1.30.2005
When Jesus was done with his hard work – when he sat down with his kids – he said, “The juice is my blood;² the bread is my body.”- The Gospel According to Anna 1:3
1.28.2005
"We're just trying to love people with no agenda," he told the group. "That's hard, to be a Christian and have no agenda, and it's hard for people to think of a Christian with no agenda."- Jay Bakker
I do not understand how college seniors can be racist. Open your eyes and stop being afraid damnit.- Jules
1.26.2005
| - Chorus 1 (4 times) - | ||
| Ma-ia-hii
Ma-ia-huu Ma-ia-hoo Ma-ia-haha | [These are just sounds.] | |
| - Verse 2 - | ||
| Alo, Salut, sunt eu, un haiduc,
Si te rog, iubirea mea, primeste fericirea. Alo, alo, sunt eu Picasso, Ti-am dat beep, si sunt voinic, Dar sa stii nu-ti cer nimic. | Hello [on a cellphone], greetings, it's me, an outlaw,
I ask you, my love, to accept happiness. Hello, hello, it's me, Picasso, I sent you a beep [cellphone signal], and I'm brave [or strong], But you should know that I'm not asking for anything from you. | |
| - Chorus 3 (2 times) - | ||
| Vrei sa pleci dar nu ma, nu ma iei,
Nu ma, nu ma iei, nu ma, nu ma, nu ma iei. Chipul tau si dragostea din tei, Mi-amintesc de ochii tai. | You want to leave but you don't want don't want to take me,
don't want don't want to take me, don't want don't want don't want to take me. Your face and the love from the linden trees, And I remember your eyes. | |
| - Verse 4 - | ||
| Te sun, sa-ti spun, ce simt acum,
Alo, iubirea mea, sunt eu, fericirea. Alo, alo, sunt iarasi eu, Picasso, Ti-am dat beep, si sunt voinic, Dar sa stii nu-ti cer nimic. | I call you [over the phone], to tell you what I feel right now,
Hello, my love, it's me, your happiness. Hello, hello, it's me again, Picasso, I sent you a beep [cellphone signal] and I'm brave [or strong], But you should know that I'm not asking for anything from you. | |
I ran into Kathleen Holliger today. She is a wonderful progressive, women's rights, peace "activist", whom (is this the right place to use that?) I met at Lutheran Campus bible study back during sophomore year.
She mentioned her desire to start a progressive christian group on campus. She claimed to no longer be a christian, but a Marian (as in the Virgin Mary). In essence doing spirituality without the church. Perhaps it should be more a Spiritual Progressives group.
I was really pschyed to hear that someone else was interested in filling the void I see left by the christian-right IVCF and moderate Lutheran Campus Ministry and Catholic Neuman Center.
What would we do? Activities to further the causes of social justice in our community/world, maybe? At least be a presence in this semi-conservative, gun toting, park my truck on the lake, snowmobile jacket wearing campus.
We currently have no plan of action, but what a fun project to start thinking about!
She mentioned her desire to start a progressive christian group on campus. She claimed to no longer be a christian, but a Marian (as in the Virgin Mary). In essence doing spirituality without the church. Perhaps it should be more a Spiritual Progressives group.
I was really pschyed to hear that someone else was interested in filling the void I see left by the christian-right IVCF and moderate Lutheran Campus Ministry and Catholic Neuman Center.
What would we do? Activities to further the causes of social justice in our community/world, maybe? At least be a presence in this semi-conservative, gun toting, park my truck on the lake, snowmobile jacket wearing campus.
We currently have no plan of action, but what a fun project to start thinking about!
1.23.2005
This resolution from the Society of Biblical Literature supports what I have been saying about Christianity forever:
Relient K - Down in Flames
The United States election of 2004 witnessed the emergence of "values," often referred to as "Christian values" or "biblical values," as key political issues. The "values" most commonly identified in public debates were the issues of gay marriage, abortion, and stem-cell research.via dylan's lectionary blog
The Society of Biblical Literature, which is the largest international, professional association of teachers and scholars of the Bible, calls attention to the fact that the "values" so prominently and divisively raised in this 2004 U.S. election are not major concerns in the Bible, and in fact are not even directly addressed in the Bible. Rather, they tend to reflect the underlying problems of homophobia, misogyny, control of reproductive rights, and restraint of expression (including scientific research) in U.S. society today.
With over 7,000 members representing a broad range of political and religious leanings, the Society of Biblical Literature has fostered discussions of such fundamental problems against the background of biblical ethics and respect for all human beings. As many of our members have indicated in publications and lectures, the moral issues dominating the biblical texts focus instead on concerns such as the well-being of individuals, the integrity of community, care for the powerless and the vulnerable, economic justice, the establishment of peace, and the stewardship of the environment.
The Society of Biblical Literature urges citizens and political agencies to direct their energies toward securing these goals and values of well-being and responsibility.
Relient K - Down in Flames
| Christians-- we're all afraid of fire.
We prefer to suck on pacifiers. Baby pacifists, we're throwing fits. We don't shake hands, we shake our fists. We're cannibals. We watch our brothers fall. We eat our own, the bones and all. Finally fell asleep on the plane to wake to see we're going down in flames. We're going down, down, down in flames. We're gonna drown, drown, drown insane. We see the problem and the risk, but nothing's solved. We just say, "Tisk, tisk, tisk," and, "Shame, shame, shame." | Christians-- we mourn, the thorn is stuck
in the side of the body watch it self-destruct. The enemy is much ignored when we fight this Christian civil war. We see the problem and the risk, but nothing's solved. We just say, "Tisk, tisk, tisk," and, "Shame, shame, shame." Let me pause to clarify ('cause I'm sure you're asking, "Why?"). I stand before you and proudly claim to belong to what this song complains. I'm part of the problem,I confess, But I gotta get this off my chest. Let's extinguish the anguish for which we're to blame, and save the world from going down in flames. |
1.21.2005
From Rick Perlstein, The Eve of Destruction via Slacktivist
You've heard of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, the one that produces those anguished news reports every four years about all the countries American schoolchildren lag behind in basic skills. But according to the TIMSS, if Minnesota were a country, it would have the second-best science scores and the seventh best in math. By No Child Left Behind's statutorily required benchmarks of "Adequate Yearly Progress," however, only 42 percent of Minnesota fourth-graders were proficient in math. And NCLB's test targets increase every year. So by one estimate, in 2014, some 80 percent of the schools in Minnesota's world-class education system will be rated "failures."Slacktivist
The benchmarks are insane, you see. ...
[NCLB has] provided students with a valuable lesson about the meaning of education in America. It's not about mastering the three Rs, and it's certainly not about something loftier like becoming more fully human or the ideal of paideia or other such nonsense. It's about figuring out how the Powers That Be keep score and learning to do what you must to keep them happy.I don't know how people can read the news and reports about our government and not go insane with frustration.
1.19.2005
I finished two books on my trip. Lamb and Primary Colors. Both of their endings where unsatisfactory. Lamb's content was really exciting, inspiring and funny though. I must say some of my favorite parts were all the sinning. Amazing I know.
It's all about Change, quotes from Lamb
(insert Jesus for Joshua and you get the picture)
It's all about Change, quotes from Lamb
(insert Jesus for Joshua and you get the picture)
"You're forgiven," said Joshua. Then he stood up. "What I am is in you all. The Divine Spark, the Holy Ghost, it unites you all. It is the god that is in you all. Do you understand that?"I had started Primary Colors last summer, but it got pushed to the bottom of the priority list. If you don't know, its supposedly about the first Clinton campaign. Reading it after this year's election is a little sad.
"Of course God is part of you," James the brother said, "he's your father."
"No, in all of you. Watch, take this bread." He took a matzo and broke it into pieces. He gave a piece to every one in the room and took a piece himself. Then he ate it. "Now, the bread is me. Now all of you eat it."
Everybody looked at him.
"EAT IT!" He screamed.
So we ate it. "Now it is part of you, I am part of you. You all share the same part of God. Let's try again. Hand me that wine."
And so it went like that, for a couple of hours, and I think that by the time the wine was gone, the apostles actually grasped what Joshua was saying to them.
"I am against doing nothing while people are suffering. I am against the style of government that says, Wait - things'll get better. Just wait. I am against that kind of patience. I am *impatient* when it comes to the people you and I - all of us - have seen up here, the folks who worked hard all thier lives, did what they were supposed to do and suddenly the bottom drops out. You've seen their eyes, you've heard their stories. Are you saying we should do nothing to help?"
...
"[This] is exactly like professional wrestling: it's fake, it's staged, it doesn't mean anything. Most of us don't hate our opponents; hell, we don't even know 'em. We don't have the fierce kind of ideological differences we used to have, back when the war in Vietnam was on. We just put on the show because we don't know what else to do. We don't know any other way to get you all riled up, to get you out to vote."
I blogged (secretly) about being really ready for a boy in my life. Someone to hold on to. And, as if all I had to do was talk about it one more time, someone takes a step into that place. Its not really a relationship yet and I don't know if I want it to be one. It is one of the most backward ways I've ever dated someone, but that's life. We'll see what happens.
blogger just lost my post about liking my Wednesday schedule and shoveling for two hours. blogger needs to add server space, there are too many users, especially when they make everyone who ever wanted to post a comment start a blogger account. They have deteriorated services.
I want my life to be more connective, more cohesive. I want my politics, religion, partying, studies and work to spill into eachother. I want to stop being different people in different places.
I guess you could call that my New Years Resolution.
I started my application for the Peace Corps last week. I get different reactions from people when I tell them I'm applying. I was starting to get really disheartened and have second thoughts, until Amy gave me the best encouragement and was really excited! I needed that.
Two years is a long time to be away from America, my Mom, computer programming. I'm worried that any coding skills that I do have would be completely lost and I'd have an even harder time finding a job when I return.
They really take care of you though, a stipend, travel costs, full health and dental benefits, deferrence and 15% forgivence on your student loans for each year you volunteer, $6000 to be reacclamated into society when you return.
I guess you could call that my New Years Resolution.
I started my application for the Peace Corps last week. I get different reactions from people when I tell them I'm applying. I was starting to get really disheartened and have second thoughts, until Amy gave me the best encouragement and was really excited! I needed that.
Two years is a long time to be away from America, my Mom, computer programming. I'm worried that any coding skills that I do have would be completely lost and I'd have an even harder time finding a job when I return.
They really take care of you though, a stipend, travel costs, full health and dental benefits, deferrence and 15% forgivence on your student loans for each year you volunteer, $6000 to be reacclamated into society when you return.
1.11.2005
1.05.2005
It is muy caliente here - at least 80 degrees and humid all the time. I love wearing no socks! We are kinda poor, so we mostly just hang out on the beach or by the pool. I got a sunburn yesterday, so I´m in the shade today.
On the beach every two minutes a merchant comes by and tries to sell you things. They don´t really take no for an answer either. Sometimes it gets to be a little much. Otherwise, everything is nice. We´re sleeping in late, eating lots of good Mexican food and enjoying the heat.
Our hotel is located kinda far from the downtown area, so usually we stay around the hotel during the day and go downtown for dinner. The restaraunt at the hotel is great!
This particular computer has a horrible pop-up and multitasking problem. So I must go now - see you when I return:)
On the beach every two minutes a merchant comes by and tries to sell you things. They don´t really take no for an answer either. Sometimes it gets to be a little much. Otherwise, everything is nice. We´re sleeping in late, eating lots of good Mexican food and enjoying the heat.
Our hotel is located kinda far from the downtown area, so usually we stay around the hotel during the day and go downtown for dinner. The restaraunt at the hotel is great!
This particular computer has a horrible pop-up and multitasking problem. So I must go now - see you when I return:)