Bro

Josh. my e-mails to you keep getting bounced back. Wad up wid dat?!

All I got to say

is
Ben Stiller...Owen Wilson...Starsky & Hutch.

Oh hell, yeah!

Peace

At Long Last

On my first day of a new commuter route to work I noticed something very interesting. First, let me begin by saying that my old route consisted of taking the Red Line ìLî from Sheridan to Grand (southbound), and my new route consists of taking the Blue Line ìLî from Logan Square to Washington (southeast) and transferring to the Red Line and taking it to Grand (northbound). The directions are important, because I am beginning to believe that the whole spirituality aspect is related to this via the drastic class difference.

--A brief explanation of the classes. When I was taking the Red Line south to work we traveled through the Lakeview and Lincoln Park neighborhoods. For those not from around Chicago, here is an example of these neighborhoods: Last night I was looking through Chicago Magazine, and the average single family home was going for $1.2 million, condos -- $350,000. My new neighbor hood, (Logan Square) House ñ $400,000, condos ñ 190-250,000. I went from a very white collar, almost elitist neighborhood to a blue collar warm neighborhood. (I did live in Uptown, and it is a very cool mixÖbut alas, this essay is about the train.) Now with the transfer I, also, take the Red Line north. The northbound Red Line I saw the following stats in the magazine about one the neighborhoods service by the northbound Red Line ñ rent is down 175% since 1994, average house is $35,000. Quite a difference!

My observation is this, and any of you theologians out there please feel free to comment, the ìlowerî class people have a certain ease and peacefulness that the ìupperî class is missing. This is evidence by:

A. General disposition. The people of the Blue Line just seem more laid back, and calm. I have yet so see any one get upset because the train is full, or is running behind schedule. While on the southbound Red Line people were pushy and didnít seem to acknowledge anyone outside of their own little world ÖI say hi to people nowÖweird.

B. Tempo. This is the biggest difference, and this may just by my own goofed up interpretation (but it is my blog, so there!), but it is the use of the escalator. Now a day, everyone is relaxed and enjoys the ride, but if I were to go the old school escalator, people were running up it bumping into folks.

These are the two major differences between each commute, but, what, you are asking, is the point? Well, it is a personal feeling of spirituality that I feel on this new commute. The working class people I now commute with somehow are forcing me to reevaluate the world. I see families on the train who, as a family, make less money than I do, and are laughing and smiling. I have seen more hugs of this new commute than I did in the 2 years of the old route. I see tired eyes in the hotel maids and exhaustion in the construction workers eyes. I see pain and hurt, but I also see love. I am getting awakened to a new feeling. I have always been one to love, but I donít know, I feel Christís love. The people I am commuting with now are the ones he was speaking to, and I feel that. And they are the ones who listen to what he said. They are not distracted by their earthly woes, thrilled to be here today and to have people to share it with.

That is it. I am actually feeling community. Wow! That just occurred to me.

Peace!

Sorry

No subway spirituality today. I need to get something off my chest.

Our warmonger president doesn't get it. Listen up Mr. President.

Yes, I am fully confident that we can beat Sadam in a war (note: notice how this seems to be an issue between Sadam and 43?)
But get this 43...Sadam is an egomainiac. He would rather keep control of his country than face annialation from war. You see. He is a coward, and we have a chance for peace...albeit an unsteady one, but peace none the less. Why do you think all of our allies are against war...hmm?

One more point to ponder...we wanted access for arms inspectors. We got it. Now, if you decided to bomb him, well, there goes that. AND knowing that he probobably won't survive, dontcha think he will let all of what he does have go. Now how good will that turn our.

With all due respect Mr. President, Take a minute to think about all the repprecussions here. If we want to overthrow Sadam, I don't think war is the way, how can a steady new government be created out of chaos. Work from the inside. Collateral damage is not acceptable.

Peace

Coming Monday

I am posting this so I remember to post something I have wanted to talk about for a while now...Spirituality and the Subway

Turn the Other Cheek
Am I a coward because I believe this? I have never though so and now I have proof. A very good thing about the book I am now reading is Walter Wink has a great understanding of ancient Palestine. He explains how that phrase was interpreted. Here is a paraphrase.

ìIf anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also (Matt. 5:39b). Look at it like this. In ancient Palestine (especially the Jewish faith) using your left hand made you unclean. So, the only way to strike someone on their right cheek is to back hand them. The backhand was not intended to injure, but rather humiliate and insult. Jesus is obviously talking to the common peopleÖnotice strikes you! OkÖtime to physically try thisÖyou have just been backhanded, now turn your cheek. You can not be back handed again. Your nose is in the way! Thus, mocking, you couldnít do it right once let alone twice. Of course now your left cheek is wide open for a punch from the right handÖoh yeah, but I forgot to mentionÖYou only strike an equal with a fist. Now, a master would not want to establish equality with a slave, would he? ìBy turning the other cheek, the, the ëinferiorí is saying: ëIím a human being, just like you. I refuse to be humiliated any longer. I am your EQUAL. I am a child of God. I wonít take it anymore.îí

Well, Iíll be! Turning the other cheek is not to be a timid, cowardly act, but an act of defiance and power.

This begs to question, then, how do we go about turning the other cheek today, when the power is not master and slave like Jesusí example. I have been thinking about that, an example I have come up with is to use what you have as non-violent refusal to be humiliated. Wink gives a great example in the book:

[Again a paraphrase]
There was a boy who was constantly being bullied on the bus. This kid was a small skinny kid with few friends. The bully was, well, a bully. Anyway, the kid had constant sinusitis. (You know where I am going with this). Well, one day the bully was going approaching, and the sinusitis started acting us and the kid sneezed into his hand (after all he was polite). When the bully got there the kid stuck out his hand and said, ìI want to shake the hand of a true bully.î Needless to say, he didnít get his handshake, but he kept his lunch money.

That is all for today.

Peace.

untitled

I cry
Listening to the stories
I cry
Wondering if they are ok
I cry
For the missed anniversary brunch
I cry

I cry
Praying for peace
I cry
Praying for consolation
I cry
Praying for forgivness
I cry

I cry
wondering why
I cry
Knowing why
I cry
Saying we must forgive
I cry

Those who lost cried
Those who lost pray

105th floor
coughing
gasping
Dear one, I love you
fell, then...please?

Mommy where have you gone
Mommy go to the roof
Mommy POUND
Mommy

alone
nearby
others by my side?
alone

You were off duty
You were off at 7
You were to meet me
my love
I love you
I cry
still

Shopping for the ring
My baby boy
My one true love

I think it is time to go
I wish to be with you
my love
Camelot

9:59
Stunned
Silence
Frozen
Collapse
Tears
I Cry

Hold my hand
you can
Please
Pray
You survive
oh my
God
I cry
You Save

Fireball
Window
glass...get out
#2 secure
boom boom
falling apart

10 seconds
stop
frozen
down the stairs
Burying
Buried
help

Eye contact
Scream
Under the desk
...a knock on the wood
do you hear
help

Guardian Angels
Brian and Stanley
Bro

9:59 Gone

God
Thank yuo
Praise your name
Through all the difficulty
No matter what, You are there

Dear God
Peace
Peace
Let us learn
Know your will

Dear God
You cry
I Cry
with You

More on Peace

Check this article out. Very good.

What Drink Are You?

Trish has updated!!!!

Yes I know I am a jerk, but go and read the tragic tale of Danniella.

A lot to say

Still reading Walter Winkís The Powers that Be, and let me say what a great book.

The stuff I am now reading is so topical to our current situation, and has opened my eyesÖa lotÖ to the nature of violence. Rich is having a lively discussion about the anniversary of September 11. I have my own feelings about the matter, but that is a later discussion. What I am intending to do today (jeeze, this is sounding a lot like I actually know what I am talking about) is discuss the spiral of violence (many ideas come from my recent reading of Wink, but also have just been stewing in my head for a long while).

364 days ago unspeakable violence happened here on our nation in the form of a terrorist attack, killing about 3200 people. Leaving parents without children, children without parents, brothers from sisters, friends, loversÖall gone from this terrestrial sphere forever.

362 days ago, ìWar has been waged against us by stealth and deceit and murder.
This nation is peaceful, but fierce when stirred to anger. This conflict was begun on the timing and terms of others; it will end in a way and at an hour of our choosing.î

340 days ago the strongest military power in the world begins dropping bombs on a country already ravaged from 20 years of civil war.

The spiral of violence is something that I, as a Christian, have to try eradicate. We live in a society in which we are constantly looking for scapegoats (the Taliban, militias, Bobby wearing the wrong color shirt). But God is beyond finding scapegoat. God is a God of love and forgiveness. One of the interesting things I have read in this book has to do with the way we perceive Godís love for us. There is a constant human need for sacrifice (blood atonement), if you will, and through Jesusí death on the cross we have had our sins atoned for. But Wink goes on by paraphrasing Raymund Schwager, thus:

ìJesus ëhimself bore our sins in his body on the crossí (1 Pet. 2:24), not to reconcile God to us, as the blood atonement theory has it, but to reconcile us to God (2 Cor. 5:18). God has renounced any account of sins; no repayment is required or even possible. God is not a stern and inflexible magistrate but a loving parent. Why, then, was a redemptive act necessary? Because our resentment toward God and our will to kill leave us unable to turn to God. ëGod needs no reparation, but human beings must be extracted from their own prison if they are to be capable of accepting the pure gift of freely offered loveÖIt is not God who must be appeased, but humans who must be delivered from their hatredí of God.î

Ok. So what? Well, I believe that with God as the ultimate authority, it may be a good idea to follow his lead here. For eons, wars have been waged in the name of God. These wars have primarily been over interpretation of God, even though in many instances the God is the sameÖgo figure.

I am ramblingÖget to the point. Ok.

We do not need to propagate the spiral of violence. Instead we need to look at the causes, and see what is the truly Holy way to go about these issues. Do I have a suggestion on how to do this? No, all I can do is pray for peace and wisdom and patience amongst those who are making the decisions.

Side Bar

I witnessed the end part of what looked like a very serious accident this morning on the way to work. It was on Kedzie in between Logan and Albany. A convertible and a school bus. Please keep those involved in prayer. Also, thank God for the selfless souls who immediately ran to, and without worry for themselves pulled the drive of the convertible out of his car, because it was beginning to smoke.

Peace on the Earth

Wednesday Night

I just got this information from Tripp. Please try to make it.

September 11 Memorial Concert
Mozart's Requiem
Wednesday, September 11, 2002 8:00 p.m.
St Luke's Lutheran
1500 W. Belmont, Chicago

Saint Luke Festival Orchestra and Choir
Frank Stoldt, director

Generous patrons allow Saint Luke to offer
this concert to the public at no charge.
free parking - wheelchair access

Offered in memory of those who died
in thanksgiving for those who survived
in honor of those who served in the rescue and recovery

Peace

I am a Mis-information Maniac

I found this at Juliet's Blog:

"Mojosdailygrind has done a little research on the ol' Shakespeare quote below, and it seems that there might be an interesting hypermedia myth circulating about it's origin. I started looking around because a mystery man Bill left a message on my blog asking me where it came from. I looked at the play Julius Caesar, and I couldn't put my finger on this particular quote. Other sites attribute the quote directly to Caesar, however Mojo doesn't find the quote in any standard quotation books or databases.


"Mojo states that the quote 'appeared on the net sometime in October of last year. Perhaps a sign of the times and one more reason to be on guard for misinformation.'"

How fun to be a part of the mis-information highway!

Peace

A lot of Thoughts

"Beware the leader who bangs the drums of war
in order to whip the citizenry into a patriotic
fervor, for patriotism is indeed a double-edged
sword. It both emboldens the blood, just as it
narrows the mind.... And when the drums of war have
reached a fever pitch and the blood boils with hate
and the mind has closed, the leader will have no
need in seizing the rights of the citizenry.
Rather, the citizenry, infused with fear and blinded
with patriotism, will offer up all of their rights
unto the leader, and gladly so. How do I know?
For this is what I have done. And I am Caesar."
- William Shakespeare

I am not sure what this is from, but if anyone knowsÖplease share. Thanks Tripp for letting me steal this from you blog.

This fits along so perfectly with the book I am reading now, The Powers that Be by Walter Wink. I have just started it, but I think it is providence that I am reading it right now, as just in the first 2 chapters Mr. Wink has discussed stuff that has been on my mind a lot; Namely, my thought on pacifism.

I am come from a very hawkish family. My father was on his way to becoming career Navy before becoming ill. He served 2 tours in Viet-Nam. I have an enormous amount of respect for our Service People, both present and past.

But, I also, have a problem with violence. Mr. Wink discusses a myth of redemptive violence that permeates our culture, and he traces this back to the Babylonian creation story (very similar to the Egyptian storyÖa god looses a battle with another god and his corpse is spread on the Earth and is the seed of life). The basic gist of the redemptive violence myth is the old story of the good guy getting beat up and finally through the use his/her brute force kicks the bad guys butt. Well, what is wrong with this is pointed in the Genesis creation story. God, unlike the Babylonian gods, created the world, especially humans out of love, from the Earth. According to the Babylonian myth we are spawned of violence, and the Genesis story we are created from love.

Re-reading what I wrote it is pretty incoherent, but bear with meÖ.I am a very stream of consciousness writer, and this is how I think.

Oh boy! Lost my train of thoughÖlets move on shall weÖreason number 412 I have not gone back to school.

Mr. Wink quotes a theologian who also commentates on NPRÖhere is a paraphrase (I donít have the book in front of me), Thank God we didnít loose more people than we did [in the Gulf War]. Well, yes, I agree, but what about the 100,000 + Iraqis who died. If our God is a sovereign and all knowing and all powerful and LOVING God, wouldnít God grieve the loss of these children. If we truly are a Christian nation, shouldnít we show Godís love and leave the judgment to God.

Ok. Enough for today, my brain hurts.

Peace.

It is Finished

I am ofiicially moved.

More to come tomorrow, sorry, but I am actually busy at work.

New Art

This new picture is by my friend Robin's sister. A great singer/songwriter/artist named Heather Eatman.