For the past couple of years I have felt a calling to ordained ministry which I have tried to suppress because I have always wanted to be an actor. The thought of not being an actor (the only thing I have ever wanted to be since I was 12) in order to be a priest was very scary. I kept pushing it out of my mind, but I couldn't stop thinking about it. I knew God was trying to tell me something, yet I wasn't ready to hear his message. I was certain I was supposed to be an actor. After all, I am a darn fine actor if I do say so myself! But, a couple of years ago I read Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger's book God and the World and I fell in love with theology. I wanted to read as much theology as I could in order to better answer questions about Christianity. Ratzinger was the perfect theologian to start off with. Since then I have read as much as I can get my hands on...and I had started to accept what I thought was God's call for me to be a priest.
Then I began to think about the Anglican Communion. To start, the head of the church (the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams) approved a resolution in the Church of England to allow gay clergy to have civil marriages as long as they do not engage in sexual activity. Am I the only one who thinks this is absurd? (I know for a fact I am not.) Also, Williams blessed the marriage of Prince Charles to Camilla Parker Bolwes, with whom he had an affair with and she was the reason Diana divorced Charles. Good job Archbishop of Canterbury on blessing an adulterer!! (an unrepentant one at that!!!)
I'm not even going to mention ECUSA or the Canadian Church.
Then I thought of the fact that the eucharist means one thing to one priest and something totally different to another priest within the Communion. Funny example here (actually it's not funny in the least bit! It's quite blasphemous.): I went to a Network affiliated Episcopal Church when I first moved to Pittsburgh that was supposed to be very Anglo-Catholic (which doesn't exist...see previous post) in which, when the priest was blessing the bread and wine he also had his thermal mug of coffee on the altar (which he carried with him the whole service and was drinking out of during his sermon) right next to the sacraments! I kid you not. He put the coffee on the altar!!!
Now don't get me wrong, I think the African bishops (Orombi, Akinola, etc.) are godly men who stand firm in their Anglican Faith and do not settle for the apostasy of any church within the Anglican Communion or even that of the Archbishop of Canterbury (by the way, did I mention he is good friends with the Presiding Bishop of ECUSA who is a heretic!), but I have become severely disillusioned with the Anglican Church.
So, I had decided to leave the Anglican Communion for the Roman Catholic Church. But I can't be a priest in the Catholic Church because I am married. Hence the dilemma. I feel called to be a priest, but I don't wish to remain an Anglican. Then God opened my eyes. If I can't be a priest in the Catholic Church, then I will go to grad school at Duquesne (a Catholic University) and get my Masters in Theology and become a theologian. I truly feel that God having me read Ratzinger's books (pre-Benedict XVI) which sparked my interest in theology and then Ratzinger becoming the Pope was a sign that I should become Catholic and be a theologian. It just took me until now to realize it. Sorry, God, but more often than not I am a bit slow in seeing and hearing what your will for me is.
Ever since I have decided to become a Catholic, my stress caused by the Anglican Church has instantly vanished. I feel so much better and happier.
Thank you God for opening my eyes to see your will for me and help me to always do things according to your will, not mine.
Please pray for Laura and me as we prepare to make the transition from the Anglican Church (and leave our familiar and comfortable worship community) to the Catholic Church.
Luke 12:22-31 22
He said to his disciples, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. 23For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. 24Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! 25And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life?* 26If then you are not able to do so small a thing as that, why do you worry about the rest? 27Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin;* yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. 28But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you-you of little faith! 29And do not keep striving for what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not keep worrying. 30For it is the nations of the world that strive after all these things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31Instead, strive for his* kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well."
Monday, October 31, 2005
Friday, October 28, 2005
Anglo-Catholic: Does It Really Exist?
I used to think so. I've read about the Oxford Movement and it's effect on the Anglican Communion. I've always attended "high-church" Episcopal services and always believed in the catholic teaching from an Anglican perspective. But with all that is going on in the Episcopal Church and in the greater Anglican Communion, I am starting to realize that it's all an illusion. There is no Anglican perspective to Catholicity. After all, John Henry Newman saw the futility of the Oxford Movement that he was so much a part of that he eventually became Catholic. He was even one of the Catholic Church's best cardinals! There is such a wide variance of beliefs within ECUSA and the Anglican Communion that one can't even express what the church as a whole believes. There is no central authority to keep heretical provinces/bishops/priests in check. ECUSA has became a Unitarian mess with no stated theology that can be uniformly professed and greater Anglicanism is split by different provinces with beliefs completely opposite of one another.
Since the topic of Anglicanism's Catholicity has been a recent debate amongst the religious blog-o-sphere, I couldn't help thinking about "Jews for Jesus." Why not just be Christian? They want to remain Jewish and still proclaim Jesus Christ as their savior. It's impossible. You can't be Jewish and Christian at the same time. Just as in the same way you can't be Anglo-Catholic. If you want to be Catholic, be a Catholic! When I think about my reasons of not becoming a Catholic I am at a loss. I believe in all the doctrines of the Catholic Church. Why am I not Catholic? One might say, "It's because of the Pope." To which I would respond, what's wrong with the Pope?! Now, if I had asked the question in the middle ages or even in the 16th century I would be able to understand not being Catholic because of the Pope...Kind of.
Sure the Catholic Church has had corrupt popes, but there has always been someone to counter it and get them back on track. When looking at the history of the Catholic Church and all that it has gone through and realizing that it is still going strong, you can't help but to believe that the hand of God is at work there. And look at the beginnings of the Anglican Church. Why did it break away? Honestly! Because Henry VIII was so pompous and full of conceit that he didn't want to accept that the Pope wouldn't let him divorce his wife and get married again. Where is the validity in that? "Marriage is not to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly, but reverently, deliberately, and in accordance with the purposes for which it was instituted by God." This applies to King's as well.
This is a confusing time in my life right now. The thought of leaving my church in one denomination for a different denomination is scary. But do I want to stay in a church that's validity is questionable because I am comfortable or do I want to be in a church that I am certain is upholding and teaching the One True Catholic and Apostolic Faith?
Maybe I will finally add Catholic to the "Irish and Dangerous" title....
I used to think so. I've read about the Oxford Movement and it's effect on the Anglican Communion. I've always attended "high-church" Episcopal services and always believed in the catholic teaching from an Anglican perspective. But with all that is going on in the Episcopal Church and in the greater Anglican Communion, I am starting to realize that it's all an illusion. There is no Anglican perspective to Catholicity. After all, John Henry Newman saw the futility of the Oxford Movement that he was so much a part of that he eventually became Catholic. He was even one of the Catholic Church's best cardinals! There is such a wide variance of beliefs within ECUSA and the Anglican Communion that one can't even express what the church as a whole believes. There is no central authority to keep heretical provinces/bishops/priests in check. ECUSA has became a Unitarian mess with no stated theology that can be uniformly professed and greater Anglicanism is split by different provinces with beliefs completely opposite of one another.
Since the topic of Anglicanism's Catholicity has been a recent debate amongst the religious blog-o-sphere, I couldn't help thinking about "Jews for Jesus." Why not just be Christian? They want to remain Jewish and still proclaim Jesus Christ as their savior. It's impossible. You can't be Jewish and Christian at the same time. Just as in the same way you can't be Anglo-Catholic. If you want to be Catholic, be a Catholic! When I think about my reasons of not becoming a Catholic I am at a loss. I believe in all the doctrines of the Catholic Church. Why am I not Catholic? One might say, "It's because of the Pope." To which I would respond, what's wrong with the Pope?! Now, if I had asked the question in the middle ages or even in the 16th century I would be able to understand not being Catholic because of the Pope...Kind of.
Sure the Catholic Church has had corrupt popes, but there has always been someone to counter it and get them back on track. When looking at the history of the Catholic Church and all that it has gone through and realizing that it is still going strong, you can't help but to believe that the hand of God is at work there. And look at the beginnings of the Anglican Church. Why did it break away? Honestly! Because Henry VIII was so pompous and full of conceit that he didn't want to accept that the Pope wouldn't let him divorce his wife and get married again. Where is the validity in that? "Marriage is not to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly, but reverently, deliberately, and in accordance with the purposes for which it was instituted by God." This applies to King's as well.
This is a confusing time in my life right now. The thought of leaving my church in one denomination for a different denomination is scary. But do I want to stay in a church that's validity is questionable because I am comfortable or do I want to be in a church that I am certain is upholding and teaching the One True Catholic and Apostolic Faith?
Maybe I will finally add Catholic to the "Irish and Dangerous" title....
Thursday, October 27, 2005
Funky Chicken
Check out this website and make the chicken do things. My favorites are kiss, puke, pray, and YMCA.
Check out this website and make the chicken do things. My favorites are kiss, puke, pray, and YMCA.
Black Sox No More!
The White Sox have done it! For the first time in 88 years the White Sox have won the World Series, thus eliminating the "Black Sox" scandal of 1919. The White Sox's streak without a win was two years longer than the Red Sox streak of 86 years without a win. This was definitely a pitching series...and the Sox bullpen was outstanding! Oh, and did anyone see Uribe's catch in the seats?! The White Sox own Chicago now. Too bad Cubs!
The White Sox have done it! For the first time in 88 years the White Sox have won the World Series, thus eliminating the "Black Sox" scandal of 1919. The White Sox's streak without a win was two years longer than the Red Sox streak of 86 years without a win. This was definitely a pitching series...and the Sox bullpen was outstanding! Oh, and did anyone see Uribe's catch in the seats?! The White Sox own Chicago now. Too bad Cubs!
The Commissioner Responds
Two days ago I received a letter back from the Commissioner of Baseball, Bud Selig, to whom I wrote a couple of weeks ago regarding the ban on Shoeless Joe Jackson from baseball. Here is what is says:
Dear Mr. Garland:
Thank you for your letter of October 13, 2005.
I certainly understand your thoughts relative to "Shoeless" Joe Jackson and have the entire matter under review. Commissioner Kenesaw "Mountain" Landis made this decision over 75 years ago and the files are very lengthy, so there is a great deal to analyze. I understand the very deep feelings in this sensitive matter and appreciate the interest you have shown.
Thanks for taking time to write to me. I enjoyed hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Allan H. Selig
Commissioner of Baseball
Now, even if this was a form letter, it is still cool that he wrote back. What makes it even cooler is that he signed it personally!
I'm thinking about writing him back in about a month and asking him how the process is going!
Two days ago I received a letter back from the Commissioner of Baseball, Bud Selig, to whom I wrote a couple of weeks ago regarding the ban on Shoeless Joe Jackson from baseball. Here is what is says:
Dear Mr. Garland:
Thank you for your letter of October 13, 2005.
I certainly understand your thoughts relative to "Shoeless" Joe Jackson and have the entire matter under review. Commissioner Kenesaw "Mountain" Landis made this decision over 75 years ago and the files are very lengthy, so there is a great deal to analyze. I understand the very deep feelings in this sensitive matter and appreciate the interest you have shown.
Thanks for taking time to write to me. I enjoyed hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Allan H. Selig
Commissioner of Baseball
Now, even if this was a form letter, it is still cool that he wrote back. What makes it even cooler is that he signed it personally!
I'm thinking about writing him back in about a month and asking him how the process is going!
Sunday, October 23, 2005
We've Adopted!
Cats, that is. Today we adopted two beautiful British Shorthairs named Mr. Darcy and Cassanova. They are great! They took a bit to get settled in, but now they feel right at home. Mr. Darcy is a scaredy cat and Cassanova lives up to his name in that he is a very loving cat. He's always looking to be pet. We were originally looking to only get one cat, but when a friend of a friend was looking to give away her cats, we couldn't split the brothers up, so we took both! They are going to be a wonderful addition to our family.
Cats, that is. Today we adopted two beautiful British Shorthairs named Mr. Darcy and Cassanova. They are great! They took a bit to get settled in, but now they feel right at home. Mr. Darcy is a scaredy cat and Cassanova lives up to his name in that he is a very loving cat. He's always looking to be pet. We were originally looking to only get one cat, but when a friend of a friend was looking to give away her cats, we couldn't split the brothers up, so we took both! They are going to be a wonderful addition to our family.
Saturday, October 22, 2005
The Naming Of Cats
The naming of cats is a difficult matter,
It isn't just one of your holiday games;
You may think at first I'm as mad as a hatter
When I tell you, a cat must have THREE DIFFERENT NAMES.
First of all, there's the name that the family use daily,
Such as Peter, Augustus, Alonzo or James,
Such as Victor or Jonathan, or George or Bill Bailey -
All of them sensible everyday names.
There are fancier names if you think they sound sweeter,
Some for the gentlemen, some for the dames:
Such as Plato, Admetus, Electra, Demeter -
But all of them sensible everyday names.
But I tell you, a cat needs a name that's particular,
A name that's peculiar, and more dignified,
Else how can he keep up his tail perpendicular,
Or spread out his whiskers, or cherish his pride?
Of names of this kind, I can give you a quorum,
Such as Munkustrap, Quaxo, or Coricopat,
Such as Bombalurina, or else Jellylorum -
Names that never belong to more than one cat.
But above and beyond there's still one name left over,
And that is the name that you never will guess;
The name that no human research can discover -
But THE CAT HIMSELF KNOWS, and will never confess.
When you notice a cat in profound meditation,
The reason, I tell you, is always the same:
His mind is engaged in a rapt contemplation
Of the thought, of the thought, of the thought of his name:
His ineffable effable
Effanineffable
Deep and inscrutable singular Name.
By: T.S. Eliot
The naming of cats is a difficult matter,
It isn't just one of your holiday games;
You may think at first I'm as mad as a hatter
When I tell you, a cat must have THREE DIFFERENT NAMES.
First of all, there's the name that the family use daily,
Such as Peter, Augustus, Alonzo or James,
Such as Victor or Jonathan, or George or Bill Bailey -
All of them sensible everyday names.
There are fancier names if you think they sound sweeter,
Some for the gentlemen, some for the dames:
Such as Plato, Admetus, Electra, Demeter -
But all of them sensible everyday names.
But I tell you, a cat needs a name that's particular,
A name that's peculiar, and more dignified,
Else how can he keep up his tail perpendicular,
Or spread out his whiskers, or cherish his pride?
Of names of this kind, I can give you a quorum,
Such as Munkustrap, Quaxo, or Coricopat,
Such as Bombalurina, or else Jellylorum -
Names that never belong to more than one cat.
But above and beyond there's still one name left over,
And that is the name that you never will guess;
The name that no human research can discover -
But THE CAT HIMSELF KNOWS, and will never confess.
When you notice a cat in profound meditation,
The reason, I tell you, is always the same:
His mind is engaged in a rapt contemplation
Of the thought, of the thought, of the thought of his name:
His ineffable effable
Effanineffable
Deep and inscrutable singular Name.
By: T.S. Eliot
Considering Abortion?
Then read this:
1. A preacher and his wife are very, very poor. They already have 14 kids. Now she finds out she's pregnant with the 15th. They're living in tremendous poverty. Considering their poverty and the excessive world population, would you consider recommending she get an abortion?
2. The father is sick with sniffles, the mother has TB. Of their four children, the first is blind, the second has died, the third is deaf, the fourth has TB. She finds she's pregnant again. Given this extreme situation, would you consider recommending abortion?
3. A white man raped a 13-year-old black girl and she's now pregnant. If you were her parents, would you consider recommending abortion? 4. A teenage girl is pregnant. She's not married. Her fiancé is not the father of the baby, and he's upset. Would you recommend abortion?
In the first case, you would have killed John Wesley, one of the great evangelists in the 19th century. In the second case, you would have killed Beethoven. In the third case, you would have killed Ethel Waters, the great black gospel singer. If you said yes to the fourth case, you would have declared the murder of Jesus Christ!
Then read this:
1. A preacher and his wife are very, very poor. They already have 14 kids. Now she finds out she's pregnant with the 15th. They're living in tremendous poverty. Considering their poverty and the excessive world population, would you consider recommending she get an abortion?
2. The father is sick with sniffles, the mother has TB. Of their four children, the first is blind, the second has died, the third is deaf, the fourth has TB. She finds she's pregnant again. Given this extreme situation, would you consider recommending abortion?
3. A white man raped a 13-year-old black girl and she's now pregnant. If you were her parents, would you consider recommending abortion? 4. A teenage girl is pregnant. She's not married. Her fiancé is not the father of the baby, and he's upset. Would you recommend abortion?
In the first case, you would have killed John Wesley, one of the great evangelists in the 19th century. In the second case, you would have killed Beethoven. In the third case, you would have killed Ethel Waters, the great black gospel singer. If you said yes to the fourth case, you would have declared the murder of Jesus Christ!
Friday, October 21, 2005
Psycho Brainwashed Cult Spokesman Of The Day: Tom Cruise
I recently watched the entire clip of Tom Cruise on the Oprah Show (yeah, you know the one!) at Scientomogy.info and I couldn't help wonder what is wrong with him!? He hasn't acted like this until recently and if you watch all recent interviews with him, you can't help but notice that he isn't all there and then you seriously consider whether the Scientologists have stepped up their brainwashing on him. He is absolutely mental now! (Yes, I did learn the word "mental" from the Harry Potter films) I also can't help but worry about poor Katie Holmes who was a nice Catholic girl until Tom got a hold of her and now she has become a Scientologist. How can anyone believe in a religion that was started by a SCIENCE FICTION writer? Are the celebrities who have joined it complete idiots unable to form a rational thought or what? Do they not realize that the religion is based on a fiction novel? (Note to stupid celebrities: Fiction means FAKE!)
To see how crazy Tom has become now, check this clip out from Australia's 60 Minutes.
Also, to find out the truth about Scientology check out Xenu.net.
I recently watched the entire clip of Tom Cruise on the Oprah Show (yeah, you know the one!) at Scientomogy.info and I couldn't help wonder what is wrong with him!? He hasn't acted like this until recently and if you watch all recent interviews with him, you can't help but notice that he isn't all there and then you seriously consider whether the Scientologists have stepped up their brainwashing on him. He is absolutely mental now! (Yes, I did learn the word "mental" from the Harry Potter films) I also can't help but worry about poor Katie Holmes who was a nice Catholic girl until Tom got a hold of her and now she has become a Scientologist. How can anyone believe in a religion that was started by a SCIENCE FICTION writer? Are the celebrities who have joined it complete idiots unable to form a rational thought or what? Do they not realize that the religion is based on a fiction novel? (Note to stupid celebrities: Fiction means FAKE!)
To see how crazy Tom has become now, check this clip out from Australia's 60 Minutes.
Also, to find out the truth about Scientology check out Xenu.net.
Tuesday, October 18, 2005
Attack Of The Zombie Worms
A new species of marine worm that lives off whale bones on the sea floor has been described by scientists.
The creature was found on a minke carcass in relatively shallow water close to Tjarno Marine Laboratory on the Swedish coast.
Such "zombie worms", as they are often called, are known from the deep waters of the Pacific but their presence in the North Sea is a major surprise.
A UK-Swedish team reports the find in Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
Adrian Glover and Thomas Dahlgren tell the journal the new species has been named Osedax mucofloris, which literally means "bone-eating snot-flower".
"They look like flowers poking out of the whale bone. The analogy goes a bit further because they have a root system that goes into the bone," Dr Glover, a researcher at London's Natural History Museum, told the BBC News website.
"The part of the animal that is exposed to the seawater is covered in a ball of mucus, so they are quite snotty. That is probably a defence mechanism."
I bet that Adrian and Thomas' Latin teacher is real proud! If I came up with a name like that in my Latin class, I probably would have been kicked out.
A new species of marine worm that lives off whale bones on the sea floor has been described by scientists.The creature was found on a minke carcass in relatively shallow water close to Tjarno Marine Laboratory on the Swedish coast.
Such "zombie worms", as they are often called, are known from the deep waters of the Pacific but their presence in the North Sea is a major surprise.
A UK-Swedish team reports the find in Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
Adrian Glover and Thomas Dahlgren tell the journal the new species has been named Osedax mucofloris, which literally means "bone-eating snot-flower".
"They look like flowers poking out of the whale bone. The analogy goes a bit further because they have a root system that goes into the bone," Dr Glover, a researcher at London's Natural History Museum, told the BBC News website.
"The part of the animal that is exposed to the seawater is covered in a ball of mucus, so they are quite snotty. That is probably a defence mechanism."
I bet that Adrian and Thomas' Latin teacher is real proud! If I came up with a name like that in my Latin class, I probably would have been kicked out.
My Sensitive Side...
I was watching Extreme Makeover: Home Edition the other night with my wife and I couldn't help but think that the show was going out of it's way to make viewers cry. It's quite ridiculous actually! So in the spirit of sappy movies, here is my top 10 list of films that made me shed a tear.
10) Mighty Ducks (You can't tell me you didn't cry either! It was such a happy ending.)
9) Legends of the Fall
8) A River Runs Through It
7) Meet Joe Black (Why do I always cry when Brad Pitt dies in a movie?!)
6) Fever Pitch (the Red Sox won the World Series for the first time since 1918. So emotional!)
5) Forrest Gump (darn you little Haley Joel Osment!)
4) Return To Me
3) Passion Of The Christ
2) My Dog Skip
1) Fox and the Hound (gets me every time! Who knew a fox and a hound could be best friends forever?)
I was watching Extreme Makeover: Home Edition the other night with my wife and I couldn't help but think that the show was going out of it's way to make viewers cry. It's quite ridiculous actually! So in the spirit of sappy movies, here is my top 10 list of films that made me shed a tear.
10) Mighty Ducks (You can't tell me you didn't cry either! It was such a happy ending.)
9) Legends of the Fall
8) A River Runs Through It
7) Meet Joe Black (Why do I always cry when Brad Pitt dies in a movie?!)
6) Fever Pitch (the Red Sox won the World Series for the first time since 1918. So emotional!)
5) Forrest Gump (darn you little Haley Joel Osment!)
4) Return To Me
3) Passion Of The Christ
2) My Dog Skip
1) Fox and the Hound (gets me every time! Who knew a fox and a hound could be best friends forever?)
Monday, October 17, 2005
Person Of The Day: Rocky Balboa
Rocky is back in the ring! Sylvester Stallone has signed on to reprise the role of Rocky in the sixth Italian Stallion film which is also written and directed by Stallone. In the new movie titled, Rocky Balboa, the champ who is lonely and retired in Philly, comes out of retirement to fight a few small local fights. He then gets a chance to fight the reigning champ which ignites a media firestorm. The new film is supposed to be in the vein of the first two Rocky films.
"'Rocky Balboa' is about everybody who feels they want to participate in the race of life, rather than be a bystander," Stallone said in a statement. "You're never too old to climb a mountain, if that's your desire."
Shooting is scheduled to begin in December in Los Angeles and Philadelphia.
To understand how excited about this movie I am, just know that instead of having a bachelor party, I watched Rocky 1 and 2 with friends. Also, Adam (of What's Adam Doing? fame) and I are planning a Rocky marathon! That's right, all five movies back to back!!
For more on the story click here.
Rocky is back in the ring! Sylvester Stallone has signed on to reprise the role of Rocky in the sixth Italian Stallion film which is also written and directed by Stallone. In the new movie titled, Rocky Balboa, the champ who is lonely and retired in Philly, comes out of retirement to fight a few small local fights. He then gets a chance to fight the reigning champ which ignites a media firestorm. The new film is supposed to be in the vein of the first two Rocky films.
"'Rocky Balboa' is about everybody who feels they want to participate in the race of life, rather than be a bystander," Stallone said in a statement. "You're never too old to climb a mountain, if that's your desire."
Shooting is scheduled to begin in December in Los Angeles and Philadelphia.
To understand how excited about this movie I am, just know that instead of having a bachelor party, I watched Rocky 1 and 2 with friends. Also, Adam (of What's Adam Doing? fame) and I are planning a Rocky marathon! That's right, all five movies back to back!!
For more on the story click here.
Top 10 Baseball Movies Of All Time!
Now that the Chicago White Sox are back in the World Series for the first time since 1959 and have a chance to win the series for the first time since 1917, I thought it would be appropriate to list my top ten all time favorite baseball movies.
Here goes:
10) The Babe
9) Major League
8) A League Of Their Own
7) Fever Pitch
6) Cobb
5) The Natural
4) Pride Of The Yankees
3) Field Of Dreams
2) Eight Men Out
And for the greatest baseball movie of all time click here!
Now that the Chicago White Sox are back in the World Series for the first time since 1959 and have a chance to win the series for the first time since 1917, I thought it would be appropriate to list my top ten all time favorite baseball movies.
Here goes:
10) The Babe
9) Major League
8) A League Of Their Own
7) Fever Pitch
6) Cobb
5) The Natural
4) Pride Of The Yankees
3) Field Of Dreams
2) Eight Men Out
And for the greatest baseball movie of all time click here!
Sunday, October 16, 2005
Theology Matters!
"Good theology really does matter for the life of the Church." -Fr. Michael Petty
Read his article Unraveling the Rapture Myth in The Living Church!
"Good theology really does matter for the life of the Church." -Fr. Michael Petty
Read his article Unraveling the Rapture Myth in The Living Church!
Friday, October 14, 2005
Habemus Bond!
Yes Indeed, we have a new James Bond! The 6th actor to play the British spy will be Daniel Craig. Craig also holds the distinction of being only the 2nd Englishman to play 007, besides Roger Moore. The new Bond film will be Casino Royale, which is based on Ian Flemmings first James Bond novel.
Read more here.
Yes Indeed, we have a new James Bond! The 6th actor to play the British spy will be Daniel Craig. Craig also holds the distinction of being only the 2nd Englishman to play 007, besides Roger Moore. The new Bond film will be Casino Royale, which is based on Ian Flemmings first James Bond novel.Read more here.
Thursday, October 13, 2005
Person Of The Day: Joe Jackson
"Shoeless" Joe Jackson was one of baseball's greatest players! He started in 1908 for Philadelphia. In 1910 he was traded to Cleveland until 1915. Mid-Season of 1915, he went to play for the Chicago White Sox owned by Charles Comisky. Joe lead the White Sox to a World Series Championship in 1917 with a .301 batting average, 5 homeruns and 75 rbi's. Two years later, he would go down in history as one of the eight members of the "Black Sox" who were accused of throwing the 1919 World Series against the Cincinnati Reds.
Although Jackson knew that other players were talking about fixing the series, he and his team mate Bucky Weaver, took no part in it. Joe had a record setting 13 hits in the series, led both teams in hitting with a .375 batting average, handled 30 balls in the outfield and never made an error or allowed a man to take an extra base. He threw out 5 men at home and could have had 3 more if bad cutoffs hadn't been made and also hit the only home run of the series. To even think that he took part in the fix is absurd! Joe and the other seven men were acquitted of all wrong doing by a grand jury, but all eight men were banned from baseball for life by the newly appointed commissioner of baseball, Kenesaw Mountain Landis. Along with Bucky Weaver, Joe Jackson got a raw deal. He should not have been banned from baseball. His banishment means that one of the greatest players ever to play the game will never be in the Baseball Hall of Fame where he definitely deserves to be! If you believe Joe to be innocent you can visit the Official Site of Joe Jackson and print up a form letter petitioning commissioner Selig to reinstate Joe to baseball and make him eligible for the Hall of Fame.
For more info on the 1919 White Sox see the movie Eight Men Out written and directed by John Sayles and starring John Cusack, Charlie Sheen, D.B. Sweeney, and the guy who played Fraiser's father.
Little known fact: Joe Jackson received the nickname "Shoeless" when he played a minor league game in his stockinged feet when he was with Greenville in 1908.
He played in a new pair of shoes one day and they wore big blisters on his feet. The next day the team was short on players, a couple of men hurt and one missing. Tommy Stouch, the manager, told Joe that he had to play, blisters or not. He tried it with his old shoes on and just couldn't make it, so he threw away the shoes and went to the outfield in his stockinged feet. He hadn't put out much until about the seventh inning when Joe hit a long triple. As he pulled into third, some big guy stood up and hollered, "You shoeless sonofagun, you!" They picked it up and started calling him Shoeless Joe all around the league, and it stuck. Joe never played the outfield barefoot, and that was the only day he ever played in his stockinged feet, but it stuck with him.
"Shoeless" Joe Jackson was one of baseball's greatest players! He started in 1908 for Philadelphia. In 1910 he was traded to Cleveland until 1915. Mid-Season of 1915, he went to play for the Chicago White Sox owned by Charles Comisky. Joe lead the White Sox to a World Series Championship in 1917 with a .301 batting average, 5 homeruns and 75 rbi's. Two years later, he would go down in history as one of the eight members of the "Black Sox" who were accused of throwing the 1919 World Series against the Cincinnati Reds.
Although Jackson knew that other players were talking about fixing the series, he and his team mate Bucky Weaver, took no part in it. Joe had a record setting 13 hits in the series, led both teams in hitting with a .375 batting average, handled 30 balls in the outfield and never made an error or allowed a man to take an extra base. He threw out 5 men at home and could have had 3 more if bad cutoffs hadn't been made and also hit the only home run of the series. To even think that he took part in the fix is absurd! Joe and the other seven men were acquitted of all wrong doing by a grand jury, but all eight men were banned from baseball for life by the newly appointed commissioner of baseball, Kenesaw Mountain Landis. Along with Bucky Weaver, Joe Jackson got a raw deal. He should not have been banned from baseball. His banishment means that one of the greatest players ever to play the game will never be in the Baseball Hall of Fame where he definitely deserves to be! If you believe Joe to be innocent you can visit the Official Site of Joe Jackson and print up a form letter petitioning commissioner Selig to reinstate Joe to baseball and make him eligible for the Hall of Fame.
For more info on the 1919 White Sox see the movie Eight Men Out written and directed by John Sayles and starring John Cusack, Charlie Sheen, D.B. Sweeney, and the guy who played Fraiser's father.
Little known fact: Joe Jackson received the nickname "Shoeless" when he played a minor league game in his stockinged feet when he was with Greenville in 1908.
He played in a new pair of shoes one day and they wore big blisters on his feet. The next day the team was short on players, a couple of men hurt and one missing. Tommy Stouch, the manager, told Joe that he had to play, blisters or not. He tried it with his old shoes on and just couldn't make it, so he threw away the shoes and went to the outfield in his stockinged feet. He hadn't put out much until about the seventh inning when Joe hit a long triple. As he pulled into third, some big guy stood up and hollered, "You shoeless sonofagun, you!" They picked it up and started calling him Shoeless Joe all around the league, and it stuck. Joe never played the outfield barefoot, and that was the only day he ever played in his stockinged feet, but it stuck with him.
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
At Least It's Not The Yankees!
Now that the Red Sox have failed to defend their title, I really don't care who wins the World Series. If the Yankees were still in it, naturally I would root for what ever team was playing them. So, since the Yankees got beat by the Angels, I think I will go for the team that beat the Sox....the (other) Sox.
The Chicago White Sox haven't won a World Series since 1917. I think they are due! I think they have suffered long enough after the whole "Black Sox" scandel. I mean, they were the best team in the regular season and they eliminated Boston, so I am going to cheer for them this October.
After all, at least it's not the Yankees!
Now that the Red Sox have failed to defend their title, I really don't care who wins the World Series. If the Yankees were still in it, naturally I would root for what ever team was playing them. So, since the Yankees got beat by the Angels, I think I will go for the team that beat the Sox....the (other) Sox.
The Chicago White Sox haven't won a World Series since 1917. I think they are due! I think they have suffered long enough after the whole "Black Sox" scandel. I mean, they were the best team in the regular season and they eliminated Boston, so I am going to cheer for them this October.
After all, at least it's not the Yankees!
Monday, October 10, 2005
I Love The North!
For the first time in thirteen years, I am going to see an actual Autumn! When I look out my window I see a bright array of yellow, orange, red, and green leaves on the trees. Some have even begun to fall. The weather here in Pittsburgh is a nice 67 degrees Fahrenheit compared to 84 degrees in Tallahassee, Florida or 86 degrees (feels like 94) in Orlando. In Florida, the trees are green all year round. How bland!
I remember one year on Christmas day in Orlando I was working at Universal Studios and the temperature was 98 degrees outside! I am looking forward to Christmas day here in Pittsburgh where the ground will be blanketed white with snow.
For the first time in thirteen years, I am going to see an actual Autumn! When I look out my window I see a bright array of yellow, orange, red, and green leaves on the trees. Some have even begun to fall. The weather here in Pittsburgh is a nice 67 degrees Fahrenheit compared to 84 degrees in Tallahassee, Florida or 86 degrees (feels like 94) in Orlando. In Florida, the trees are green all year round. How bland!
I remember one year on Christmas day in Orlando I was working at Universal Studios and the temperature was 98 degrees outside! I am looking forward to Christmas day here in Pittsburgh where the ground will be blanketed white with snow.
Another Letter From The Tallahassee Democrat
I was filled with admiration when I read of Father Dudley's decision to lead his flock toward the authority of scripture and away from apostasy. Such courage and conviction is all too rare within Christendom today.
This "man of God," Father Dudley, really is a man of God. As he astutely observed, the fundamental problem has nothing to do with sex, but involves whether the word of God is authoritative. Whenever we elevate anything, be it loyalty, unity, togetherness, political correctness, tolerance, or anything at all, above God, we are worshiping that virtue above God. That is idolatry and God has made it clear that we are to have no other gods before Him.
Father Dudley has determined that what is important to God is what should be important to us. May God bless him and his congregation. He has earned my respect, and that of all those who still believe that it is God, as He has revealed Himself in Holy Scripture, in whom our ultimate allegiance is to be placed.
DAN MITCHELL
Thomasville, Ga.
drdan@rose.net
I was filled with admiration when I read of Father Dudley's decision to lead his flock toward the authority of scripture and away from apostasy. Such courage and conviction is all too rare within Christendom today.
This "man of God," Father Dudley, really is a man of God. As he astutely observed, the fundamental problem has nothing to do with sex, but involves whether the word of God is authoritative. Whenever we elevate anything, be it loyalty, unity, togetherness, political correctness, tolerance, or anything at all, above God, we are worshiping that virtue above God. That is idolatry and God has made it clear that we are to have no other gods before Him.
Father Dudley has determined that what is important to God is what should be important to us. May God bless him and his congregation. He has earned my respect, and that of all those who still believe that it is God, as He has revealed Himself in Holy Scripture, in whom our ultimate allegiance is to be placed.
DAN MITCHELL
Thomasville, Ga.
drdan@rose.net
Sunday, October 09, 2005
NetFlix Delivers!
If you don't already have Netflix, what are you waiting for? It's easy-they mail them to you, you mail them back. It's cheap-starts at $9.99 a month. It's hassle free-there aren't any late fees. You can keep a movie for as long as you like. It's a movie lovers dream!
My favorite thing about Netflix is my ability to take risks on movies I'm not sure about. Whereas at Blockbuster I wouldn't rent a movie I wasn't certain I would like because I didn't want to waste $4 on a bad one. With Netflix, if I didn't like it, I just send it back and another comes within a couple of days. I have the $14.99 plan which allows you to have unlimited rentals up to two movies at a time. I average about 3 movies a week. 3 movies a week equals 12 movies a month. If I went to Blockbuster and paid $4 for a movie I would only be able to rent 4 movies for the price of Netflix. So with my plan, it's like getting 8 free movies a month! You do the math. I currently have 468 movies in my queue. Life is good!
If you don't already have Netflix, what are you waiting for? It's easy-they mail them to you, you mail them back. It's cheap-starts at $9.99 a month. It's hassle free-there aren't any late fees. You can keep a movie for as long as you like. It's a movie lovers dream!
My favorite thing about Netflix is my ability to take risks on movies I'm not sure about. Whereas at Blockbuster I wouldn't rent a movie I wasn't certain I would like because I didn't want to waste $4 on a bad one. With Netflix, if I didn't like it, I just send it back and another comes within a couple of days. I have the $14.99 plan which allows you to have unlimited rentals up to two movies at a time. I average about 3 movies a week. 3 movies a week equals 12 movies a month. If I went to Blockbuster and paid $4 for a movie I would only be able to rent 4 movies for the price of Netflix. So with my plan, it's like getting 8 free movies a month! You do the math. I currently have 468 movies in my queue. Life is good!
Townsend Waddill Responds To Letter In The Tallahassee Democrat
Townsend's response appears in italics.
Dudley's exit strategy was needlessly divisiveRe: "St. John's Episcopal splinters" (news article, Oct. 4).
Should we be surprised by Father Eric Dudley and Company's exit from St. John's Episcopal? History is filled with pompous, egotistical religious leaders whose political ideology informs their spiritual passions.
This is not about political ideology. This is about ECUSA's direct rejection of Holy Scripture, thus making it no longer a Christian institution. The social gospel that ECUSA has decided to proclaim, which is in direct violation of the Holy Gospel of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, is the reason why, not only Fr. Dudley, but many other ECUSA leaders as well, have left the church.
Why did Dudley think his personal views were more important than the institutional integrity of St. John's Episcopal? If his personal and parental struggles were such that ministering to his congregation was no longer an option, why not just quietly fade away? Did arrogance dictate his gamesmanship, and what, I believe, is his lack of ethics by dividing that congregation?
Several things come to mind here. First, the institutional integrity of St. John's is in tact. He left the church in good shape. As his letter indicates, many of the people in Tallahassee implored him to remain in town and start a new church, so he did. I personally think that he could have taken St. John's with him and one a lawsuit against the Diocese. The fact that he did not shows Fr. Dudley's amazing character and ability to live out the Gospel in effective witness to others. There was no arrogance, gameship, or lack of ethics in the decision, but rather a desire to shepherd his people in the way of the Lord. When he felt he could no longer do it St. John's (thanks in part to the Parishioners for Hopeful Reconciliation), he moved on and took a large majority of faithful parishioners with him.
Read it all here.
Townsend's response appears in italics.
Dudley's exit strategy was needlessly divisiveRe: "St. John's Episcopal splinters" (news article, Oct. 4).
Should we be surprised by Father Eric Dudley and Company's exit from St. John's Episcopal? History is filled with pompous, egotistical religious leaders whose political ideology informs their spiritual passions.
This is not about political ideology. This is about ECUSA's direct rejection of Holy Scripture, thus making it no longer a Christian institution. The social gospel that ECUSA has decided to proclaim, which is in direct violation of the Holy Gospel of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, is the reason why, not only Fr. Dudley, but many other ECUSA leaders as well, have left the church.
Why did Dudley think his personal views were more important than the institutional integrity of St. John's Episcopal? If his personal and parental struggles were such that ministering to his congregation was no longer an option, why not just quietly fade away? Did arrogance dictate his gamesmanship, and what, I believe, is his lack of ethics by dividing that congregation?
Several things come to mind here. First, the institutional integrity of St. John's is in tact. He left the church in good shape. As his letter indicates, many of the people in Tallahassee implored him to remain in town and start a new church, so he did. I personally think that he could have taken St. John's with him and one a lawsuit against the Diocese. The fact that he did not shows Fr. Dudley's amazing character and ability to live out the Gospel in effective witness to others. There was no arrogance, gameship, or lack of ethics in the decision, but rather a desire to shepherd his people in the way of the Lord. When he felt he could no longer do it St. John's (thanks in part to the Parishioners for Hopeful Reconciliation), he moved on and took a large majority of faithful parishioners with him.
Read it all here.
Thursday, October 06, 2005
Person Of The Day: Kendall Harmon
Canon Kendall Harmon is the theologian for the Diocese of South Carolina. He was a chemistry major at Bowdoin College in Maine where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Summa Cum Laude, in 1982. He went on to receive seminary training at Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia from 1982 to 1984, and Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry, from which he graduated in 1987. Kendall was awarded his Doctor of Philosophy from Oxford University in 1993, defending a dissertation on some twentieth-century theological explorations of the doctrine of hell. He has been Canon Theologian in South Carolina since 1996. Dr. Harmon is also the editor of The Anglican Digest and runs an amazing web blog called titusonenine. I don't know how he possibly has the time amongst all his other duties to post so many news stories each day. He is an incredible and invaluable fount of knowledge! Titusonenine is by far the best Anglican news blog of all time (sorry David Virtue, but he's got you beat!).
I have had the pleasure to hear Dr. Harmon speak and give sermons and I always walk away amazed and enlightened.
For Kendall's complete bio click here.
Canon Kendall Harmon is the theologian for the Diocese of South Carolina. He was a chemistry major at Bowdoin College in Maine where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Summa Cum Laude, in 1982. He went on to receive seminary training at Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia from 1982 to 1984, and Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry, from which he graduated in 1987. Kendall was awarded his Doctor of Philosophy from Oxford University in 1993, defending a dissertation on some twentieth-century theological explorations of the doctrine of hell. He has been Canon Theologian in South Carolina since 1996. Dr. Harmon is also the editor of The Anglican Digest and runs an amazing web blog called titusonenine. I don't know how he possibly has the time amongst all his other duties to post so many news stories each day. He is an incredible and invaluable fount of knowledge! Titusonenine is by far the best Anglican news blog of all time (sorry David Virtue, but he's got you beat!).
I have had the pleasure to hear Dr. Harmon speak and give sermons and I always walk away amazed and enlightened.
For Kendall's complete bio click here.
Quitting The Band.
A producer of a theatre troupe I was once in, used to tell us of his days in a rock band. He would say that if certain members of the band disagreed with another member of the band, then those certain members would all "quit" the band and go and start a "new" one minus the member they disagreed with. With all that is currently going on in ECUSA pertaining to congregations leaving and starting new churches, especially with the recent example of what happened with St. John's Episcopal Church in Tallahassee, I can't stop thinking of this story.
Most times, the "new" band is much better than the old one. And so I feel will be the case with St. Peter's Anglican Church in Tallahassee! Last night St. Peter's had their first Compline (order of evening prayer) since Fr. Brad Page left St. John's (and thereby leaving his position of Canon for College Ministries at the Episcopal University Center at Florida State University) and the turnout was the usual. Fr. Brad, Fr. Eric, and Fr. Michael will make St. Peter's an even stronger beacon of faith in Tallahassee. Living up to it's name sake, St. Peter's will become the rock of not only Anglican worship in the capital city, but also of orthodox Christian worship as well!
In the wider church also, the orthodox leaving the heretical ECUSA will be strengthened in their faith. While I in no way think it is a good thing for divisions within the body of Christ, splitting from the national church filled with apostasy to form a church that sets Christ as their Lord and Savior and teaches the One True Catholic and Apostolic Faith rather than leading Christ's children astray by false teachings is definitely the right thing to do for the Glory of God.
When it comes down to heresy or schism...NEVER choose heresy!
A producer of a theatre troupe I was once in, used to tell us of his days in a rock band. He would say that if certain members of the band disagreed with another member of the band, then those certain members would all "quit" the band and go and start a "new" one minus the member they disagreed with. With all that is currently going on in ECUSA pertaining to congregations leaving and starting new churches, especially with the recent example of what happened with St. John's Episcopal Church in Tallahassee, I can't stop thinking of this story.
Most times, the "new" band is much better than the old one. And so I feel will be the case with St. Peter's Anglican Church in Tallahassee! Last night St. Peter's had their first Compline (order of evening prayer) since Fr. Brad Page left St. John's (and thereby leaving his position of Canon for College Ministries at the Episcopal University Center at Florida State University) and the turnout was the usual. Fr. Brad, Fr. Eric, and Fr. Michael will make St. Peter's an even stronger beacon of faith in Tallahassee. Living up to it's name sake, St. Peter's will become the rock of not only Anglican worship in the capital city, but also of orthodox Christian worship as well!
In the wider church also, the orthodox leaving the heretical ECUSA will be strengthened in their faith. While I in no way think it is a good thing for divisions within the body of Christ, splitting from the national church filled with apostasy to form a church that sets Christ as their Lord and Savior and teaches the One True Catholic and Apostolic Faith rather than leading Christ's children astray by false teachings is definitely the right thing to do for the Glory of God.
When it comes down to heresy or schism...NEVER choose heresy!
Wednesday, October 05, 2005
In Praise Of Abstinence.
10/05/05
Dear Mr. Wagoner,
In today's Washington Times you are quoted as describing the current administration's support of abstinence-only sex education as "clueless." You apparently base this on a lower average age of puberty and higher average age of marriage than in past decades and on the fact that, at least according to polling data, a greater proportion of young people approve of premarital sex than in the past.
I would be interested to know if you also believe that the legal drinking age should be lowered to eighteen (as is the case in the United Kingdom from whence I hail) and that the use of currently illegal drugs should be decriminalized. If we are to be governed solely by how the young supposedly 'feel' about an activity, then both these steps would follow, but I've noticed that many sexual health professionals seem to be much less willing to grant autonomous decisions to the young when it comes to the consumption of alcohol.
What troubles me far more is that it does not appear to occur to you that your stance on abstinence-only education is a largely self-fulfilling prophecy. If a teaching philosophy takes as its premise that many - perhaps most - young people will have sex early, then many will. No one who advocates such an abstinence-only approach pretends that it is easy or that we can guarantee a one-hundred percent success rate, any more than opponents of street violence in America's big cities believe that they are able, in a short space of time, to stop all drive-by shootings.
The message of delayed gratification is not one that any of us is naturally inclined to follow; it has to be modeled by those who teach it (do as I say not as I do has never been a terribly successful strategy for getting things done) and it has to be repeated time and again - and sometimes over generations - before it sinks in, as the drug information programs of recent years demonstrate. Abstinence-only programs will naturally work best in stable households where parents demonstrate by deed as well as by word why chastity outside marriage and fidelity within it only reinforce familial bonds rather than dissolve them. The fact that they are most successful in that environment is no justification for failing to employ them in other community settings. Just because there is less attention paid to good nutrition in poorer households is no reason for not encouraging all children to make better eating choices.
I realize that such language (which is governed by a Christian understanding of how human sexuality is supposed to be expressed) may not be of great interest to an organization such as Advocates for Youth. However, I would maintain that a belief in the philosophy of abstinence-only education need not be actuated by religious conviction. As someone born after the floodgates of the sexual revolution had opened (1970 to be precise), I have known far too many instances of friends who have suffered the consequences of the new freedoms. "Saving oneself for marriage" may seem a trite phrase to you, but it takes on a new force in an era characterized by infidelity, no-fault divorce and widespread abortion. Active _expression of one's sexuality always has emotional consequences, whether acknowledged or denied. Even a secular humanist could hardly deny that.
There is something particularly unappealing about the barely veiled sneer that seems to come into the voices of sexuality 'experts' when they refer to those who champion an abstinence-only position, implying that they are not only mistaken but either puritanical or of sub-normal intelligence. To be frank, Aldous Huxley's Brave New World is already here and many of us are less than convinced that we've got the nirvana of consequence-free sex that he depicts at the beginning of his book. I've always been struck by the passage where the Savage confronts Mustapha Mond:
"[W]e've made the V.P.S. treatments compulsory."
"V.P.S.?" "Violent Passion Surrogate. Regularly once a month. We flood the whole system with adrenin. It's the complete physiological equivalent of fear and rage. All the tonic effects of murdering Desdemona and being murdered by Othello, without any of the inconveniences."
"But I like the inconveniences."
"We don't," said the Controller, "We prefer to do things comfortably."
"But I don't want comfort. I want God, I want poetry, I want real danger, I want freedom, I want goodness. I want sin."
"In fact," said Mustapha Mond, "you're claiming the right to be unhappy."
"All right then," said the Savage defiantly, "I'm claiming the right to be unhappy."
"Not to mention the right to grow old and ugly and impotent; the right to have syphilis and cancer; the right to have too little to eat; the right to be lousy; the right to live in constant apprehension of what may happen tomorrow; the right to catch typhoid; the right to be tortured by unspeakable pains of every kind." There was a long silence.
"I claim them all," said the Savage at last.
Mustapha Mond shrugged his shoulders. "You're welcome," he said
I hope that when you wish to oppose abstinence-only education in the future, you will at least refrain from denigrating the motives of those who advocate it. You may FEEL that we are mistaken, but you do not KNOW that such an approach will inevitably fail.
Sincerely, Jeremy Bonner, PhD.
Here is the article from the The Washington Times that Dr. Bonner is responding to.
10/05/05
Dear Mr. Wagoner,
In today's Washington Times you are quoted as describing the current administration's support of abstinence-only sex education as "clueless." You apparently base this on a lower average age of puberty and higher average age of marriage than in past decades and on the fact that, at least according to polling data, a greater proportion of young people approve of premarital sex than in the past.
I would be interested to know if you also believe that the legal drinking age should be lowered to eighteen (as is the case in the United Kingdom from whence I hail) and that the use of currently illegal drugs should be decriminalized. If we are to be governed solely by how the young supposedly 'feel' about an activity, then both these steps would follow, but I've noticed that many sexual health professionals seem to be much less willing to grant autonomous decisions to the young when it comes to the consumption of alcohol.
What troubles me far more is that it does not appear to occur to you that your stance on abstinence-only education is a largely self-fulfilling prophecy. If a teaching philosophy takes as its premise that many - perhaps most - young people will have sex early, then many will. No one who advocates such an abstinence-only approach pretends that it is easy or that we can guarantee a one-hundred percent success rate, any more than opponents of street violence in America's big cities believe that they are able, in a short space of time, to stop all drive-by shootings.
The message of delayed gratification is not one that any of us is naturally inclined to follow; it has to be modeled by those who teach it (do as I say not as I do has never been a terribly successful strategy for getting things done) and it has to be repeated time and again - and sometimes over generations - before it sinks in, as the drug information programs of recent years demonstrate. Abstinence-only programs will naturally work best in stable households where parents demonstrate by deed as well as by word why chastity outside marriage and fidelity within it only reinforce familial bonds rather than dissolve them. The fact that they are most successful in that environment is no justification for failing to employ them in other community settings. Just because there is less attention paid to good nutrition in poorer households is no reason for not encouraging all children to make better eating choices.
I realize that such language (which is governed by a Christian understanding of how human sexuality is supposed to be expressed) may not be of great interest to an organization such as Advocates for Youth. However, I would maintain that a belief in the philosophy of abstinence-only education need not be actuated by religious conviction. As someone born after the floodgates of the sexual revolution had opened (1970 to be precise), I have known far too many instances of friends who have suffered the consequences of the new freedoms. "Saving oneself for marriage" may seem a trite phrase to you, but it takes on a new force in an era characterized by infidelity, no-fault divorce and widespread abortion. Active _expression of one's sexuality always has emotional consequences, whether acknowledged or denied. Even a secular humanist could hardly deny that.
There is something particularly unappealing about the barely veiled sneer that seems to come into the voices of sexuality 'experts' when they refer to those who champion an abstinence-only position, implying that they are not only mistaken but either puritanical or of sub-normal intelligence. To be frank, Aldous Huxley's Brave New World is already here and many of us are less than convinced that we've got the nirvana of consequence-free sex that he depicts at the beginning of his book. I've always been struck by the passage where the Savage confronts Mustapha Mond:
"[W]e've made the V.P.S. treatments compulsory."
"V.P.S.?" "Violent Passion Surrogate. Regularly once a month. We flood the whole system with adrenin. It's the complete physiological equivalent of fear and rage. All the tonic effects of murdering Desdemona and being murdered by Othello, without any of the inconveniences."
"But I like the inconveniences."
"We don't," said the Controller, "We prefer to do things comfortably."
"But I don't want comfort. I want God, I want poetry, I want real danger, I want freedom, I want goodness. I want sin."
"In fact," said Mustapha Mond, "you're claiming the right to be unhappy."
"All right then," said the Savage defiantly, "I'm claiming the right to be unhappy."
"Not to mention the right to grow old and ugly and impotent; the right to have syphilis and cancer; the right to have too little to eat; the right to be lousy; the right to live in constant apprehension of what may happen tomorrow; the right to catch typhoid; the right to be tortured by unspeakable pains of every kind." There was a long silence.
"I claim them all," said the Savage at last.
Mustapha Mond shrugged his shoulders. "You're welcome," he said
I hope that when you wish to oppose abstinence-only education in the future, you will at least refrain from denigrating the motives of those who advocate it. You may FEEL that we are mistaken, but you do not KNOW that such an approach will inevitably fail.
Sincerely, Jeremy Bonner, PhD.
Here is the article from the The Washington Times that Dr. Bonner is responding to.
Person Of The Day: Paul McCartney
The Walrus is back! Paul McCartney's new cd Chaos and Creation in the Backyard is a must have for all Beatles/McCartney fans or for any one who simply loves great music. Paul astonishingly plays almost every instrument on his 20th solo studio album! Chaos also marks the first time since 1984 that Paul was not involved in one of his studio albums. Instead it is produced by Nigel Godrich (at the suggestion of George Martin) who has worked with Beck and Radiohead.
Songs that sound the most like the Beatles: Friends to Go, English Tea.
P.s. For anyone wondering, Paul IS wearing shoes on the cover of this album!
The Walrus is back! Paul McCartney's new cd Chaos and Creation in the Backyard is a must have for all Beatles/McCartney fans or for any one who simply loves great music. Paul astonishingly plays almost every instrument on his 20th solo studio album! Chaos also marks the first time since 1984 that Paul was not involved in one of his studio albums. Instead it is produced by Nigel Godrich (at the suggestion of George Martin) who has worked with Beck and Radiohead.
Songs that sound the most like the Beatles: Friends to Go, English Tea.
P.s. For anyone wondering, Paul IS wearing shoes on the cover of this album!
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
Person Of The Day: Mother Theresa
Mother Teresa was born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu in Skopje, Macedonia, on August 27, 1910. At the age of 18 she left her home and joined the Sisters of Loreto, an Irish community of nuns with missions in India. After a couple of months training in Dublin, she was sent to India. It was there on May 24, 1931, that she took her vows as a nun.
In 1948 she received permission from her superiors to leave the convent school and devote herself to working among the poorest of the poor in the slums of Calcutta.
On October 7, 1950, Mother Teresa received permission from the Holy See to start her own order, "The Missionaries of Charity", whose primary task was to love and care for those persons nobody was prepared to look after. In 1965 the Society became an International Religious Family by a decree of Pope Paul VI.
Mother Theresa was the perfect example of Christ's love. She was a person who put aside all worldly possessions and hung fast to her faith in God to help out the poor.
Mother Theresa was the recipient of the 1979 Nobel Peace Prize.
She continued her ministry up until her death on September 5, 1997.
Mother Teresa was born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu in Skopje, Macedonia, on August 27, 1910. At the age of 18 she left her home and joined the Sisters of Loreto, an Irish community of nuns with missions in India. After a couple of months training in Dublin, she was sent to India. It was there on May 24, 1931, that she took her vows as a nun.
In 1948 she received permission from her superiors to leave the convent school and devote herself to working among the poorest of the poor in the slums of Calcutta.
On October 7, 1950, Mother Teresa received permission from the Holy See to start her own order, "The Missionaries of Charity", whose primary task was to love and care for those persons nobody was prepared to look after. In 1965 the Society became an International Religious Family by a decree of Pope Paul VI.
Mother Theresa was the perfect example of Christ's love. She was a person who put aside all worldly possessions and hung fast to her faith in God to help out the poor.
Mother Theresa was the recipient of the 1979 Nobel Peace Prize.
She continued her ministry up until her death on September 5, 1997.
Ratz The Cat!
My wife and I have decided to get a kitten. That was the easy decision. The hard part is deciding what to name it. I suggested naming it Ratz after my favorite theologian (oh yeah, and he's also the new pope) Joseph Ratzinger. She wasn't totally in on the idea. Her biggest argument was, what if it was a girl? The only name we could think of was Molly. I think it is much easier to come up with cool guy cat names than it is for a girl cat. If anyone has any suggestions on a name, whether a boy or a girl cat's name, we would greatly appreciate it. The only thing is, it has to be a cool name. Nothing boring like "Tom" or something like that unless it is named after a really cool person (i.e. Kurt, after Kurt Vonnegutt).
If we can't come up with anything I guess we'll just have to call it Bishop Orombi!
My wife and I have decided to get a kitten. That was the easy decision. The hard part is deciding what to name it. I suggested naming it Ratz after my favorite theologian (oh yeah, and he's also the new pope) Joseph Ratzinger. She wasn't totally in on the idea. Her biggest argument was, what if it was a girl? The only name we could think of was Molly. I think it is much easier to come up with cool guy cat names than it is for a girl cat. If anyone has any suggestions on a name, whether a boy or a girl cat's name, we would greatly appreciate it. The only thing is, it has to be a cool name. Nothing boring like "Tom" or something like that unless it is named after a really cool person (i.e. Kurt, after Kurt Vonnegutt).
If we can't come up with anything I guess we'll just have to call it Bishop Orombi!
Monday, October 03, 2005
Person Of The Day: August Wilson
August Wilson was born Frederick August Kittel on April 27, 1945; his family long called him Freddy. His mother, Daisy Wilson, whose own mother had walked north from North Carolina, raised her six children in a cold-water flat behind Bella's grocery on Bedford Avenue in the Hill. She died of lung cancer in March 1983, just before her son's first great success on Broadway.
His father, also Frederick Kittel, was a German baker who died in 1965. "My father very rarely came around," Mr. Wilson said. "I grew up in my mother's household in a cultural environment which was black." He also had a stepfather, David Bedford, who died in 1969.
There were six children: his older sisters, Freda, Linda Jean, and Donna, and his younger brothers, Edwin and Richard, all of whom survive him. His brothers kept their father's name, but at 20, he signaled his cultural loyalty by taking his mother's, becoming August Wilson.
His mother valued education, sending him to St. Richard's parochial school in the Hill, then to Central Catholic High School in Oakland. As the only black student in the school, he was constantly taunted and harassed, so he left just before the end of his freshman year.
He started the next year at Connelley Vo-Tech, which he found pointless, so he switched to Gladstone High School, just across the street from the Hazelwood home the family had moved to when he was 12. He was supposedly in the 10th grade but because he hadn't graduated from the 9th at Central, they had him taking 9th grade subjects. The work was well behind what he had already done, so he was bored and didn't work at it until he decided he wanted to get into the after-school college club run by one of the teachers.
It was that teacher who, in an often-told story, doubted he'd written a 20-page paper on Napoleon he submitted. Insulted, the future August Wilson dropped out of school at 15 and for a while didn't tell his mother.
"I dropped out of school, but I didn't drop out of life," he recalled. "I would leave the house each morning and go to the main branch of the Carnegie Library in Oakland where they had all the books in the world. ... I felt suddenly liberated from the constraints of a pre-arranged curriculum that labored through one book in eight months."
Read more about this great man here.
Wilson was a great influence on me as a theatre major in college. I remeber reading his play Fences and being blown away by his brilliance. Reading his plays helped me really understand the struggles and triumphs of what it is like to be a black man in America.
The theatre community is greatly indebted to this man. He will definitely be remembered as one of the greatest American playwrights.
Rest In Peace August Wilson!
August Wilson was born Frederick August Kittel on April 27, 1945; his family long called him Freddy. His mother, Daisy Wilson, whose own mother had walked north from North Carolina, raised her six children in a cold-water flat behind Bella's grocery on Bedford Avenue in the Hill. She died of lung cancer in March 1983, just before her son's first great success on Broadway.
His father, also Frederick Kittel, was a German baker who died in 1965. "My father very rarely came around," Mr. Wilson said. "I grew up in my mother's household in a cultural environment which was black." He also had a stepfather, David Bedford, who died in 1969.
There were six children: his older sisters, Freda, Linda Jean, and Donna, and his younger brothers, Edwin and Richard, all of whom survive him. His brothers kept their father's name, but at 20, he signaled his cultural loyalty by taking his mother's, becoming August Wilson.
His mother valued education, sending him to St. Richard's parochial school in the Hill, then to Central Catholic High School in Oakland. As the only black student in the school, he was constantly taunted and harassed, so he left just before the end of his freshman year.
He started the next year at Connelley Vo-Tech, which he found pointless, so he switched to Gladstone High School, just across the street from the Hazelwood home the family had moved to when he was 12. He was supposedly in the 10th grade but because he hadn't graduated from the 9th at Central, they had him taking 9th grade subjects. The work was well behind what he had already done, so he was bored and didn't work at it until he decided he wanted to get into the after-school college club run by one of the teachers.
It was that teacher who, in an often-told story, doubted he'd written a 20-page paper on Napoleon he submitted. Insulted, the future August Wilson dropped out of school at 15 and for a while didn't tell his mother.
"I dropped out of school, but I didn't drop out of life," he recalled. "I would leave the house each morning and go to the main branch of the Carnegie Library in Oakland where they had all the books in the world. ... I felt suddenly liberated from the constraints of a pre-arranged curriculum that labored through one book in eight months."
Read more about this great man here.
Wilson was a great influence on me as a theatre major in college. I remeber reading his play Fences and being blown away by his brilliance. Reading his plays helped me really understand the struggles and triumphs of what it is like to be a black man in America.
The theatre community is greatly indebted to this man. He will definitely be remembered as one of the greatest American playwrights.
Rest In Peace August Wilson!
Sunday, October 02, 2005
Persons Of The Day: Fr. Brad Page, Fr. Eric Dudley, Fr. Michael Petty
Today, the clergy from St. John's Episcopal Church in Tallahassee, Fl. have turned in their resignation. They have decide that they will no longer be subject to the egotistically draconian Bishop of Florida, John Howard. Fed up with the apostasy of the Episcopal Church USA and its downward spiral into a universalist sect, of which Bishop Howard has aspirations to climb to the highest ladder of it's steeple, these three courageous priests have started a new Anglican church in Tallahassee. St. Peter's Anglican Church is a member of the worldwide Anglican Communion, under the jurisdiction of an overseas archbishop, that takes seriously both the authority of Holy Scripture and the uniqueness of the person of Christ.
These three priest have been an inspiration to me, not only in my ongoing journey in Christ, but also in my personal life. They are brave men and strong leaders who will always stand up for the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Faith!
Today, the clergy from St. John's Episcopal Church in Tallahassee, Fl. have turned in their resignation. They have decide that they will no longer be subject to the egotistically draconian Bishop of Florida, John Howard. Fed up with the apostasy of the Episcopal Church USA and its downward spiral into a universalist sect, of which Bishop Howard has aspirations to climb to the highest ladder of it's steeple, these three courageous priests have started a new Anglican church in Tallahassee. St. Peter's Anglican Church is a member of the worldwide Anglican Communion, under the jurisdiction of an overseas archbishop, that takes seriously both the authority of Holy Scripture and the uniqueness of the person of Christ.
These three priest have been an inspiration to me, not only in my ongoing journey in Christ, but also in my personal life. They are brave men and strong leaders who will always stand up for the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Faith!
Saturday, October 01, 2005
Person Of The Day: Preston Tucker
Preston Tucker was a revolutionary car designer in the late '40s, who invented one of the first cars to have seat belts come standard, all wheel suspension, windshields that pop out during a crash, and also had the engine in the rear of the car where it should be. The Tucker Car even had headlights that turn in the direction that you turn the car to eliminate blind spots.
Tucker was a man who stood up for what he believed. He was the perfect example of the American Dream.
Unfortunately, his car was so incredibly good it was a threat to the "big three" major American car companies. His company was shut down by the U.S. government in collaboration with the "big three".
Fortunately, Tucker was able to finish 50 cars before his plant was closed. 43 of those cars are still in existence today. One of his cars is even on display at the Smithsonian.
So the next time you take a ride in your car and fasten your seat belt, be sure to thank Preston Tucker for making cars that put safety first!
Preston Tucker was a revolutionary car designer in the late '40s, who invented one of the first cars to have seat belts come standard, all wheel suspension, windshields that pop out during a crash, and also had the engine in the rear of the car where it should be. The Tucker Car even had headlights that turn in the direction that you turn the car to eliminate blind spots.
Tucker was a man who stood up for what he believed. He was the perfect example of the American Dream.
Unfortunately, his car was so incredibly good it was a threat to the "big three" major American car companies. His company was shut down by the U.S. government in collaboration with the "big three".
Fortunately, Tucker was able to finish 50 cars before his plant was closed. 43 of those cars are still in existence today. One of his cars is even on display at the Smithsonian.
So the next time you take a ride in your car and fasten your seat belt, be sure to thank Preston Tucker for making cars that put safety first!
Tara Reid: Party Girl Or Great Actress?
Let's think about this one for a minute here...She took over Brooke Burke's job on the show Wild On:E! and she's crying because people think she is a party girl!
This is what she said about being a great actress:
"I need one more great movie role so they say, `Wow, she can act! She's a great actress.' Then I think they'll leave me alone."
Is she delirious? Her movie credits include American Pie, My Boss's Daughter, and Van Wilder! Where was her great movie role? She's the worst actress in the world! Even drugged out Courtney Love is a better actress than her!
Message to Tara Reid: Keep partying, cause you can't act your way out of a paper bag.
editor's note: Acting your way out of a paper bag is the prerequisite for calling yourself an actor.
Let's think about this one for a minute here...She took over Brooke Burke's job on the show Wild On:E! and she's crying because people think she is a party girl!
This is what she said about being a great actress:
"I need one more great movie role so they say, `Wow, she can act! She's a great actress.' Then I think they'll leave me alone."
Is she delirious? Her movie credits include American Pie, My Boss's Daughter, and Van Wilder! Where was her great movie role? She's the worst actress in the world! Even drugged out Courtney Love is a better actress than her!
Message to Tara Reid: Keep partying, cause you can't act your way out of a paper bag.
editor's note: Acting your way out of a paper bag is the prerequisite for calling yourself an actor.
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