We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.
Why it supposedly took Moses 40 years in his time is confusing to me. There were good roads with wells and rest stops. No Starbucks. But, ok, I know how the Old Testament discusses that. It was not for lack of GPS.
Thinking about that not just about Christmastime, but because Mrs. BD are traveling to Egypt in a week or so. Cairo, cruise up the Nile to Aswan, etc. My hope is to see some hippos and crocogators. Daytime temps around 70 F.
I've read that in ancient times noble Egyptians had domesticated crocs as garden pets, and decorated them with jewels. Nobody has/had a hippo as a pet. Not friendly monsters.
Unlike Saudi, you can buy beer in Egypt. The Saudis go to Dubai, London, Paris, and NYC to party. And Milan for special shopping.
Western Civ is mainly founded on a late-Roman/Judeo-Christian socio-cultural foundation. It's a foundational structure which has been slowly spreading around the world because it sorta works ok for people.
I have Holland's viewpoint, but still stick with the the idea of the divine. The "Y" axis of existence. I can't live entirely on the X axis.
"Be not affrighted. Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him." Mark 16:6
Christ, the Lord, is risen today, Alleluia! Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia! Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia! Sing, ye heavens, and earth, reply, Alleluia!
Love's redeeming work is done, Alleluia! Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia! Lo! the Sun's eclipse is over, Alleluia! Lo! He sets in blood no more, Alleluia!
Vain the stone, the watch, the seal, Alleluia! Christ hath burst the gates of hell, Alleluia! Death in vain forbids His rise, Alleluia! Christ hath opened paradise, Alleluia!
Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia! Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia! Once He died our souls to save, Alleluia! Where thy victory, O grave? Alleluia!
Soar we now where Christ hath led, Alleluia! Following our exalted Head, Alleluia! Made like Him, like Him we rise, Alleluia! Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!
The wonderful tune which brings back every Easter in one's life, and a few tears, too. Composer? Unknown. Words by Charles Wesley, 1739. The verses were written for the opening of the Wesleyan Chapel in London, in an old foundry. Hence the term Foundry Collection of hymns.
The rest of Wesley's verses of the song are on the continuation page, below.
Had we stood in that crowd that day, it is a forgone conclusion that we would have been part of the sneering mob, ushering him to eternal doom.
He who knew no sin, took ours on to Him, and became the sacrifice for us that each of us deserved.
Good Friday may be a day of celebration for you. But not for me. It is a day of conviction, meditation, remembrance, and sorrow.
Sorrow that a God who never had to, sent His only son, to suffer everything I have always deserved.
The realization of this is the beginning of gratitude. But on Good Friday there was nothing to be grateful of for sure. Only some vague promise that He might return.
On Good Friday, the only hope we had dared to believe in was dead. Evil had won, mockers had succeeded, traitors were enriched, and the enemy of everything good declared victory.
On Good Friday even God the Father turned his back.
It was the smell, not just of death, but of abandonment, hopelessness, emptiness, and defeat. It was all encompassing, it was suffocating.
On THAT Friday there was nothing good...nothing good for anyone.
On Good Friday hell rained down everything it could on Him, and fortunate for us, He was strong enough to take it!
28After he had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29When he had come near Bethpage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, 30saying, Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31If anyone asks you, Why are you untying it? just say this, The Lord needs it.
32So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them. 33As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, Why are you untying the colt? 34They said, The Lord needs it. 35Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. 36As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. 37As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, 38saying, Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven! 39Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, Teacher, order your disciples to stop. 40He answered, I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.
Sorry, been extremely busy and traveling this past week. Many visits to my doctors and updates on starting my chemo and radiation tonight and tomorrow. Hoping for some extensions from benefits. The reason I am adding this was an hour with my Pastor. I'll write more about that meeting. However, we spoke about 1 Samuel 8, politics (and my specific reason for leaving masses due to political statements often misguided due to not speaking about 1 Samuel 8, and he admitted he was behind on it) and the fact I've written versions of this 3 times. Once in college for a class that earned me zero grades. Once in grad school which led to a shift in a former leftist set of professors who often misstated Biblical versions of political views. And the third was in 2011 here on Maggie's. Enjoy and feel free to comment. It will be my 5th writing (since I sent this and some updates) to all my friends recently).
The first political systems, from an institutional standpoint, were monarchies. Monarchs either considered themselves gods, chosen by 'the gods', or "Chosen by God". In almost every sense, the political system was tied somehow to the spiritual beliefs of the nation.
During a college course on Democracy, my professor spent the better part of an hour and a half discussing the implications of this concept. He pointed out that God Himself chose Israel's first king, and approved of their choosing a king. I immediately raised my hand and asked "But God didn't want Israel to have a king, did He? He considered Himself their king and allowed them to have Judges which acted as their spiritual and moral guides on earth."
I have emailed my local Pastor. I will be meeting with him, and possibly (if she chooses) Mrs. Bulldog will join me.
I have specific questions. Basic things. Nothing major.
Open to anything anyone might want to suggest or offer as potentially useful. I don't know what I might ignore or avoid - probably nothing, but sometimes not sure what may be enjoyable.
So if you have thoughts, questions, views, ideas - please feel free to share your thoughts. I'm open for ideas of any kind!
Knowing my probability is very short and I am taking things very specifically engaged, I had a very funny conversation with my 29 year old son about God and how "He" is managed and what "His"names are.
I reminded my son we've spent thousands of years of men misusing names and genders for God - and we've adopted a lot (all with the most positive and forward thinking views, of course) but that in reality God isn't male or female - we don't have a clue. LOL We don't even know if "HE" has a name. So many great names to raise, use and alter or employ. And not to be upset, angry or needing to revise it at all. Just fun to talk about it all!
I took many religious courses in college. Buddhism, Protestantism, Catholicism, Buddhism, Muslim/Islam, etc. I remember the Judaism 2 were with a very good friend (sadly struggling with her name which I'll remember eventually) and watching her apply the standard Jewish restrictions on the spelling and length of the use of "God", "Yahweh" and other utilizations. She'd limit its use and spelling in notes and usage. I'd just use it! LOL. All great fun and use - lots of differentiations and conversations and so many laughs from time to time.
Of course, we had different lives, raisings and usage - but it was so enjoyable engaging these conversations (even if sometimes MAYBE we got a little too emotionally engaged in differences). In the end, it was always great love and learning.
It's even fun having jokes and conversations with my son - far less religious than even I was or am slowly adopting again. But I appreciate the views and outlooks. Life is a great way to adopt and learn why we may need or use religion. Or not need and use it. I am certainly non-judgemental. But always appreciative!!!
“What do you mean, ‘getting religious on you’? You wouldn’t meet with me all afternoon because you wanted a purpose. I’m asking you, what is your purpose? If there is no God and if you don’t know if there is a God and if when you die you rot, then isn’t it possible nothing you are doing has any meaning and nothing you are doing makes any difference?
Too late have I loved you, O Beauty so ancient, O Beauty so new. Too late have I loved you! You were within me but I was outside myself, and there I sought you!
In my weakness I ran after the beauty of the things you have made. You were with me, and I was not with you. The things you have made kept me from you, the things which would have no being unless they existed in you!
You have called, you have cried, and you have pierced my deafness. You have radiated forth, you have shined out brightly, and you have dispelled my blindness.
You have sent forth your fragrance, and I have breathed it in, and I long for you. I have tasted you, and I hunger and thirst for you. You have touched me, and I ardently desire your peace.
Today I received a note from a friend about the Christmas "risk" and it gave me pause. After all, we humans tend to think so linearly at times, we tend to miss the bigger picture. I'd never actually fallen for the 'Christmas is at risk' story, though for reasons entirely different than what I'm about to share. Her note is as follows:
"The latest fear tactic is saying that "Christmas may be at risk" due to supply chain issues. Christmas is not at risk. The ability to buy a bunch of crap no one needs or knew they wanted may be at risk, but Christmas is not at risk. Let's not allow these fear-mongers to screw with our joy, please. The joy of Christmas isn't stuff, it's family and tradition and celebrating love. And, if you're religious, it is about Jesus' birth. Not STUFF. Christmas is not at risk. Christmas will go on. Maybe in a different way for now, but... Christmas and the way we celebrate it is not dependent upon material things.
Just sayin'...
And this is the last time I will mention Christmas until after Thanksgiving."
I realized, as real as supply chain issues are, the story circulating is just another bit of Leftist FUD. After all, good Leftists don't believe in God and certainly do not support consumerism. As a result, the 'risk' is designed to craft a narrative which simply increases the concept of class warfare among those they seek to oppose.
The real story of Christmas won't be the TV we couldn't get on time, or the doll your daughter didn't get. It's going to be the time we spend together with friends and family and enjoy each others company. That isn't at risk, though Fauci is trying very hard to push it, and we should continue to look forward positively and set aside most of the fear-mongering that the Democrats and Democrat-oriented media push our way.
Her note has altered how I was thinking about the upcoming holidays in a very positive way, and I am 100% in agreement with this point of view.
I'm re-reading Let Go . It is a short compilation of letters written by Fr. Francois Fenelon in the 1600s.
Most of them were written to parishioners or to his spiritual advisees. One of his main themes is to do what you can to let go of self to make room for God in your heart.
The RC Church has a long and ancient history of being politically-involved and taking sides. Politically, and financially. It's their strength and their weakness. Mind you, spoken as an olde-tyme Protestant.
However, after many years, even Protestants have gotten into political games. It is a shame, in my view, for church to become too worldly.
A quote 
