rivanna

When I read these words about the atrocity in Colorado last week - “we do what we always do after yet another horrific massacre – shed a few tears, say a few prayers, and then quickly go on to do what the NRA wants us to do -- change the subject” --I thought, how terribly true. As many have said - it’s not only the gun lobby who is accountable, it’s our elected representatives from both sides, who lack the courage and plain common sense to renew the federal assault weapons ban. We have neighbors, delightful people, who own guns-- to shoot snakes or other pests. We know some wonderful men who enjoy hunting. This isn’t about people like them. A recent blog by Jon Meacham seemed like a possible ray of hope - if more gun owners spoke out against assault weapons, there might be chance to get something done. http://ideas.time.co...ssault-weapons/

Matt Harding has been backpacking around the globe for years, making videos of himself dancing with the natives of other countries – this one has a nice soundtrack he co-wrote the lyrics for, “Trip the Light” by Garry Schyman. An inspired labor of love, it seems to me.

Hi Bill, Nice to hear from you. Challenging question --but I doubt the story line will be all that topical...more likely an opponent with special powers (Garth of Izar? Squire of Gothos?). Apparently they're having a hard time coming up with a title for this film! Another wild guess...Alice Eve as Janice Rand. It's true that Star Trek has appealed to both sides politically, probably one of the reasons for its enduring so long.

More speculation about the next film…according to Trekmovie.com, the co-writer/ producer Robert Orci says the villain is not Gary Mitchell. And definitely not Khan. I’ve been wondering if Gary Seven is a possibility, especially since Orci affirms that Alice Eve is also playing a role from TOS – Roberta Lincoln, the secretary? or Isis, his partner? And Cumberbatch looks more like Robert Lansing than any other Trek villain --or obstacle rather- he was more a mysterious time-police kind of guy, also known as Supervisor 194 in “Assignment Earth”.

The new poet laureate in the US is Natasha Trethewey, the daughter of a black mother and a white father who grew up in the deep South. Here is a poem of hers, with the Renaissance painting it’s based on, below. Kitchen Maid with Supper at Emmaus, or The Mulata —after the painting by Diego Velàzquez, ca. 1619 She is the vessels on the table before her: the copper pot tipped toward us, the white pitcher clutched in her hand, the black one edged in red and upside down. Bent over, she is the mortar and the pestle at rest in the mortar—still angled in its posture of use. She is the stack of bowls and the bulb of garlic beside it, the basket hung by a nail on the wall and the white cloth bundled in it, the rag in the foreground recalling her hand. She's the stain on the wall the size of her shadow— the color of blood, the shape of a thumb. She is echo of Jesus at table, framed in the scene behind her: his white corona, her white cap. Listening, she leans into what she knows. Light falls on half her face.

Thanks for letting us know about this - read one review, sounds thought-provoking. Guess it will be out on Netflix before long.

I was touched by an article in a current magazine, on Obama’s student days at Columbia, living a very ascetic existence….reflecting on that period of his life, he said-- “The only way I could have a sturdy sense of identity of who I was depended on digging beneath the surface differences of people. The only way my life makes sense is if, regardless of culture, race, religion, tribe, there is this commonality, these essential human truths and passions and hopes and moral precepts that are universal. And that we can reach out beyond our differences. If that is not the case, then it is pretty hard for me to make sense of my life…that is at the core of who I am.”

Last week I saw an amazing Israeli film called “Footnote,” in Hebrew with subtitles, which has been highly acclaimed. The story revolves around a scholarly father and son, Eliezer and Uriel, both at the same university in Jerusalem, specializing in research on the Talmud. While there is a huge generation gap between the two men, they both share a passion for truth, their religion, and their families. It’s partly a satire on the stress of academic life, but more deeply, explores father / son tensions and rivalries-- echoing some ancient biblical characters. It made me curious about the Talmud. An extraordinary movie.

Bruce Sanguin's blog this week is on popular music - and his own guitar playing. http://ifdarwinpraye...e-food-of-love/

For those who like Robin Meyers – I see he has a new book out, The Underground Church: reclaiming the subversive way of Jesus. One that I keep learning from, is Richard Rohr’s Things Hidden: Scripture as Spirituality. Marcus Borg’s interpretations of the bible have been so helpful to me, and Rohr’s Catholic / Franciscan perspective (also Evolutionary Christianity) makes a nice complement to Borg’s Protestant approach. They arrive at the same place (as I see it) from different paths. A few samples from this book – We have made the bible into a bunch of ideas about which we can be right or wrong, rather than an invitation to a new set of eyes. The bible’s primary concern is mystical, not moral. The I-Thou language is a way of speaking quite different from the I-It relationship, where everything is functional, impersonal, earned. When God divided light from darkness, he did not call it “good” …The work of the bible will be about putting those seeming opposites of darkness and light, heaven and earth, flesh and spirit, back together in one place. They have never really been separate. In the beginning was the relationship…I consciously take this pattern of God as a dynamic communion of persons as the central template and pattern of all reality. It is interesting that physicists, molecular biologists and astronomers are often more attuned to this universal pattern than many Christian believers. We start with tribal thinking; we gradually move toward individuation through chosenness, failure and grace; then for those who walk fully through the first two stages, there is a breakthrough to non-dual consciousness or the unitive way. Universalism (non- groupthink) is the point of the whole book of Jonah. On the cross of life we accept our own complicity and cooperation with evil, instead of imagining that we are standing on some pedestal of moral superiority….We live in the in-between, holding the tensions, discovering the paradoxes, we are the contradictions visualized by the geometric image of the cross. We bear the ambiguity, the inconsistency and brokenness of all things, instead of insisting on dividing reality into good guys and bad guys. We cannot ever get worthy, but we can get reconnected to our Source.

The news has been back and forth, whether Cumberbatch will be playing Khan… I’m still hoping it's a different villain! Does anyone have a favorite Trek movie, show, character? The past few months I’ve enjoyed some “Enterprise” episodes streaming on Netflix. One of my favorites is from season 2, “Carbon Creek.” At dinner, Archer and Trip ask T’Pol why she paid a visit to this tiny mining town in Pennsylvania, and she tells them an amazing story about the real First Contact -- not in Montana 2063, but in 1957 when a Vulcan survey ship crash-lands near Carbon Creek (they’d come to earth to check out Sputnik). The three survivors are T’Mir--T’Pol’s second foremother—and two male crewmates, Stron and Mestral. They hide out for weeks until they’re near starvation, then find jobs, passing for human, slowly getting involved with the community. T’mir works as a waitress, Stron a handyman, and Mestral a coalminer. After several months, Mestral becomes so fond of his new life and friends that he stays behind when a Vulcan ship arrives to rescue them. At the end, Archer and Trip look doubtful these things actually happened, but T’Pol, back in her quarters, reveals a ‘souvenir’ handed down from her ancestor. It’s an intriguing mystery, with plenty of warmth, humor and nods to past Trek events….one of those episodes that gives you hope for radically different cultures getting along, helping each other. Trip: Do you realize you've just rewritten our history books? T’Pol: A footnote at best. Trip: : Footnote? This is like finding out Neil Armstrong wasn't the first man to walk on the moon! T’Pol: Perhaps he wasn't.

Well said. I so admire him for doing this.

This chapter was difficult for me, thought Joseph’s concluding line was helpful – being aware of our limited human perception, is the beginning of wisdom. When Tillich says “we unite with what we see, seeing is a kind of union” it suggests we become what we focus on. I like the ending, let us close our eyes, to feel the divine gaze that “looks at us with eyes of infinite human depth and power and love.” Imagining ourselves fully accepted by God returns us to wholeness. The meaning of this chapter is still unclear to me, but it reminds me of Jesus’ saying, Remove the plank from your own eye so you can see clearly to remove the splinter from someone else’s. It reminds me of the end of the book of Job -- I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you. And also of another Tillich passage from chapter 13 in The Shaking of the Foundations, based on For now we see through a glass darkly [i Cor. 13] -- “Paul says that all our present knowledge is like the perception of things in a mirror, we do not grasp it directly face to face. A little light and much darkness; a few fragments and never the whole; perfect knowledge is denied us. For everyone is an elusive fragment to himself, and the inner life of everyone else is an enigma. The misery of man lies in the fragmentary character of his life and knowledge; the greatness of man lies in his ability to know that his being is fragmentary and enigmatic….. Paul experienced the breakdown of a system of life and thought which he believed to be perfect truth. He then found himself buried under the pieces of his knowledge. But Paul never tried again to build up a new, comfortable house out of the pieces. He dwelt with the pieces. He realized that the unity to which they belong is grasped through hope, but not face to face. The fragmented mirror pointed to something new for him: the reality of perfect love. Not blind love- a seeing love, a knowing love that looks into the depth of our hearts.”

To me, it’s understood that most if not all PC’s think of God as both male and female, so I don’t talk about it much, but it’s helpful when people say She and Her for God every once in a while. I haven’t read the book Yvonne referred to by Elizabeth Fiorenza, but have read similar ones that focus on Wisdom as female co-creator in the later and apocryphal books of the OT. Also as Marcus Borg points out, Jesus can be seen as the embodiment of Sophia – womblike compassion and inclusiveness. God’s feminine side is there in the very beginning, saying We will make human beings in our image. God's tender, motherly side is shown when Adam and Eve eat of the tree of knowing good and evil and become aware of their nakedness. “God sewed together clothes for them out of the skins of animals and they put them on.” As Richard Rohr says, “Surely this is a promise from a protective and nurturing God. This will become the momentum-building story of the whole Bible which gradually undoes the history of a fearsome and threatening deity.” Ilia Delio says “before encounter, God is perceived as omnipotent power; after encounter, God is perceived as humble love. God, against all expectation, is humble.” I once took a seminar on Mary Magdalene. Without her, Christianity would probably never have been founded, yet she’s only mentioned 13 times in the gospels and not at all in the rest of the NT.

This seems like a helpful distinction – I think we sometimes misuse the word religion to mean faith; and I’ve often seen the word faith used to mean orthodoxy, rather than praxis. The difference is between internal reality, and external form. To me, religion is an institution, which can be an object of analysis and historical study; faith is subjective experience, devotion, transcendence. I’ve known so many people who exemplify Jesus' humility, understanding and generosity in their lives, yet have nothing to do with religion as such. I've also known people like that who regularly attend a church, sing in choirs, serve on committees, etc. What was the fifth category you added – activism?

Recently I’ve discovered a British website on poems, wonderful resource-- www.poetryarchive.org Here is a poem by Jacob Sam LaRose-- “Faith” A girl in class opts out of speech. A teacher mouths problems at home and who knows what too-large or brutal vision stalled the engine of her voice. In a photograph I pass round, a man reels from a baton to the head and cameras bloom in every hand to catch his perfect grimace. The challenge is to write about the things that we believe in. The class comes up with God, by all the usual names, and faith in numbers, that the News at Ten’s more often bad than good, that some things never change, no matter what you say, although there’s so much to be said. A girl carves out a space for her voice to return to. Praise her fierce and stubborn silence. Somewhere, rain will fall on dry land for the first time in months. I want to know what her first words will be. ------------------------------------ and one by Philip Larkin- “The Trees” The trees are coming into leaf Like something almost being said; The recent buds relax and spread, Their greenness is a kind of grief. Is it that they are born again And we grow old? No, they die too, Their yearly trick of looking new Is written down in rings of grain. Yet still the unresting castles thresh In fullgrown thickness every May. Last year is dead, they seem to say, Begin afresh, afresh, afresh.

Yes, that's what I meant, should have been clearer...I edited the post, adding "attributed to Paul". It's important to realize how Paul's position was 'revised' from radical to conservative to reactionary, as Borg & Crossan point out in the book discussed a couple years ago, The First Paul.

The video is disturbing...makes me sad. One of my kids is gay. It’s terrible when people see the bible as a moral recipe book --“how it’s supposed to be for all times” --instead of spiritual history…“here’s how Judeo-Christian civilization started out as a tribe, a record of what’s good AND bad about humanity.” The bible does not provide a basis for condemning healthy, monogamous relationships between same sex partners. There are relatively very few references to homosexuality in scripture. It’s not in the Ten Commandments. The Sodom & Gomorrhah story is about homosexual rape, not consensual sex between adults. The Leviticus “purity codes” are in the context of setting Jews apart from Gentiles. All the Old Testament prophets are silent on same-sex behavior. It’s likely that David and Jonathan, Daniel and Ashpenaz, and Ruth and Naomi were intimate couples. Jesus doesn’t refer to homosexuality, and many scholars think at least one of his disciples may have been gay. He constantly went out of his way to include those who were marginalized, and taught us not to be judgmental. When homosexuality is mentioned in letters attributed to Paul, it refers to Graeco-Roman pederasty and male prostitution. Paul himself may well have been gay or bisexual. John, hope you don't mind my asking about your avatar / signature-- how does “Jennifer’s Body” as a porno/ horror film affirm homosexuality? wouldn’t a non-violent choice be better, one that treats the subject with respect and tenderness?

Thanks, all interesting choices...hadn't heard of Anthony Caro before, like his work. Mary Southard was on the Evolutionary Christianity panel last year - she also does spiritual paintings and sculptures, you can see them here http://www.marysouthardart.org/ Below, "Divine Dynamic"

Are there works of art that speak to you spiritually or are personally meaningful —a painting, sculpture, nature photo? These images I saved from a couple months ago when a cathedral in Ghent, Belgium, was created for the Festival of Lights… it’s 91 feet tall and made of 55,000 LED lights (yet consumes only 20Kwatt per hour of electricity). This is one church I'd like to go to.

Speaking of films that deliver light-hearted romantic comedy with an inspiring, almost visionary theme-- my husband and I both thoroughly enjoyed “Salmon Fishing in the Yemen.” Surprisingly good.

“Humor is good at getting people to think about serious issues, isn’t it?” yes, definitely! I’m embarassed to admit I haven’t seen any Monty Python films, but know people who rave about them. My all-time favorite for combining humor and spiritual transformation is “Groundhog Day” - great comedy, great message. also remember enjoying these -- Keeping the Faith Dogma Bruce (and Evan) Almighty Michael (John Travolta as the very down-to-earth angel) Heaven can wait Oh God! others I’ve heard about in this category but haven’t seen-- Religulous Wholly Moses Saved! Sister Act The Gods Must Be Crazy

Some notable films I've seen fairly recently - “Martha Marcy May Marlene” –a young woman trying to leave a quasi-religious cult - scary “A Separation” –moving, personal glimpses into Iranian society becoming increasingly fragmented - sad “Beginners” – after his wife dies, a 75 yr old father reveals to his son that he is gay, and explores a new life – upbeat “Tree of Life” – the story of a 1950’s Texas family, interwoven with evolutionary imagery that seems to tie the narrative to the origins of life, the history of the universe. The Classical music and visual effects are memorable, but to me the attempt at portraying an ‘everyfamily’ is misleading –three sons and no daughters, the wife is saintly and downtrodden, the husband devoted but domineering. Was intrigued by the bible allusions, and the statements about nature / grace.

There’s one more sermon in this book I thought worth commenting on, chapter 16 --“Is there any word from the Lord?” It focuses on the anxiety of making important decisions, wanting to be directed by divine wisdom, needing courage to accept doubt, possible error or failure. Tillich emphasizes that the Word of God was/is Jesus’ life, his being, beyond any particular words; and can never be owned by any one group. The conclusion to this chapter seems to me one of his best points: “a word from the Lord is always present and tries to be perceived by us. It is like the air, surrounding us, omnipresent… It is the empty space in our souls which it tries to enter, here and now. So the last question is: Is there an empty space in your soul? Or is everything filled with that which is transitory, ultimately insignificant, however important it tries to be? Listening with an open soul, keeping an empty space in our inner life, this is the only thing we can do. Therefore, let us keep open our ears and our hearts, and ask with great seriousness and passion: Is there a word from the Lord, a word for me, here and now? It is there, it tries to come to you.” Other ways of putting it -- “God dwells only where humans step back to give him room.” – Henri Nouwen “There is a crack in everything / that’s how the light gets in” – Leonard Cohen or as Richard Rohr says, God enters through the wound….your woundedness is the place that the Holy Spirit can pour the healing Presence in.

My favorite source of Trek news is trekmovie.com -- lots of updates on the making of the new film, etc. Here is Nichelle Nichols (Uhura) with President Obama on Feb. 29, giving the Vulcan salute -- she was speaking at a NASA event