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Holy Saturday

Submitted by shaktinah on Sat, 03/22/2008 - 19:38

Btw, Happy Purim, Happy Holi, and Happy Norooz!

I'm told that the day between Good Friday and Easter Sunday is called Holy Saturday. It seems more like "Holely Saturday" to me, as in something is missing. From the despair of Good Friday to the exultations of Easter Sunday, what happens in the in-between time? Caught between death and rebirth, Saturday almost seems like a time to sleep. A time to rest and dream.

Confessions of an Evangelical UU

Theology

Christianity

Easter Sunday

Submitted by shaktinah on Sun, 03/23/2008 - 12:59

Blue Gal over at Street Prophets is asking people to participate in blog against theocracy this Easter weekend, so that's what I had intended to do today.

Confessions of an Evangelical UU

Pluralism

Christianity

Love Letter to My Country

Submitted by shaktinah on Mon, 03/24/2008 - 20:34

This morning the news flashed across my web browser, U.S. death toll in the Iraq war is at 4,000. Far surpassing the 2,975 people who died on September 11th. And we're only counting U.S. fatalities.

But rather than do another rant as I did on the fifth anniversary of the start of this immoral war, I will try to listen to the pastoral suggestion of Rev. Sinkford, president of the UUA. For indeed I do love my country and that's the reason why this war upsets me so.

I love my country, the United States. As a child I was taught that this country was founded upon the ideals of liberty, equality, and justice for all. I was taught that never before in the history of human kind had these ideals been so clearly articulated - this great experiment in democracy. And they captured my imagination and heart.

Confessions of an Evangelical UU

Peace

What Pat Buchanan Says About Obama's Speech

Submitted by shaktinah on Tue, 03/25/2008 - 19:40

Well, I've posted his previous tripe, I might as well post this too.

From Buchanan's 3/21 post on his blog:

Barack says we need to have a conversation about race in America.

Fair enough. But this time, it has to be a two-way conversation. White America needs to be heard from, not just lectured to.

This time, the Silent Majority needs to have its convictions, grievances and demands heard. And among them are these:

First, America has been the best country on earth for black folks. It was here that 600,000 black people, brought from Africa in slave ships, grew into a community of 40 million, were introduced to Christian salvation, and reached the greatest levels of freedom and prosperity blacks have ever known.

Wright ought to go down on his knees and thank God he is an American.

....

We hear the grievances. Where is the gratitude?

----

Confessions of an Evangelical UU

Politics

Race & Class

What the Heck is Hillary Thinking?

Submitted by shaktinah on Wed, 03/26/2008 - 19:27

Whenever I evaluate a person's actions, particularly a politician's, I look at two considerations: 1) ethics - was it the morally right thing to do? and 2) logic - was it rational? These are not the same thing. One might commit a completely unethical act that nonetheless is logically expedient - helps advance your cause. Ultimately I would argue that unethical acts are not expedient in the long run, but still, I can understand why sometimes people choose the short-term gain.

With Mrs. Clinton's campaign these days, her choices seem neither ethical nor logical.

Confessions of an Evangelical UU

Politics

Race & Class

Counter-culture Revisited

Submitted by shaktinah on Thu, 03/27/2008 - 20:46

The confluence of an email from the A/PIC listserve and a conversation with Taquiena have me thinking about this topic again.

Someone on the A/PIC listserve writes to ask "Why are UUs so white?" (especially given that we promote racial equality) and invites our responses.

I started off with my standard response: Read Rosemary Bray McNatt's essay in Soul Work, where she points out the difference between saying that we are welcoming and actually being welcoming, which includes the willingness to be changed by those whom you invite in. She talks about how UU culture is for the most part white culture, and people of color are invited to join as long as they can deal with that.

Confessions of an Evangelical UU

Multiculturalism

Unitarian Universalism

Great Awakenings!

Submitted by shaktinah on Fri, 03/28/2008 - 15:10

First off, I am glad to see someone else who believes that we are in the middle of another Great Awakening.

For those of you unfamiliar with the term, "Great Awakening" refers to historic periods of dramatic religious revival.

The first Great Awakening gave rise to the Congregationalists, our forebears. It was a time of scary Calvinist preaching, like Jonathan Edward's "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God." But it was also a time of great equalizing in religion, where people, especially the working class, felt empowered.