ORTHODIXIE ... Southern, Orthodox, Convert, Etc.

Only in the late nineteenth century, when physicians began discussing sexual perversion as a medical rather than a moral problem in Latin treatises intended only for the learned and required a neutral, clinical term, was there a perceived need to refer to “homosexuality.” Moreover, it is not at all clear that the originators of the term had precisely in mind what is usually meant by “homosexuality” in contemporary parlance.

H E R E.
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The Feast of St Andrew, November 30th, is a big one in the Huneycutt house, primarily because it's my wife's birthday. BUT ... there's more. This past Monday, the 28th, we celebrated our 18th wedding anniversary which also involves St Andrew.

She was Baptist, I was a convert to Anglicanism. The first time we attended church together was in Valle Crucis. This beautiful village & Mission Center was a "home away from dorm" while in college. My friend, Jim, was the caretaker of the old Mission House for a couple years and I always loved the hilly splendour.

It so happened that the Sunday we visited church together, back in 1986, was St Andrew's Day. The priest, who later participated in our wedding, preached on St Andrew and how the town, Valle Crucis, got its name because the valley was shaped like an "X" ... like St Andrew's Cross.

A year later, two days prior to St Andrew's feast, we were married at the Church of the Holy Cross in the Valley of the Cross. This explains why his icon is tops in our family icon corner.

To all celebrating their name day today: Many Years!
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He calls himself an "abortionist" and says, "I am destroying life."

But he also feels he's giving life: He calls his patients "born again."

"When you end what the woman considers a disastrous pregnancy, she has literally been given her life back," he says.

Before giving up obstetrics in 1991, Harrison delivered 6,000 babies. Childbirth, he says, should be joyous; a woman should never consider it a punishment or an obligation.

"We try to make sure she doesn't ever feel guilty," he says, "for what she feels she has to do."

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Dr. William F. Harrison has forgotten how many children the woman had. He remembers she was poor and, most vividly, he remembers her response when a physician diagnosed her distended stomach as pregnancy.

"Oh, God, doctor," the woman said. "I was hoping it was cancer."

H E R E

H/T Drudge
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This is a Christmas tree.

It is not a Hanukkah bush, it is not Allah plant, it is not a Holiday hedge.

It is a Christmas tree.

Say it...Christmas, Christmas, Christmas

Taken from News Forum.

Friends, I confess, I'm already sick of the Merry Wars of Christmas ... and I've got almost a month to go!

If people are going to be so wired up, how 'bout preaching this:

This is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, who came into the world to save sinners ...

Unless you believe in Him, love your neighbor, forgive others, pray for your enemies, clothe the naked, feed the hungry, and visit those in prison,
you're probably going to Hell anyway ...

no matter what you call that big ol' $75 tree you just drug into your house and dandied up.

Oh, and by the way, please forgive me if I offended you (with the truth).

In the most ancient Christian traditions, this seasons is called Nativity Lent (or the "little Lent") and it is supposed to be a time of fasting, prayer and almsgiving. After this lengthy quiet time, Christmas is celebrated as a 12-day festival. Today, we have turned the season upside down — with Christmas marked by the mall and the church staggering along trying to catch up. Most celebrations are pretty much over by Dec. 20 or so and it’s time to move on to returning gifts and the parade of bowl games and NFL rituals.

More at GetReligion

The "between me and God' approach to religion is the best ploy yet attempted by the devil, since once a man has retreated into his own psyche, he abandons his best allies, the saints who otherwise stand as eloquent and stirring witnesses for all time of what is true, good, and noble. A man unaided by the whole Body of the Church through time is no match for the delights lyingly offered him by the devil.

The whole SCOOP.

JERUSALEM - The man enthroned last week as Greek Orthodox patriarch of Jerusalem signed a secret document obliging him to nullify the recent sale to Jewish groups of land comprising much of a key entrance to Jerusalem's Old City, and has allegedly made statements against Jews living in certain parts of Jerusalem, WorldNetDaily has learned.

A tad more (slanted, it seems).

So what's all this about CONFESSION anyway?
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Today's Severe Understatement Award goes to ...

The first openly gay Episcopal bishop said Thursday that unity in the Anglican Communion was being challenged by those who oppose the ordainment of gays and lesbians.

Ya think?

Actually, Bishop Robinson, it is the militant, in your face, pro-homosexual agenda of the past 20 years that has destroyed what remained of Anglican sanity unity.

Lord have mercy.
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Have pity on us right-wing neo-fundamentalist Opus Dei-style Catholics, the ones fully supportive of (to use a Mark Shea descriptor) Pope Monstro the Medieval One and the rush back to the Dark Ages. You see, Joe, many of us, whether we act out of fear or ignorance, animus or bigotry, would like to temper our aversion to “Gay Spirituality” (is it like Ignatian spirituality? Franciscan? Carmelite?), but we have had to face the fact that, alas, we have been born this way—born homophobes—and at any rate to ask us to be other than who we are and to suppress what gives our lives the most profound joy (i.e. promoting anti-gay policies, policies of hatred and exclusion) would be to limit our self-fulfillment in an intolerably intolerant manner. You seem to have attained a high degree of enlightenment, so I hope your spiritual universe is wide enough for more than one dogmatic position on the issue of homosexuality (i.e. that it’s swell, and all who disagree are WRONG!). All we ask is that you tolerate our diversity.

The above is a Comment in this discussion.


Let's pray for Madonna and for Tony Ciccone. Let's pray that one day she'll find the approval in her father's eyes...and in her Father's eyes. If the Material Girl ever finds herself in the Father's house, she'll find the true virginity she's mocked all along and she won't mind a Papa who preaches.

From H E R E.


Truong said he has been at the church day and night, so emotional he can't even work. He believes the tears are a sign.

"There's a big event in the future - earthquake, flood, a disease," Truong said. "We're very sad."

"I think that it's incredible. It's a miracle. Why is she doing it? Is it something bothering her?" asked Maria Vasquez, 35, who drove with her parents and three children from Stockton, about 50 miles south of Sacramento.

With the pic above & M O R E.
H/T News Forum


A GOVERNMENT agency is launching an inquiry into doctors’ reports that up to 50 babies a year are born alive after botched National Health Service abortions.

The investigation, by the Confidential Enquiry into Maternal and Child Health (CEMACH), comes amid growing unease among clinicians over a legal ambiguity that could see them being charged with infanticide.

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, which regulates methods of abortion, has also mounted its own investigation.

Its guidelines say that babies aborted after more than 21 weeks and six days of gestation should have their hearts stopped by an injection of potassium chloride before being delivered. In practice, few doctors are willing or able to perform the delicate procedure.

The S T O R Y.
H/T Drudge


On a much lighter note, here's one you may have missed over the holiday weekend.
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Former Canadian Minister Of Defence Asks Canadian Parliament To Hold Hearings On Relations With Alien "ET" Civilizations

On September 25, 2005, in a startling speech at the University of Toronto that caught the attention of mainstream newspapers and magazines, Paul Hellyer, Canada’s Defence Minister from 1963-67 under Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Prime Minister Lester Pearson, publicly stated: "UFOs, are as real as the airplanes that fly over your head."

Hellyer warned, "The United States military are preparing weapons which could be used against the aliens, and they could get us into an intergalactic war without us ever having any warning. He stated, "The Bush administration has finally agreed to let the military build a forward base on the moon, which will put them in a better position to keep track of the goings and comings of the visitors from space, and to shoot at them, if they so decide."

And, H E R E 'tis.
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LAWRENCE, Kan. - Todd Brabender remembers the December nearly 20 years ago when he and some University of Kansas friends gathered around a Christmas tree hanging upside-down from a water pipe in his apartment. It seemed like such a crazy idea then. But not anymore.

The centerpiece of holiday decorating is more often being inverted - hung from the ceiling or mounted bottom-up on the wall - by those looking to save space, more prominently display pricey ornaments or simply distinguish their Christmas tree from so many millions of others.

Hmmmm.

H/T New Forum
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Friday, November 25, 2005, will go down as one of the ugliest days in Christmas retail history. All over the nation fundamentalist Christians squared off with lukewarm and gutless shoppers and department store workers over what to say when buying electronics.

“I usually just say ‘Thank you’,” said Amanda Griffin of Springville, Arkansas. “But today I was held with my hands behind my back and tickled until I said ‘Merry Christmas’.” Griffin went on to say that, as a faithful Roman Catholic, her family had always gone to Midnight Mass on the 25th of December and that she felt November 25th was just too early to celebrate Christmas – particularly at Walmart. “I mean, don’t they have a church? And what’s with the tickling?” she said.

Ronnie Benson is another story. He and his buddies decided to party like the English and drink all night – at least until 4:00 am – and then run through the aisles of the Anderson City K-Mart shouting “Happy Ramahanakwansamas!” Yet, at approximately 4:35 am, he and his buddies realized that Mr Daniels, Mr Beam, and Uncle Earl would only allow them to yell, “Hippie Rams A Comin’ Round My [Bottom]” and other such nonsense. All three young men were known to be very much devoted to the previous day’s feast, Thanksgiving. The early shoppers in the K-Mart that time of morning, being brighter than your average Red Bull, just figured them to be drunk.

It was a different story in Pinellas Park, Florida, where certain troubled youth decided that since they no longer believed in Santa Claus, they couldn’t believe in Jesus. Figuring they were therefore now Jews, (yet, several of the males soon left the group after hearing of entry requirements) they picketed the local 7-Eleven shouting anti-Christian slogans while wearing yarmulkes and blowing on an old conk shell. Within hours, seemingly every single Jew in the area had denounced their actions – the Hindu shop-keep even pelted them with Egg Nog – and the teens were later found kneeling with a local evangelist and (re)accepting Santa in the parking lot.

Fran Buckner, of Tynee Castle, North Carolina, said that her friend, Reverend Doctor Ernie Earl, had told her that all of this was foretold in the Book of Revelations. “He saith, and I quote, that verily the days cometh and now are when the righteous shall be persecuted by those of lukewarm belief.” When reminded that the feast of Christmas is not mentioned in the Bible – much less extravagant spending, material lust and greed to celebrate Christ’s birth – this reporter was summarily kicked out of Tynee Castle with more than a few other words not found in Revelations.

Judging by the news wires and Internet, scenes like these were reportedly happening all over the nation: Red-hot Christians warring with Luke-warm Believers, and Fundamentalists refusing to pay for their goods if told “Happy Holidays.” In fact, in one small town in Texas, many Christians were seen happily sporting black eyes. It appears that Buddie Lee Good got tired of all the nonsense and decided to punch the right eye of anyone who so much as whispered “Merry Christmas” in his direction. When Stony Grove Light House Church found out about this, they woke up all their (350) members and ordered them go tell Buddie the Good News. Buddie, who runs the local Adult Bookstore, reported his best single day’s sales ever.

All in all, it was a day that shall go down in infamy. Many Christians are now not speaking to each other, some are nursing old and new wounds, several have been spotted burning their midnight purchases in their backyards (squinting through one good eye). That said, retailers around the nation are reporting their best Black Friday sales in U.S. history.

To all, "Happy Holidays!"
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During the past few weeks, an estimated 30 million people have viewed American Greetings' Thanksgiving turkey eCard featuring Gloria performing a parody of a familiar disco classic, making it the most popular eCard in American Greetings' history ...
Here.


The knife slipped easily through the gorgeous brown skin. But as I sliced deeper, the blade became wedged in the beast. I tugged as if trying to extract Excalibur. In desperation, I cracked open the breastbone in the manner of a heart surgeon. The bird didn't expel a geyser of fragrant warm steam, as expected -- just a puff of frosty air. The inside looked like a geode: pink, with glinting stalactites of ice jutting from the cavities.

Our guests sat motionless, jaws slack ...

Here's the rest.


Finally, happy birthday & many years to William F. Buckley!

Author of more than 4,000 columns, and still adding two a week; author of 47 books, 18 of them novels; host of the "Firing Line" television program for 34 years; a public speaker, often appearing in as many as 70 lectures and debates a year, for almost 50 years; ocean mariner; concert harpsichordist -- his energy reproaches the rest of us. Married to a woman who matches his mettle, his proposal to her, made when he called her away from a card game, went like this:

He: "Patricia, would you consider marriage with me?"

She: "Bill, I've been asked this question many times. To others I've said no. To you I say yes. Now may I please get back and finish my hand?"

Will with more.

H/T News Forum
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Found H E R E.


H/T Drudge
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It's as if we, the entire world, have looked around and having seen the state of things, we thus resign ourselves to being unable to change...unable to aspire to something higher and greater...rather we accept our unquenchable sexual appetite as being "natural" and then spend billions of dollars in developing ways to "fix" the damage we do to ourselves.

M O R E from James, the Sex Worker.



I heard this on the way to work the other day. Didn't quite know what to think.
Someone else did.



“Amy, did you hear about the American Girl company giving money to Girls, Inc? Supposedly they support abortion.” H E R E.



"The KU faculty has the humility to at least acknowledge that the vast majority of people on the planet are creationists of one stripe or the other, and that the vast majority of scientists throughout the ages were creationists of one stripe or the other, and that the Darwinian evolutionary theory is a relatively new theory that has been consistently criticized from the time it was promulgated (and continues to be promulgated more through political force rather than through scientific proof). Therefore, we will at least hold our tongues for a few extra moments before pronouncing Creationism as a 'myth' and thereby slandering most of the world's peoples -- living and dead -- as unenlightened children who believe in fairy tales."

Preceding paragraphs H E R E.
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With Walmart announcing that it's now "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas," some Christians are, to use the tired and over-used term: OUTRAGED. God love him, Pat's always peeved.

I heard a caller on a talk radio show say: "Christians should boycott these stores. If it weren't for our money at this time of year, they would go out of business." This is probably true.

But he goes on to say, "In the Bible, the Apostles don't talk a whole lot about Christmas. For them it was mostly all about Easter." He then went on to rant about Constantine introducing the Feast of Christmas. Poor Constantine, he gets blamed for almost as much as W.

Then, the Houston show host actually said, "Well, the Apostles also celebrated Christmas ..." That's when I had to turn off the noise. I shouldn't have been listening to it anyway, as I was on my way to church for the Feast of the Presentation of the Theotokos in the Temple. Wonder what they would say about that Feast?

I started to wonder if the caller had ever been to a Mass (as in Christ's-Mass). I doubted it. If that's so, why is he so upset about retailers not ushering in the joy of the Feast? Perhaps, as a friend used to posit, the malls and shopping centers have become the new Temples of the day. The shop-keep is the priest.

Oh, did I mention the caller actually compared retailers' not saying "Merry Christmas" to the persecutions against believers foretold in the Book of Revelation?

Gosh.

Last year I posted the common understanding of many about the origin of the Feast.

Here's another take on the origin of the Feast by the scholarly William Tighe.

I also wrote about becoming a Christmas Reactionary; the often unexpected "miracles" surrounding the Feast -- oh, here's a cute story. Then there was the article that got some good "air time" around the Blogosphere: Christmas & Culture.

But, ya know, when it comes to Santa, I can become like a child again.

I really don't want to get caught up in the Merry Wars of Christmas this year. If, as Frank Schaeffer says, we are to "work out our salvation selfishly," then I guess it's up to us to wish folks a Merry Christmas, not vice versa. Better yet, perhaps we should quietly prepare to enter into the Feast of the Incarnation of our Lord by prayer and fasting.

Ya think?
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FRENCH authorities are monitoring a retreat organised by a Queensland New Age guru, whose controversial philosophy has been linked to the deaths of three people.

Ellen Greve, who calls herself "Jasmuheen", promotes what they call Breatharian, spiritual cleansing by living on air and light alone.

The 48-year-old claims to have eaten nothing since 1993.

The Story.

In case you're curious, here's the Orthodox fasting regiment for this time of year:

The NATIVITY FAST is divided into two periods. The 1st period is November 15th through December 19th when the traditional fasting discipline (no meat, poultry, eggs, dairy, fish, wine and oil) is observed on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, but with katalysis for wine and oil on Tuesday and Thursday (some also permit fish on Tuesday and Thursday during this 1st period), and for fish, wine and oil on Saturday and Sunday. The 2nd period is December 20th through 24th when the traditional fasting discipline (no meat, poultry, eggs, dairy, fish, wine and oil) is observed Monday through Friday, but with katalysis for wine and oil on Saturday and Sunday.

Dispensation is often allowed for those celebrating the American Thanksgiving feast ... AND, come December 25th, there's a big Feast. I usually try "Jasmuheen's diet" once a year for only three days ... at the beginning of the Great Fast. (It's safer that way.)
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He's a much more patient man than I.

Then again, who isn't?

But I must confess, when I first read the title of this article, I thought the quarterback -- The Man -- for the Pittsburgh Steelers was now weighing in on Theology. Come to think of it, he could be chiming in from the sidelines.

As Big Winnie would say: Oh bother.

Anyway ...

I am far less interested in Intelligent Design than I am in simply asking questions about evolutionary theory. It seems to me one could be done with out the other, and, in fact, need to be. There is not one aspect of science which should go unquestioned, even by members of the unwashed such as me, and I am a little weary of questions about evolution — about evidence, in particular — being brushed off as the wishful thinking of creationists. They’re not.

It would be quite interesting for cultural permission to be given, as it were, for this particular dogma to be held up to scrutiny and for an honest discussion to be had about the explanatory power of evolutionary theory as well as its weaknesses, flaws and gaps — without anyone getting defensive. Impossible, but it’s sort of what I’m looking for.

Amy, she da man! (Or, well, you know what I mean.)
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As Lotz stood up to speak, caught up in what was a deeply stirring meeting, she put away her notes and said to the crowd, "Today, I just want to talk with you about Jesus." She did so, preaching for more than an hour.

A friend who was there told me that about half way through her message, many of the Anglican priests were muttering under their breath about a Baptist evangelist preaching too long at an Anglican meeting. By the end of her message, those same priests were on their knees, their faces in their hands, weeping with repentance.

The Story.


Church in Virginia joins Church in Uganda ...

A small Loudoun County church has become the first to formally sever ties with the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia over the national church's elevation of an openly gay bishop in 2003.

Ashey, the son of an Episcopal priest and the grandson of a major lay leader in Massachusetts, said the congregation has joined the Anglican Church of Uganda ...

More.
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I never liked Johnny Cash. Absolutely no plans to see the movie.
Am I an American?


Never, not once, have I liked a U2 song.
Am I a Christian?
H/T THUNDERSTRUCK


I've owned only 6 pair of blue jeans in my life.
Am I weird?


I've never put much stock in the words of the current Patriarch of Istanbul.
Is he Orthodox?

Just [kinda] kidding.
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H/T: Live Journal
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Two men were shipwrecked near an island. When they landed ashore, one of them began screaming and yelling, "We're going to die! We're going to die! There's no food! No water! We're going to die!"

The second man leaned calmly against a palm tree.

When the first man saw how calm his friend was, he went crazy and shouted, "Don't you understand?! We're going to die!!"Undisturbed, the second man replied, "You don't understand, I make $100,000 a week."

Dumbfounded, the first man looked at him and asked, "What difference does that make?!? We're on an island with no food and no water! We're going to DIE!!!"

The second man answered, "You just don't get it. I make $100,000 a week and I tithe ten percent on that $100,000 a week. Wherever I am, my pastor will be sure to find me!"

Thanks to FWD from Tim Gibson.
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He said in 1994 that when he became Supreme Governor of the Church of England, he would rather be "defender of faiths" than "defender of the faith".

"Right. Ok. So, all that time on Athos adds up to this?

As we were blushing from all the attention he paid to our Holy Mountain, we should have read up on the Prince's close friendship with (the once Orthodox) John Tavaner and the composer's views on "the trancendental unity of all religions" (taken from F. Schuon's and Philip Sherrard's writings).

Perhaps the next time he comes to Vatopedi the monks ought to pull out their copy of the Lives of the New Martyrs and give it to him as a gift, so the Prince can get a little fuller picture of his beloved Islam's tolerance."
-- Fr Peter Alban Heers

[Old news, sure, but worth noting.]

Prince Charles to plead Islam's cause to Bush
By Andrew Alderson, Chief Reporter
(Filed: 29/10/2005)

The Prince of Wales will try to persuade George W Bush and Americans of the merits of Islam this week because he thinks the United States has been too intolerant of the religion since September 11.

The Prince, who leaves on Tuesday for an eight-day tour of the US, has voiced private concerns over America's "confrontational" approach to Muslim countries and its failure to appreciate Islam's strengths.

The Prince also spoke of his sympathy for America after the terrorist attacks that claimed the lives of almost 3,000 people. He said he wanted to promote better relations between the different religions of the world.

Prince Charles, who is about to embark on his first official foreign tour since his marriage to the Duchess of Cornwall, wants Americans - including Mr Bush - to share his fondness for Islam. He has agreed to attend a seminar on religions at Georgetown University, Washington, on Thursday: the only event where he will not be accompanied by the Duchess.

More old news.
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In ‘Spain,’ we were told of long-term missionaries, and we were told we would be able to sample “an Arab Christian church.” I got all excited; I thought they meant an Arab Christian Church, not a Protestant church that happened to be in Arabic (and it was in Spanish, anyway!). The same vapid drivel that we coo at chapel was translated, and the folding chairs surrounding the guitarist with the Arabic Bibles casually placed under them reinforced the ‘cultural barrier’ idea I was developing.

Catechumen's Walk


"Wherever there's injustice, oppression, and suffering, America will show up six months late and bomb the country next to where it's happening."

(He he. Now come on now! That's funny, I don't care who you are.)

From P.J. O'Rourke's Peace Kills: America's Fun New Imperialism.

Stolen from The Writer's Almanac (11/14).
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Welcome readers of Southern Appeal!

Items of interest, things Southern:

Orthodoxy in Dixie,

Accent on the South,

TOP TEN: Southern Orthodox,

Rocket Launcher,

Cullyrock, and Cullyrock Responds.

I've added Southern Appeal to my blogroll.

I visit This Side of Glory every day. Yet it was only this morning that I realized I'd listed Grace's site as The Side of Glory for over a year now! Sorry!

I've also added Serge's Conservative Blog for Peace. Though we may differ on politics from time to time, he does a diligent and thorough job of covering the news. (Besides, he sends me lots of hits :)

Morning Coffee & Pontifications are also new to my side bar.

Again, welcome. Thanks for stopping by!
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Yes. I am a missionary; this is mission work. It's not the same as the great missionaries who went where there was no written language and tried to translate the Bible, living in a place for twenty years before they had one convert. I think of those people, and in comparison, what I'm doing is hard, but not as hard as other missionary endeavors around the world.

Going to Wheaton College, where there's a great emphasis on missions, I never pictured myself as a missionary. I'm laughing at myself, looking at the situation I'm in now. It's humbling—really humbling. We never know where God's going to take us.

More.

H/T THUNDERSTRUCK

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The title of the article:

One Woman's Choice:
After a Prenatal Test Shows Down Syndrome, A Wrenching Decision

"So when do you go for the abortion?'' my friend asked, her voice sympathetic.

"Wednesday,'' I replied, and then hurriedly got off the phone. I called Mike, my boyfriend, in tears, complaining about how inconsiderate people are, how no one thinks before they speak. The truth was, until I heard the word "abortion,'' it hadn't occurred to me that I was actually having one.

Later, one of my teammates suggested that I tell others I had a miscarriage.
"You never know how people will react,'' he said.

My mother, too, was a proponent of the miscarriage story. She told two of my brothers the truth; she told the third that I'd suddenly lost the baby. That brother's wife was a Catholic, and my mother was taking no chances.
"People are funny,'' she said.

I've heard the abortion debate my whole life, and while I was a newspaper reporter I had covered stories about clinic bombings and protests. I interviewed Randall Terry of Operation Rescue when I was in my twenties ...

The whole story.

H/T News Forum
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Delegates to the 55th National Council of Churches (NCC) General Assembly nominated an Orthodox bishop as president-elect and reconfirmed the need to strengthen ties with Orthodox churches within the Council.

Bishop Vicken Aykazian, a Turkish-born priest who represents the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America in Washington, was nominated on Tuesday - the first day of the Nov. 8-10 General Assembly in Hunt Valley, Md. If confirmed, he will serve for two years as president-elect and be automatically confirmed as president for the next term.

Also on Tuesday, former NCC president Rev. Leonid Kishkovsky of the Orthodox Church in America encouraged members to become “better acquainted with one another to avoid misrepresentation and miscommunication.

On the Antiochians' recent withdrawal from this group, the OCA rep said:

According to Kishkovsky, the Antiochian withdrawal was "particularly alarming to Orthodox" members of the Council because of fears their move "could have been dramatic in the lives of other Orthodox communions."

More.
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Out of the controversial debate pitting the theory of evolution against the theory of intelligent design has emerged a new theory, dumb design, which some experts believe may explain the televangelist Pat Robertson.

The theory of dumb design holds that human beings were designed by a superior being, but one who mysteriously designed certain humans in a particularly dumb way.

Please click here.

Uh, wait a minute, is He pointing at me?
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Conservative Episcopalians Warn Church That It Must Change Course or Face Split

In other news ...

Titanic Sinks!

The World is Round!

Apples Fall From Trees!

2 + 2 = 4
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The Sexual Revolution, abetted by the Pill and feminism, brought rage to sex; men and women remained opposites while attracting each other. They learned to overcome hostilities to take advantage of new possibilities. They worked out some of the kinks through rock and roll. Burning bras was both angry gesture and sexy signal. Women felt freer and men felt freer with them. But that had a downside, too.

"Funny thing about a woman's career -- the things you drop on the way up the ladder so you can move faster," muses Margo Channing. "Nothing is any good unless you can look up just before dinner or turn around in bed and there he is. Without that you're not a woman. You're something with a French provincial office, or a book full of clippings, but you're not a woman."

Review.
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JERUSALEM - Archaeologists digging at the purported biblical home of Goliath have unearthed a shard of pottery bearing an inscription of the Philistine's name, a find they claimed lends historical credence to the Bible's tale of David's battle with the giant.

While the discovery is not definitive evidence of Goliath's existence, it does support the Bible's depiction of life at the time the battle was supposed to have occurred, said Dr. Aren Maeir, a professor at Bar-Ilan University and director of the excavation.

Some scholars assert the story of David slaying the giant Goliath is a myth written down hundreds of years later. Maeir said finding the scraps lends historical credence to the biblical story.

Bigger story.

googlin'
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Rosa Parks just died and Reebok pronounces that black authenticity is represented by 50 Cent, who records works that have him and his guest artists saying: ''There's a problem, I'm a solve it, a n---- movin' around with a big --- revolver . . . You ---- with me, you see, I'll react like an animal, I tear you apart. If the masterpiece was murder, I'd major in art."

Then there is Tony Yayo, who raps, ''I'm in that brand new Range: when I pull up, kid, I turn your brains into red concrete stains. That's the beauty of gruesome violence."

African-Americans can no longer afford to coddle these people. The black czars of gutter hip-hop are the new house slaves. And Reebok's promotion of this material, along with Comcast and other media giants, is just as reprehensible.

M O R E .

H/T News Forum
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Menas was an Egyptian by birth and a soldier by profession. As a true Christian, he was not able to witness the abominable sacrificial offerings to the idols and left the army, the town, the people and everything else, and went to a deserted mountain, for it was easier for him to live among the wild beasts than with pagans. One day Menas clairvoyantly discerned a pagan celebration in the town of Cotynaeus. He descended into the town and openly declared his faith in Christ the Living God. He denounced idolatry and paganism as falsehood and darkness. Pyrrhus, eparch of that town, asked Menas who he was and where he was from. The saint replied: "My fatherland is Egypt, my name is Menas. I was an officer, but witnessing the worship of idols, I renounced your honors. I now come before you all to proclaim my Christ as the true God, that He may proclaim me as His servant in the Heavenly Kingdom." Hearing this, Pyrrhus subjected St Menas to severe tortures, and tortured him by various other means, and finally beheaded him with the sword. They threw his body into a fire so that Christians would not be able to retrieve it, but Christians recovered several parts of his body from the fire nonetheless. They reverently buried those remains, which were later transferred to Alexandria and buried there, where a church was built over them. St Menas suffered in about the year 304 and went to the Kingdom of Christ. He was and remains a great miracle-worker, both on earth and in heaven. Whoever glorifies St Menas and invokes his help with faith, receives his help. The saint has often appeared as a warrior on horseback, arriving to help the faithful or punish the unfaithful.

St Menas is commemorated on November 11th which, coincidentally this year, falls on Veteran's Day.

Apolytikion

With great valour of soul, thou didst strive in martyrdom, and having fought the good fight, O divine Great Martyr Menas, thou from Heaven hast received the gift of miracles; for God hath shown thee to the world as a worker of great signs, and He made thee our protector and a swift help in afflictions and ever-vigilant defence from harm.

Today is also the Feast of another warrior, St Martin of Tours.

St. Martin was a Roman soldier serving in France when he met a shivering beggar on a street. He cut his cloak in two and shared half with the poor man. That night, Jesus, wearing half of Martin’s cloak, appeared to him and said: “Martin is still only a catechumen, but has covered me with this garment.” Soon after this Martin presented himself for baptism. After his discharge from the military, he founded a monastery and was chosen as bishop of Tours in 371. He is the patron saint of soldiers. Let us ask St. Martin to pray on behalf of all our military personnel: may they discharge their duties with justice and courage; may they soon return safely home. On this Veterans’ Day let us also pray for all veterans and for the eternal rest of all who lost their lives in service of our country.
Taken from here.
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Or, why does the Orthodox Church have "closed communion?"




Of course, here's the Bear in question.
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LONDON --The wider Anglican Church would be a "more godly place" if it were to embrace homosexuals, the first openly gay Episcopal bishop said Saturday.

Robinson said his home state of New Hampshire in the United States "is the one place in the world where I am not the gay bishop. I'm just the bishop ... It is a wonderful feeling."

Here.
Caveat Lector: Here.

Does he ever have ANOTHER message? It is possible to preach or speak without talking about sexuality isn't it? Or am I missing something?

Listen ... he actually says sentences that lack heresy. Don't get me wrong. But I can't help but believe that there's a better message for those with prejudices than "Hey, I'm queer and here. Get used to it. Oh and, while you're at it ... Love me."

H/T Classical Anglican
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It could be that I'm the last person in Orthodox America to have read this [month old] article. Alas, on the assumption there may exist another, I post it

H E R E.

I've seen the article referenced numerous places. But sometimes you have to actually stop and, uh, smell the "flowers."
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“In this fascinating and sometimes magisterial guided exploration of an eighth-century hymn that is central to Lenten religious practice for the Eastern Orthodox, Mathewes-Green encourages her readers not only to examine but also to personally apply fundamental Christian concepts like repenting, understanding the nature of sin and experiencing God in prayer. A skilled interpreter of the theology and history of the Orthodox tradition, Mathewes-Green arranges the Great Canon of St. Andrew, bishop of Crete, into 40 readings accompanied by scriptural references, commentary, theological reflection and questions. Mathewes-Green, who has clearly done her scholarly homework, sets the stage by giving a brief overview of Andrew’s life and an abbreviated paraphrase of the life of St. Mary of Egypt. (This account of a female hermit’s meeting with a monk on a Lenten retreat is also read during the service of the Great Canon. This gem from the early church is alone worth the price of the book.) While some readers may be put off by Mathewes-Green’s apparent conviction that her denomination has preserved the soul of the early church while Western Christians have strayed, others will find her insights both evocative and provocative.”
—Publishers Weekly


Amazon
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Parents do not have a right to control when, where, and how their children are taught about sex. So rules the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

H/T: Deacon Raphael

This all stems from parental outrage over a survey given to 1st, 3rd, and 5th graders. Hello! Here's a sample:

Kids ages 7 through 10 were asked, for example, to rate the following activities according to how often they experienced the thought or emotion:

"Touching my private parts too much."

"Thinking about having sex."

"Thinking about touching other people's private parts."

"Thinking about sex when I don't want to."

"Washing myself because I feel dirty on the inside."

"Not trusting people because they might want sex."

"Getting scared or upset when I think about sex."

"Having sex feelings in my body."

"Can't stop thinking about sex."

"Getting upset when people talk about sex."

(Uh oh. At the time of this posting there's an unfortunate typo in the penultimate paragraph of the first page.)

But, here's the S T O R Y.
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THE Vatican has issued a stout defence of Charles Darwin, voicing strong criticism of Christian fundamentalists who reject his theory of evolution and interpret the biblical account of creation literally.

Cardinal Paul Poupard, head of the Pontifical Council for Culture, said the Genesis description of how God created the universe and Darwin's theory of evolution were "perfectly compatible" if the Bible were read correctly.

His statements were interpreted in Italy as a rejection of the "intelligent design" view, which says the universe is so complex that some higher being must have designed every detail.

H/T: News Forum
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The ruins of the church include a mosaic tile floor with inscriptions in ancient Greek containing a reference to "The God Jesus Christ" and could shed light on early Christian practices.

Thanks to James.

(Other than calling it the Book of Spells the Book of Revelations, it's a good read.)

Also, OrthodoxyToday.
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Our first camping trip in Texas was wonderful! I would say it was "cool," but that would be an imprecise term :)

Here's a few pics:
















Unlike Western North Carolina, we were the only vehicle on the road with a canoe atop. But when camping, don't leave home without it. (That's me, Basil, and Mary Catherine inspecting the rock.)












Roots anyone? Fabu!













We pretended this rock was the iceberg and we were the Titanic. Our story had a happier ending.


























Fall colors, Texas style. Guadalupe River State Park is about 30 miles north of San Antonio.














My two favorite daughters. Note: When levitating, use tree.

















Post-Halloween shopping added a new member to our family. This is Ben, Basil's brother.







The trip home. Seven reads to three. Life don't get no better.

:)
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God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea
And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs
And works His sovereign will.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy and shall break
In blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.

Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.


by William Cowper
Stolen from The Writer's Almanac.


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The rare Christian religious structure, possibly the largest church ever found here according to reports, was found during an Israel Archeological Association (IAA) excavation at the site, discovered thanks to the help of, among others, 60 prisoners who worked on the dig.

Found on the floor of the structure was an inscription written in Greek dedicating the monument to the Lord Jesus Christ. In addition to the dedication to Jesus, three other inscriptions were found on the mosaic floor.

One of them, the northernmost inscription on the mosaic, constituted a dedication to Gaianus, a military officer who contributed to the construction of the mosaic floor from his own funds. Another, the easternmost inscription, memorialized four Greek women. The last of the inscriptions, on the western side of the mosaic recalled a certain god-loving "Afektos."

H/T: News Forum
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It is my hope that Pope Benedict XVI will reflect on the example of Jesus, Mary and the early Christian women who lived the Gospel of inclusion and mutual service. Pope Benedict XVI could follow the example of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, and treat women as equals and partners, capable of reflecting fully the image of Christ. A good first step would be to open the priesthood to women, reminding us that women are equal symbols of the sacred. In addition, Pope Benedict could invite Catholic feminists to fill 50 percent of leadership roles in church institutions. If Pope Benedict XVI listens to women’s experiences, opens the priesthood to women and promotes women in decision-making positions, he will fan into flame a new Pentecost in our time.

More groaning available H E R E.


Rosary beads in hand, a dozen adults gathered on the floor at Dutchess Community College Tuesday to ask for "reparation of the sin of blasphemy."

With heads bowed, they knelt before the oil painting, "Magdalene Mourning Her Lover," which depicts Mary Magdalene holding a fallen Jesus Christ.

The controversial painting by Ecuadorean-born artist Hugo Bastidas is part of an art exhibit celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month at the college's Mildred I. Washington Gallery.

Participants in the vigil described the painting as an insult to the Christian faith.

More.

I wonder what they'll do about this ...

Da Vinci Code, the game

The games are timed to come out with the film, so we're expecting a spring 2006 release. They are being developed for this generation platforms.

The Da Vinci Code spent two years on the New York Times best-selling list. While not the best-written book, in my opinion, it was certainly full of twists and turns and had at its core a fairly radical thesis, envisioning a new relationship between Jesus and Mary Magdalene, turning current theology on its head.

Sigh ... here.

For those who were wondering about Ann Rice's reconciliation with the Catholic Church ...

The story opens in Egypt, to which Joseph the carpenter and his wife, Mary, fled after the birth of their son. After the death of the despot King Herod, they return to Israel, arriving in the village of Nazareth after a narrow escape in riot-torn Jerusalem.

Jesus is a bright boy devoted to his young mother, who is becoming aware, with some alarm, of supernatural powers that set him apart. He is frustrated by mysteries that surround him and the sense that his family is protecting him from dangers that he can't see.

NOTE ...

The greatest flaw is that Rice treats her subject so respectfully that his narration is staid. The lush imagery of her earlier works, dripping in sexuality and cruelty, is greatly diminished because of the youth of her narrator. If there are sequels (and she has said there will be), her savior chronicles will be better served by the evocative language that's her signature.

Oh my ... M O R E.

Immigrant Women Speak About Leaving the Church
One question was about the concept of original sin, which postulates that we are all born with the taint of Adam’s disobedience; it thrives among evangelical Christians — but with a difference. Catholicism colors original sin with a more sexual tint, casting Eve/woman in the role of temptress; the effect is to foster guilt and wield control. Born-agains, on the other hand, actually find it liberating to see themselves as flawed creatures who can’t help but drink, fight, lie and lust; past transgressions become a doorway that leads them to Christ, without whose love and intervention the sinner will spiral ever downward.

Mainly, I asked the women why they left the Catholic Church.

If you M U S T.


Nestled in the foothills of the Pyrenees in the Languedoc region of France, the tiny hamlet of Rennes-le-Chateau is being overwhelmed by camera-wielding tourists.

There was a time when you could drive up the narrow road that winds carefully to the village without passing another car. Nowadays, the odds are you'll be trailing a convoy of coaches crammed full of amateur historians.

All of which is a bit strange given that Rennes-le-Chateau is never actually mentioned in The Da Vinci Code. Where it is mentioned, though, is in The Holy Blood And The Holy Grail the book from which Dan Brown took many of his most controversial claims.

First published in 1982, it never enjoyed the same stratospheric success as The Da Vinci Code, but it still made the bestseller lists and caused a maelstrom of controversy among church figures.

The speculative conclusions reached in The Holy Blood And The Holy Grail are now well known, thanks to Mr Brown. What if Jesus wasn't killed on the cross? What if he actually went on to marry Mary Magdalene and have a child, descendents of whom could still be alive today?

Full story.


Talk about a stretch ...

What is evil anyway? The myths of the devil, a snare-layer existing apart from humans, are well established, from Lucifer to Satan to Cruella. Their legends promote the notion that we descendants of Eve are at the mercy of a wicked enemy whose attacks are from outside. When we personalize that enemy and identify it, we can launch a counter-attack. The battle is what our children enact tonight. Smashing pumpkins is a version of witch-burning; if we like such violence it is because it leaves us feeling purified. Nothing sanctifies the self like condemnation of the other.

Read how the above leads to, of course, G W B.

* A comment about Comments ... Due to busy-ness, I will be unable to approve Comments until Saturday. Sorry.
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"The President of the United States George Bush forbade the American Ambassador to Ukraine, John Herbst, to attend the Holy Protection Monastery in Kiev.

This was reported to correspondents of New Region by parishioners of St. Nicholas Church, which is found on the territory of the monastery.

The ambassador told the believers that the American leadership is unhappy with his visits to the monastery, which belongs to the "Moscow Church."

Earlier, Kievites regularly saw Herbst praying in the Nikolsky Church of the Holy Protection Monastery of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, where the American Ambassador even baptized his children.

We should be reminded that the Nikolsky Church is found close to the American Embassy to Ukraine."

From a FWD, taken from an article in Russian H E R E.


Commentary from a ROCOR protopriest, Fr Alexander Lebedeff:

Hey--look at that! Isn't that classic "Sergianism," with the State (this time ours) interfering in religious affairs and matters of conscience of believers?

Now, contrast that with a different note, from [the] ROCOR Bishop Agafangel (Odessa). On his site:

Bishop Agafangel reports that the same John Herbst, Ambassador of the United States to Ukraine, has been elected at the Diocesan Assembly of the Odessa diocese to be the lay representative of the Diocese at the All-Diasporan Council of the Church Abroad in San Francisco next year, as he is a parishioner of our Church in Malin.

Of course, seeing as how Ambassadors are in charge of CIA intelligence gathering (civil and military)--since the CIA bureau chief in the Embassy reports to the Ambassador--we have even more "Sergianist" overtones.

How can we then accuse the MP of KGB ties and close ties to the government, when we are electing our own high-ranking U.S. government officials with CIA connections to be delegates at our Church Councils?

Besides, if he attends the MP church in Kiev, how can he be elected as a delegate to the ROCOR Council?


Ah, yes. In the words of Winston Churchill, "Russia ... a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.” What happens when you add to the mix Orthodoxy & DC?

UPDATE: Here's the reply from Mr Herbst's daughter making its way 'round the Net ...


Dear Fr. Alexander and list members,

I am John Herbst's eldest daughter.

When I read the ridiculous article about my father that Fr. Alexander posted on this list this morning, my initial reaction was amusement. To what depths had this journalist sunk in order to get a "scoop?" Not even having spoken to my parents about it yet, I knew that none of it was true.

First, and most verifiably false, is the statement that I and my four siblings were baptized at Pokrovsky Monastir'. Being that I am 27 and my youngest brother is 13, none of us were baptized in Ukraine. We were all baptized in ROCOR churches in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and Lakewood, N.J. You can check the records if you'd like.

Second, whatever you think about the president, he doesn't give two hoots about where my family attends services. And even if President Bush really did care, my father is a successful diplomat who has served his country with aplomb for 25 years. He wouldn't risk his dignity or his career by kvetching to the babushki after the service.

So, I read the article, and laughed to myself, thinking "What garbage," and "Why on earth would they print such drivel?"

But then I continued to Father's comments below the article. I was shocked and disappointed. Shocked because, naively, I had not until this moment realized what malice and willful deceit had penetrated the current debate in our church. Disappointed, because I would have hoped that my father's service to our church during the Jericho takeover (due largely, by the way, to his status as a "high-ranking government official") would have accorded him a modicum of respect and some reprieve from vindictive and unsubstantiated attacks. At the very least, Father, couldn't you have tried to verify the story before posting it along with your implicit belief in its merit? My father would have been happy to answer your concerns.

Yes, my father was asked to serve as a representative of our parish in Malin. Yes, he, my mother, and my siblings who still live at home, attend that parish. They do often go to other (MP) churches, as Malin is several hours away from Kiev by car. There are many beautiful and historical churches in Kiev, and my family is of course taking advantage of the opportunity to visit them. However, they only commune in Malin. This does not diminish their membership in ROCOR. Again, I am surprised that I even have to explain this.

As for Pokrovsky Monastir', my entire family attended Nativity services there in January 2004. But last winter, during the elections, the sermons there became filled with such anti-American bile that my family understandably became uncomfortable. So they stopped going to Pokrovsky, and began attending services at other churches in Kiev during the weeks that they did not make it to Malin.

As far as the other comments go, I am reluctant to dignify them with a response. But, I am afraid that others will read them and believe them without question if I do not object. There is an allegation in your posting, Father, that my father shouldn't participate in the council because he works for the government. As a priest, you should know better than anyone that the Lord calls people to service not only in our churches and monasteries, but in other capacities as well. We don't all have the opportunity to shed our secular lives and seek refuge in the Church, but it doesn't diminish our ability or responsibility to participate in the life of ROCOR.

Fr. Alexander, if you knew my father, you would know that he is a thinking man of integrity, who values rational thought and discourse, who would rather uncover the truth through reason than malign another from afar, and who, beyond a shadow of a doubt, is capable of thoughtful and meaningful participation in the church's debate. If you had attempted to verify anything that you wrote or posted, you would have discovered these things.

On the issue of union, there can, of course, be rational disagreement. I hope that, in the future, the debate can proceed without baseless and irresponsible slander.

Forgive me for my boldness, Father, but I could not take your comments sitting down. I hope that I have clarified some things for you and for this list.

In Christ,
Masha Herbst
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(Plus, maybe he'll plug mine when the time comes :)
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Here's some pics from last night's All Saints Party at St George, Houston.





Basil, having seriously studied the iconography in the altar, as St Basil the Great.
















We just figured out Blue's Clues! We just figured out Blue's Clues! (Christina Salem as, you know who.)















The Huneycutts: [Mary] Catherine the Great, the Priest of Halloween Past, the Seamstress, Basil, and Peter (Helen) Pan.













St Catherine runs into a butterfly, her Dad, and the world's biggest Steeler fan (aka Fr John Salem).














Helen-Peter Pan & Mikie-the-Pirate of Salem.












A few more ...









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I wondered what was going on at Houston's Jewish Community Center last night. On our return from St George's All Saints Party, I noticed their parking lot was packed! Halloween? All Saints Party? Of course not!

This morning I saw the reader board:

David Klinghoffer

... just a couple miles from my house.

I'd have loved to have spoken with him about T H I S.
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