Lisa Brough was forced into a debt-free life by medical disaster.Read the rest here.
Her husband has Huntington’s disease, a degenerative brain disorder, and has been unable to work since 1999. The couple, who have three children, saw their finances suffer as a result. They ended up with $50,000 worth of credit card debt as Brough worked two jobs and still struggled to pay the bills and the high property taxes on their home in Westchester County, N.Y.
“I said to myself, ‘I can’t do this anymore,’ ” she recalled. “He was going downhill, and I had to figure out a way to get out of this. I couldn’t count on tomorrow because I didn’t know what tomorrow would bring.”
In 2005, she took drastic measures. She decided to sell her $350,000 home, pay off all the family’s debt, and move to lower-cost Cary, N.C., where she was able to buy a house for $164,000 house in cash.
Since then it’s been cash and debit cards only for Brough, 50, who has no debt of any kind.
How does she do it? She buys secondhand furniture and electronics, gets her husband’s medicines from Canada at cut rates, has a $10,000 emergency fund and thinks long and hard before she opens up her wallet.
“When you use cash you think about what your needs are because you’re paying a big chunk of money at once,” she said.
This concept is probably a foreign one to many Americans who are addicted to buying almost everything on credit. But believe it or not, it is possible to survive and thrive without depending on credit cards. In fact, Brough is part of a small but growing debt-free movement, some joining because of personal or economic hardships, and others just looking to simplify their lives.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Living without the plastic cushion
This is one of the best articles I have read in a while.
A couple of quick notes...
First tomorrow morning at 1130 Eastern (0830 Pacific) Metropolitan +Jonah will address the inaugural convention of the Anglican Church in North America. The address can be watched here.
Secondly, as many of you already know (and if you didn't, consider yourself fortunate) there has been something of tempest brewing in the Antiochian Archdiocese. The issue being a canonically dicey decree from their Holy Synod over in Damascus that purported to reduce the N. American Antiochian bishops to the status of auxiliary bishops in service to Metropolitan +Philip. After quite a blow up over the whole thing their Holy Synod reconsidered the issue last week and appeared to have substantially "clarified" their earlier decree in a manner effectvely nullifying it. (Roman Catholics aren't the only ones who know how to fix a mistake without admitting to having made one.)
This should have been the end of the matter, right?
Unfortunately what was essentially a heated debate over church canons and ecclesiology may be in the process of becoming a full blown scandal. Owen the Ochlophobist (a critic of the earlier decree) has written about the new and potentially much more serious issues here. Please leave any comments on the matter at his blog.
Having spent the last couple of years living through a scandal that at times seemed on the verge of tearing the OCA apart, I have great sympathy for our brothers and sisters in the Antiochian Archdiocese. I ask for everyone's prayers that this is resolved as quickly as possible, comencerate with truth and justice.
Secondly, as many of you already know (and if you didn't, consider yourself fortunate) there has been something of tempest brewing in the Antiochian Archdiocese. The issue being a canonically dicey decree from their Holy Synod over in Damascus that purported to reduce the N. American Antiochian bishops to the status of auxiliary bishops in service to Metropolitan +Philip. After quite a blow up over the whole thing their Holy Synod reconsidered the issue last week and appeared to have substantially "clarified" their earlier decree in a manner effectvely nullifying it. (Roman Catholics aren't the only ones who know how to fix a mistake without admitting to having made one.)
This should have been the end of the matter, right?
Unfortunately what was essentially a heated debate over church canons and ecclesiology may be in the process of becoming a full blown scandal. Owen the Ochlophobist (a critic of the earlier decree) has written about the new and potentially much more serious issues here. Please leave any comments on the matter at his blog.
Having spent the last couple of years living through a scandal that at times seemed on the verge of tearing the OCA apart, I have great sympathy for our brothers and sisters in the Antiochian Archdiocese. I ask for everyone's prayers that this is resolved as quickly as possible, comencerate with truth and justice.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
New York... Making Californians feel good about their government
ALBANY —Republicans and Democrats attempted to hold separate Senate sessions at the same time on Tuesday, leaving the Capitol in confusion and bickering as members of both parties shouted over each other on the Senate floor, and each party claimed it was in control.Read the rest.
Though Democrats had entered the Senate chamber through a back hallway just before 12:30 p.m. and locked the doors — much to the surprise of Republicans — Republicans moved ahead with plans for their own session and began calling for votes on bills as Democrats sat silent in protest.
Exactly who was in control of the Senate — or whether any of the procedural action the Republicans had taken was legally valid — was unclear. Democrats were successful in blocking Republicans from taking control of the Senate gavel, which remained firmly in the hands of Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins of Westchester County, who was guarded by sergeants-at-arms on both sides.
You just can't make this stuff up.
The state Senate is split down the middle with the defection of at least one Democrat to the Republicans and there is no Lieutenant Governor to break ties. He became Governor after Elliot (Mr. Clean) Spitzer was caught renting high priced entertainment of the sort most men would not want their wives discovering. And of course this being New York there is no constitutional provision for filling the office of Lt. Governor between elections.
The Democrats and Republicans are both behaving like children in this matter, though I fault the Democrats mostly. They gained a majority in the Senate for the first time in decades in last year's election. But the Republicans pulled a fast one and managed to persuade two Democrats to defect to their side giving them a one seat majority. To be honest, I was pretty impressed by that one.
One of them has since re-defected leaving the Senate split with no tie breaking vote. Even during their brief (it was days) tenure in their one seat majority the Republicans were hampered when Democrats locked the doors to the Senate Chamber, refusing to surrender the keys rather than admit the Republicans. Then they hid all off the pending bills and legislative materials. Again they refused to hand any of them over. "If I'm not in charge then I'm taking all of the marbles and no one is playing anymore."
Sadly I am cursed twice over. I live in California, but am a native of New York. Sigh.
How about them Mets?
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Some thoughts on Metropolitan Jonah's speech
Having listened to the speech and read it through a couple of times now I am beginning to form a few very preliminary impressions. First this guy is NOT Herman or Theodosius. And secondly while the OCA talked the talk in the past it's new leader seems to be taking the concept of a unified local American Orthodox Church far more seriously than any of his predecessors or for that matter any of the other senior hierarchs in other jurisdictions. Whether this is a good thing is something that I think will be much debated in the coming days.
I know of more than a few Orthodox (mostly cradle/ethnics but also some converts) who think America is not ready for its own local church and needs the firm guiding hand of the mother church(es). In fairness there are some weaknesses here in America. But I see that in all of the churches in the old country too. For good or ill though +Jonah clearly believes it is time to get serious about Orthodox unity, and his speech suggests that he means business.
Three dramatic points stood out in my reading of the address. First is that he made the OCA a negotiable entity. He made it clear that it is no longer about the OCA and he is not going to press the debateable claim that the OCA is the only canonical Orthodox jurisdiction in North America (a proposition he repeated at least once himself in a presentation some years ago). Now the OCA's very existence is open for discussion as long as whatever replaces it is a local North American Orthodox Church.
Secondly he pondered aloud the possibility of opening up the Holy Synod of the OCA to all the bishops of the canonical Orthodox jurisdictions in North America. Such a move would effectively undercut the newly proposed episcopal conferences that are supposed to be set up for the diaspora (a term I intensely dislike as it ignores non-ethnics and by implication downplays the obligation of evangelism). This would be a very interesting development. How would the other jurisdictions and their bishops respond?
And finally he as much as issued an invitation to the Antiochian Archdiocese to merge with the OCA (not "join") and form a new American Orthodox jurisdiction. Again how would this play out? It would create a jurisdiction that in size would rival the Greek Archdiocese which has been cool to downright hostile to the idea of Orthodox unity under anyone other than the Ecumenical Patriarch. How would the smaller jurisdictions respond? We can be fairly sure that ROCOR would remain unaffected in its ties to the Russian Church. But there are a myriad of smaller jurisdictions whose raison d' etat has been fading as each new generation becomes more American and the connections to the ethnic homeland of their ancestors weaken.
Of course these are just words so far. But they are words coming from someone who seems quite serious about his mission. That mission being Orthodox unity in North America.
Thoughts?
I know of more than a few Orthodox (mostly cradle/ethnics but also some converts) who think America is not ready for its own local church and needs the firm guiding hand of the mother church(es). In fairness there are some weaknesses here in America. But I see that in all of the churches in the old country too. For good or ill though +Jonah clearly believes it is time to get serious about Orthodox unity, and his speech suggests that he means business.
Three dramatic points stood out in my reading of the address. First is that he made the OCA a negotiable entity. He made it clear that it is no longer about the OCA and he is not going to press the debateable claim that the OCA is the only canonical Orthodox jurisdiction in North America (a proposition he repeated at least once himself in a presentation some years ago). Now the OCA's very existence is open for discussion as long as whatever replaces it is a local North American Orthodox Church.
Secondly he pondered aloud the possibility of opening up the Holy Synod of the OCA to all the bishops of the canonical Orthodox jurisdictions in North America. Such a move would effectively undercut the newly proposed episcopal conferences that are supposed to be set up for the diaspora (a term I intensely dislike as it ignores non-ethnics and by implication downplays the obligation of evangelism). This would be a very interesting development. How would the other jurisdictions and their bishops respond?
And finally he as much as issued an invitation to the Antiochian Archdiocese to merge with the OCA (not "join") and form a new American Orthodox jurisdiction. Again how would this play out? It would create a jurisdiction that in size would rival the Greek Archdiocese which has been cool to downright hostile to the idea of Orthodox unity under anyone other than the Ecumenical Patriarch. How would the smaller jurisdictions respond? We can be fairly sure that ROCOR would remain unaffected in its ties to the Russian Church. But there are a myriad of smaller jurisdictions whose raison d' etat has been fading as each new generation becomes more American and the connections to the ethnic homeland of their ancestors weaken.
Of course these are just words so far. But they are words coming from someone who seems quite serious about his mission. That mission being Orthodox unity in North America.
Thoughts?
The OCA's Mission: To Disappear?
Another fascinating address by Metropolitan Jonah has been posted online for those who missed the live broadcast. It has way too many points to post excerpts while doing justice to the speech.
Read the entire address here.
Or listen to it here
Hat tip OCANews
Read the entire address here.
Or listen to it here
Hat tip OCANews
Friday, June 19, 2009
Ecumenical Councils IV
The rather long discussion prompted by the recent post on Eastern Rite Catholics and the Filioque has (predictably) turned into a vigorous debate on Rome-Orthodox ecumenical relations and/or the lack thereof. But I think a few posts by an anonymous commenter and Father J, an occasional and appreciated (if often critical) contributor to com-box discussions here, require a response.
It strikes me that they are overstating their case and ignoring some important elements. First I know of no Orthodox Christian who does not want the unity of the early Church restored. What we do not want is unity at the expense of Truth. And since our two churches have different (often dramatically so) views on dogmatic matters, that creates obstacles which they and David B. Hart (see his essay here) seem stubbornly unwilling to address.
In short Fr. J and Mr. Hart are both wearing the same set of blinders. They are long on platitudes and short on substantive recommendations. When Owen the Ochlophobist asked Fr. J to name some of the carved in stone post-schism dogmas of the Roman Church he felt are negotiable Fr. J could not come up with a single one. While the dear father’s prayers for unity are much appreciated something a bit more concrete would also be helpful.
So I will ask Owen's question again; what Roman Catholic post-schism dogmatic definitions are negotiable? If there are none then we are back to square one which has already been described.
Unity can be obtained as soon as we Orthodox become Catholics, or Rome returns to Orthodoxy.
While we have held two councils post-schism that many Orthodox (including myself) consider OEcumenical, they did not dogmatize anything that should pose a severe problem for Rome. It is Rome's last fourteen claimed OEcumenical Councils which pose the near insurmountable barrier. This is especially true of the decrees of Vatican I whose definitions, as we Orthodox have repeated ad infinitum, are flatly inconsistent with the doctrine and ecclesiology of the Orthodox Church both pre and post-schism. Further the language of the decrees on Papal Supremacy and Universal Jurisdiction is so crystal clear and unambiguous as to remove any possible wiggle room for “doctrinal development.” In summary Orthodoxy does not require of Rome any assent to doctrine which she has not already claimed to agree to, while Rome demands total acquiescence to her post 1054 doctrinal innovations.
Even so I have opined in the past that there is a path forward, if Rome is willing to take the leap. I actually addressed this in a series of posts back on November 16 (here and here) and November 19 (here) of 2007. It was part of a multi party (and multi-blog) discussion on what might lead to restoration of communion.
I will spare everyone a lengthy reposting of my original articles and summarize them.
In a nutshell I believe the only path that has a reasonable chance at reconciliation is the one I have labeled "reset." Which is to say that Rome must de-dogmatize its post 1054 doctrinal additions and come to an OEcumenical Council ready to lay it all on the table for open discussion. This does not require as a precondition that Rome must abjure the Filioque or any of its other additions. But it does require that Rome must agree that no true OEcumenical Council has been held since the seventh (the last one agreed on by both East and West). The councils held since then could be treated as local synods of the Western Church and the "dogmas" promulgated would be understood as theologumena and the strongly held opinions of the Latin Church, that could then be debated by the Church as a whole.
As others have noted, there are surely some areas where we might be able to reach agreement. Most Orthodox would have little difficulty with coming to some sort of understanding on the doctrine of the Assumption. Many other points of difference might be resolvable. And then there are others where the odds are steeper than the slopes of Mt. Everest in winter (Vatican I). But I see no hope at all if Rome's position is "come, kneel, and kiss the Pope's ring and all will be forgiven."
In other words we need to start from where the breach occurred. Even if Rome agreed to this and such a council could be convened, it might well fail. Lyons and Florence did, though in fairness neither council was an attempt at a reset. But if a council were to have a chance it would only be if it were convened as the eighth OEcumenical Council, not the twenty-second. The question before us then is the same one I asked Mike Liccione back in ’07. Is Rome prepared to take this leap?
I think the answer must be negative as Mike implied in his reply (see the post of 19 November 2007). For Rome to do so would implicitly call into question her claim to being the One True Church. Effectively this still leaves us with what Owen has repeatedly stated must be the end product of any restored communion. One or the other of our churches must cease to be.
It strikes me that they are overstating their case and ignoring some important elements. First I know of no Orthodox Christian who does not want the unity of the early Church restored. What we do not want is unity at the expense of Truth. And since our two churches have different (often dramatically so) views on dogmatic matters, that creates obstacles which they and David B. Hart (see his essay here) seem stubbornly unwilling to address.
In short Fr. J and Mr. Hart are both wearing the same set of blinders. They are long on platitudes and short on substantive recommendations. When Owen the Ochlophobist asked Fr. J to name some of the carved in stone post-schism dogmas of the Roman Church he felt are negotiable Fr. J could not come up with a single one. While the dear father’s prayers for unity are much appreciated something a bit more concrete would also be helpful.
So I will ask Owen's question again; what Roman Catholic post-schism dogmatic definitions are negotiable? If there are none then we are back to square one which has already been described.
Unity can be obtained as soon as we Orthodox become Catholics, or Rome returns to Orthodoxy.
While we have held two councils post-schism that many Orthodox (including myself) consider OEcumenical, they did not dogmatize anything that should pose a severe problem for Rome. It is Rome's last fourteen claimed OEcumenical Councils which pose the near insurmountable barrier. This is especially true of the decrees of Vatican I whose definitions, as we Orthodox have repeated ad infinitum, are flatly inconsistent with the doctrine and ecclesiology of the Orthodox Church both pre and post-schism. Further the language of the decrees on Papal Supremacy and Universal Jurisdiction is so crystal clear and unambiguous as to remove any possible wiggle room for “doctrinal development.” In summary Orthodoxy does not require of Rome any assent to doctrine which she has not already claimed to agree to, while Rome demands total acquiescence to her post 1054 doctrinal innovations.
Even so I have opined in the past that there is a path forward, if Rome is willing to take the leap. I actually addressed this in a series of posts back on November 16 (here and here) and November 19 (here) of 2007. It was part of a multi party (and multi-blog) discussion on what might lead to restoration of communion.
I will spare everyone a lengthy reposting of my original articles and summarize them.
In a nutshell I believe the only path that has a reasonable chance at reconciliation is the one I have labeled "reset." Which is to say that Rome must de-dogmatize its post 1054 doctrinal additions and come to an OEcumenical Council ready to lay it all on the table for open discussion. This does not require as a precondition that Rome must abjure the Filioque or any of its other additions. But it does require that Rome must agree that no true OEcumenical Council has been held since the seventh (the last one agreed on by both East and West). The councils held since then could be treated as local synods of the Western Church and the "dogmas" promulgated would be understood as theologumena and the strongly held opinions of the Latin Church, that could then be debated by the Church as a whole.
As others have noted, there are surely some areas where we might be able to reach agreement. Most Orthodox would have little difficulty with coming to some sort of understanding on the doctrine of the Assumption. Many other points of difference might be resolvable. And then there are others where the odds are steeper than the slopes of Mt. Everest in winter (Vatican I). But I see no hope at all if Rome's position is "come, kneel, and kiss the Pope's ring and all will be forgiven."
In other words we need to start from where the breach occurred. Even if Rome agreed to this and such a council could be convened, it might well fail. Lyons and Florence did, though in fairness neither council was an attempt at a reset. But if a council were to have a chance it would only be if it were convened as the eighth OEcumenical Council, not the twenty-second. The question before us then is the same one I asked Mike Liccione back in ’07. Is Rome prepared to take this leap?
I think the answer must be negative as Mike implied in his reply (see the post of 19 November 2007). For Rome to do so would implicitly call into question her claim to being the One True Church. Effectively this still leaves us with what Owen has repeatedly stated must be the end product of any restored communion. One or the other of our churches must cease to be.
Montana City Job Apps
Name - check
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All personal web sites and passwords - DO WHAT???
Source
Address - check
SSN - check
References - check
All personal web sites and passwords - DO WHAT???
Source
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Royal Ascot
A Member of Parliament?In Britain this week they are holding the annual Royal Ascot horse racing. The Queen and most of the Royal Family show up for this and it's one of the last society functions that is still a very dress up affair. Officially the uber formal dress code only applies to the guests in the royal enclosure, but by long standing tradition everyone gets into the act. Ladies vie for who can wear the most eye catching attire and the most outlandish hats. And yes the men still wear formal morning dress with toppers.
Some scenes here.
And some notable hats from "Ladies Day" here and here.
The Future of Orthodoxy in America
A live video feed of the symposium at St. Vladamir's Seminary which begins at 7:30 PM Eastern (4:30 PM Pacific) today June 18 and continues through the 20th can be viewed here. Ancient Faith Radio Linked in the sidebar will also be posting audio podcasts.
Coptic Orthodox Converts Not Recognized in Egypt
An Egyptian Muslim converts to Christianity but the government will not recognize the act. He is currently suing the Egyptian government! This is a brave man and I would ask for prayers on his behalf. Christians in Egypt, of whom the non-Chalcedonian Copts are by far the largest group, face constant persecution and abuse.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Fr. Stephen Freeman writes on Divine Mercy & Justice
I strongly recommend his two posts on this subject which may be read here and here.
Please leave comments at Fr. Stephen's blog.
Please leave comments at Fr. Stephen's blog.
More knavery from the National Catholic Reporter
I have long since come to expect the worst from the pages of NCR. But even I am shocked at this blatant and openly heretical screed. The author's ignorance of church history and teachings is so appalling that it should be embarrassing even for this sorry publication. This is the sort of drivel one expects on some fundamentalist anti-Catholic website.
Update: Fr. Z has a post up on this with numerous comments.
Update: Fr. Z has a post up on this with numerous comments.
Monday, June 15, 2009
June 15th: Feast of the Great and Holy Prince Martyr Lazar of Serbia
Holy Prince Lazar pray for us, especially for your suffering children in Kosovo.
June 15th: Feast of Blessed Augustine of Hippo
Yes, he is an Orthodox saint.He wrote some things which are not generally accepted in Orthodoxy. But we commemorate him for his great spirituality. His confessions are still powerful reading.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Eastern Rite Catholic's and the Filioque
Perry Robinson has posted on Rome's forbearance (and lack thereof) with respect Eastern Catholics and the Filioque. My comment is here. Apologies in advance to my Catholic readers. Neither Perry nor I are members of the kumbaya club.
While I have great respect for the Roman Church as I have said on multiple occasions, that does not extend to restoring communion absent some fairly major doctrinal shifts on her part. Nor would I expect anything less from Rome than a demand for complete acquiescence to all of her post schism doctrines and dogmas as a precondition to restored communion. Which in a nutshell is why I believe we need to work on the things we can agree on (there are many) and stop trying to put all the water back in the reservoir a thousand years after the dam burst.
While I have great respect for the Roman Church as I have said on multiple occasions, that does not extend to restoring communion absent some fairly major doctrinal shifts on her part. Nor would I expect anything less from Rome than a demand for complete acquiescence to all of her post schism doctrines and dogmas as a precondition to restored communion. Which in a nutshell is why I believe we need to work on the things we can agree on (there are many) and stop trying to put all the water back in the reservoir a thousand years after the dam burst.
Jim Grant on printing money
This is a really good interview (two parts) on the consequences of printing money. Jim Grant is highly respected in the financial world. Some of this is a little jargon heavy, but I think even the layman can figure out his points.
On a side note posting may be thin over the next couple days as I am out of town visiting some friends. However, I do have internet access so I will be trying to check email etc. And finally thank you to the many people who emailed or posted birthday wishes to me. Your kind words and wishes were much appreciated.
Hat tip to Al over at Accrued Interest. Although I don't agree with him, Al has been a consistent and very articulate champion of the deflationist position. I would encourage anyone interested in getting a contrary opinion on the dangers of inflation to check out some of his postings on the subject at his web site linked above.
On a side note posting may be thin over the next couple days as I am out of town visiting some friends. However, I do have internet access so I will be trying to check email etc. And finally thank you to the many people who emailed or posted birthday wishes to me. Your kind words and wishes were much appreciated.
Hat tip to Al over at Accrued Interest. Although I don't agree with him, Al has been a consistent and very articulate champion of the deflationist position. I would encourage anyone interested in getting a contrary opinion on the dangers of inflation to check out some of his postings on the subject at his web site linked above.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Finland sends a priest to the European Parliament
I have mentioned in previous posts some disturbing goings on in the Finnish Orthodox Church. (here & here). Now there is an article in the New York Times about a Finnish Orthodox Priest who has been elected to the European Parliament. The Times notes that he has been suspended (though they do not use that term). But they also seem to have gone almost out of their way to avoid any discussion of what his positions are on political matters.
Indeed there is not a single political issue mentioned anywhere. I find it suspicious in the extreme that someone would write an entire article about an Orthodox priest elected as a European MP, taking note that his political affiliation is a left of center party and that the priest has been suspended, while declining to identify his position on any political issues. While much space is taken up with the good Father's opining that there is a long history dating to the days of the Empire of Orthodox clergy being involved in politics, not one sentence is devoted to explaining what his politics are.
Has Father Mitro sought election to public office in order to bear witness to Orthodox Christian moral values and spirituality in an environment that, I don't think would be unfair to characterize as a spiritual desert? Is he a missionary of God's Church to a body that seems to have forsaken God? For some reason my naturally cynical nature is telling me that if such were the case he would...
a) ...never have been elected in the first place.
and
b) If he were somehow elected the press (especially the Times) would either have ignored him or described him as a right wing extremist. I also strongly suspect that most of the other Euro MPs would have gone to great lengths to bar him from being seated in a body that is so notoriously anti-Christian that it has made repeated efforts to force the monks of Mt. Athos to permit women on the Holy Mountain and once refused to seat an elected MP who expressed as a matter of private religious belief that homosexual behavior was a sin.
All that said, I will forbear any judgment pending some clarification of his politics. But in the meantime you may color me highly skeptical.
Indeed there is not a single political issue mentioned anywhere. I find it suspicious in the extreme that someone would write an entire article about an Orthodox priest elected as a European MP, taking note that his political affiliation is a left of center party and that the priest has been suspended, while declining to identify his position on any political issues. While much space is taken up with the good Father's opining that there is a long history dating to the days of the Empire of Orthodox clergy being involved in politics, not one sentence is devoted to explaining what his politics are.
Has Father Mitro sought election to public office in order to bear witness to Orthodox Christian moral values and spirituality in an environment that, I don't think would be unfair to characterize as a spiritual desert? Is he a missionary of God's Church to a body that seems to have forsaken God? For some reason my naturally cynical nature is telling me that if such were the case he would...
a) ...never have been elected in the first place.
and
b) If he were somehow elected the press (especially the Times) would either have ignored him or described him as a right wing extremist. I also strongly suspect that most of the other Euro MPs would have gone to great lengths to bar him from being seated in a body that is so notoriously anti-Christian that it has made repeated efforts to force the monks of Mt. Athos to permit women on the Holy Mountain and once refused to seat an elected MP who expressed as a matter of private religious belief that homosexual behavior was a sin.
All that said, I will forbear any judgment pending some clarification of his politics. But in the meantime you may color me highly skeptical.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Happy Birthday
Happy 85th to former president G. H. W. Bush (the good one). He celebrated his birthday by skydiving (I am not kidding). Personally I have never seen the point in jumping out of a perfectly good airplane, but to each their own. I understand that the first time he did this it was not voluntary. His airplane had just been perforated with multiple holes courtesy of the Japanese and after parachuting into the pacific ocean he spent some time drifting around before a submarine rescued the future commander in chief.By happy coincidence it is also my own birthday. I however have no plans that involve anything more adventurous than taking advantage of a fast free Friday.
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