I'm a Gryffindor!
Rather a fun site.
Sunday, July 17, 2005
ORTHODIXIE ... Southern, Orthodox, Convert, Etc.: All for One?
Fr. Joseph "Orthodixic" Hunnycutt strikes again with this article by Khouria Frederica Mathewes-Green. Worth taking a look at.
Mr. Stanley
We have been invaded by a (now 1 pound 4 oz) bundle of fluff originally named "Lucky," but renamed Mr. Stanley (after the explorer who found Dr. Livingston) because he is an intrepid explorer. Mr. Stanley is a "little kittenin" who is now 4 weeks old. We've had him for about 1 1/2 weeks. Daughter-person rescued him at approximately 2 weeks of age when his mother rejected him. He's almost pathologically fierce - and has our three elderly felines terrified. I'm covered with toothmarks and scratches. He is food aggressive to the nth degree, and will attack anything that moves - or doesn't move. So far he has destroyed 2 little toy "mousies" from PetSmart.
It's obvious he's here to teach us something - maybe patience? maybe the fact that lack of overt gratitude doesn't mean it isn't "there?" maybe that all of God's creation is inter-connected - even fierce little kittenins and grumpy ol' curmudgeons who talk baby talk to him when he thinks I'm not listening. And maybe because God knows we need something to laugh at during our current difficulties.
Mr. Stanley is resolutely trying to attack 20 pound Magnus, the Magnificat. He's practicing pouncing on his tail. Magnus spits at him, gets up and walks off. Mr. Stanley follows. Magnus bats him across the floor. Mr. Stanley gets up and returns to the attack. Magnus runs and hides! Magnus has teeth that are bigger than Mr. Stanley's tail, and he outweighs him by 15-fold - but he runs away from the little fluffball. Brave kitty!
It's obvious he's here to teach us something - maybe patience? maybe the fact that lack of overt gratitude doesn't mean it isn't "there?" maybe that all of God's creation is inter-connected - even fierce little kittenins and grumpy ol' curmudgeons who talk baby talk to him when he thinks I'm not listening. And maybe because God knows we need something to laugh at during our current difficulties.
Mr. Stanley is resolutely trying to attack 20 pound Magnus, the Magnificat. He's practicing pouncing on his tail. Magnus spits at him, gets up and walks off. Mr. Stanley follows. Magnus bats him across the floor. Mr. Stanley gets up and returns to the attack. Magnus runs and hides! Magnus has teeth that are bigger than Mr. Stanley's tail, and he outweighs him by 15-fold - but he runs away from the little fluffball. Brave kitty!
Wednesday, July 13, 2005
Where is the Ghandi of Islam?
Charles Moore wrote this very interesting article for the Daily Telegraph, London, England. One point really spoke to me:
I find I am less trusting than I used to be. We don't hear much on the news about hte Islamic communities disavowing the actions of the so-called "radicals." Is that because they actually agree with them? Where are the protests to discourage more?
I'm very disappointed in my Muslim friends. We are in the grips of international terrorism and they don't condemn the perpetrators. Could it be they want the rest of the world to succumb? Is, "Convert or die!" once again the Islamic mantra?
I really worry about it.
The faith Mohammed taught does not just hope that the world will become Muslim. It wants all human society and politics to be governed by religious law: it draws no distinction between the secular and religious sphere (except to condemn the secular). Therefore, Muslim leaders find it very difficult to resist the hotheads who say that Sharia - the divine law - should be imposed wherever possible.
In addition, the religion is absolute in its attitude to particular bits of territory. It is forbidden, for example, that any other religion be practised in the Arabian peninsula, because that land is considered sacred to Islam. Therefore, it is hard for a "moderate" to oppose the second-class citizenship of Christians or Jews in Muslim lands, or to say that "infidels" fighting in Muslim countries should not be murdered - even when they are his fellow citizens in a Western country.
When someone like bin Laden says that Islam should confront the "Cross-worshippers" and the "Zionists", he is making a claim in which politics and religion dangerously reinforce one another - a claim which most Muslims might not like, but which most of their leaders cannot find quite the right words to resist.
I find I am less trusting than I used to be. We don't hear much on the news about hte Islamic communities disavowing the actions of the so-called "radicals." Is that because they actually agree with them? Where are the protests to discourage more?
I'm very disappointed in my Muslim friends. We are in the grips of international terrorism and they don't condemn the perpetrators. Could it be they want the rest of the world to succumb? Is, "Convert or die!" once again the Islamic mantra?
I really worry about it.
Wednesday, July 06, 2005
An Old Bluejacket's 22-Year USN Career, Duty Stations, Patriotic Flash Movies, Links & Blogs, Humor & Some Politics
An Old Bluejacket's 22-Year USN Career, Duty Stations, Patriotic Flash Movies, Links & Blogs, Humor & Some Politics
For those who are interested in patriotism and nostalgia, here is the ultimate site! It is so big it had to expand to two other websites:
Patriot Files and Patriot Files Annex.
I'm just bowled over by the talent this veteran has for developing Flash productions. We need to remember that our military is protecting us 24/7/365, not just on Memorial Day or the 4th of July.
For those who are interested in patriotism and nostalgia, here is the ultimate site! It is so big it had to expand to two other websites:
Patriot Files and Patriot Files Annex.
I'm just bowled over by the talent this veteran has for developing Flash productions. We need to remember that our military is protecting us 24/7/365, not just on Memorial Day or the 4th of July.
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