Hymn of the Day

Happy November.

It's a gorgeous day, even if the better part of it was spent raking ALL the leaves ever. "This is boring!" quoth the Deacon.

Have a Hymn.

Ramen, everyone.




(this post brought to you by the night shift)

Sermon: Oklahoma is O.Krazy!

So, in direct violation of HIPAA laws, Oklahoma has introduced legislation that would require abortion providers to make public the following information.

1. Date of abortion
2. County in which abortion performed
3. Age of mother
4. Marital status of mother
(married, divorced, separated, widowed, or never married)
5. Race of mother
6. Years of education of mother
(specify highest year completed)
7. State or foreign country of residence of mother
8. Total number of previous pregnancies of the mother
Live Births
Miscarriages
Induced Abortions.

Now, make any argument for or against abortion that you'd like but releasing that information is a violation of civil liberties and basic human decency. I understand the point of it. Releasing it makes abortion a less attractive option; this is simply a deterrent to prevent abortions.

Now, I think that it should be the aim of all sides of the abortion issue to reduce the number of abortions performed down to 0. The difference is that the radicals of the anti-abortion crowd thinks the best way to do it is by punishing those that get abortion. Not a productive strategy.

So what's the better option? There's always adoption. But Oklahoma doesn't seem to want to promote that option. If they did, they might fight to reduce the cost of adoption, which can range from $5,000 to $50,000. Or perhaps provide better funding to adoptive and foster homes.

We can all agree that the abortion issue is a tough one. But there's no one strategy that is going to make either side happy. Will Oklahoma reduce the number of abortions by following through with this plan? I could see a handful of women opting to go to another state, or possibly choosing adoption to avoid this public shaming, but I sincerely doubt it will have a serious impact on the number of abortions performed in the state. This is not the answer.

Thus ends your sermon for the week.
Please rise for the Hymn.



The Freakin' Deacon

Refocusing and Re-energizing and hymn of the day

The above phrase is something that has become somewhat of a mantra for me. I think there's certain things that some people need to take the time to learn again. I'm currently learning that this is something I need to do as a father as well as someone looking for a job (cross your fingers for me, would you please?).

I figure this would be a good thing for me to do as a blogger as well. We just haven't been getting the updates as frequently as I'd like. So I'm hoping to blog it out once a week.

So in keeping with the Church theme, I'm going to try and focus on updating on Sundays. It would mean only one update a week, but honestly, that's more than we've been known to update. So now that the blog is over a year old, and we have a small gathering, I'd like to turn things around a little.

As for Science, Ian, and the other contributors, they can update as they wish, but I really hope to build the blog's readership.

I'd also like to take the time to re-post the very first posting we had here. I guess it's the closest thing we have to a mission statement, and it's something that I'm kind of proud of as it really sums up what we're all about. We're not a church that promotes one way of worship, but all ways of worship.

The First Church of Reason:

Welcome to our Church. We are a collection of Agnostics, Atheists, and Theists of all kinds. Our mission is simple: we want to create a new way of worship that exercises reason and praises beauty. We celebrate music, art, literature, film, culture, society, faith, history, honor, friendship, love, family and many other things of this and other worlds. This blog will be used as a place where we can openly and publicly celebrate these ideals, and show when they are being trespassed upon. Thanks for looking, and Welcome to the Church of What's Happening Now.

We're a Winner!

Hymn of the Day

Happy Birthday, Freakin' Deacon!!!

For my ever-lovin' husband. I love you more than words can describe. Have a fantastic birthday, baby!

Hymn of true love

I've been on a huge Magic Numbers kick again.
This is one of those songs that just explains it, there's only so many words that you can throw together and have it make sense, but this is a perfect example of how it can be done. And as far as love songs go, it's up there with "Buckets of Rain" by Bob Dylan.

As well as the faithful readers of this blog, this is dedicated to the love of my life, Science (the person, not the methodological study of the world).

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year my beloved congregation.

New Year's Hymn

Here are not only two fantastic tunes by Stevie Wonder, but an amazing "this-could-only-happen-in-1966" mid-performance interview between aforementioned (16-year-old) musical genius and an awkward white guy.

There's just something about "A Place in the Sun" that makes me want to hug the world. And say 'yeah!' (which, Ian, isn't so very different from clapping hands and saying yeah.)



I think this should be considered Stevie's application for official sainthood in the Church.

Can I get a (r)Amen?

I'm using up all my Sabbaths at once...

Okay, so I just saw this terribly blasphemous film (in the process, really) called 'Religulous.' I find it absolutely disgraceful that the Internet would host such filth (You can watch this abomination unto man here; ads may be NSFW).

(Please note, the above link was presented not for promotion of such terrible blasphemy, but so my congregation may easily avoid it. Piracy bad!!!)

Inspiration has moved me towards our latest Hymn. Presented for elder approval is Bob Dylan's classic "Highway 61 Revisited"



The Freakin' Deacon

Update: Just finished the movie and got to the thesis of the film: Religion weakens the hearts and minds of men, and leads us further into destruction (keep in mind this is a documentary and like any Michael Moore film, it follows the same template: discredit the other side, show them as weak and insignificant, and allow for airtime to answer questions that may have been posed by the opposition that quick thinking couldn't provide for). As a skeptic it's fun, but it's the wrong kind of fun. It's like watching World Wrestling Federation or eating at the China Buffet in Manitowoc -- it feels good to watch it, but only in the sense that it feels good to scratch a mosquito bite.

I think this just boils down to seeing religion in two different ways. Bill Maher (and Dawkins, and Hitchens) think that the fundamental problem with the world is that so many people buy into religion. I think that a fundamental problem with the world is that religion has a tendency to be intolerant of non-belief. But see, I can kind of see the premise behind that. If we don't believe, we don't get in. Our loved ones don't like that. I can't see the idea behind the premise of hating people because of their faith.

Here's the kicker though. The Freakin' Deacon, my mother-in-law, the average Jew, and the average Muslim have nothing but the greatest intentions for the world in our minds. But we get divided because we're drowned out by the Mahmoud Ahmadinejads, Pope Ratzingers (the Nazinger), and Ted Haggards of the world. I don't think skeptics need to assert that we don't believe (or in my case, are unsure), we need to assert that these guys don't speak for us, and not point the finger when some preacher speaks for the other side.

Just a thought,

The Freakin' Deacon

Christmas Hymn: A Two-for-One Special

In the spirit of the "new Black Friday," I'm offering a basement-bargain deal on the Hymn of the Day, with two entries from The Flaming Lips.

Enjoy!

The World Debut of The Church of What's Happening Now Official Hymn!!!

Edit: As per my wife's request, I have added the lyrics to the Hymn in Block quotes (below the video).

So, I'm pretty unimpressed with the video. I'd like to record it in a proper setting (not a webcam and the webcam's microphone), this would allow me more freedom and the ability to use my big boy voice.

But I like the song, and I wondered: what the hell kind of church would we be if we didn't have an official hymn?

So submitted for the church elders and parishioners of the first church of reason's approval is the official hymn of the church!

V,1-
Oh Atheists, Taoists, and happy-go-luckies
people who don't give a damn
Secular Humanists, and all of you tourists
and people stuck in a jam
If you feel lost and lost on the cross
and need somewhere to belong
Come on in, you'll fit right in,
Just help us sing this song

V, 2-
Be peaceful, be kind, Use your heart, use your mind
Do unto others, as they'd do unto you
Take a joke, enjoy a smoke, and relax that old world view
Perhaps you feel mad, or maybe your sad, frustrated, down, and blue
You'll get no grief, come and get some relief, please won't you pull up a pew

(Chorus)
So we'll bow at the alter of Reason
and celebrate each passing season
Don't feel down, we're right here in town
We're the Church of What's Happening Now

V,3-
You can pass on that old time religion,
but pass me the comunal wine
You can do anything that you wanna do, as long it don't trespass on mine
Well if it feels right won't you please do it,
But if it don't just let it be
My friends are all here and it's given me cheer
Jack's all the Dogma I need

V, 4-
Don't wait on no fire and brimstone
You won't get none of that here
cheering, laughter, and music, is all that'll ring in your ear
The only vestment we have is a bathrobe
and we ain't never heard of a sin
our wisemen are women, our saints are our friends
please have an Amen (Amen!)

(Chorus)

Peace,

The Freakin' Deacon

Late and Lonely II: It Still Gets Dark, Return of the Grievous Angel

Thanks to the F.D. for breaking the Parsons cherry. I've been itching to pop it. That said, there's just too much to be said about Gram and not enough music to be heard. I chose "Return of the Grievous Angel" as the song for this post. It never quits, it tugs at the heart strings, even causes some goose flesh on my neck.

It's probably because it addresses that good ol' poetic question that goes back to Odysseus and beyond, "how do I get home again?" I just love that question and the search for home is a mystery really. It's why we leave home or just ramble.

These lines always get to me:

"Twenty thousand roads I went down, down, down
And they all lead me straight back home to you"

"`Cause I headed West to grow up with the country"

Late and Lonely Hymn...

Gram Parsons. I've been trying to wrote about this name for awhile. He was everything that was right about Country and Americana. He was Jerry Garcia,George Jones and Tumbleweed rolled into one. Throw in Emmylou, an Angel (type case) right here on earth, and you get something that we'll sadly never see or hear again. I was trying to decide what would be the best Emmylou/Gram song that I could post and I couldn't find one that matched how I felt. Instead I decided to post this, Emmylou's tribute to Gram. And what a tribute it is. I've already rambled for far too long. I'll let Emmylou do her amazing, awe-inspiring thing.

Winter Hymn/ Southern Hymn

Last night Ghost Town Council made their High Noon Saloon debut to an enthusiastic crowd opening for Wichita Kansas' Split Lip Rayfield.

Tonight's song always brings a smile to my face. It's by the Mountain Goats, from the record, "All Hail West Texas". But for some reason this song translates well to winter.

Here's the words. Maybe my new favorite band will learn it? Here's to hoping. Hell of a job guys.



"she came in on the redeye to dallas-fort worth.
all the way from sunny taipei.
skin the color of a walnut shell,
and a baseball cap holding down her black hair.
and she came here after midnight.
the hot weather made her feel right at home.
come on in, we haven't slept for weeks.
drink some of this. it'll put color in your cheeks.

he drove from in from mexicali, no worse for wear.
money to burn, time to kill.
but five minutes looking in his eyes and we all knew he
was broken pretty bad, so we gave him what we had.
we cleared a space for him to sleep in,
and we let the silence that's our trademark
make its presence felt.
come on in, we haven't slept for weeks.
drink some of this. it'll put color in your cheeks.

they came in by the dozens, walking or crawling.
some were bright-eyed.
some were dead on their feet.
and they came from zimbabwe,
or from soviet, georgia.
east saint louis, or from paris, or they lived across the street.
but they came, and when they'd finally made it here,
it was the least that we could do to make our welcome clear.
come on in, we haven't slept for weeks.
drink some of this. it'll put color in your cheeks."
~john darnielle

Happy Thanksgiving!

Michelle and I were talking about Thanksgiving yesterday. It has to be the closest thing to the perfect holiday. It has become a day that we get together, eat too much, laugh, and be with our friends and family. Unfortunately I couldn't be in Colorado with my folks and their always amazing Thanksgiving. Fortunately, I have family here in Madison that took me and my kin in for a Thanksgiving Dinner that couldn't be beat. To Michelle, Daiv, Tom, Keith, Sid, and Sonny (unfortunately Science had to work, her presence was truly missed; Ian and Norah were up North for the Holiday, and they were truly missed as well): I had a great time yesterday, thank you for helping me make it 28 for 28 and thanks for the fantastic spread. To all of you: I am truly thankful to call you all friends and family. Cheers! I hope that your Thanksgiving was as good as it could have been. And since it's never too late for tradition...

You Can't Scare Me

This is a great interview with one of the finest Americans this young country has produced.

Pete Seeger helps me to believe in the best of America. That those with humble origins can influence the masses, AND find life, liberty, and pursue happiness is the most American of narratives.



It all puts a bounce in my step.

Get ready kiddies, the election is upon us. Let's blog the crap out of it.
The revolution will be blogosized.

Here's a little love for Deacon Daiv and everyone else. Screw the scabs.

Up Too Late Hymn

I've been listening to Emmylou tonight, and wondering why I don't listen to more of her - or any music, for that matter. Curses, NPR, your nefarious plot is coming to fruition!!

I think this is perhaps the perfect amount of Dave Matthews. I do love his voice, but this satisfies any nostalgia I may experience.



Maybe it's because I watched some of a Steven Wright special last night, but I feel like the crack about the "politically correct world" and following statement are straight from his act. But imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. ("Nothing New Under the Sun" by Anne Fadiman - excellent essay about plagiarism).

Morning Hymn

Don't mean to step on Deacon Ian's toes, but I found this and couldn't resist.



How timely...
TFD

Evening Hymn

Tonight's hymn, brought to you by Beirut.

This song, along with the video, has dancing, mustaches, wine-n-whimsy, and a certain Gypsy-ness that is not entirely trustworthy. Hence, I love it.
Zach Condon is the real McCoy. Whatever Old-Worldness that he may affect, it seems genuine. From the various write ups, he sounds like a real-life globe traipsing tramp.

Enjoy. Lets bang the shit out of metal garbage cans. Raise some racket, hell and Cain.

Today's Hymn

First, a definition:

Hymn

Hymn\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Hymned; p. pr. & vb. n. Hymning.] [Cf. L. hymnire, Gr. ?.] To praise in song; to worship or extol by singing hymns; to sing.

I shared the blog with a co-worker who is quite religious. The term "hymn" offered some confusion, as did the whole concept of a church that is not Christ (or other deity) centered. My statement at the time was that "today's hymn" = "song of the day," not "song praising God."

Anyway - for today's hymn, I have chosen a song that expresses my joy at not living in Manitowoc any longer. Enjoy.