Haiti—an American failed state

The Wall Street Journal celebrates the fact that the US military will play the leading role in Washington’s response to the earthquake as “a fresh reminder that the reach of America’s power coincides with the reach of its goodness.” More USA mythmaking at its worst. No historical analysis of Haiti’s tragedy of being so close [...]

Murrow’s warning

One of the stark realizations at the end of the decade is the fact of stagnant and rancid organized religion. A huge help in this regard and a place to start with Chris Hedges dark but terrific book the Empire of Illusion.  The title  basically says it all. In a country dominated by puerile  media [...]

Don Cherry:the corrosion of culture

My friend Bob an American ex-pat living in Cnada since 1965 simply can not get over the gradual hijacking of Canadian culture. Particularly disturbing is the so called Highway of Heroes a slice of the 401 highway now dedicated to the dead of Candian military in Afghanistan.Little discussion  even when we entered this trouble spot as [...]

Pushing history forward

Four women were ordained in the movement called Roman Catholic Womenpriests on April 19  They are Joan Houk of Pittsburgh, Andrea Johnson of Annapolis, Bridget Mary Meehan of Virginia and Sarasota, and Regina Nicolosi of Red Wing, Minnesota. A fifth American woman, Dana Reynolds of California, was previously ordained a bishop in 2008 in Europe. [...]

The baby is royalty

Using the ancient technique of midrash (telling the story in a new form with old symbols) Matthew has brilliantly theologized about the role of Jesus. What is he trying to say? Simply this: pseudo-religion is dead.Astrologers (magoi) have surrendered their fake skills (“The fault dear Brutus is not in our stars” etc) of reading the [...]

Advent One

Advent, a liturgical gift. A pause mid the cannibalizing of Christmas. 4 weeks to think, reflect and go deeper. Prayer is attending to the depths where the Holy one among us dwells. Beneath the auditory rubble of the jingles, the visual encroachment on  formerly public space, we can attend to the still small voice we [...]

The Beast of Revelations

Throughout history there have been different nominations for the Beast (Rev 13) the one who would really make war on the saints. You would be amazed at the names put forward. Napoleon was one for obvious reasons. When the papacy was really tanking the Avignon popes of the 15th century were popular as was Alexander [...]

The apocalyptic Baptist

Isaiah 64:1 Oh that you would tear the heavens, that you would come down, that the mountains might quake at your presence, 2 as when fire kindles the brushwood, and the fire causes the waters to boil; to make your name known to your adversaries, that the nations may tremble at your presence! 3 When [...]

Studs,the dignity man

“Community organizers like Obama know what’s going on. If they remember. The important thing is memory. You know in this country, we all have Alzheimer’s. Obama has got to remember his days as an organizer. It all comes back to the neighborhood. Well I hope the election is a landslide for Obama.” – Studs Terkel [...]

3 more dead Canadians-no just wars

3 more dead Canadians in Afghanistan; thousands of Afghanis killed He was reckoned a Conservative president who rejected the dropping of the A bomb on Japan but he had seen war from the inside an he despised it. Dwight Eisenhower said, “I hate war as only a soldier who has lived it can, only as [...]