Some who come to mind are those who get news from Fox and information/opinions from Rush Limbaugh or Glenn Beck. I can think of others... They’re all pretty much fidimplicitary.

Simple Resolutions?

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

God’s peace proposal: good will to all.

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,

The gifts that truly keep giving come from you: love, hope, trust, peace. Nice as some material things can be, these others matter most, and the material things cannot obscure your gifts to me.
Amen

C. Un-quoting Jesus:

“Leper, you had me at ‘Thank You.’”

[We never say it or hear it enough. But He didn’t say this.]

D. Blog: Resolutions

I’m keeping them simple this year.
- Love God
- Love others (all, not just my kind)
- Love Earth
- Love myself

Perhaps not so simple to practice, but simply stated.