Monday, June 30, 2008

Oh My!

Image nicked from pandagon.net

I don't have cable so I don't see those Popular Sunday News programs on television in the U.S.A. But I'm on-line a lot so I reads about dis stuff.
I appears that General Wesley Clark said something less than kind about John McCain's military service. I'm sorry the guy spent time in a North Vietnamese prison, but that's doesn't mean he should be president. My grandparents, mother, uncle and aunt lived in a Japanese prison camp in the Philippine Islands for three years and I wouldn't want any of them to be president, either (well, grandpa and grandma are in heaven now, so they probably wouldn't be allowed to run. And mom and Uncle Sammy were born in China and Aunt Margie was born in the prison camp, so I guess they can't run, either. But I digress. . .)

In my opinion, John McCain shouldn't be elected president because of many things, but most of all because HE IS A REPUBLICAN. The past eight years have proven that Republicans hate the U.S.A. and its constitution, so they shouldn't be allowed to be president, or vice-president, or senator, or congress person, or governor, or mayor, or student council president. However, they may be elected dog catcher.

Here are tonight's John McCain cartoons:




Important People Respond to Las FOCAs

Padre Mickey's Dance Party News Service has received the following responses to the Jerusalem Declaration of the GAFCON/FOCA movement



TEC Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori responds to the GAFCON statement:
Much of the Anglican world must be lamenting the latest emission from GAFCON. Anglicanism has always been broader than some find comfortable. This statement does not represent the end of Anglicanism, merely another chapter in a centuries-old struggle for dominance by those who consider themselves the only true believers. Anglicans will continue to worship God in their churches, serve the hungry and needy in their communities, and build missional relationships with others across the globe, despite the desire of a few leaders to narrow the influence of the gospel. We look forward to the opportunities of the Lambeth Conference for constructive conversation, inspired prayer, and relational encounters.


The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has responded to the final declaration of the Global Anglican Future Conference with the following statement:
The Final Statement from the GAFCON meeting in Jordan and Jerusalem contains much that is positive and encouraging about the priorities of those who met for prayer and pilgrimage in the last week. The ‘tenets of orthodoxy’ spelled out in the document will be acceptable to and shared by the vast majority of Anglicans in every province, even if there may be differences of emphasis and perspective on some issues. I agree that the Communion needs to be united in its commitments on these matters, and I have no doubt that the Lambeth Conference will wish to affirm all these positive aspects of GAFCON’s deliberations. Despite the claims of some, the conviction of the uniqueness of Jesus Christ as Lord and God and the absolute imperative of evangelism are not in dispute in the common life of the Communion
However, GAFCON’s proposals for the way ahead are problematic in all sorts of ways, and I urge those who have outlined these to think very carefully about the risks entailed.
A ‘Primates’ Council’ which consists only of a self-selected group from among the Primates of the Communion will not pass the test of legitimacy for all in the Communion. And any claim to be free to operate across provincial boundaries is fraught with difficulties, both theological and practical – theological because of our historic commitments to mutual recognition of ministries in the Communion, practical because of the obvious strain of responsibly exercising episcopal or primatial authority across enormous geographical and cultural divides.
Two questions arise at once about what has been proposed. By what authority are Primates deemed acceptable or unacceptable members of any new primatial council? And how is effective discipline to be maintained in a situation of overlapping and competing jurisdictions?
No-one should for a moment impute selfish or malicious motives to those who have offered pastoral oversight to congregations in other provinces; these actions, however we judge them, arise from pastoral and spiritual concern. But one question has repeatedly been raised which is now becoming very serious: how is a bishop or primate in another continent able to discriminate effectively between a genuine crisis of pastoral relationship and theological integrity, and a situation where there are underlying non-theological motivations at work? We have seen instances of intervention in dioceses whose leadership is unquestionably orthodox simply because of local difficulties of a personal and administrative nature. We have also seen instances of clergy disciplined for scandalous behaviour in one jurisdiction accepted in another, apparently without due process. Some other Christian churches have unhappy experience of this problem and it needs to be addressed honestly.

It is not enough to dismiss the existing structures of the Communion. If they are not working effectively, the challenge is to renew them rather than to improvise solutions that may seem to be effective for some in the short term but will continue to create more problems than they solve. This challenge is one of the most significant focuses for the forthcoming Lambeth Conference. One of its major stated aims is to restore and deepen confidence in our Anglican identity. And this task will require all who care as deeply as the authors of the statement say they do about the future of Anglicanism to play their part.
The language of ‘colonialism’ has been freely used of existing patterns. No-one is likely to look back with complacency to the colonial legacy. But emerging from the legacy of colonialism must mean a new co-operation of equals, not a simple reversal of power. If those who speak for GAFCON are willing to share in a genuine renewal of all our patterns of reflection and decision-making in the Communion, they are welcome, especially in the shaping of an effective Covenant for our future together.
I believe that it is wrong to assume we are now so far apart that all those outside the GAFCON network are simply proclaiming another gospel. This is not the case; it is not the experience of millions of faithful and biblically focused Anglicans in every province. What is true is that, on all sides of our controversies, slogans, misrepresentations and caricatures abound. And they need to be challenged in the name of the respect and patience we owe to each other in Jesus Christ.
I have in the past quoted to some in the Communion who would call themselves radical the words of the Apostle in I Cor.11.33: ‘wait for one another’. I would say the same to those in whose name this statement has been issued. An impatience at all costs to clear the Lord’s field of the weeds that may appear among the shoots of true life (Matt.13.29) will put at risk our clarity and effectiveness in communicating just those evangelical and catholic truths which the GAFCON statement presents.


The Most Blessed Primados of The Real Live Orthodox Episcopal Anglican Protestant Catholic Pentecostal Evangelical Fundamentalist Christian Church of All the Americas and Actually the Entire Globe; Yeah, that's Right, We Include the Global South, the Global North AND the Global Center, So Where Else Ya Gonna Go? also known as the RLOEAPCPEFCCAAAEGYRWIGSGNAGCSWEYGG or The True, Really, I Mean It, Church™, respond to the GAFCON Declaration from Jerusalem:

We must remind the FOCAs that, no matter what they may have decided in Jerusalem, and no matter what their COPs decide, there is but one True, Really, I Meant It™ Church in the world, and that Church is The Real Live Orthodox Episcopal Anglican Protestant Catholic Pentecostal Evangelical Fundamentalist Christian Church of All the Americas and Actually the Entire Globe; Yeah, that's Right, We Include the Global South, the Global North AND the Global Center, So Where Else Ya Gonna Go? also known as the RLOEAPCPEFCCAAAEGYRWIGSGNAGCSWEYGG. Everything has been copyrighted, and we own all the rights and all the rites. We also declare that we are the One, True, Anglican-Episcopal Church™®©2007 and unless you are recognized by us (and fat chance THAT will happen!) and by the Archbishop of Canterbury, you are not Anglicans, but merely another Evangelical Sect. Recognition will be taken under consideration for a Love Gift of $1,000,000.00 in a certified cheque made out to Christ's Anglican Safe Haven or C.A.S.H. Titles, of course, still cost $500,000.00. We call all FOCAs to repentance, groveling, and opening of chequebooks.
Oh yeah: will FOCA churches be projecting pages of the 1662 BCP on the walls of the sanctuary during worship, or will they be purchasing copies of said BCP? Or is all of this simply a plot by Oxford University Press to sell back copies of a Prayer Book no one uses? Inquiring minds want to know!

Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles (Transferred)

My sermon about Peter and Paul


Today we celebrate the lives of two Saints, two Saints who were quite different from each other, two Saints who were very important to the fledgling Church, two Saints who were Apostles and Martyrs, two Saints who gave their all for their Lord. They are examples of two people who took up their cross and decided that Jesus was more important than their families. They came from different backgrounds, they had different methods of evangelism, and they didn’t always get along very well, but they were so important to the emerging Christian faith.

Simon Peter was a fisherman, a large, burly, solid guy who was nicknamed Cephas, which is Aramaic for Peter, or “Rocky.” He was inclined to open his mouth without thinking, and he would often say things which would come back on him. He was a down-to-earth person, not really given to mystic visions. Although he certainly received his share of visions he didn’t always understand what was going on; when he witnessed the Transfiguration of Christ, he wanted to build little huts for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah and he didn’t seem to really understand that Jesus was revealing his divinity. If the Twelve were the Inner Circle of Jesus’s disciples, Peter was in the “Inner Inner Circle;” he was present at all the events in which Jesus had just a few special persons with him. Peter was the one who confessed that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah, the Promised One, and he claimed that he would follow Jesus anywhere. When Jesus was being arrested by the soldiers, Peter pulled out his sword and lopped off a servant’s ear, but not too long later he denied Christ three times; at the moment when Jesus really needed him, he, like the rest of the Twelve, was no where to be found. But Peter was the first of the men to see the empty tomb, and he was commanded by the Resurrected Christ to “feed my lambs.” When the Holy Spirit descended on Pentecost, Peter was the one to speak to the crowd. He became the leader of the Apostles, the leader of the Twelve, but he was not the leader of the Church; Jesus’ brother James was the leader of the Church in Jerusalem, but Peter was a leader of the Church. He may have been the bishop of the Church in Rome, but the Church in Jerusalem was considered THE Church in those days. Rome didn’t become such an influential and important Church until the third century. Peter was the greatest miracle worker of the Apostles, he was involved in many healing miracles. Jesus told Peter that “someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not want to go,” and Peter went to a lot of places that he didn’t want to go; I’m sure he didn’t want to be the one on the roof seeing a sheet full of un-clean animals being lowered and told “Kill and eat!” and I’m sure he didn’t want to be the one to feel Paul’s wrath regarding circumcision and other Jewish practices which were part of the earliest Church. I’m not sure that he particularly enjoyed being caught in the middle between Paul and his fights with the Hebrew faction of the Church But he willingly went to his martyrdom, crucified head down in the Colosseum in Rome according to tradition, and he was the Rock on which the Church was established, tradition stating that he started the church in Rome and was even the first Bishop of Rome.

Saint Paul was quite a different person than Peter; he was an educated man, a Pharisee educated by the great Rabbi Gamaliel, and a Roman citizen. He was not one of the Twelve, in fact, he persecuted the Twelve, as Saul he witnessed and may have even been the ring-leader at the stoning of Stephen the Deacon, but he became one of the greatest of the Apostles. He was very much given to mystic experiences, in fact, his conversion on the Damascus Road is the result of a vision of the Resurrected Christ, and he remained blinded for several days as a result of this vision. Paul also claimed to have visited some “higher heavens,” and he articulated many of the more mystical aspects of Christology. Paul was a persistent persecutor of the Church by his own admission, but once converted, once he “saw the light,” he was one of the most ardent devotees of Jesus, he traveled the so-called “known world” and brought the Good News to the Gentiles. He was chased out of town, he was arrested, and he would preach to anyone who would listen. He founded churches throughout the Greco-Roman world, and he may have traveled as far as Spain on his missionary journeys. He would fight with the Hebrew faction of the Church, and he always seemed to think that Peter was easily led by whatever faction he happened to be with at the time, but even though he was not always in good stead with the Home Office back in Jerusalem, he gladly raised money for the poor and the Jerusalem Church. He was a prolific letter writer, (just imagine what HE would have done with e-mail) and his letters, even when chiding, were so beloved by the churches that they were shared with the rest of the faithful, and Paul’s epistles became the very first Christian scriptures, before any gospels were written and before the letters attributed to John and Peter. Tradition tells us that Paul, like Peter, was martyred in Rome, and that he was be-headed. The relics of Peter and Paul became powerful symbols of the Church in Rome, and they were moved from their original resting places to a catacomb in Rome where a basilica was later erected over their remains. Paul’s teaching on grace, on salvation, and on the resurrection of the dead formed the earliest theology of the Church, and it is not too far off the mark to call him the founder of Christianity.

These two mighty Men of God are proof that God can work through anybody. The fact that someone like Simon Peter, a brash, thick-headed fisherman, inclined to say what ever popped into his mind with out thinking, and a well educated but irritable Pharisee, a persecutor of the Church and later its great champion, could both help spread the Good News of the forgiveness of sins and the coming of the Reign of God, that these two extremes could allow the Holy Spirit to work through them and help spread the message of Christ throughout the world is proof that God can work through each one of us here as long as we are willing to answer “yes” to God’s call. Jesus stood on a beach and asked Peter to follow him, later, the Resurrected Jesus stood on a beach and asked Peter to feed his sheep. Peter said “yes” both times. Jesus appeared to Saul in a blinding light and called him to end his persecutions. Saul answered yes to Jesus’ call and became Paul, a great missionary and the first theologian. Very few of us have such experiences, but Jesus calls all of us to follow him. Jesus calls each one of us to follow him, to care for the hungry and the sick and the poor and the prisoner and the stranger. Jesus calls each of us to love one another, and Jesus calls all of us to serve each other as we serve God. God worked through men like Peter and Paul, and God can work through each one of us; all we must do is answer “yes” to God’s call and then allow the Holy Spirit to move and work through us. May we all take the examples of Peter and Paul, and answer “yes.”


Almighty God, whose blessed apostles Peter and Paul glorified you by their martyrdom: Grant that your Church, instructed by their teaching and example, and knit together in unity by your Spirit, may ever stand firm upon the one foundation, which is Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Sunday, June 29, 2008

Padre Mickey's Comment on the Message from Jerusalem

A GAFCON: The Musical! reprise with New Additions!


+The Pitts and +Jack the Spiker Nutin´s wrong with us! In fact, everything about us is RIGHT! And you know why that is? ‘Cuz:

Tune: Jesus Loves The Little Children

No one’s holier than we are
No one’s holier than we
Red, and Yellow, Black, and White
Unless you’re with us, you’re not right
No one in the Communion’s holier than we!


No one’s purer than we are
No one’s purer than we
You can’t meet with us, you see
‘Cuz you all have gay cooties
No one in the Communion’s holier than we!

Who's more Anglican than we are?
No one's more Anglican than we!
Four Councils, and Creeds: three
39 Articles, '62 BCP
No one in the Communion's more Anglican than we!


Entire GAFCON Participants That’s True! And that’s why. . .

Tune: Swanee (chorus)

Schism, how we love ya, how we love ya,
Our own big schism!
We’d give the world to see
No more of TEC, ACC and Cof E
Or those other folks who won’t obey
Our latest letter!
The folks up north will see us no more’
Cuz we’re all headed out the door!!!!

WAIT! We've had a change of heart!

Schism, we won't do it, we won't do it
That great big schism
We threat'ned to leave you all
But now we're gonna
Work within and take your churches
And we won't care what we hear from Lambeth or Rowan!
You folks up North can cry and raise a loud row
But GAFCON is the True Church™ now!


GAFCON!!!!!

Friday, June 27, 2008

Friday Red Mr. Peanut Bank and Gallito Mescalito Blogging

Okay, I think you know the tune; if not, it's on the video on the post I Think We Need A Song. Otherwise, you're just hopeless!



Uno, dos, one-two-tres-CUATRO!!!



Larry told David "It's up to us, I says
We de ones who'kin save marriage from de gays"

Dey're fulla' bully
Fulla bully, fulla bully
Fulla bully, fulla bully

Watch it now, watch it!



Ol' Dick Cheney shot his friend in the face
Said, "We wasn't drinkin', 'fact we wuz just sayin' "grace!"



He's fulla bully
Fulla bully
Fulla bully
Fulla bully
Fulla bully

Watch where yer steppin' now!



Dubya told the world: "Sadaam got's WMD's
Iraqis gonna luv us, and pelt us wif candees!"




He's fulla bully
Fulla bully, fulla bully
Fulla bully, fulla bully




David S. Addington, he be really scared!
"I can't be on da T.V.; Al Qaeda gonna see me dere!"




He's fulla bully
Fulla bully, fulla bully
Fulla bully, fulla bully




Careful now, careful! ¡Shriek!




Bobby Mugabe, said "Watchaa wan' me to do?
Guy dropped out for no reason, 'cept God wants ME to rule!



He's fulla bully
Fulla bully, fulla bully
Fulla bully, fulla bully



John McCain was sayin, the GI Bill was bad
But now he's claiming 'it's best idea he evah had!



He's fulla bully
So fulla bully, fulla bully
Fulla bully, fulla bully


What you see in the Paper, and on the T.V. News
Is just a buncha bully that they're feeding you!

They're fulla bully
So fulla bully
Fulla bully
Fulla bully
Fulla bully



¡¡SHRRIIIEEEEEKK!!

You Can't Make This Stuff Up!

Lovely illustration nicked from www.mediawench.com

















Guess who's sponsoring the latest ammendment for the defense of marriage?

These people have no sense of irony!

I think it's actually more of a defend-MY-marriage-act for those two.

As you were . . .

Feast of Cyril of Alexandria, Bishop

Today is the Feast of Cyril, Patriarch of Alexandria. I'll be honest from the start: I do not like Cyril of Alexandria. I think he was an arrogant jerk, but a genius when it came to explaining Trinitarian theology. Also, this is not going to be a scholarly article; it's a blog post, and full of Padre Mickey's opinions. You have been warned.

Cyril was of an Alexandrian family, and his uncle, Theophilus, was Partriarch of Alexandria. Cyril accompanied Uncle Theo to Constantinople for the Synod of the Oak, at which St. John Chrysostom was deposed as Partriarch of Constantinople, in a sham Synod run by Alexandrians in their constant battle against the theology of Antioch. While both groups agreed that Christ had two natures, the Alexandrians tended to emphasize the divinity of Christ, while the Antiocheans emphasized Christ's humanity. Both groups showed their Christian Love by making life miserable for each other's clergy. Alexandria had considered themselves Second to Rome in importance, and were very unhappy when Constantinople was named equal to Rome, and they tended to make a big stink anytime someone from Antioch became Partriarch of Constantinople (John Chrysostom's fate being a good example).


Cyril, Patriarch of Alexandria


Theophilus died on October 15, 412, and Cyril was consecrated Patriarch on Oct. 18. He immediately went to war (and I MEAN war!) against the Novatians, the Neoplatonists, and the prefect Orestes. He ran the Jews out of Alexandria, and, while not personally responsible for the death of Hypatia, his followers were very much involved (Hypatia was a well-respected neo-Platonist teacher and philosopher. A mob, led by a lector named Peter, pulled her from her carriage, dragged her to a church and tore her flesh with potsherds until she died). In those days not everyone was inclined towards civil, scholarly debate; monks would come from the hills equipped with fuller's clubs to help drive home the theological point of their favorite bishop, and this was not limited to Alexandria, although the Alexandrians were ready to riot at the drop of a hat. The Prefect of Egypt, Orestes, was unhappy with Cyril and the expulsion of the Jews from Alexandria and expressed this fact. 500 monks from Nitria came to Alexandria to defend Cyril. One monk, Ammonius, threw a rock at Orestes which hit him in the head and left a wound. Orestes had Ammonius tortured to death, and Cyril treated his remains as the relics of a martyr. Rioting Alexandrians killed the prefect Callistus in the year 422. Cyril had a lot of power and he loved to wield it.

In the 428 Nestorius, an Antiochean priest known for his preaching, was appointed Patriarch of Constantinople by the emperor Theodosius II. On the way to Constantinople Nestorius visited with bishop Theodore, who advised Nestorius to be careful, be moderate, and respect the opinions of others. Unfortunately, Nestorius ignored this advice. At his consecration in April, 428, he shouted "Give me, O Emperor, the earth purged from heretics, and I will give you heaven!" He immediately went after the Arians, closing their only chapel and running them out of the city. However, it wasn't long before Nestorius himself was accused of heresy.

Nestorius, Patriarch of Constantinople


The people in Constantinople used a title for the Blessed Virgin which was popular in that city: Theotokus, or "God-bearer." This was not a title that was used in Antioch, but there were also people in Constantinople who questioned the use of the title. Nestorius decided to mediate the dispute and said things which wouldn't have raised an eyebrow back in Antioch, but really set-off his enemies, especially the Patriarch of Alexandria when he heard about it. Nestorius said, When I came here, I found a dispute among the members of the church, some of whom were calling the Blessed Virgin Mother of God (Theotokus), while others were calling her Mother of man. Gathering both parties together, I suggested that she should be called Mother of Christ (Kristotokus), a term which represented both God and man, as it is used in the gospels. This was just the opening Cyril was looking for; he was still angry that Constantinople was considered equal to Rome, and he didn't like Antioch. On Easter Sunday, 429, he publicly denounced Nestorius for heresy. He ignored the actual words of Nestorius and accused him of denying the deity of Christ. Nestorius' reaction was arrogant and he made some sloppy answers to Cyril's accusations, which was not a good idea as Cyril was a master at organizing support and destroying his enemies. Anathemas flew between Alexandria and Antioch, and finally the Third Ecumenical Council was called to meet at Ephesus in the year 431. It took a long time to travel in those days and not everyone arrived on time. The Patriarch of Antioch (a supporter of Nestorius) and his bishops were late, and instead of asking the Council to wait for their arrival, Cyril, who had brought fifty of his own bishops to the Council, opened the Council anyway. The imperial commissioner and about seventy other bishops protested this display of arrogance but were ignored. This was the most violent Ecumenical Council. Nestorius refused to attend, for fear of his life and guards were placed around the house in which he was staying to protect him. In the Bazaar of Heraclides described the atmosphere of the Council of Ephesus: They acted . . . as if it was a war they were conducting, and the followers of the Egyptian (Cyril) . . . went about in the city girt and armed with clubs . . . with the yells of barbarians, snorting fiercely . . . raging with extravagant arrogance against those whom they knew to be opposed to their doings, carrying bells about the city and lighting fires . . . They blocked up the streets so that everyone was obliged to flee and hide, while they acted as masters of the situation, lying about, drunk and besotted and shouting obscenities . . . Since John of Antioch and his bishops had yet to arrive, Cyril pushed through a vote and, 200 to 0, Nestorius was excommunicated. John and his bishops arrived too late; he declared the result illegal and held a counter-council which voted to excommunicate Cyril. These events threatened to tear apart of the unity of the Byzanine empire, so Theodosius II decided to accept the deposition of both patriarchs as a means of defusing the situation. Cyril and Nestorius were both arrested and imprisoned. Cyril bribed his way back into power with a gift to the grand chamberlain, the emperor's adviser; the gift consisted of fourteen oriental rugs, eight couches, six tablecloths, four tapestries, four ivory benches, six leather benches, and six ostriches. This "gift" put the Patriarchate of Alexandria some $3,000,000.00 in debt. Nestorius, who could be just as much of a jerk as Cyril, accepted the verdict of the emperor and went into exile, quietly protesting the injustice he experienced.

Cyril is not considered a saint because of the way he dealt with those with whom he disagreed; he was sainted because of abilities as a theologian. He was able to take the teachings of Athanasius, the Cappadocians, combined with classical Greek teachings on the Trinity, and create a systematic form of the Alexandrian theological tradition. While his writing style isn't exactly elegant, it is, according to The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church: precise in exposition, accurate in thought, and skilled in reasoning. I've been reading Cyril's On The Unity Of Christ, translated by John Anthony McGuckin, and, while I can't stand Cyril the person, I love reading Cyril the theologian.

I've been thinking lately about the similarities between Nestorius' situation and Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori's situation. Nestorius' comment regarding Kristotokus wouldn't have raised an eyebrow back in Antioch, and Bishop Katarine's comment "We who practice the Christian tradition understand him as our vehicle to the divine. But for us to assume that God could not act in other ways is, I think, to put God in an awfully small box" certainly wouldn't raise eyebrows in the dioceses of Nevada or Oregon or California or at CDSP, but her enemies, much like Cyril, were simply waiting for a phrase they could use against her. Cyril took Nestorius' comments and twisted them and used them against him, just as the folks in the Network and GAFCON use Katharine's words against her. But we can make sure that the truth is up there for all to see right away, unlike poor Nestorius, whose words weren't really studied until long after his death.

So, I don't like Cyril, but I think he is another example of the fact that God uses whomsoever God wants to use to bring about the Reign of God. Cyril wasn't the first bishop to behave in a less than Christian manner, and he won't be the last to do so, God is willing to use a jerk like me to help bring about God's reign. All we can do is be open to the movement of the Holy Spirit and answer "yes" to God's call.

Friday Random Top Ten


Ya pushes "shuffle" and ya takes yer chances. . .

1. Don't Fall Down The 13th Floor Elevators
2. City Of Dreams Talking Heads
3. Offertory: Tui Sunt (4th Mode) Monastic Choir of the Abbey of St. Peter, Solemes
4. Runaways XTC
5. Poor Napoleon Elvis Costello and the Attractions
6. (There's Gonna Be A) Borstal Breakout Sham 69
7. Dame, Que Je N'os Noumer Anonymous 4
8. Love Is A Rose Neil Young
9. Monkey Man The Specials
10. 15 Step Radiohead

Nutin' but da hits, including #3, which is very popular with them monastic types (just ask Prior Aelred; his brothers all wander about whistling that lil' numbah when doing their chores). I must say that #7 was a strange follow-up for #6, but that's how the shuffle works!

Please enter your Random Top Ten in the comments!

Thursday, June 26, 2008

So Everybody Just Calm Down. . .

Take a deep breath. . .



Well, it's true at this house

I Think We Need A Song

Let's see, the Stock Market tanked, the Supreme Court said we can all run 'round wif guns, Bush and Cheney have yet to be dragged screaming to the Hague, and Madpriest is still away.
I think we need a song.


Hey, is this some kinda Ter'rust Rock? They'se dressed lak Muslims or sumpin'.
And that voice at the end? It's either Domingo Samudio saying "Paul is dead" or sumpin' en Deutsch.

Eikon


Our Buddy in Brasil and Atlanta, Luiz Coelho, has this thang happening to help him get to Lambeth where he will serve as a steward. Padre Mickey's Dance Party invites you to support Luiz in this endeavor.

Dear friends in Christ,

I would like to invite you all to visit my new blog/visual lectionary/fundraising effort Eikon

As some of you already know, I have been chosen to be a steward at the upcoming Lambeth conference, representing the Episcopal Anglican Church of Brazil.  For the last few years, I have been discerning a call to the religious life which involves the use of visual arts as a means for healing and reconciliation. Currently, I am pursuing a dual degree both in Painting (at the Savannah College of Art and Design) and in Theology (through the long-distance program of the Seminário Teológico Egmont Machado Krischke).

During the Lambeth Conference, I will be producing a series of pieces (paintings, drawings, photographs, collages, etc.) based on the "Signs on the Way" Bible studies series, which is a special series of studies for the Conference. Those images will be posted on such blog, as a visual devotional. The blog is also a fundraising effort.  Half of the price of each piece will be redirected to the Archdeaconry of Western Rio, which comprises 5 churches and is located in the poorest area of the city.

If you find it a good idea, please help me by spreading the word and talking about this initiative with your friends.

Thank you very much.  Blessings in Christ!

--
Luiz Coelho
--

Today At GAFCON

EVERY BODY SING!!!

Sung to the William Tell Overture by Rossini

GAY! pride day in Jerusalem
Pride day in Jerusalem
Pride day in Jerusalem
PRIDE day in Jerusalem

Pride day in Jerusalem
Pride day in Jerusalem
Pride day in Jerusalem
PRIDE day in Jerusalem

Pride day, pride day, pride day, pride day
Pride day in Jerusalem
Pride day, pride day, pride day, pride day
Pride day in Jerusalem

And there are Gay Folks marching around
And the bunch from GAFCON are all wearing frowns

GAY! pride day in Jerusalem
Pride day in Jerusalem
Pride day in Jerusalem
PRIDE day in Jerusalem!!!


Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Dignity Returned To The White House


Well, I suppose I should be used to this by now, but I am amazed (and aghast!) by this discussion between the Prez'nit of the Newited Skates and the President of the Philippine Islands, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo today:

PRESIDENT BUSH: Madam President, it is a pleasure to welcome you back to the Oval Office. We have just had a very constructive dialogue. First, I want to tell you how proud I am to be the President of a nation that -- in which there's a lot of Philippine-Americans. They love America and they love their heritage. And I reminded the President that I am reminded of the great talent of the -- of our Philippine-Americans when I eat dinner at the White House. (Laughter.)

PRESIDENT ARROYO: Yes.

PRESIDENT BUSH: And the chef is a great person and a really good cook, by the way, Madam President.

PRESIDENT ARROYO: Thank you.

You can read the entire transcript here, if you dare.

I imagine a discussion with President Pervez Musharraf:

PRESIDENT BUSH: Mr. President, I am reminded of the great talent of the -- of our Pakistan-Americans every time I visit the 7-11! (Laughter). And the great talent of our Sikh-Americans when I take a taxi in New York City! (Even more laughter) And the really great talent of our African-Americans when watching sports!! (Choking laughter followed by falling off the couch)

PRESIDENT MUSHARRAF: Thank you, Mr. President; you are such a card!

PRESIDENT BUSH: Hey Pervy; Pull my finger!!!

PRESIDENT MUSHARRAF: No, thank you, Mr. President. May we talk about the problems at the Afghan-Pakistan border now?

PRESIDENT BUSH: Oh, c'mon, Pervy; Pull my finger! PULL MY FINGER!!

-END OF TRANSCrIPT-

Tuesday Miss Bébe, The World's Cutest Granchile™ Blogging

Darn Paparazzi!



Here she is in her Big Girl dress, showing all her teefuses.

Monday, June 23, 2008

Panama Project Stuff

Well, TECHNICALLY, the Panama Project ended last night, EXCEPT that Vivian Lam will be staying for another three weeks, and Dustin and Linda are both staying for a little tourism. Nonetheless, we had our End of the Project Dinner last night at Revda. Nancy Eswein's place in the former Fort Clayton (man, it was near impossible to find that place!). Wednesday Nancy, Walter, and I met-up with las seminaristas in Coronado and headed off to the Bishop Shirley Camp and Conference Center in Santa Clara for their debriefing. We reflected upon their experiences and help them adjust to using indoor plumbing and electricity once again, after their Very Rural Field Work experiences. We returned to Panama City on Friday. I brought them to the Best Place To Purchase Molas. Last night's dinner was fun. Walter's wife, Vilma, was there, as well as Padre Eladio and Revda. Carmen. Las seminaristas worked with Padre Eladio en Pueblo Nuevo, San Sebastián, and Laja Lisas, and Vivian will be working with Revda. Carmen en Colón for a couple of weeks.

As always, photographic proof, suitable for blackmailing purposes.


Dinner in Santa Clara at Las Veraneras (yeah, it's a little dark)



Nancy and Dustin



Vivian (with Linda on her way to the ranchito, all the way on the left of the frame)



Big honkin' piece of driftwood en playa Santa Clara



Pelicans on fishing boats en playa Santa Clara


At The Party

Padre Mickey, Dustin, and Padre Eladio in blurry conversation



Nancy and Vilma



Walter and Carmen



Vivian and Linda


Padre explains why he doesn't drink water (a joke he stole from W.C. Fields)





Vivian, Dustin, and Linda



With the Lovely Mona (and some sort of Divine Manifestation appearing above their heads, or, perhaps it's the lamp. . .)



The Panama Project 2008



Todos

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