Sunday, November 20, 2005

This and that...

It's been a long time since I've posted. During that time I have finished Chicky's cool socks, started two other pair of socks, am working on top secret Christmas presents, almost finished a sweater (that I had a limited amount of yarn of, and now I am afraid, it will be too small for me to wear), had surgery, had a kidney stone, had my parents here to help with the children and I during the planned surgery and surprise kidney stone, and am now working on life returning to "normal". So, it's not like I've been slacking off, really.

I've been reading quite a bit. My recent favorite is Our Endangered Values by Jimmy Carter. It is very reassuring to me that I am not the only one horrified by the neocons in politics. I am floored by how incongruent it seems the religious right is, exerting power in ways that go against the teaching of Jesus Christ (e.g., no to abortion, but yes to the death penalty). It has bothered me for a long time and I was relieved that Jimmy presents it so clearly and even quotes scripture and points out that Jesus preached directly against divorce and adultery and never once mentioned homosexuality (although it is addressed in the New Testament by Paul), but that divorce among Christian groups is very accepted (with Baptists ranking highest in divorce rates of religious groups - 29%). Why is divorce so accepted? Is it because social norms have changed over the last couple decades? Probably. Have social norms changed in regards to homosexuality as well? Yes. Why is the legalized union of gay couples a big deal for the religious right when divorce (also known as fornication and adultery in the Bible) is not? Aren't divorced people remarrying making a mockery of the sanctified union of man and woman as outlined by God? Hmmmm, bet the ultraconservative don't want to think about that one too much.

Musically I am absorbed by Bob Dylan these days. Also in rotation are prairie Wind by Neil Young, Soul Journey by Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, The Basement Tapes by The Band and Bob Dylan, and three CDs of the Andrew Sisters, courtesy of my dad. Never a dull moment over here, my friends.

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