Bush a brilliant strategist?

Dick Morris thinks so in the case of John Roberts' appointment. Time will tell.

Click on the title!

---Katie

Better check out the stealth hymnal.

This is on the American Lutheran Publicity Bureau site. Click on the title to get to the post. You might have to register. I went right to the post, but I am a registered member of the forum.

Check this out:

I noticed that the hymn proposals for the "new primary resource" are available online at the Renewing Worship web site. Just in time for them to say that they have been made widely available before the Churchwide Assembly.

www.renewingworship.org/about/proposal/pdf/Hymns.pdf

In a quick look at the proposal, there are some suggested changes in tune and text that I like. For the most part it preserves what has been known in LBW and WOV.

The changes are predictable:

-- Those nasty words like "Lord" have been purged when possible (For example, see "For the Beauty of the Earth.")

-- That nasty "F" word has been eliminated when possible (For example, in "Come Thou Almighty King" verse 1, "Father All Glorious" is now "Maker all glorious." In "In Heaven Above" "Where God our Father dwells is now "where God forever dwells."

-- Those nasty male pronouns have been purged when possible. (For example, see "Earth and All Stars, " "Come Ye Thankful People, Come" "Hallelujah! Jesus Lives" "Let All together praise our God"

-- Those nasty references to men have been eliminated. "As With Gladness Men of Old" has been changed to "As With Gladness Travelers Bold."

-- Those nasty capital letters for God have been removed where the LBW left them. For example, see "Prince of Peace" in "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" and "Persons" in "Holy, Holy, Holy"

-- Some "exciting new translations" have been tragically proposed. (For example, see "A Mighty Fortress" (rhythmic) and "All Creatures Worship God Most High" (replaces "All Creatures of Our God and King)." "Jesus, My Sweet Pleasure, Perfect, Joyful Leisure" replaces "Jesus Priceless Treasure" (also gone is LBW 458 tune).

-- Some beautifully poetic and profound theological texts have been destroyed. For example, in "Alas! And Did My Savior Bleed," verse 3, "When God, the mighty maker, died For his own creatures' sin" has been changed to ". . . for all creation's sin." "Lamb of God, Pure and Sinless, Once on the cross an offering" becomes "Lamb of God, Pure and Sinless A Tree Your Limbs Suspending."

They have left most memorable texts alone for the sake of avoiding outright revolt.

A noted exception is "Away in a Manger." As a "theological revision" in verse 2, "But little Lord Jesus no crying he makes" is changed to "The little Lord Jesus our crying he takes." Maybe better theology but it will confuse generations of Lutherans who have memorized this text as children.

Given the consideration of the detail involved in these hymns and the other worship resources, the 2005 Assembly should postpone final approval at least until 2007 to allow the ELCA members a chance to respond or to suggest modifications to the proposed list or to proposed texts.

------------------------

Well, gulp. I am not sure I really want to sing the hymns with these revisions. Yuck.

I certainly hope the delegates will be wise enough to give us more time to review the materials more thoroughly since we have been spending so much time on the sexuality issue.

---Katie

Chinese University honors Mugabe

I am kind of hoping this is a joke, but this Zimbabwe news site is reporting that the Chinese Foreign Affairs University has conferred an honorary professorship on visiting Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe. You remember him, of course, don't you? He is the dictator who decided that all of the farms owned by white farmers (originating from the colonial era, I presume) should be taken away from them and returned to black ownership. Of course, he gave them to his cronies. He gave them to people who did not know much about farming apparently. Zimbabwe went from feeding not only itself but many of the nations around it to being a nation on the brink of starvation. Recently, Mugabe decided that he wanted to clear out the slums in the city(ies?) and had his goons bulldoze down the shanties that the poor were living in, leaving them no place to live. Oh, and yeah, at least one of the shanties was occupied. By I toddler if I remember correctly. Nice person to honor, China!

Click on the title!

---Katie

Actually, the left just never made it out of seventh grade

Cheri Pierson Yecke has some interesting comments on the left's propensity to attack the appearance of those with whom they disagree:

Consider the criticisms of the president's new nominee to the Supreme Court. John Roberts has impeccable legal credentials, so what can the pundits attack? Why, the clothing of his wife and children, of course. A fashion maven in the Washington Post looked down her nose and mocked the family as "a trio of Easter eggs, a handful of Jelly Bellies, three little Necco wafers." They were then duly admonished with a sniff: "Please select all attire from the commonly accepted styles of this century."

Condoleezza Rice, our dignified secretary of state who started college at age 15 and earned a doctorate in her early 20s, is one of the most powerful women in the world.

Nonetheless, she has been mocked and ridiculed -- not for her intellect or knowledge of international diplomacy, but for her hair. It has been likened to that of June Cleaver, but her critics are not content to stereotype her as a dowdy relic from the supposedly subservient '50s. She has also been criticized as a "dominatrix" who oozes "sex and power" for wearing fashionable boots and a fitted black coat.

Read the whole article from the Star Tribune by clicking on the title above. The author goes on to mention Katherine Harris, Linda Tripp (who had major plastic surgery when she realized how ugly she was - thank you, leftist media) and Star Tribune columnist, Kathy Kersten.

I guess if you can't defend your ideas, you can bully your opponents by showing everyone how unattractive they are. After all, life is not worth living in America if you are not thin and beautiful. So, if you want to get into politics as a conservative woman and you don't look like a supermodel, be sure to armor plate your self-esteem. The "mean girls" on the left are just waiting to take you apart. Fortunately, it is likely that you have matured beyond the seventh grade.

---Katie

The Left has no class....

Here are a couple of quotes from an article by Tammy Bruce (The Death of Right and Wrong) which show how low the left is willing to stoop to trash someone they don't like. Click on the title to read the whole article.

Robin Givhan wrote in the Washington Post:

"His wife and children stood before the cameras, groomed and glossy in pastel hues like a trio of Easter eggs, a handful of Jelly Bellies, three little Necco wafers. ... Separate the child from the clothes, which do not acknowledge trends, popular culture or the passing of time. They are not classic; they are old-fashioned. These clothes are Old World, old money. ..."

From Tammy Bruce:

"In other words, the Roberts children should have been dressed in GAP clothes, preferably with a piercing of one body part or another. While Josie, their daughter, would have been more appropriate in a pair of low-rider jeans which make refrigerator-repairmen out of little girls."

Gavhin had to deride how John Roberts' wife and children were dressed for the very special announcement about their husband and father being nominated to the Supreme Court?!? I don't know about everyone else, but it was common for my kids and the kids of my friends to be dressed just like those two kids for special occasions like Easter and weddings. People actually still put their little girls in smocked dresses and their little boys in suits with short pants when they want them dressed nicely.

Honestly, I think these kinds of writers have no idea that most of America is not like them.

---Katie

Canada goes the right way - this time.

Go over to Shellfish and read the article about how the Evangelical Church in Canada defeated a motion to allow local option for same sex blessings.

Unlike those eeeeevil traditionalists who threatened to leave or withhold funds if the motion passed, "most of those seeking approval for blessings promised to stay, to keep talking, to bear witness to the presence of the Holy Spirit in the lives of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered believers." Yeah, right. They know that unless there is a revival of belief in the authority of scripture it is only a matter of time before same sex blessings and the ordination of non-celibate homosexuals will be accepted practice.

This does give me hope that the resolutions before the ELCA Churchwide Assembly will be defeated. This time.

---Katie

More from Ebenezer - San Francisco (Remember herchurch.org?)

Fortunately, this is not the trend in most ELCA churches, but you do have to wonder why the ELCA cannot bring itself to at least challenge this!

Experiencing the Goddess Rosary by Dalyn Cook

The banner on the outside of Ebenezer Lutheran Church boldly proclaims “Goddess Rosary Every Wednesday 7 p.m.” Doubtless this precipitates questions in the minds of passers-by: a rosary at a Lutheran church? A feminist take on a ritual indigenous to a denomination with an especially strong patriarchal foundation? I was eager to experience this new phenomenon, and it was with open mind and heart that I entered Ebenezer on my first Wednesday evening in the City. Thought the church was empty, I felt that I had stepped into a Presence, like a mother’s warm embrace. The attendees were few in number, yet there was a sense of fullness in this welcoming space. I inhaled deeply the earthy scent of the incense, sending up delicate tendrils of smoke which curled around the altar in a nimbus visible against the warm rays of the evening sun filtering through the stained-glass windows.

From the basket of rosaries, I took into my hand a strand of vibrantly-colored beads with a silver goddess icon in place of the traditional cross. The goddesses came in a variety of shapes and sizes, celebrating the beauty of the feminine form; I found reflections of my own figure in the full hips and Rubenesque curves of my goddess. Once gathered, we began to recite together the “Our Mother” and “Hail Goddess” prayers. At first, it was awkward as we broke the silence together, yet as our lips became accustomed to the shape and rhythm of the words, a lyrical and rhythmic unison chant emerged. I felt my own voice fortified, made fuller by the others. As we made our way around the rosary, the words flowed easily, and the text itself receded into the background, becoming a gently murmuring accompaniment to our silent prayers and meditations.

Between rosaries, we were afforded a moment for personal reflection; some women went to the altar to light incense or candles, some rang bells or sounded the Tibetan bowls, which resounded vibrantly, others kneeled. I closed my eyes and leaned back my head, as a child leans back into a motherÂ’s lap, drinking in the calm and the peace, sending my prayers and thoughts skyward. The church became a true sanctuary: the rumble of the traffic outside, the sounds of the daily grind had receded, and we were gathered in a precious moment of stillness and repose, a rare moment where we were in the now, savoring the depth of the moment, our minds freed and our souls opened up as blossoms. Following a third and final recitation of the rosary, we remained still, and slowly everyone rose and headed home, perhaps an hour later than usual, but refreshed, nourished, and ready to embrace the world again.

Frankly, this is self-worship. The original fall came because man (and woman) wanted to be like God - to be God. Notice how these folks like the goddess because they can see themselves in her.

Wonder who the Presence she felt was? Could it be......? (Old Saturday Night Live reference)

Ick. Shudder.

---Katie

I'm in D.C.

I wanted to let you know why I have not been blogging this week - I am in Washington at the Student Leadership University Level 201 conference. It is great! We stay quite busy.

Louis Farakan is staying at our hotel. I have not seen him, but I have seen some very nice cars and his bodyguards.

Yesterday we were at the Supreme Court just in time to see the proabortion wackos ranting about saving Roe...because, you know, if Roberts gets confirmed to the court, women will DIE! (yeah, right)

Arlington, Christ Church, Dinner at the Press Club...that's our agenda for today, and then home tomorrow! I hope to post pictures from this event next week if I can figure that out.

---Katie

Help! I'm watching the Weather Channel and I can't stop!!!

It is summer now for sure. We are glued to the weather channel watching the progress of Hurricane Dennis and praying for it to weaken before it hits the panhandle. Here in Central Florida we are only expected to get a lot of rain and wind, unless Dennis decides to take an unexpected turn a la Hurricane Charley. I hope we keep our power, but if we don't, we have a generator!! yay! We just have not yet purchased a window ac unit, one of the things I vowed to have before the next storm...things are just cranking up a little early this year.

Keep the people in the path of the storm in your prayers!

---Katie

Parents....make sure your kids can read!

I was listening to Neal Boortz this morning and he related a story about a new Toyota production facility that is going to be built in Ontario, Canada. They were offered $125 million in incentives to locate there. The interesting part of this story is that several southern states in the US were trying to land that plant as well, offering up to $250 million in incentives. Toyota chose to locate in Canada because of the problems that Nissan and Honda are having in the plants they have built in the southeastern US getting the plants up to full production. They cannot get enough literate employees to staff the plants. They have difficulty finding enough people who are literate enough to read manuals. They have had to provide picture manuals because the people they hire cannot read.

I know I am a big supporter of homeschooling, but I do understand that it is not an option for everyone. Whether kids are in government school or private school, parents need to make sure they know how to read, if they have to teach them themselves or hire a tutor. There is no excuse in a society with all the opportunities that ours has for anyone not to learn to read.

---Katie

Soulforce Thanks the UCC

SOULFORCE THANKS THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST
New Reason to Celebrate July 4 as Holiday

First church to offer full acceptance to gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Christians. May mark beginning of the end for Federal Marriage Amendment.

****************************************************
SOULFORCE MEDIA ALERT: July 5, 2005
For Immediate Release
Contact: The Rev. Dr. Mel White, Executive Director
Soulforce, PO Box 3195, Lynchburg, VA 24503 www.soulforce.org
****************************************************

(Lynchburg, VA) - The July 4, 2005, vote by the General Synod of the United Church of Christ to offer "equal marriage rights for couples regardless of gender" is the first sign of hope in our long, painful struggle against religion-based discrimination.

Let the Falwells, Dobsons, and Robertsons rush to condemn this decision with their false and inflammatory threats that allowing gays to marry will destroy marriage and family.

Finally a denomination has the courage to stand against the fundamentalists and their attempt to take power over church and state alike through their anti-gay fear campaign.

Finally a denomination has the courage to join the Metropolitan Community Churches in recognizing officially that millions of lesbian and gay Americans in loving, committed relationships with families of their own deserve the rites and rights of marriage.

For the past half century the United Church of Christ has modeled what it means to be a fully inclusive denomination. The UCC led the way on that amazing day in June, 1972, when the first openly gay man, the Rev. Dr. William R. Johnson, was ordained into ministry. Now, on the 33rd anniversary of that historic event, with their vote to endorse full civil and religious rights for marriage equality with regard to lesbian and gay couples, the United Church of Christ leads the way again.

These are dark times for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Christians, Protestant and Catholic alike. After decades of study and discussion, most of our denominations have turned against us, refusing to recognize our loving relationships or our calls to ministry. But with this courageous and prophetic vote, the UCC General Synod has taken its stand against the rising tide of Christian fundamentalism and obeyed the command of Christ to "love one another as I have loved you." This vote makes glad the heart of God and gives hope to lesbians and gays everywhere.

Please take 60 seconds to call your local UCC pastor/church to express your appreciation for their stand. Then email a thank you note to: the Rev. John H. Thomas, UCC President: thomasi@ucc.org

The Rev. Dr. Mel White, Executive Director, Soulforce

Wonder what they will be saying after the ELCA Churchwide Assembly?

---Katie