May I let my voice be a clarion call. I will use these words for justice. I will use these words for truth. And humour.

Saturday, March 16, 2013

 

sfood "why the dark angels like the dark"

J: Oh you don't know angels yet?  Let me get this book….  So here are pictures of angels.  They're God's messengers.  Do they teach you about God at the JCC?  El Shaddai, or Adonai?
H: No.
J: Jahweh?
H: No.
J: Well, they bring light to the world and deliver God's message to people about what it means to be good.
J: Oh, and here's the fallen angels, sometimes called devils.  They like to make the world darker.
H: I think maybe that's because they can see better at night.
J: Hang on.... I have to write that down, because your words offered some new theological insights, regarding moral frameworks of reference.  Thanks amigo.
H: Lumpy dumpy wissy woo!


Blessings and gratitude,

Joel
"May we trespass together into prophetic imagination." -Rev. Karen Tse

Labels: , , ,


# posted by Rev J D @ 12:42 0 comments

Monday, March 12, 2012

 

Sermon: Who are you, now?

Delivered March 11, 2012 at First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh, sans microphone due to technical difficulties.  


(For some reason blogger is goofing up the font size.  To increase/decrease, press "Control" and "+" at the same time.) 


I chose today's Time for All Ages reading “the Very Hungry Caterpillar” for a couple reasons. First, I see an underlying hunger in the common human spirit to know itself, to know its world, and to know the nature of divinity. And there is a hunger in the common human spirit to be or become itself, to aid the world in becoming its true self (whatever that is!), and to become one (or at least closer) with the divine nature.
To become. To be. The statement “I am!” resounds through sacred texts across time. The applied interpretation of “I am” remains somewhere between unanswered, and open to our own determination. Because genuine identity searching can be difficult and trying, I want to preface the rest of the sermon with some advice from a fellow minister: “If you feel uncomfortable, it doesn't necessarily mean anything's wrong. That's just how its supposed to feel sometimes.”
My second reason for sharing that story with the kids is because it's a caterpillar, in the process of becoming a butterfly. I can't think of much less comfortable than being closed into a cocoon after going through a transformation, impatiently waiting to break through the fibers, unfurl wings, and fly. That boxed-in uncomfortable feeling doesn't necessarily mean anything is wrong.
Picture if you will, Lewis Carroll's Alice approaching the Caterpillar....


She stretched herself up on tiptoe, and peeped over the edge of the mushroom, and her eyes immediately met those of a large blue caterpillar, that was sitting on the top, with his arms folded, quietly smoking a long hookah, and taking not the smallest notice of her or of anything else.


The Caterpillar and Alice looked at each other for some time in silence: at last the Caterpillar took the hookah out of its mouth, and addressed her in a languid, sleepy voice.


“Who are you?” said the Caterpillar.


This was not an encouraging opening for a conversation. Alice replied, rather shyly, “I—I hardly know, Sir, just at present—at least I know who I was when I got up this morning, but I think I must have changed several times since then.”


Thankfully, Alice's intense day in this story is of a different nature than most of our day-to-day lives. But here's the thing--We change! And we forget who we are.


We are our grandmother's prayers. We are our grandfather's dreamings. A morning star rises and sings to the universe who we are. That helps set the record straight. Actually, does it? Or is that just a beautiful story? Is everything we tell about ourselves ALL just a beautiful story, or in some cases, a fearsome story?


One evening I was playing with my toddler son Henry and thinking about what he might be like at age 80. Hopefully not the same as his 2 and a half year old self! A few weeks ago when the Rev. Jay Abernathy was preaching here, I wondered what he might've been like as a toddler. Certainly he didn't begin his life as the upstanding orator we saw last month! [pause] Nor is this minister before you now an orator of that caliber—although I aspire to one day be, so I work to change in that direction. Our lives are constant gradations of change. If we step back and really look at our history and our hopes, we see our lives follow a great arc. But in the moment, people generally tend to forget who they are. This forgetting (and when we are mindful, remembering) occurs on many levels. The first is the simple level of applying names and descriptive words. This is especially so when we are told and tell ourselves many times a day who we are. Each time this happens, it works both toward empowerment and toward limitation. Naming is defining. It is a way of claiming who we are. Or alternately, it's a way of slapping a label onto somebody.


[slow] Speaking of labels and specifications, I need to mention something that's been troubling me. Here is the scenario. I walk into church on a Sunday or another day, and people come up to me and say, “Hi Joel.” You might be a long-time member, or here for just a few weeks, and if you don't have a nametag on, odds are good I'm not going to be able to address you by name, even if you've told me before, twice. Or three times. I'm a more visually-oriented person, so if I don't see a name, it will take many encounters to stick in my head. The feelings start to come, even though I have a practice of dealing with them. I feel a bit inadequate, and worry about how you perceive me. You know my name, and I don't know yours. Should I ask AGAIN? I wonder will you be offended if I ask, or if I don't ask and just address you as YOU? In this state of bafflement, I am a deer-in-the-headlights. Perhaps I should follow the practice of Zsa Zsa Gabor. She says, “I call everyone 'Darling' because I can't remember their names.” I don't know if I can get away with that, or if I would want to. Besides, she's an order of magnitude more glamourous than me.


I'm thinking to myself right now, you're probably thinking about your own nametag right now. There's likely a reason you're wearing it today, or not wearing it, and I won't attempt to guess the diversity of reasons for your choice. I will say that as a new member of the community, not knowing people's names, and not having my name recognized (were I not up here and known as a minister), I might feel less connected, like an outsider. And I doubt that's the impression we want newcomers to feel, if we get right down to it. I want you to know my name, and I want to be known on deeper levels as well, when the time is right.


Then again, maybe some of you here today DON'T want to be known, perhaps some brand new folks who just came in to investigate, and are hoping to scoot out the side door as soon as the service is over. I get that. I studied mathematics and psychology at the University of Minnesota for my undergraduate degree, with a student population of 50,000. One reason I chose that school was the anonymity. I wanted to reserve my time and space for myself and not have too many people calling on me, wanting to connect with me.


Fast forward twenty years later, and I've changed my tune. I believe that knowing each others' names helps with community, helps with being known, and eventually there is a need to be known. Some lyrics from English alternative rock band Love and Rockets have guided my thinking on this: My world is your world / People like to hear their names / I'm no exception / Please call my name.


Ahem. This causes me all the more internal consternation as I'm meeting someone again whose name I should know, because I want to call you by your name. I will do my best to learn it and use it, nametag or no.


But enough about names. I've said what I wanted to say about nametags, and really, our name, though important, is only the most superficial level of our being. The caterpillar would give Alice a quick tut-tut if she tries to answer “Who are you?” by offering her name.


On a deeper level, we forget and remember ourselves by our activities. I am a minister, I minister to, for, and with people. I used to play volleyball and hope to again sometime soon. I recently crossed dog-walker off my list of avocations on my resume, because our beloved dog Maggie passed away. I used to work in software. I love playing guitar and listening to all sorts of music. I like to listen to Gene Autry when I'm writing because it's mellow and not too engaging. As for my social location, I'm a heterosexually-identified, white-appearing Scandinavian American, with male appearance. I'm fortunate to be married to a woman I consider lovely, and that our love is sanctioned by the state. I'm a father to a toddler, a son to senior citizens, and a brother to two sisters. I drink too much soda, though I avoid caffeine like the plague. Is that me? Not completely. I've done massage work for the poorest people of San Francisco. I am a peacemonger. I also have something going on with my rotator cuff in my left shoulder. I identify as our family's primary grocery shopper.


Perhaps you identify with some of these labels as well, and we have something in common. One thing we all do have in common is that any list of identities is going to be incomplete. We are so much more. We limit ourselves and each other when we focus only on superficial labels such as “woman,” “man,” “straight,” “gay,” “person of color,” “white person,” “client,” “barrista,” “plumber,” “crime survivor,” “wealthy,” “homeless,” or any other category.


I believe that beyond these,... in each of us is an astounding amount of nameless potential. Within myself, I imagine there are hundreds of thousands of angels waiting to get out. These angels are messages. I imagine they are in you too. In my view, we wouldn't be human if we lacked the capacity to deliver and receive each others' angels—to and from wherever they are needed.


Let's take a moment and revisit the question. I invite you to step into Alice's shoes, and let the caterpillar ask, [slow and pausey] “Who are you... at this moment?” “Who have you been?” and “Who are you aiming to be?” While you're considering that, I want to share a meme that's been going around the Internet.


View your life with kindsight. Stop beating yourself up about things from the past. Instead of slapping yourself on the forehead and asking “What was I thinking?” Breathe, and ask the kinder question, “What was I learning?”


Now, one more time... [quick, quiet] Who are you? [30 second pause]


I encourage you to remember well the parts of yourselves that resonate best, the parts that warm you. The parts that hold you down, the parts that bring grief, hold them too, and know they may be teaching something.


To a large part, we get to determine our own identities. However, we have identities put upon us daily. I feel that all too often, we are categorically referred to as citizens, or unfortunately, simply as consumers. These words include us into a context we might not choose. But I want something more for us all, because the title “consumer” deletes most of the story and distorts the rest. We are people who need certain things to live, who choose certain things according to our passions, and who are persuaded into desiring much more than that. From the advertising alone, I often feel like the hungry caterpillar after that big Saturday binge. The advertisements, the culture of commercialism, the shiny neon and conveniences make us forget our deepest selves.


At our root, we are life. We are the universe witnessing itself making music. We are creation creating. In Thursday's recent adult faith development class session, we discussed Ralph Waldo Emerson's divinity school address, in which he excoriates ministers for missing the point of life, working from the words of the book, and not the heart. He says “If a man dissemble, deceive, he deceives himself, and goes out of acquaintance with his own being.” [pause] I believe what Emerson was trying to drive home was the risk of carelessly deceiving ourselves about who we are and living according to that deceit.


I see in this age of too much information, not enough space, so much alienation, and a loss of place, the people of the world are largely out of acquaintance with their underlying being. I hope we can change that in our communities by putting our roots down deeper. We're in the midst of a flood of information, and a hurricane of false winds in the media. Only by knowing ourselves truly, can we steel ourselves, and transcendentally fix ourselves to the ground our truest being.


And what is that? It starts with a rejection of the stories put upon us, and a search for our determined spiritual selves. As I was writing this, I was reminded of a quote from Jesuit priest (Peeyer Tayard d' Shardeh) Pierre Teilhard de Chardin: “We are not human beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a human experience.”


I've remembered and forgotten this quote MANY times since I learned it about five years ago. We are from the Sun, we are made of stars. The matter that each of us are composed of could have been rocks, trees, clouds, a circuit board, gas in the upper atmosphere, anything. But that matter became us, and we are self-aware—sometimes more aware than others around us, and more aware at some times than other times, and never are we anywhere near omniscient. Even our greatest awareness barely touches the surface of all that happens--even in our immediate vicinity. And yet still we are here, now, and capable of determining ourselves and our world. As Marianne Williamson reminds us, “Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.” Underneath this facade of separateness, we know we are all connected. When we remember how deeply connected we are, we remember our power, no longer deceived about who we are, no longer—as Emerson says—out of acquaintance with our own being. As we become acquainted with our being, we come into our power, a power beyond measure.


I used to be afraid of that power. I was afraid that I would use it as “power-over” others. Just over a year ago, during my chaplain residency at a downtown San Francisco hospital, my supervisor explained to me that I needed to step into my six-foot-five tall self, and be that powerful presence. He told me that there are more kinds of power than “power-over”—specifically, there is “power-with” or “power-for” others who need us to claim it. People need us to be our powerful selves. May we overcome the fear of that power, and KNOW that our power used rightly can be for good. And may we be ever mindful that power used rightly begins and ends with love.


Overcoming that fear means learning who we are, and claiming that identity at every level. Then we must find a balanced authentic relationship with others, and let our little lights shine like the stars we come from. If all else fails,... share your name, love your neighbor, and smile knowing you are loved as well. Amen.


Readings: Our Deepest Fear from Marianne Williamson, and Brahman ("I am the Self that dwells...) from the Bhagavad Gita (#611 in the UU Hymnal )


Benediction: May we remember each day that change is essential for life.  May we be willing to surrender what we are for what we are capable of becoming.  Go forth today ready to be transformed, carrying with you each day an invitation for the infinite soul butterfly of your innermost being to open and fly free.  Blessed be.


lyrics: "I am an old old man."
colors: green, blue, gray
mood: awake, alert
chant/prayer/mantra: love conquers all.
pax hominibus, agape to all, joel

Labels: , , ,


# posted by Rev J D @ 04:48 0 comments

Monday, January 16, 2012

 

New Thought Movement

Just investigating this now, seeing how it correlates with my understanding of process theology.... pax hominibus, agape to all, joel

Labels: , , , , ,


# posted by Rev J D @ 20:46 0 comments

Friday, December 23, 2011

 

First Winter Solstice Reflection

Delivered at First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh, Dec 21, 2011.
One brief note: This service included a performance by the congregation's Dance Choir, which was dedicated to solar waves, which upon viewing during rehearsal inspired portions of the latter half of this reflection.


Solstice Reflection – A Planet in Process
          Here we are—a gathering of humanity, loving and striving together in this sacred space. Somehow we all found our way to this place, this evening. I pray that it has meaning. I believe it does have meaning.
          The matter within our bodies could instead be rocks, or air, or perhaps plankton in the ocean, unable to understand our world in the way we do, without senses to observe the world to know that today is the solstice. But instead we are walking organic sensing machines, sometimes even thinking about this world.
           Some of my reflections on this world are geometric. This planet Earth we live and travel on is pretty close to being a sphere, slightly squeezed at the poles, so it's actually a little bit of an ellipsoid. This planet travels around the Sun in a slightly elliptical pattern, at a distance varying between 91 million and 93 million miles. One journey around the Sun we call a year. This planet rotates around on an axis in a period we call a day. The axis is tilted 23 degrees in such a way that the equator is not parallel to the plane containing the Earth's path around the Sun. This produces an annual sine-wave pattern in which we have long days around Summer solstice, shortening days in Fall, long nights at Winter solstice, with Spring's daylight again lengthening to complete the cycle.
          To further complicate this situation, we have our blessed moon that circles around the Earth, causing the Earth's rotation to wobble ever so slightly around the center of mass of these two. The moon also causes the oceans' tides to ebb and flow with regularity. The Moon has also provided humanity with a way of measuring out monthly cycles from new moon waxing up to a full moon then waning back to new again. I count myself among those who find this geometry of angles and light reflections absolutely fascinating. But the geometry alone doesn't do the story justice.
          I believe there is a miracle that brought us here. Several weeks ago, in an interview on public radio, I heard a scientist proclaiming that this planet would not have been capable of creating and sustaining organic life without the tidal ebb and flow processes created by our moon's gravitational pull on the oceans. As I understand it, the hypothesis was that the continuous cycle between wet and dry at the ocean's beaches played an essential role in creating the single-celled organisms that got animal evolution started.
          There are so many other things peculiar to this planet not to be taken for granted. The Earth is not a perfect sphere. It does not follow a perfectly circular path around the Sun. It doesn't even rotate “perfectly” because of the wobble introduced by the moon. Its tilting axis produces seasonal variations. It has a magnetized core that surely plays a role. It has currents in the air and in the water that cycle like a giant Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning system. It recycles water through precipitation and evaporation. I encourage you to think about that joyful happening the next time you're caught outside in the rain without an umbrella.
          The Earth acts as an eclipse between us and the Sun's light every night. Some nights the eclipses are longer than others, and tonight is the longest. This is an annual process that seems to matter for the quality of life on this planet.
          The Sun, however, is another absolute essential for life. Somehow this relatively small star has established an equilibrium in which the outward forces of pressure from burning gases and plasma are matched by the inward pressure of gravity. Yet despite this stability, the Sun has peculiarities of its own, occasionally sending out wisps of solar flares and unexpected radiation that sometimes reaches as far as the Earth. These flares have the potential to cause major disruptions, as well as the potential to cause major transformations. Yet to be certain, even on a regular day, the Sun's processes give life to this planet, heating our globe to a sustainable temperature, and providing daily patterns of radiating light for plants to photosynthesize. As it reflects off of all we see, this light also provides a way for us to make our way through the world.
           As sure as the rhythm of our hearts and our breathing, the Earth's rhythmic patterns sustain life. This life we live within provides so much for us, it's difficult not to be reverent unless we forget this providence. It is a mysterious source of love and an ongoing succession of further life. When we are mindful to appreciate and adore this astonishing gift, we can be found doing the strangest things. 
          We ourselves, in touch with our natural clocks, can bring a thrum of regularity to the chaos. We can learn to sway like ribbons in the fluid of time's processes. Now with the time we are afforded, we can be found connecting, and chanting, dancing intertwined, casting forth thoughts and emotions among ourselves in concert. We can be found opening and closing our hands, twirling and turning our bodies on axes above our feet, and we can be found stamping out the pulse of life, like music brought forth by a love untraceable. I will close this reflection with a quote from musician John Cage. “Everything you do is music, and everywhere is the best seat.”
          So as we ride upon this magnetic tilted breathing planet, spinning daily as it annually courses around this local star, may we remember the profound miracle of our being here in this place, and of our being now in this time. And may we know that at the foundation of our lives in this very moment and in every moment, there lives a deep and indestructible joy. May we—at times—be still enough to find it. Amen.


chant/prayer/mantra: Wave--Light--Wave, Sun--Light--Sun, One--Light--One. 

pax hominibus, agape to all, joel

Labels: , , , ,


# posted by Rev J D @ 21:36 0 comments

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

 

Excited about the recent #OccupyWallSt Vision Statement

Pic from here.


"You can't evict an idea whose time has come!" 

I first came across this OccupyWallSt list of points when Michael Moore copied it to his own post which was on a link from the OccUUpy group on Facebook. (Funny how information gets around.)







Anyway, here is the text of the most recent draft:
We Envision: [1] a truly free, democratic, and just society; [2] where we, the people, come together and solve our problems by consensus; [3] where people are encouraged to take personal and collective responsibility and participate in decision making; [4] where we learn to live in harmony and embrace principles of toleration and respect for diversity and the differing views of others; [5] where we secure the civil and human rights of all from violation by tyrannical forces and unjust governments; [6] where political and economic institutions work to benefit all, not just the privileged few; [7] where we provide full and free education to everyone, not merely to get jobs but to grow and flourish as human beings; [8] where we value human needs over monetary gain, to ensure decent standards of living without which effective democracy is impossible; [9] where we work together to protect the global environment to ensure that future generations will have safe and clean air, water and food supplies, and will be able to enjoy the beauty and bounty of nature that past generations have enjoyed.

What excites me about this? Any visionary counter-statement from those who would instead be corporate overlords will pale in comparison if it even dares to mention money.  This vision statement, and this movement are an idea whose time has come, democratically and wondrously.  Seems that the tyranny of "power-over" only knows how to respond with more and greater tyranny.



lyrics: "Home, home on the range, where the deer and the antelope play.  Where seldom is heard a discouraging word, and the skies are not cloudy all day.  How often at night when the heavens are bright with the light from the glittering stars, have I stood there amazed and asked as I gazed if their glory exceeds that of ours.  
(Thanks, Gramster Hamster!)


colors: red, white, blue, green, yellow, orange, purple, black, indigo. 
mood: really okay.  a little stressed over an upcoming career interview. 
chant/prayer/mantra: om, om on the range.... 

pax hominibus, agape to all, joel

Labels: , , , , , , , , , ,


# posted by Rev J D @ 19:27 0 comments

Sunday, November 20, 2011

 

Transgender Day of Remembrance

I saw it coming this year, and was barely able to get the word out before it zoomed by.  Remembered my transgender friends today but did not go to any gatherings or events.  Next year I will have/make more time. pax hominibus, agape to all, joel

Labels: , , ,


# posted by Rev J D @ 21:16 0 comments

Friday, October 7, 2011

 

Hobbit Hole Houses

These homes look kind of like what I am planning.  I want our house to be two-stories, and perhaps a bit less organic.  Then again, I could be sold on the organic element as well.  I noted in the comments that it may be difficult to get a home like this to pass the US housing code inspections.  

pax hominibus, agape to all, joel

Labels: , , , , , ,


# posted by Rev J D @ 05:34 0 comments

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

 

Dragons and Dove

Today I heard this song "Girl in the War" by Josh Ritter, on 91.3 while driving to pick up dinner.

I really like the imagery the lyrics call up.

from commenter Saltogurl: 

[regarding the Boynton Chapel in Door County, WI] in an archway, in front of the chapel one side there is a painting of Peter, on the other Paul.  Peter is holding two keys  one to the Kingdom, another to the chapel.  Above them, carved into the wood archway, is a dove and on each side of it dragons.  All I could think was a) "pretend the dove from above is a dragon and your feet are on fire".  I have never heard of a dragon next to a dove in any setting but apparently the dragon is a sign of protection in Norse mythology, and the dove is a sign of peace in a lot of western cultures.

See the post just before this one and the one about "the first death" and note that I've been in a state of confusion between wanting peace and preparing for war.   Still wondering where the war will play out, and if it's inside, when it will die down.

pax hominibus,
agape to all,
joel

Labels: , , , ,


# posted by Rev J D @ 19:23 0 comments
 

For Sixteen Years, My Dove Seeking for Peace


After first of three sessions.

This last year, during my chaplain residency / clinical pastoral experience, one thing I've been mulling over has been the meaning of the olive branch that the dove found in Noah's story.  When I was younger, and I got the third portion of my head tattoo with the last of ten birds -- golden eagle, peregrine falcon, albatross; crow, raven, hummingbird; bald eagle, wren, loon, and dove.  I asked the artist to put the dove right in front with the sunrise (and autonomically cried through the whole inking), but felt it was not appropriate at the time to have an olive branch in its beak, so left a little space to ink it in later, when the time was more appropriate.  I had a lot of work left to do.

During my CPE, it came to my attention that the olive branch was a symbol for divine power.  I've learned a lot about power this last year.  I've learned the difference between power over (forcing somebody to work on the agenda of the more powerful person), power alongside (assessing complementary skills and working collaboratively), and power under (providing strength and opportunity for another to more completely follow their own volitional path).  Given the US culture I was raised in, I had mainly only paid attention to the first kind of power, the power of battle, oppression, and suppression, in which the stronger is the victor and the weaker is the victim.  I felt freed when I learned of the second as a good pastoral stance, and I made up the third myself, because balanced-ternary is the way I roll, and because there are some people in the world with way too much power who rarely put it to good use themselves, and might actually like to give much of it away, thereby freeing themselves.


Now, here I am, taking a break from assembling my MFC packet, and taking in this interview with Phil Anselmo of Pantera.  I haven't been keeping up with his more recent projects, and while my musical tastes have changed, I still enjoy their older songs.  And while his personality is arrestingly unique, I've met at least two others with similar qualities during my time here.  

In any case, at the end of the interview in Part 4 at 12 minutes, 30 seconds, he says, 
"I'm not afraid to make friends, and I'm not afraid to extend my hand, first.  To walk up to people, extend an olive branch even…"

This, to me, is the meaning of my missing olive branch.  I haven't been ready to trust until maybe now.

The question foremost in my mind at this point is, "What kind of person extends an olive branch when most everybody else stands (at least partially unknowingly) with their swords drawn?"  I've been open and honest before, and have been through an emotional evisceration as people -- not understanding the context and framework I approached in -- applied their own, leaving me decontextualized.

In other words, am I actually returning from a hero's journey after finding dry land (peace and security) or have I found the ingredients for their formation?  Or am I just saying "peace, peace" when there is no peace?  And to help make this concrete (considering Joseph Campbell's diagram in the previous link) how have I atoned, and what was that atonement for anyway?

Moving beyond the narrative from within the narrative, like the hummingbird (which stands for Joy) in this story, I will just take control of myself, and do what I can.



lyrics: "If you crossed me, I'd shake your hand like a man, not a god." -F**king Hostile, Pantera
colors: Had a dream of red, white and blue postage stamps with monkeys on them last night.  (As I said on my FB status update: "America, I've got your number.")
mood: Exhausted, frozen, thawing.
chant/prayer/mantra: Do. 


pax hominibus,
agape to all,
joel

Labels: , , , , , , , , ,


# posted by Rev J D @ 10:49 0 comments

Friday, September 23, 2011

 

Zeitgeist Interview



"If I was an inventor, I would invent something not to make money off of it--that's a very sick, distorted idea--I would invent something to better the world, knowing that would come back to me and my own betterment. So that's a completely different value structure, and the best thing I can relate to you is the idea of a family--the idea of what it means to live in a family--and the respect that's mutual in a family where you're not tipping your mother every time she brings you something at the table. It's an entirely new value system orientation, and unfortunately, we have to undo the tremendous psychological distortion that's been created after centuries of this despotic system that is failing right in front of us, and will lead to simply more war, more poverty…." -Peter Joseph

I think we will see the appearance of de-monetized black holes where work still gets done as the monetary system dissolves within affinity groups until they grow. These will be cooperative corporate entities that will grow from the ground up, and provide for all their members' basic needs and their community needs. They will continue to merge until it goes global.

chant/prayer/mantra: We would be one.

pax hominibus,
agape to all,
joel

Labels: , , , , ,


# posted by Rev J D @ 22:15 0 comments

Sunday, September 11, 2011

 

Using "The First Death" to Begin a War

The following quote is astoundingly important to my theology of war, and I hope to build it into an album or EP at some point if I can make the time:
“It is the first death which infects everyone with the feelings of being threatened,” wrote Elias Canetti. “It is impossible to overrate the part played by the first dead man in the kindling of wars. Rulers who want to unleash war know very well that they must procure or invent a first victim. It needs not be anyone of particular importance, and can even be someone quite unknown. Nothing matters except his death; and it must be believed that the enemy is responsible for this. Every possible cause of his death is suppressed except one: his membership of the group to which one belongs oneself.”
I'm hoping this war will be quick, like a one-match fire.  But it probably won't.  We'll see.
pax hominibus, agape to all, joel

Labels: , , , , ,


# posted by Rev J D @ 23:51 0 comments

Saturday, September 10, 2011

 

Veruca Salt, Clutch, Old Style, and I Love You



This is just a little hokey vid I made a few minutes ago after imbibing some Irish Moss elixir of life this evening.  Just me saying Hi and how I feel about you.  I'm often the silent one, so the lack of my voice in this video should be no surprise.


Here's a live version of the song that is playing the background.  Veruca Salt rules!


lyrics: 
My mannequin is insane.  
It's automatic -- electrocuted in the rain. As a warning in the storm in the morning
In a gadda da vida...
Bay-ay-ayby!

colors: a pallet with avocado yellow and avocado green, and the colors of port-wine cheese.
mood: resistive and struggling.
chant/prayer/mantra: a prayer for serenity, courage, and wisdom. pax hominibus, agape to all, joel






Labels: , , ,


# posted by Rev J D @ 21:07 0 comments

Saturday, August 6, 2011

 

Wonderful One-Woman Show of a Friend Portraying Prophets and Goddesses

. . lyrics: colors: mood: chant/prayer/mantra: pax hominibus, agape to all, joel

Labels: , , , , , ,


# posted by Rev J D @ 20:26 0 comments

Sunday, July 10, 2011

 

Sinéad O'Connor Update and Quote

I guess I haven't been keeping up with everything.  I've always enjoyed Sinéad's music (except the showtunes album), and what I've heard "recently," but then again, the last six years I haven't had money or time for new music. Now seeing some news from a recent article, and the article linked above, I guess I haven't been keeping up much with what was going on in the life of my college idol/crush.  If memory serves, the poster I had on the ceiling of my bedroom junior year looked something like the pic at right.





 Huh, times have changed.  






Nowadays, I give support to people with depression and mental illness, and dealing with a Hx of parental abuse, during the course of a regular day.


Below is a quote from her that shines like a quasar for me.  Along with this 1994 quote "There is no too far," from Lee Renaldo, I will carry this quote from her with me forevermore:



 I realised songs were a place where you could say anything at all, the stuff you wouldn't dream of saying in real life.

I will always love Sinéad. Not just for that quote.  Not just for the music.  Not just for her beautiful bald head in times past.  Simply for her being.

lyrics: I will rise, and I will return. 
colors: Rainbow 
mood: A tad depressed 
chant/prayer/mantra: "--" 

pax hominibus, 
agape to all, 
joel

Labels: , , , , , ,


# posted by Rev J D @ 21:57 0 comments

Friday, June 24, 2011

 

"You Don't Understand... My Dragon Likes Poetry"



A picture from The Reluctant Dragon puppet show at Childrens Fairyland in Oakland.  The title of this post is a quote from the puppet show.

Labels: , ,


# posted by Rev J D @ 11:14 0 comments

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

 

A Very Informative Article about how Hemp Growing Being Legalized can Adversely Affect Active Cannabis Growing

This article is wonderfully informative and interesting.  I hope that someday soon, for the planet's sake and the peoples' sake, hemp will be legalized, if nothing else.  It is an amazing plant, that is easy for any person with ten minutes of training to differentiate from active cannabis.

lyrics: "Legalize it, and I will advertise it."  -Peter Tosh 
colors: green, and not sticky. 
mood: okay, agitated. 
chant/prayer/mantra: "Your name, my mantra." -Tracy Chapman 

pax hominibus, agape to all, joel

Labels: , , , , ,


# posted by Rev J D @ 23:22 0 comments

Friday, June 3, 2011

 

Lyrics to "The Song People Talk Through" a.k.a. "185"

A.K.A. "Drill Bit*"

 [A]Every [A]time that I [A]talk to [Asus4]you, [A]I'm [A]five [G (xxx000x)]per[A]cent [D]more... 
(play A chords as bouncing staccato.  hold Asus4 and D)
[A]Every [A]time that I [A]talk to [Asus4]you, [A]I'm [A]five [G]per[A]cent [C]more... 
Oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh 
[A]Every [A]time that I [A]talk to [Asus4]you, [A]I'm [A]five [G]per[A]cent [D]more... 
[A]Cra - [G]ay - [A]ay -[G]az[A]y. 
Got a [D]tat upon my [D]hide of my [D]crucified baby, hey-o hey-ay. 

 [A]Every time that she [C]whispers i hear a [G]scream 
[A] She says its time to take a [C] drill bit to your [G] dreams, 
And i [D] know it's [A5] on 
Because i [G] only know this [D] one song.... 
...And i'll [A]sing it to [A]you... 

...and i'm [A]singing... 
[D]My hot [D]rod's doing [D]one-eighty-[D]five, 
(I got) [G]Jesus riding, [G]Buddha riding [G]on my [G]side. 
There is a [D]purple el[D]ectric chair [D]up in the [D]sky 
I'm [G]flying hyper[G]sonic and I [C]wish deep [C]down 
You would [C]try to [D]fi - [Dsus4**]ind [D]me.                              (**hammer-on Dsus4, pull-off.) 

...and I'm [A]singing........ 
[D]My hot [D]rod's doing [D]one-eighty-[D]five, 
[G]Moses, Mo[G]hammad [G]riding on [G]my side. 
[D]There is a [D]perforated(percolated) [D]lectionary [D]written in [D]time. 
I'm [G]still just embry[G]onic and I [C]wish deep [C]down 
You would [C]try to [D]find me. 

...and i'm [A]singing, [A]singing, [A]singing....... 
[D]My hot [D]rod's doing [D]one-eighty-[D]five, hey.
[G]Avalokit[G]eshvara's [G]riding on my [G]side. 
There is a [D]purposeful el[D]ection right [D]here in my [D]eyes.
I [G]want it more yo-[G]on-ic and I [C]wish deep [C]down 
You would [A7]try to [D9+5(xx0255)]find*** me.   
***alternately, can walk down from xx0255 to D5, D4, D, D9, D on "find me"

[D]!!   or   [D5]!!

Full alternate title: "Drill Bit: (Amalgamated, Exonerated, Consolidated, Collective-activated, and Recapitulated)"

lyrics: (see above) 
colors: red 
mood: activated 
chant/prayer/mantra: let there be peace, and let it emanate from within each of us. 

pax hominibus, agape to all, joel

Labels: , , , , , , , , , ,


# posted by Rev J D @ 21:58 0 comments

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

 

Another good look at th light


Labels: ,


# posted by Rev J D @ 19:13 0 comments

Sunday, May 8, 2011

 

Two things to read

An insightful understanding of the American system, and what needs to change.

America is a second world nation. We have no universal free health care (don't kid yourself about the plan underway), no guarantee of anything really, except competitive struggle with one another for work and money and career status, if you are one of those conditioned to think of your job and feudal debt enslavement as a "career." High infant mortality rates, abysmal educational scores, poor diet, no national public transportation system, crumbling infrastructure, a collapsed economy, even by our own definition we are a second world nation.
In serious, intelligent people, experiencing non-manufactured reality usually gives lifelong meaning and insight to the work.
"This societal media software tells us what music our digitized corporate complex is selling, but you never see images of ordinary families sitting around in the evenings making music together, or creating songs of their own based upon their own lives and from their own hearts. Because that music cannot be bought and sold, and is not profitable."

And cathexis.  
lyrics: colors: mood: chant/prayer/mantra: pax hominibus, agape to all, joel

Labels: , , , , , , , , , ,


# posted by Rev J D @ 02:08 0 comments

Thursday, October 21, 2010

 

Saint Francis Spiritual Care Services Thought of the Week


One of my colleagues sends out these "Thought of the Week" messages weekly. I really liked this one. The picture is from Creative Commons.


pax hominibus,agape to all,joel

Labels: , ,


# posted by Rev J D @ 08:52 0 comments

This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?

free page hit counter