Tag: religion

Chum of Ages, Hear Our Song

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

Tonight’s the first night of Chanukah. So, as my present to you, here are a few stories that might brighten your holidays.

  • From the “Did you ever think of the impact on the Goose industry?” Department: The LA Times has an interesting article on why Dickens was so dedicated to A Christmas Carol. He needed the money. As the Times article notes, Dickens in crisis around the time of “Carol.” At 31, though he had successful books behind him — among them “Sketches by Boz,” “The Pickwick Papers” and “Oliver Twist” — fresher works like “Barnaby Rudge” and “Martin Chuzzlewit” were dark, morose and failed to draw the sales that enabled his family to live in high London style at Devonshire Terrace. Worse than that, the novelist’s pay was docked by his publishers for the resulting lower readership! Dickens even had to pay to publish Carol. Oh, and as for the goose? In Dickens time, the traditional bird on English tables was the goose. Scrooge’s gesture of sending a turkey to the Cratchits sent the nation’s goose-raising industry to near ruin.
  • From the “How We’ll Remember Him” Department: And speaking of unintended consequences… betcha (I’m trying to sound like Sarah Palin here) you thought that GWB would be remembers for the war in Iraq? Well, that may have had positive effects, although it didn’t find Bin Laden. According to CNN, they’re celebrating Christmas publically in Iraq without violence. That’s a step forward in the country (although Chabad celebrating Chanukah would be an even bigger step). So what will be GWB’s legacy? Probably our economic woes. The NYTimes has a nice article on how White House philosphy since the early days of GWB’s administration may have encouraged the bad loans. From his earliest days in office, GWB paired his belief that Americans do best when they own their own home with his conviction that markets do best when let alone.
  • From the “Not That Conspiracy Canard Again” Department: One of the most popular articles in the LA Times of late has been one titled “How Jewish is Hollywood”. This piece has bothered me, for it has asserted that it is good that the leaders of most studios are Jewish. The comments are also a problem. So with that in mind, I was worried when I saw this piece in the Times. It notes that a number of religious groups are overrepresentated in Congress when compared to the proportion in the overall population. Catholics make up 30% of Congress, better than their population percentage of just under 25%. Baptists are next largest at 12.4% of members when they make up 17.2% of the adult population. Methodists are at 10.7% of the members when they’re only 6.2% of the population. Jews make up only 1.7% of the U.S. adult population but 8.4% of congressional members, including 13% of senators. Mormons are 1.7% of the population (including Harry Reid of NV) and 2.6% of members. Episcopalians, 1.5% population and 7.1% members. Presbyterians, 2.7% population, 8.1% members. Two Muslims, two Buddhists, one Quaker, no Hindus. Only one person of “no faith”.
  • From the “Burn Candles, Not Porn” Department: Lastly, tonight is the first night of Chanukah. We set things, preferably candles on a Chanukiah, on fire. Thus, I was pleased to see no connection between candles and a fire in Canoga Park that destroyed 20% of a porn set. It was started by a heating element.
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Being A Member of a Congregation

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

One of today’s la_observed items was about Wilshire Blvd Temple–specifically how a chunk of plaster had fallen from their main sanctuary, closing that part of the building. However, the original headline was that “Wilshire Blvd Temple Is Closed”, which prompted me to go out to their website, look for news, etc.

That got me thinking. I’m a dues paying member of Temple Ahavat Shalom right now. But I still get the Temple Beth Hillel e-Newsletter, and I still regularly read the Temple Beth Torah newsletter. Even though I don’t read the newsletter regularly, I still care about the folks at Wilshire Blvd Temple, and even the folks at Or Rishon, because I care about the Rabbi there. I still, in some sense, even have a spiritual connection to Temple Akiba in Culver City as it is the spiritual successor to my first congregtion, Temple Israel of Westcheter/Temple Jeremiah, and to Kol Tikvah, the spiritual successor to Temple Emet of Woodland Hills. Although I am only paying dues to one of these, I view myself (to varying degrees) as still a member of the community of my past congregations.

So here’s my question to you: What is your relationship to your past congregations (and churchs count as well, for you Christians out there). Once you leave a congregation, is it “good bye and good riddance”, or do you still view yourself as a distant family member, still caring about the people there even though you might never see them again?

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Never Underestimate the True Believer

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

Sigh.

Creation Museum surpasses attendance expectations. Halfway into its first year, the Creation Museum is on the verge of surpassing its projected year-long attendance goal of 250,000. Officials now expect nearly 400,000 people to pass through the doors by year’s end. At least 10,000 people have paid for year-round access. The museum argues that the Bible’s book of Genesis is exactly how the world was formed — in six 24-hour days. Specifically, the museum’s exhibits claim that the Earth is 6,000 years old, not billions; that dinosaurs and man coexisted; and that geologic features such as the Grand Canyon and fossils were created in a global flood provoked by Adam’s and Eve’s original sin. Polls show that many Americans already agree with some of the museum’s claims. A 2006 CBS poll found that 51% of Americans think God created humans in their present form. Just 15% said that humans evolved and God was not involved.

P.S.: Of course, you all know about GodTube, the Christian YouTube.

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Christianity in the News

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

Perhaps in a sign of the universe balancing out Ann Coulter, the LA Times has two interesting articles related to Christianity:

  • Even notwithstanding our favorite blonde, a recent survey shows that the image of Christianity is just taking a beating. A decade ago, an overwhelming majority of non-Christians, including people between the ages 16 and 29, were “favorably” disposed toward Christianity’s role in society. But today, just 16% of non-Christians in that age group had a “good impression” of the religion. Evangelicals come under the severest attack, with just 3% of the 16- to 29-year-old non-Christians indicating favorable views toward this subgroup of believers. The study also found that many Christians were aware of their religion’s image problem. More than one in 10 evangelicals believe that “Americans are becoming more hostile and negative toward Christianity.” Among the most common perceptions held by young non-Christians about American Christianity were that it is judgmental (87%), hypocritical (85%), old-fashioned (78%) and too involved in politics (75%). Even among Christians, half of young believers said they too view Christianity to be judgmental, hypocritical and too political. One-third said it was old-fashioned and out of touch with reality. Another study found that the most common spiritual activity among teenagers and adults is prayer. In a typical week, 72% of teenagers pray, compared with 83% of adults, the study said. After prayer, teenagers’ most prevalent spiritual activity was attending a worship service (48%), followed by attending Sunday school (35%), youth group (33%), small group (32%) and reading the Bible (31%). They did not say whether there was correlation between the prayers of teenagers and scheduled tests at school.
  • So what do you do when things get bad. Have a glass of the wine Jesus probably drank. It appears a Israeli businessman is bringing out Grapes of Galilee, a varietal wine in three varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Chardonnay) that is grown in the Galilee, nutured by bubbling natural springs from the Jordan River. To quote the web page, “Each sip bestows upon the palate a taste of the morning dew, the basalt firmness, the element of chalk, and the red tinted soil, creating a unique “taste of Israel” mosaic of flavors.” The label has two portraits of Jesus by Los Angeles artist Morgan Weistling above the slogan “Grown Beside the Sea of Galilee, Watered by the Jordan River”. They are positioning it as a Christmas gift. Some people think Jesus is a sellout for using his image on bottles of wine, but if rock stars can do it, why not the Superstar?
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Somehow, I Don’t Think He Has Standing

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

CNN has an interesting article this morning. It seems that Nebraska State Sen. Ernie Chambers (Omaha) sued God last week, seeking a permanent injunction against the Almighty for making terroristic threats, inspiring fear and causing “widespread death, destruction and terrorization of millions upon millions of the Earth’s inhabitants.”

Perhaps that’s not so weird in Nebraska.

But what is weird is that God responded to the suit. One of two court filings from “God” in response came Wednesday, according to John Friend, clerk of the Douglas County District Court in Omaha, who said, “This one miraculously appeared on the counter. It just all of a sudden was here — poof!”

So what did God have to say in response? According to Fried, God indicated that he cannot be sued. Specifically, God argues that he (or she, the report wasn’t clear) is immune from some earthly laws and the court lacks jurisdiction. It adds that blaming God for human oppression and suffering misses the important point that God “created man and woman with free will and next to the promise of immortal life, free will is my greatest gift to you.” There was no contact information on the filing, although St. Michael the Archangel is listed as a witness.

Why was the suit filed? Chambers, a self-proclaimed agnostic who often criticizes Christians, said his filing was triggered by a federal lawsuit he considers frivolous. He said he’s trying to make the point that anybody can sue anybody.

Neither John Denver nor George Burns were available for comment. Morgan Freeman did not respond, however, it should be noted that Ernie Chambers looks a lot like Mr. Freeman, and the two have not been seen together.

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