The Pageless Book

Photo Above by Steve Garry. Photo Below by Braden Kowitz.

Is it so strange to want to befriend those who disagree with and challenge my beliefs rigorously? I have no real good reason why, but I like atheists. I like how they think, how they look at the world, their honesty, and straight-forwardness. The first thing I think about when I hear that someone is an atheist is the enjoyment I will have debating with that person about religion and spirituality.

Many atheists might assume that someone like myself would want to debate as a means of converting them to my way of thinking. However, I’m not interested so much in changing their mind as I am in challenging their mind and being challenged in return. If either of us learn something in the process, then so much the better. It is this contest of the minds that ultimately pleases me - not winning or losing.

So, as a result of my healthy obsession with atheists, I often find myself writing about non-theistic thinking, browsing the atheist blogosphere, and chuckling at humorous jabs made about religion. I embrace their criticism, even though I don’t always agree with it, and try to keep the lines of communication open. Unfortunately, not everyone sees attempts of fellowship between their camps desirable.

That actually saddens me a great deal. I don’t think we need more harsh rhetoric between the religious and the non-religious - it betrays an insecurity on the part of both. Regardless of what an individual believes, if they take themselves too seriously, they come off as being fools or, worse still, tyrants. I don’t think I should have to suffer the mind of a tyrant, nor should anyone.

In contrast, it makes me very happy to see websites such as Friendly Atheist.com and Friendly Christian.com share banter and refer to each other’s articles on a regular basis. I want to see more of this, yet I’m not always entirely sure how to initiate it on my own site. I have the feeling that I might come off a little too eccentric to be taken seriously… although, to be honest, that hasn’t stopped me before.

Click on one link below.

written by John \\ tags: Atheism, Debate, Humor, Reason, Religion

Above Photo by Starbeard. Below Photo by Mamjodh. Final Photo by Virginie.

Today, I have planned a grand experiment! I’m going to start my first blogging meme. Sure, I’ve participated in blogging memes before, but never have I tried to be the cause of one. The theme of this meme? Choose ten people whom you would confer Sainthood on and what that person would be the patron saint of. As with all memes, you can be as serious or as humorous as you please. I personally plan to do a little of both. Here are my list of ten, in no particular order…

Eliphas Levi, Patron Saint of Occultism
If you are going to discuss the history of occultism in any serious manner, this man’s name is bound to come up. While he is not the first occultist, his contributions to occultism are numerous and historical. It was Levi who first married Qabalah, Gnosticism, Hermeticism, Rosicrucianism, and Alchemy into the single system of symbolism on which the Golden Dawn would later base their teachings.

Thomas Jefferson, Patron Saint of Democracy
Much of the thanks that people of all democratic nations is owed to this man, who played a pivotal role in crafting Democracy as we know it today. Although many of his views, such as the separation of Church and State, remain controversial, the character of the American political system exhibits the unmistakable mark of his genius.

Ralph Waldo Emerson, Patron Saint Spirituality

The words of this famous Unitarian minster still inspire his readers to look deep within themselves for spiritual sustenance. His writings are so influential that they are still read, quoted, and debated by Unitarian Universalists today. If I were to choose one person I wished to emulate as a minster, he would be my choice.

H.P. Lovecraft, Patron Saint of Horror
Everything is better with tentacles. Ancient sleeping demon threatening to enslave humanity? Needs tentacles. Bazaar extra dimensional aliens bent on world domination? Still needs tentacles. Angel food cake with strawberries and whipped cream? Tentacles; lots and lots of tentacles. And for this, we can thank the author H.P. Lovecraft.

Mahatma Gandhi, Patron Saint of Peace
Another man who I wish to emulate, Mahatma Gandhi changed the nature of protest and social change. The idea of non-violent protest was is so revolutionary, that it is hard to measure the impact that this man has had on our history. Would Dr. Martin Luther King have ended segregation without Gandhi as an inspiration? I’m not so sure. Would religious intolerance be a larger issue without his teachings? Of that, I am sure.

Albert Einstein, Patron Saint of Reason
For a young man who was bad at algebra, Albert Einstein more than over came this obstacle, becoming the most famous scientist in history. It is important, however, to realize that his fame was not just due to what he did within the confines of the scientific world, but also what he said and wrote during is life time. Einstein is one of my favorite people to quote when it comes to spirituality and religion, not because he was a rational theist, but because his words cut to the truth of any subject on which he cared to comment.

Timothy Leary, Patron Saint of Radical Change
Yet another giant of forward thinking, Leary is often dismissed due to his advocacy psychedelic drug use and radical ideas. I cannot, however, imagine my list of saints without him. His catch phrase, “Think For Yourself & Question Authority” is my personal mantra. For me, this man embodies the potential for radical social change.

Shel Sliverstein, Patron Saint of Humor
When I was seven, I received my first pair of glasses. Along with my glasses, I was given a copy of “Where The Sidewalk Ends.” I still have that book. It has played a large part in the development of my sense of humor, writing style, and common sense that I couldn’t imagine my life without it. Such a small thing can sometimes be the root of large changes.

Kurt Cobain, Patron Saint of Teenage Rebellion
What can I say? I’m a proud member of Generation X. Kurt Cobain embodied so much of what it means to me to be a teenager; the anger, anxiety, and angst. While many would say that his effect on American Culture is greatly exaggerated, I tend to disagree; the changes that his music have made are still being felt today.

Gary Gygax, Patron Saint of Games
Dungeons & Dragons have very much been on my mind since Gary Gygax’s death earlier this month. As I have said before about the game, I don’t know who I would be without D&D in my life. As such, if I had my choice for the Patron Saint of Games, Mr. Gygax would be it.

And now I’m going to tag Julian, Chalicechick, Dianne Sylvan, Bill Cecchini, Ms. Kitty, Tobeme, Hafidha Sofia, My Wife, Evan, Ms. Theologian, Elizabeth, and Shelby. I figure if half the people on this list choose to participate in this meme, it will be well on its way to becoming popular. Please tag three others at the end of your post. Keep it going strong!

Click on one link below.

written by John \\ tags: History, Humanity, Humor, Inspiration, Meme, Occult, Reason, Religion, Spirituality

Above Image by Sourabh Rath. Explosion Photo by Ed Schipul. Stop Sign Photo by Peter Kaminski.

There are two types of cosmic events in every life; BOOM-woah moments and BLAH-meh moments. It is the interplay of these two moments that determine the quality of your life. The more time you spend in BOOM-woah moments, the higher the likelihood of success and happiness. Conversely, if you spend the majority of your time in BLAH-meh moments, you are more likely to be a boring and depressing schmuck. As such, to ensure that you live your life to the fullest, it only makes sense to maximize BOOM-woah and minimize BLAH-meh.

Makes perfect sense, doesn’t it? Well then, there isn’t much more for us to discuss, is there? That is unless you have no bloody idea as to the meaning of BOOM-woah or BLAH-meh, in which case you probably look as puzzled as an alien abduction victim that just walked in on an episode of Good Times. Don’t fret - I intend on making this as clear as mud for you.

BOOM-woah

The first half of our dysfunctional metaphor, BOOM-woah, refers to sudden moments of intense wonder. These moments can be observed through the manifestation of certain behaviors, such as crying while laughing, serene peaceful smiles, or shouting “YIPPEE!” in a crowded public restroom… just after the lights went out. It feels really good, but this is a sudden good, so it’s like “BOOM” and all you can say is “woah” like a Keanu Reeves bobble-head. When someone talks about finding Christ, Nirvana, or Jimmy Hoffa, this is what their talking about.

But this doesn’t have to be just about religion! You don’t need to believe in a great bearded man in the sky to have BOOM-woah moments. Carl Sagan, an astronomer and modern philosopher, didn’t believe in a God, yet had BOOM-woah moments all the time. He was just in awe of the beauty and immensity of the vast stretches of emptiness we call late night television, er, I mean space. Those moments when it struck him like a gong that we are just little bits of improbable dust in such very large place are valid BOOM-woah moments.

BLAH-meh

On the other hand, BLAH-meh refers to ongoing moments of intense boredom and indifference. It is like when a cold brussel sprout falls into your salmon flavored gelatin - this is serious apathy. Again, BLAH-meh moments can be observed through the behavior of those experiencing BLAH-meh moments, or rather through their lack of behavior. Whether it be the forlorn sigh, the downwards stare, or the curious abundance of “Office Space” paraphernalia in a temp’s cubical, it can be fairly easy to spot someone who is experiencing a BLAH-meh moment. When someone grumbles about Monday, the lousy local sports team, or their last colonoscopy performed by sea urchin, you can be relatively sure that they are having a BLAH-meh moment.

But this doesn’t have to be just about the medical practices of echinoids! Everyone has BLAH-meh experiences, whether it be on Monday morning or on their Wedding night (woe to he who admits that to his wife). If you have too many BLAH-meh moments, however, you become a schmuck and suck the life out of everyone else around you. You’ll be like “BLAH,” and everyone else will emit a hoarse “meh,” and you’ll morph into a wrinkle of Jewish foreskin. I swear to God, I’ve seen it happen! Just take a good long look at Rush Limbaugh, and tell me you don’t see wrinkled Jewish foreskin.

BLAH-woah & BOOM-meh

These lesser known events, while not as cosmic or universal as BOOM-woah or BLAH-meh, are worth mentioning. BLAH-woah occurs in instances when you are truly amazed at how bland and worthless a moment turned out to be. It is more of a philosophical BLAH-meh. While many attribute the writings of Friedrich Nietzsche to his constant illness and struggle to find meaning in his life, I prefer to look at his observations as a series of BLAH-woah moments. They make more sense that way. Conversely, BOOM-meh is the sudden onset of indifference. It is like going to the theater to watch an Academy Award winning movie only to discover that they are only showing “Ishtar” instead.

Now that you understand what BOOM-woah and BLAH-meh are about, you can apply it to your own life, knowing that these two attend as beacons guiding your ship away from shallow waters, and straight towards the light house. May the wisdom of BOOM-woah and BLAH-meh serve you well.

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written by John \\ tags: God, Humor, Life, Meme, Religion

Image Above Heavily Modified Image From Photo by Stefan Kloo. Anime Image by Exiliados del Olimpo. Cereal Photo by Pam Beesley. Bottom Image by Stefan Kloo.

Now, I haven’t actually paid much attention to the rise and fall of cults in the recent years, if only because they all seem to be variations on similar themes. You know the qualities all cults have - charismatic leader, mind control substances, strange ritual, aliens, secrets, and tentacles. All religions should have tentacles, but that’s besides the point; it’s the same thing rehashed over and over again.

Well, I am just sick of the lack of imagination these people have. Where do these cult leaders get off claiming to be God incarnate if they can’t even come up with something original! If you have to be completely off your rocker, at least be creative about it - makes for better headlines.

As a free service to you, my impressionable would-be cult leaders, I am going to provide you with some great *original* ideas for your very own small secretive religious society. Keep in mind that milage may vary depending on the social demographic you might be targeting; there are no kangaroos in Ireland and most Americans fail to understand British humor. Also remember that this is not meant to be a definitive list, but rather the seeds of inspiration.

Anime-Based Cults

I truly don’t understand why no one has thought of this before; the following of Japanese animation is so fanatical that they almost qualify as a cult even without a leader. Rituals usually involve school girls with improbable hair colors worshiping large mean-looking robots or being kidnaped by demons. The best mind control substances available for an Anime Based Cult is Japanese animation. If you hunt down the right type of Anime, tentacles come included!

Mascot-Based Cults

We have all heard of various snake or spider based cults. While these mascot-based cults have become all too common, I don’t think this means that a mascot is out of the question. There has never been a kangaroo based cult, a platypus based cult, or a giraffe based cult, to the best of my knowledge. If you have problems envisioning such a cult, do yourself a favor and watch Conan: The Barbarian; any time you see a snake, mentally replace it with a kangaroo. Still not convinced? Suggest the same thing to an Australian friend and watch them freak-out.

Breakfast Cereal Character Cults

Did you ever think that spiritual enlightenment might be as close as your pantry? With the likes of Toucan Sam, Tony the Tiger, and Captain Crunch serving as saints, your following could grow exponentially in just a short period of time. Of course, your new found underlings would have to be home before dark, but this is a small price to pay. Again, mind control substances are built into this cult in the form of the repetitive mindless commercials and sugary breakfast cereals.

50’s, 60’s and 70’s Sitcom Cults

Some things just get better with age, like wine, cheese, and Barbara Eden in a skimpy genie costume. Why not create a cult centered around wisdom and doctrine as taught by Dick Van Dyke or utilize the moral workings of the Brady Bunch. Scripts could serve as your holy texts and actors could serve as your saints! Who wouldn’t want to bow before a statue of Lucille Ball? You may even be so bold as to focus on one or two 80’s sitcoms, but I advise you not to try to incorporate Seinfeld into your cult; one already exists and they are more fanatical than the Soup Nazi.

Kitch Cults

If you ever worn spandex biker shorts, a leopard print shirt/blouse, with leg-warmers, you may be interested in starting a kitch cult. Your bad taste in fashion, art, music, and decor need not be silent any longer! Hot pink faux leather flamingos wearing cheep sun-glasses serve as your angels. Above your altar is the image of The King on black velvet under a black light. You and your followers can meditate to the lyrical musings of Devo and They Might Be Giants, while pondering the significance of the life, death, and rebirth of tie-dye t-shirts. Yes, it is grand to be a member of a kitch cult! Your rituals would involve sacrifices of plaid golfing pants, pastel suits, and ridiculously large gold earrings. Bowling night would be sacrosanct, and limericks should be sung in honor of used car salesmen.

As I had noted above, these are just a few ideas. In no way should this list be considered complete, and you are encouraged to come up with your own inspiration for your new cult. Do you think your cult is the most unique? Well, then tell me about it! If I like the snake oil you’re selling, I might even join. But remember - and do take this seriously - to include tentacles in the design of your cult, lest you want to become ambrosia for the Great Old Ones when they finally awaken.

Click on one link below.

written by John \\ tags: Art, Humor, Religion, Ritual, Worship

Image Above by Jordan Stilist. Gonzo Photo by Fernando de Sousa. Penguin Image by Mark Lewis.

A little under a month ago I had written an article about humor and spirituality entitled “Religion: Not A Laughing Matter - Or Is It?” At the end of the article, I posed the question of how humor could be incorporated into worship. I honestly couldn’t think of any practical way of accomplishing this myself, so I asked my readers to give me suggestions. I was hoping for more of a response than what I received, but blogging rarely works out exactly the way you planned.

Ah well. The point was to try to spring board off of the creativity of my readers, which I’m able to do from the suggestions of Seth Pickens and Shelby Meyerhoff. My thanks to both of you. Lets start the list with their suggestions…

• Spontaneous Laughter - Imagine a minister stepping up to the pulpit and begin laughing, with seemingly no reason. This minister then tries to encourage her congregation into laughing with her. Kind of hard to imagine, right? Well, not really… remember that laughter is contagious. It may seem fictitious at first, but there seems to be a tipping point at which forced laughter becomes genuine. Of course, this isn’t something that should be done every Sunday, but for that one special Sunday your church could be filled with cleansing laughter. This tip was provided by Seth Pickens.
• Humorous Illustrations - I don’t know about the rest of you, but the first thing I go for when I read the local paper is the cartoon section. Maybe I just never grew up, but a little laughter always makes the rest of the news paper a little easier to read. Using a humorous cartoon or illustration that is related to the sermon topic is a good means of easing into heavier topics. This suggestion was given by Shelby Meyerhoff.
• Self Deprecating Humor - Sometimes a congregation needs reminding by their minister that she is human as well. Being able to frame your own short comings in humor isn’t always an easy task and, as with all of these suggestions, can be over used. However, a person anecdote in which you place yourself as the butt of the joke can be both illuminating and endearing.
• Children at the Pulpit - Is there no lesson that children cannot teach us? Aside from unintentional humor, which is the hallmark of any good Christmas Pageant, the way in which children see the world around them does not only provide practical wisdom, but can also be pretty darn funny. Can children run an entire service? Not without help. I think it is safe to say that a service written and given by children would be unlike any service you’ve ever seen before.
• New Twist On Old Stories - Don’t be afraid to add a humorous twist to a familiar story - it catches people off guard. However relevant the story is, if the congregation had heard it before, the message of the story will not register. By adding that unexpected twist, not only do you get them to chuckle, but you get their attention as well.
• Pop-Culture References - I’ve come to the realization that pop-culture exists only to keep comedians employed. Why not take a page from their play-book and put it to good use at church? Not only will you seem more topical and interesting as a minister, but using current events or trends as your examples makes your message more relevant to your listeners. And, of course, there is the added bonus of getting paid to make fun of pop-culture.
• Quote Comedians - Most of comedy these days are not made up of joke or running gags, but rather are stories that end in an absurd moment. Stories can always be used to demonstrate a message in a sermon, so why not use comedic quotes in your service? The work is done for you, all that you need to do is frame the story with a moral or lesson.

I hope you find these suggestions inspirational. I know of a couple I plan on bringing up in my next worship associates meeting. Perhaps we can begin a service with a quote from The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy… hrm.

Click on one link below.

written by John \\ tags: Current Events, Humor, Inspiration, Religion, Spirituality

It rarely pays to be presumptuous, but today I’m feeling a bit cocky, so I’m going to let down my guard. For the shear pleasure of my ego, I’m going to point out articles posted on the blogs I have read recently that I believe have been influenced by yours truly. Shortly after, I’m sure I will be swiftly and mercilessly corrected, but for a brief moment my self esteem will have thrown a small party for itself. Let’s commence with the foolishness, shall we?

Rev. Dan Harper, from Yet Another Unitarian Universalist has written an absolutely silly article concerning the true nature of happiness. Was he influenced by the mightiness of my humor article? Why, of course, Rev. Harper is my minion now! He’s quoting a British comedy series in one of his future sermons. A college educated man couldn’t possibly be brilliant enough to think of that on is own!

uuMomma pointed out an article regarding a new UU minister who has - get this - tattoos! Now, I can’t claim to have direct influence over someone I don’t even know, and I will have to admit that this article was printed before I had written my Tattooed Minister article, but you’ve got to love the synchronicity. I’d like to think it is a result of my pervasive cosmic psychic abilities, working beyond the limits of space-time - however unlikely that may be. In all seriousness, Rev. Eliza Galaher is an inspiration and I highly recommend reading her story.

Jeff, from Transient and Permanent, covered a subject that I’ve traversed in the past and wrote a piece on ReligiousTolerance.org. If you don’t remember, the precursor to my Site In Focus feature was Religious Tolerance Website Death Match, which had a long name but a short life of only two posts. My article on ReligiousTolerance.org is not as good as Jeff’s, but I am still proud that I provided him with the idea. I did… didn’t I?

Finally, Steve Caldwell from Liberal Faith Development was probably taking he cue from me when he wrote an article about Unitarian Universalism being noticed outside of the UU blogosphere. Yes, I know my recent attempts at drawing more traffic into the UU blog community has Steve in admiration of me. That’s okay - I’m a humble man who is not above being looked up to.

Thank you all for your sincerest form of flattery. I feel like a proud father… one that is senile and confused, but a proud father none-the-less. Now let’s please commence with deflation of my ego.
Photo above by Guiri R. Reyes.

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written by John \\ tags: Blogging, Humor, Religious Tolerance, Unitarian Universalism

Laughing Baby Photo by Kyle Flood. Laughing Buddha Photo by Jason Gulledge.

Humor is essential to spirituality. Nothing else in the human experience can disarm the defensive, ease the worries of the stressed, or heal us as holistically as humor. Yet, in Western culture, laughter is considered offensive to religion - a mockery of its solemn nature. How did we come to believe that God is a humorless jerk? I personally think that this reflects on humans more that it reflects on God.

Because religions of our culture are overly concerned with death and judgment, we have a tendency to take religion too seriously. Religion is nothing more than the collected wisdom of how life is best lived. Spirituality is nothing less than sincere appreciation of life. Living life with humor is wise, and laughter for the joy that life provides is genuine gratitude. Inviting humor and laughter into your religious life is not weakness of faith, but rather a testament to its strength.

The inability to laugh at yourself betray a tragic flaw that alienates you from others. By taking yourself too seriously, you may lose touch with the virtue of humility and become motivated to act solely in the interest of saving face. The hubris that results tempts you to make more mistakes in judgment for which you might answer with further arrogance, leading you deeper into your own self-righteous foolishness. This is one of the problems faced by religion today in our culture - the unwillingness to laugh at their own mistakes has caused religious institutions to become increasingly defensive. New religious movements should take notice; even non-theists would do well not to take themselves too seriously.

How does someone incorporate humor into worship? Despite all the virtues of good humor that I can think of, I have difficulty imagining a worship service based on humor. There are obvious ways in which humor might be destructive in a religious setting, but few ways in with it is commonly used to enhance a worship service. Sarcasm, which originates form a Greek work meaning “to rend flesh” is a fine example of humor that would be better left outside the church walls. I struggle to think of a single type of humor to serve as an example opposite of sarcasm. Yet I cannot believe that the same God that endowed us with a sense of humor intended that we forgo its use.

This is why I ask you, my readership, to help me bring together a list of ways which to incorporate tasteful humor into spiritual practice and religious services. If you have an idea, please share it in the comments of this article. No idea is too small or too ridiculous. When enough material has been generated, I will edit your comments into a list of techniques for individual practice and for communal worship. As always, proper credit will be given to each person who contributes, and contributors with blogs can expect a link within the article.

I look forward to hearing your ideas.
Namaste.

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written by John \\ tags: Faith, God, Humor, Religion, Spirituality

“Humor distorts nothing, and only false gods are laughed off their earthly pedestals.”
- Agnes Repplier (1855 - 1950)

Psst. Hey pal. Yes, you! … Do you have a sense of humor? Are you sure? Not everyone has the chutzpah to laugh about religion. Even fewer are the brave men and women who make laughing about religion into a religion. I’m not just talking about a parody of a religion, but a religion that is a parody of a religion of a parody of a real religion. So would that be a real religion, you ask? Well, if you don’t know, then you are already apart of the joke.

As of right now, there are three religious parody religions in existence; Discordianism, The Church of The SubGenius, and Pastafarianism. Each of these three religions have several important similarities. First, it is important to note that all three religions hold a great debt to Al Gore, whom you all know created the series of tubes otherwise called the internets; Gore is cut a check every second Tuesday of the month for his contribution. Second is the fact that each of these religions get proportionately funnier as the jokes age, unlike stale 80’s comedies, which were probably never funny having all been written by Chevy Chase and Steve Martin - but I digress. Finally, there is the astonishing coincidence that all three religious parody religions existed at the time this article was written, which of course is the hallmark of any true religion. Any other religious parody religions are false, heretical, and probably not as funny as the before mentioned three.

Discordianism, the oldest of these three religions, originated in the early 1970’s and was first popularized by the late Robert Anton Wilson when he wrote about it in his Illuminatus trilogy. The Principia Discordia, the holy book of this religion, has been described as a postmodern treaties on Zen Buddhism, a revival of an ancient Greek Chaos mystery cult, and ‘the hell if I know, now leave me alone.’ It is written by the prophet Malaclypse the Younger in the 1950’s, after having been exposed to an exploding chimpanzee at a all-night bowling alley frozen in time/space. He and his fellow prophet, Omar Ravenhurst, founded this religion based upon the worship of Eris, the Goddess of Discord, which would later grow to become the hidden power behind every U.S. Presidency since Benjamin Harrison, fnord.

The Church of the SubGenius is considered to be an off-shoot of Discordianism and is centered around the worship of J.R. “Bob” Dobbs as well as the acquisition of slack. Currently headed up by it’s founder, Rev. Ivan Stang, the Church is seems to be lampoon of fundamentalist Christianity and Scientology drowned in copious amounts of 1950’s kitch. Don’t let the appearances fool you - The Church of the SubGenius is a genuine religion, complete with extensive tithing, alien space ships, and a mail order ministry ordination. Get your slack while it’s still hot.

The newest of these three religious parody religions is Pastafarianism, which emerged in 2005. Also known as the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, Pastafarians believe that the ultimate creator of the universe is a… Flying Spaghetti Monster. They also believe strongly that global warming, earthquakes, hurricanes, and other natural disasters are directly related to the falling number of pirates since the 1800’s. This is due to the fact that the Flying Spaghetti Monster is angered that pirates are going extinct and is exacting revenge on earth for the falling number of his chosen people.

Regardless of which of these three religions you adhere to, you can rest assured that your beliefs will not be scoffed or laughed at by those who can’t take a joke… Then again, they don’t laugh at much of anything, so these greyfaces deserve the slackless, stale-beer hell that’s reserved for them. RAmen.

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written by John \\ tags: Buddhism, Christian, God, Humor, Ministry, Religion, Reviews

Yet again, I find myself tagged for a blogging meme; the “One Book Meme.” This time, I was tagged by Jerome from Under A Violet Sun… which means I can get back at the person who tagged me last time, as well as annoy a few other folks who leave me comments! I’ll also take this opportunity to link those books to Amazon through my associates account. If my list inspires you to buy, please consider doing so through my website. Let’s get this party underway, shall we?

One book that changed my life.
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. Not only did this book introduce me to critical analysis of literature, but also opened my eyes to the depth of other religions. If it weren’t for this book, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

One book that I’ve read more than once.
The Spiral Dance by Starhawk. While criticized for being too political, I have to admit this book also had a positive impact on me. I like the poetic and social approach she has in regards to spirituality.

One book I’d want on a desert island.
SAS Survival Handbook by John Lofty Wiseman. No, I’ve never read this book. Yes, I’m being facetious.

One books that made me laugh.
Amphigorey by Edward Gorey. This was given to me by my brother-in-law for Christmas. We share the same, sick sense of humor. The humor isn’t always immediately obvious, and Edward Gorey’s style takes a some getting used to, but I find this book extremely rewarding.

One book that made me cry.
Nothing that I’ve read has ever really made me cry. That isn’t to say that I never read sad books, just that books don’t make me cry. I guess I’m a bit strange in that respect.

One book that I wish had been written.
My Eight Years by President Al Gore. I know I’m making a political statement in saying that, but it is the only thing that came to my mind. I think this country and the world would be a better place right now if he had taken the White House.

One book that I wish had never been written.
Mein Kampf by Adolf Hitler. Do I really need to explain this one?

One books I’m currently reading.
The Language of God by Francis S. Collins. I plan on doing a review on this book, once I’m finished. I don’t agree with everything that Dr. Collins says in this book, but I am enjoying it.

One book I’ve been meaning to read.
The Christian Bible. If I’m going to be a Minister, I should at least read it once front to back. The problem is working up the will power to trudge through it. The genealogies and laws are probably the hardest part of the book to appreciate… they slow the whole narrative down.

Now I must tag five people: Cathy, Hafidha Sofia, Julian, Kelly, and Ms. Kitty.

Above photo by Faeryan.

Click on one link below.

written by John \\ tags: Art, Books, Humor, Meme, Review, Reviews

Photo by Rossina Bossio Bossa

Nothing inspires me more than a great song, but all too often the hymns sung at church leave me unmoved. Maybe it is because I’m looking for something different in my music; I like a sense of rebellion with my spirituality. Perhaps what I’m looking for is more like Imagine by John Lennon, or Land of Confusion by Genesis. I’m sure someone has already thought to include those songs in a worship service.

What about more recent music? From the last 20 years or so? Personally, I’m a hard rock kind of guy; I know that doesn’t lend itself very well a family friendly service. By sifting through my CD collection, however, I have found a number of songs that might work in a more liberal service with little tweaking. I’ve ordered them from songs from least relevant to most relevant:

• Soon Forget, Pearl Jam - This is humorous parable about the foolishness of materialism over interpersonal relationships. The main character in this story focuses on immediate gratification, and ends up dying a rich but lonely old man whom we all will “soon forget”. It would need some lyric rewriting to make it family friendly, however.
• No Excuses, Alice in Chains - I enjoy this song as it exemplifies fellowship through hardship. It has a good up-lifting beat and two part harmony; we know how music directors love their harmony!
• The Distance, Live - By pointing out the impracticalness of so-called perfect spiritual attainment, this song earns a special place in my heart. This theme probably would appeal to the ministers more than to their congregation.
• Nothing Else Matters, Metallica - Concerning the sacred bonds of friendship and loyalty, this song has become a stirring anthem for my generation. If you are over forty, compare this song to Dream On by Aerosmith.
• The Great Below, Nine Inch Nails - This song is about the need for repentance from something greater than the self. Squeamish about that “repentance” aspect? Don’t worry; The Great Below is devoid of Christian implications. Some lyric editing would be needed, so not to be completely depressing, as this is still Nine Inch Nails. However, I feel that the music and the theme of the song more than makes up for that.
• Gravity, A Perfect Circle - About human failings and faith in the unknown to over come those failing, this song is my favorite on this list. That wouldn’t be because I idolize Maynard James Keenan… er, um, uh, I still maintain that implications by the media of altars and offerings being made on my part is unfounded rumor. Moving on.
• A Thousand Years, Sting - A love song to the Divine. Well, maybe it isn’t originally meant to be a love song to the Divine, but it certainly could be. This song is filled to the brim with mystical imagery, yet remains accessible. Very few changes needed to use as a hymn.

Well, that’s my list. I’m sure, looking deeper into my music collection, I could find more songs. However, if I tried, I’d probably end up spending the rest of the day listening to albums. I know my taste in music is far from universal, so I’d like to hear your opinion. What unorthodox music would you like to see incorporated into a worship service?

I look forward to reading your replies.

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written by John \\ tags: Art, Faith, Humor, Music, Spirituality, UU Emergent