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Pat Robertson: Assassination Advocate

Dear Pat,

Remember what you learned in Sunday School about the 5th Commandment? I believe it's time for a review. While you're at it, looking over the other nine might help you as well.

God

Thoughts On God From Chris Martin (Coldplay)

In the current Rolling Stone, Chris Martin of Coldplay offers his thoughts on faith.

"I went through a weird patch, starting when I was about sixteen to twenty-two, of getting God and religion and superstition and judgment all confused. I think a lot of our music comes out of that. I definitely believe in God. How can you look at anything and not be overwhelmed by the miraclelousness of it? Everything from the carpet to your nose to my balls is amazing. In fact, my balls are a particular miracle."

Martin could no longer wrap his head around the idea of hell, particularly when it was linked to sexual morality--though that was hardly the only reason he wasn't getting laid.

"I didn't know what I was doing. I wish somebody whould have come to me when I was fourteen and explained how to give an orgasm. And it's very strange being the world's sexiest vegetarian because eight years ago, if I'd invite someone over to my place for a tofu burger, they wouldn't be interested."

He started out going to church when he was young and believing in a Christian God, the article says, though he also poins out, according to the article, that it's not the same God as "those crazy fundamentalists like George W. Bush." He said of singing in church: "Everybody singing together is the best feeling in the world."

How Are You? Fine?

I can relate to this.

Let me break it down. “How are you? Fine, and you? Fine, thanks.” This blasé exchange allows both participants to score false nice-guy points and assert false independence. This is a vast conspiracy of lies, and we are all implicated, passing ourselves off as supermen—and superwomen—and denying ourselves the chance to actually offer and receive the help we need.

I used to have someone in my life who would actually call me out on this, but otherwise, most people have let this sort of thing pass. As much as I try, I'm not always able to be "fine". Many times, most of what might weigh me down could be considered trivial, but when you pile on those things with the significant, not everything is "fine". Usually the low feeling passes, and I regain control of my self-esteem, but it's not always an easy thing. Not everybody I know that I'd trust to reach out to is available at those moments.

Funny, the people I feel closer to are further away in physical distance.

I'm fine, though, really, but feel free to call me out. I could use a shoulder once in awhile.

Spiritual Statements: Wyclef Jean

I know. I read too many magazines, but I do, and I stumble upon spiritual thoughts of various people. They're not always going to be ones in the public eye, though.

Anyway...

Wyclef Jean, in the March/April Relevant: Jean says he believes he was put in a position of wealth and influence for a reason. There is a driving force in him to give back to his community in New York and Haiti. "It comes from the upbringing where your parents tell you over and over 'vanity, vanity, all is vanity' and 'you can't take it with you.' In that upbringing, when they tell you that, you get the message. It makes no sense for me to be in this position and not do something about it. ... A lot of people like to say they have foundations; I like to say I have a movement going on right now..."

Bonus thought from Greg Hill of Mute Math, also from same issue of Relevant: "The vision of the band, and everything else, is not getting caught up in religion. To me, religion is getting stuck on one thing. There's not much freedom in religion. You're bound to your rituals and your routines that you walk through everyday. It is important to have those, but it's also important to grow, because if you're not moving forward, you're standing still and then moving backward."  The parallel between the group's sincere search for spiritual progression and the band's constant pursuit of musicial innovation is the staple of the vision behind their sound.

Me: I've not heard of this band or their music before, but interesting thoughts nonetheless.

Spiritual Statements

From Jessica Alba (actress) in the April GQ:

"My parents weren't religious, but at 12, I started asking, 'why am I here? what's the point of living?' ... I started going to church three days a week. Stopped watching secular television--I couldn't even watch Davey and Goliath." The article noted that she'd wake up at 5 a.m. to pray and say things like "oh darn" when she stubbed a toe.

More from the article:

And then one day her body rebelled against God. Her teenage breasts blossomed; her buttocks began straining against her dungarees. "I would go to the beach and by born-again friends would be like, 'your jeans are too tight! you're tempting me.'" 

Paraphrase: Her youth pastor at church had her using a sweater to cover said buttocks, and soon she could relate only to the biblical stories of Bathsheba and Jezebel. At 13 she started acting in roles that likely made that youth pastor blush (Chicago Hope) and joined a theater company at 16.

"I was suddenly around all these different kinds of people who were going to hell according to my church. And I just thought that the god I am praying to is a failed god if these people are damned. What about people in Africa? Asia? People not aware of my religion? They're going to hell, too? That's bullshit!"

Me: The article didn't delve any deeper than that about her faith, as it talked about her movie, Sin City. Anyway, my curiosity is aroused a bit when I read snippets about someone's faith background. Now I know, some of you who may have actually stumbled across the April GQ cover might say it wasn't the comments that got my attention; rather, the almost nude cover with Jessica on it. But I did look inside at the article before buying the magazine.

Mister God, This Is Anna

From what I wrote last night, 8:30 p.m., just after I completed reading Mister God, This Is Anna:

I read the last few pages of the last chapter out loud. Tears started to form in my eyes as Anna was passing away. The last page, before Anna's poem, the tears fell down my cheeks, and my voice choked. I hadn't understood all the lesons that Anna imparted--or maybe I had, after all.

In real time again. Passages: 

Is There A Spirit That's Supposed To Move Me?

Am I supposed to be moved by what goes on during a church service?

It's not that I'm trying to be closed to whatever experience that is, but I don't feel stirred by the spirit, or whatever it is that supposed to stir me. I don't feel any compulsion to clap or sing to music--I'm not coordinated to do both at the same time anyway. I don't raise my hands as I've seen other people do. The most I've done is close my eyes and move internally to the music, but I can do that at home or at a concert, so I don't see any appreciable difference.

It's not that I don't appreciate the message, the music, the drama, whatever. Seeing the crucifixion is certainly powerful enough; I like the band at church and appreciate the talent of the musicians; the pastor's message is accessible enough.

But I'm not sure I've walked into a church, and walked out of one with any kind of discernable change. The service may have had an influence, but the only changes I've noticed is when I've had more time to reflect on what's been said.

I think I can be emotional enough; seeing a child hurt makes me ache inside, just as a child's joy is transposed into my heart. I can feel a natural high when something's gone well in my life. I feel many things, but I'm not sure I'm feeling faith.  Mind you, I believe in God, but I take in so many different things about faith by people who appear to be sincere; at the same time, while it's not quite a numb feeling I have, I don't get moved the way others do.

The other thing is that there are so many different interpretations of scripture (and translations) out there (at least it seems that way to me), it downright confuses me.

I'm confused just writing this entry, but if I don't at least try to sort through my thoughts, I won't come any closer to dealing.

Maybe my nephew's right, even if he wasn't talking about faith: when you get to be my age Uncle Jimmy, then you'll understand.

Spongebob Welcome Here

I can't believe someone would actually waste their breath even implying anything sinister about this, SpongeBob SquarePants, or anything related to the video from the We Are Family Foundation. At least someone has a sense of humor, along with open arms, for SpongeBob. Dr. Dobson claims he was misinterpreted.

Ad Refusal

Read what people with more coherent thoughts than mine have to say about this United Church of Christ ad here, here (from Leah) and here and here (BuzzMachine). ABC had a segment on the church's on their nightly newscast that showed part of the ad. I watched the ad and don't have a problem with it. I thought it was a clever way of making a much-needed point, and find it disheartening, to say the least, that the major networks--ABC, NBC and CBS won't air it. Fear of the Orwellian FCC has taken a new turn.

What CBS said:

"Because this commercial touches on the exclusion of gay couples and other minority groups by other individuals and organizations," reads an explanation from CBS, "and the fact the Executive Branch has recently proposed a Constitutional Amendment to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman, this spot is unacceptable for broadcast on the [CBS and UPN] networks."

Call me dense but I don't understand that statement.

NBC declared the add too "controversial".  ABC said on their newscast tonight they have a policy against showing "religious" ads, yet the ad is showing on ABC Family, one of the homes--where I live--for the 700 Club.

Here's UCC's news release responding to the above. The main message of the ad: "No matter who you are, or where you are on life's journey, you are welcome here."

Too bad they're not welcome on the networks.

Update: ABC seems to be getting little mention as having excluded the ad as well, but here's proof they're exclusing the UCC's message.

A spokesperson at ABC told CNN that "we do not generally accept paid advertising that espouses a particular religious doctrine."

That goes along with what I thought I heard Peter Jennings say tonight on ABC World News Tonight about the network not accepting religious advertising.

Update 2: An actor who appeared in the commercial speaks. Also,to clarify the first update, UCC did not attempt to buy an ad on ABC because of the policy I mentioned before about the network not accepting religious advertising:

Church officials said they did not attempt to buy time on the third major broadcast network, ABC, because it has a blanket policy against religious advertising. But they said the bouncer ad will air on numerous other networks and cable channels, including ABC Family, AMC, BET, Discovery, Fox, Hallmark, Travel, TBS and TNT.

A Prayer?

After the Sunday service, I was looking at the display of the trip our associate pastor took to Bolivia, chatting with him about the experience with a few other people, when his brother, who happens to be the head pastor, came behind me--I noticed via a glance but didn't look directly back.

He put his left hand on my shoulder and stood slightly behind me to my right. At first, I thought it was just going to be one of those pat on the shoulders where he starts making small talk, but instead, he just stood there for about a minute or two with his hand on my shoulder, and didn't say anything out loud. It seemed like a long time. I didn't say anything, even as other people were still around and still talking to the associate pastor.

He released his hand from my shoulder, didn't say anything for a few seconds, and then started talking to a small group of people to my left. I started to say something about knowing someone from Bolivia--referencing the trip--but he didn't acknowledge me after that, and I slowly faded from the scene and left.

I've never had that experience in church before, and I'm not sure what it meant. My strongest hunch is that he felt compelled to pray over me for some reason. Like I said, nothing like that's ever happened to me.

The pastor and I did chat very briefly after the service--but before he stood over me. He said he was glad to see me there, and that the subject matter of the sermon, where he talked about workplace stuff and having passion for it, was something I could relate to. He did that and I went over to the display because I was curious about the trip. I found out through chatting with our associate pastor that the church is sponsoring some children from Bolivia, and is opening it up for individual people to sponsor children as well.

It sounded like an amazing trip, but then all the talking stopped, at least where it was directed toward me. That's when Pat--the pastor--approached. I didn't hear a word, but just stood there along with him until he finished.

I suppose people (known and unknown to me) have prayed for me before, but it's hard for me to imagine such a thing as someone taking time out of their lives to offer me a prayer, even though it's something I've done for other people. So when Pat did that, I don't want to say I was confused or weirded out by what was happening. I wasn't sure what to think, but I knew to stay until he was done.

He didn't say anything to me afterward, so I guess it's in God's hands for me to understand the prayer he said over me.