The honcho of Liberty University died. Over a week ago. I heard many people gripe about Coretta Scott King being kept out of the ground for over a week, so now I'm going to gripe about Falwell.
Gripe fini.
Falwell was the GOP darling. He rallied many white protestants to the "cause". Opposition to homosexual marriage, abortion, and unwavering loyalty to militarism, America as the New Jerusalem, and capitalism. Falwell often lamented the collective face of America turning from GOD and the principles of the Bible. But isn't that what he wanted?
Christ said to turn the other cheek. Falwell held the traditional Baptist opinion that America has a God given right to use military force, it's only Christian (Constantine did it why not Bush). Falwell saw Socialism as an evil economic system, he glossed over the prohibitions GOD set down against usury and other financial abuses private corporations engage in. Gleaning was a practice protected by YHWH, by I am sure Falwell would consider it criminal trespass.
Yes, America has turned away from Christian practices. As far as I can tell there are two types of people familiar with the Kingdom. Followers of Christ, and Observers of Christ.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Reading, and deep thoughts about a rodeo
The reading list:
Clay's Quilt by Silas House was a fairly quick read. But then again everytime I finish a book I always think "Man, that went by fast."
The book received plenty of good press, and the reason I read it was I heard Mr. House being interviewed on NPR All Things Considered. Clay's Quilt is the debut novel, and he was talking about one he just finished, "Coal Tattoo", which has been out for a while now. House also had received a grant to write Clay's Quilt.
I enjoyed reading it, and the characters were interesting enough. The plot seemed a little too pushed, and not character driven. But what do I know? I've never had a novel published, nor have I received a grant to write one.
I think many people, especially in the south, who pick up a debut novel expect McCullers, or Harper Lee, Capote, or (Heaven forbid it) Grisham and Dan Brown. I don't want to put Mr. House in the same category as Grisham or Brown, because Silas (can I call you Silas? I did read your book in the bathroom several times. If that doesn't put us on a first name basis I don't know what will) actually strives to write prose while the other two only wish to engage the reader for personal reasons. In other words, Silas House is a writer who feels passionate about the story and how to convey it, while Brown and Grisham feel passionate about the story and the money it can make.
My first impression of Silas House is that he has a deep love of the Appalachian people, especially Kentucky. Music is a focal point of the novel, and so is the location. Each character sort of revolves around a type of music. While Easter is strictly gospel music, Clay is gospel, Tom Petty, Bluegrass, and Puccini. Alma is the fiddle player Clay falls in love with, and she serves as a guide for Clay.
The short synopsis: Clay Sizemore's mother was murdered when he was 4. He witnessed the killing. The novel picks up when Clay is in his mid-20s. He is single, and devoted to his extended family, who have never left the county they live in. Clay has no idea who his father is, and he doesn't really think about it. His encounter with Alma and how she affects him is the story. With Alma, Clay attempts to find his place in the world, and to determine something about himself. The theme of the novel is simple: Home.
I enjoyed reading a novel about the Appalachian area that was set in the modern era (late 80's early 90's). For people who think Southern Literature is synonymous with historical fiction (It's always about the Civil War) Clay's Quilt will serve as a reminder that Capote, McCullers, and Harper Lee wrote in what was their modern era.
However if you are looking to get into something that is literary fiction and about the Civil War check out Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier. It is not so much about war as it is about what war does. Separation, depression, adapting to the circumstances, loss, and hope. The movie didn't even come close to the feeling this book conveys. It will become a classic, but after I die (because right now everybody thinks Dan Brown and Grisham are blessed by the literary gods).
While I mentioned it, Gabriel Marquez is a literary god. One Hundred Years of Solitude should be on every list. As the title suggests it is a book about time, and how we spend it, and suspend it. Magic.
For theology I recommend Blue Like Jazz by Don Miller. I'm not a theological liberal, but my views did change after reading this book. They changed so much I bought a subscription to Sojourners and voted against the current Fuhrer (Caesar Bush).
And for a moral tale crack open Thornton Wilder's very short novel The Bridge of San Louis Rey. Calvinism (which is a tragic belief) meets logic (which offers nothing). My answer to the question is simple, the bridge collapsed because we live in a sinful world filled with sinful people. Some are redeemed, some are not. The redeemed die. Those who are not redeemed die. It is rumored Wilder was inspired to write this story after contemplating a passage out of the Gospel of Luke (chapter 13). "There were present at that season some that told him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." My short answer is that the sinners, redeemed and unreedemed, failed to inspect the bridge to guarantee its safety. A tragedy. For those who still believe Joel Osteen and Creflo Dollar are preaching the Gospel this would be an eye opener.
We were going to attend the rodeo in Waco this Saturday. Waco, Georgia that is. It's a small west Georgia town located on Hwy. 78. Bailey has never been to a rodeo, and I think I have only been once. There was a thunderstorm, so we went to Pearl's in Carrollton and ate instead.
Bailey asked me what a rodeo was. I explained to him that cowboys rode bulls, and horses. The animals tried to kick them off of their backs. The cowboys also would try to see who could rope and tie a steer the quickest. He said he could ride Belle (our black Labrador Retreiver). He then asked if the bulls and horses were pets, like our dogs.
No they are not pets. They are seen as tools. It crossed my mind that economics have an effect on how we view the natural world. The wealthier you become, the more inclined you are to view some things in reverse order. To a blue collar family a dog or cat is a pet, and they are sometimes considered and treated as a component of the family. Dogs and cats are relatively cheap. You can get one for about twenty dollars at a shelter, or do like we did and kidnap them from the roadside (we are such bumpkins, "Quick! Grab that puppy in the ditch! It's gonna get runned over. Throw it in the truck. Yee haw! We got a dog."). For the common people horses are tools. You ride them. For common people cows are food. You eat them. For the wealthy dogs and cats are not just pets, or a component of the family, they are part of the family, like children. Some of the eccentrics have left an inheritance to dogs and cats. The horse is not a tool, it is an investment of biblical proportions. Look at Barbarosa. The owner spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to repair that horses leg and save its life. The horse as a tool would have been euthenized (a simple injection today, a bullet in days gone by). The horse as a symbol of wealth is something to be preserved. So if the wealthy in America have this kind of concern for a few animals, why not for humans and the environment?
I think they view it in terms of Kenseyian economic philosophy. Possessions. If they don't own it, they don't give a damn about it. They just use it.
Clay's Quilt by Silas House was a fairly quick read. But then again everytime I finish a book I always think "Man, that went by fast."
The book received plenty of good press, and the reason I read it was I heard Mr. House being interviewed on NPR All Things Considered. Clay's Quilt is the debut novel, and he was talking about one he just finished, "Coal Tattoo", which has been out for a while now. House also had received a grant to write Clay's Quilt.
I enjoyed reading it, and the characters were interesting enough. The plot seemed a little too pushed, and not character driven. But what do I know? I've never had a novel published, nor have I received a grant to write one.
I think many people, especially in the south, who pick up a debut novel expect McCullers, or Harper Lee, Capote, or (Heaven forbid it) Grisham and Dan Brown. I don't want to put Mr. House in the same category as Grisham or Brown, because Silas (can I call you Silas? I did read your book in the bathroom several times. If that doesn't put us on a first name basis I don't know what will) actually strives to write prose while the other two only wish to engage the reader for personal reasons. In other words, Silas House is a writer who feels passionate about the story and how to convey it, while Brown and Grisham feel passionate about the story and the money it can make.
My first impression of Silas House is that he has a deep love of the Appalachian people, especially Kentucky. Music is a focal point of the novel, and so is the location. Each character sort of revolves around a type of music. While Easter is strictly gospel music, Clay is gospel, Tom Petty, Bluegrass, and Puccini. Alma is the fiddle player Clay falls in love with, and she serves as a guide for Clay.
The short synopsis: Clay Sizemore's mother was murdered when he was 4. He witnessed the killing. The novel picks up when Clay is in his mid-20s. He is single, and devoted to his extended family, who have never left the county they live in. Clay has no idea who his father is, and he doesn't really think about it. His encounter with Alma and how she affects him is the story. With Alma, Clay attempts to find his place in the world, and to determine something about himself. The theme of the novel is simple: Home.
I enjoyed reading a novel about the Appalachian area that was set in the modern era (late 80's early 90's). For people who think Southern Literature is synonymous with historical fiction (It's always about the Civil War) Clay's Quilt will serve as a reminder that Capote, McCullers, and Harper Lee wrote in what was their modern era.
However if you are looking to get into something that is literary fiction and about the Civil War check out Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier. It is not so much about war as it is about what war does. Separation, depression, adapting to the circumstances, loss, and hope. The movie didn't even come close to the feeling this book conveys. It will become a classic, but after I die (because right now everybody thinks Dan Brown and Grisham are blessed by the literary gods).
While I mentioned it, Gabriel Marquez is a literary god. One Hundred Years of Solitude should be on every list. As the title suggests it is a book about time, and how we spend it, and suspend it. Magic.
For theology I recommend Blue Like Jazz by Don Miller. I'm not a theological liberal, but my views did change after reading this book. They changed so much I bought a subscription to Sojourners and voted against the current Fuhrer (Caesar Bush).
And for a moral tale crack open Thornton Wilder's very short novel The Bridge of San Louis Rey. Calvinism (which is a tragic belief) meets logic (which offers nothing). My answer to the question is simple, the bridge collapsed because we live in a sinful world filled with sinful people. Some are redeemed, some are not. The redeemed die. Those who are not redeemed die. It is rumored Wilder was inspired to write this story after contemplating a passage out of the Gospel of Luke (chapter 13). "There were present at that season some that told him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." My short answer is that the sinners, redeemed and unreedemed, failed to inspect the bridge to guarantee its safety. A tragedy. For those who still believe Joel Osteen and Creflo Dollar are preaching the Gospel this would be an eye opener.
We were going to attend the rodeo in Waco this Saturday. Waco, Georgia that is. It's a small west Georgia town located on Hwy. 78. Bailey has never been to a rodeo, and I think I have only been once. There was a thunderstorm, so we went to Pearl's in Carrollton and ate instead.
Bailey asked me what a rodeo was. I explained to him that cowboys rode bulls, and horses. The animals tried to kick them off of their backs. The cowboys also would try to see who could rope and tie a steer the quickest. He said he could ride Belle (our black Labrador Retreiver). He then asked if the bulls and horses were pets, like our dogs.
No they are not pets. They are seen as tools. It crossed my mind that economics have an effect on how we view the natural world. The wealthier you become, the more inclined you are to view some things in reverse order. To a blue collar family a dog or cat is a pet, and they are sometimes considered and treated as a component of the family. Dogs and cats are relatively cheap. You can get one for about twenty dollars at a shelter, or do like we did and kidnap them from the roadside (we are such bumpkins, "Quick! Grab that puppy in the ditch! It's gonna get runned over. Throw it in the truck. Yee haw! We got a dog."). For the common people horses are tools. You ride them. For common people cows are food. You eat them. For the wealthy dogs and cats are not just pets, or a component of the family, they are part of the family, like children. Some of the eccentrics have left an inheritance to dogs and cats. The horse is not a tool, it is an investment of biblical proportions. Look at Barbarosa. The owner spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to repair that horses leg and save its life. The horse as a tool would have been euthenized (a simple injection today, a bullet in days gone by). The horse as a symbol of wealth is something to be preserved. So if the wealthy in America have this kind of concern for a few animals, why not for humans and the environment?
I think they view it in terms of Kenseyian economic philosophy. Possessions. If they don't own it, they don't give a damn about it. They just use it.
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Mmmm...Pork.
Today we went shopping. And Bailey has been talking about this shopping trip for about two months now. We went to the Cotton Mill Farmers Market at the center of our universe, Carrollton Georgia.
What can you get at a farmers market?
Well, this was the first day it was open this season, so I didn't expect as many vendors. We ended up buying free range eggs, a pork shoulder from a free range pig, some broccoli, shiatake mushrooms, goat's milk soap, and some strawberries.
We can't always buy products from local farms because they simply do not sell throughout the year. But we do make an effort to support them, rather than a ConAgra managed frankenfood factory field.
School is wrapping up, and we are all glad.
Michelle (the teacher): Will not have to get up and go to work for two months.
Bailey (the 5 year old): Will not have to get up and go to school for two months.
Me (Jason, the laborer and fulltime student): Will still be going to work, but no more classes until August.
So the plans for June until the end of July have been made. A few museum trips, swimming lessons for Bailey, Michelle is going to read a few books, and I am going to work on a few short stories and train for a triathlon. Michelle wants to buy a bicycle. I want to go hiking and flyfishing. Bailey wants to stay in a hotel (don't ask me, ask him, I don't understand that one).
Tonight for dinner it's mango chutney pork, and rice.
What can you get at a farmers market?
Well, this was the first day it was open this season, so I didn't expect as many vendors. We ended up buying free range eggs, a pork shoulder from a free range pig, some broccoli, shiatake mushrooms, goat's milk soap, and some strawberries.
We can't always buy products from local farms because they simply do not sell throughout the year. But we do make an effort to support them, rather than a ConAgra managed frankenfood factory field.
School is wrapping up, and we are all glad.
Michelle (the teacher): Will not have to get up and go to work for two months.
Bailey (the 5 year old): Will not have to get up and go to school for two months.
Me (Jason, the laborer and fulltime student): Will still be going to work, but no more classes until August.
So the plans for June until the end of July have been made. A few museum trips, swimming lessons for Bailey, Michelle is going to read a few books, and I am going to work on a few short stories and train for a triathlon. Michelle wants to buy a bicycle. I want to go hiking and flyfishing. Bailey wants to stay in a hotel (don't ask me, ask him, I don't understand that one).
Tonight for dinner it's mango chutney pork, and rice.
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