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The Great Cloud of Questionable Witnesses

Bishop Clumber, the one true bishop of the real Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh, writes icons. I did not know that. Above is one of a series of three four icons. It is exquisite, no? I believe he surpasses even Tobias with his masterpieces.

+Clumber is a dog. I know that it may be difficult for many humans to accept that a member of the canine species produces such beauty, but it's true. +Clumber successfully fought his way to acceptance as the one true bishop of Pittsburgh, and I hope the path to recognition of his genius as an iconographer is easier. If you go to +Clumber's site, Barkings of an Old Dog, you will find the other icons in the series.

It's difficult not to succumb to the sin of pride at being included in the series and depicted with such eminent notables, but I'm trying very hard not to let it go to my head.

They're Not Going Away

From the Times-Picayune:

The Republican Party's return to power depends on staying anchored in traditional anti-abortion and pro-family policies, while making inroads among Hispanics with enlightened immigration rules, a leading conservative figure said Tuesday in New Orleans.

And the four-year process of finding the next GOP leader starts now, as potential stars, including Govs. Bobby Jindal and Sarah Palin, hit the speaking circuit to collect political IOUs and test themselves on the stump, said Richard Land of the Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission.

Others expected to make the rounds include former governors Mitt Romney of Massachusetts and Mike Huckabee of Arkansas and Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty.

"You'll note there's not a pro-choice Republican among them," Land said.

Land, a graduate of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, was back at his alma mater in Gentilly on Tuesday to preach and to teach a graduate school class on the intersection of faith and politics.

A graduate of Princeton and Oxford as well, Land is the public spokesman for Southern Baptist values both to the masses via CNN and to Beltway insiders who shape campaigns and public policy.

In the weeks since Barack Obama's election, conservatives have opened a vigorous debate over their future. Some advocate a return to ideological purity; others argue that they must shift to the center to build a winning coalition with social and economic moderates.

Land's office is the public policy arm of the 16 million member Southern Baptist Convention. These folks are not going away. Through groups like Land's, they get a forum on CNN and, no doubt, access to politicians on the local and national level.

I read a bit on their website about the role of women in public life. It seems that women are permitted to serve in positions of power in public office, but in the church and in the home, they must serve under the authority of men.

Not everyone agrees that a woman's place is outside the home. I found this wonderfully contorted logic in the comments to the article on the role of women in public life:

With Palin and others who serve the public as a ‘Christian evangelical’ figure, are we going to affirm her in abandoning her family roles? I haven’t heard a single person say that they think Palin can be a biblical mother and wife while being VP (and possibly Pres.). I believe that to be the crux of Voddie’s message. We are being hypocritical as evangelicals if we affirm a woman’s role in the home, but support removing women from that role. You can’t have it both ways.

That being said, I’m voting for Palin. (not so much McCain)

But it seems that he will have it both ways. Delicious.

Old Fat Naked Women For Peace

Thanks to Ann.

Old Intertubes Is Out

Mark Begich(D) defeated convicted criminal Ted Stevens(R) in the Alaska race for the Senate. Old Intertubes is out. That can only be good. Even if he had won, he probably would have been expelled from the Senate, and Sarah Palin could have run for the seat. Besides, Mark is a lot better looking.

Bush Fading Away

Thanks to Lisa at My Manner of Life via Tom Woodward.

Odds And Ends Around The House

My new friend Georgianne, who lifted me to minor and short-lived celebrity status, labeled the room where we sat for our Huffington Post interview as my "cozy kitschy, kitchen". Or should I say "kozy, kitschy, kitchen"? I had thought of my decorating style as rather traditional and dated, but as I looked around at my house with new eyes, I saw variations on that theme.


In my living room I found the red and gold fringed footstool, which flips over to all gold, and the silk, tasseled and mirrored pillows from India. Not kitschy exactly, more late nineteenth century house of ill repute style, I'd say. What I was aiming for, I can't remember, but I liked them.


What to say of the arrangement on the dining room table? The bowl and contents, including brass pears and leaves, but excepting the grapes, cost about $8.00 at a moving sale at a local antique store. The grapes cost $15.00. They're made of marble, and are quite realistic, but they are the heaviest grapes I've ever held. The arrangement looks gay to me, but correct me if I'm wrong, my gay brothers.

 

The photograph of Rodin's "The Kiss", a sculpture which I love, came from the Rodin museum in Paris. I've loved that statue from the first time I saw a picture of it, and I was thrilled the first time I saw the real statue. To me, it's sensuous and innocent at the same time.

When my granddaughter was quite young, maybe four, she noted the picture and said, "They're naked." I said, "Yes. That's art." I didn't know what else to say.

 

The beaded lampshade is a mild example of house of ill repute, perhaps not worthy of the label, because of the smallness of the beads. Of more interest is the Princess phone on the table, a burgeoning antique. They last forever.

 

Finally, the beaded fruit in a quite conventional bowl. You can't hide it. I see your thought balloons: "20th century bad taste" - a thought which you may, or may not, apply to any or all of the above.

Here you have a rare ("House and Garden" or "HGTV" style) glimpse into the household of Mimi and Grandpère. I haven't shown you our many duck pictures, Grandpère's contributions to our decorating style. Those, along with his collection of old duck decoys, once led a visitor to look around and say, "What this place needs is some ducks!" I suspect that the house make-over folks from "HGTV" would love to get their hands on our house.

Joe Won't Go

From TPM:

Senator Harry Reid just spoke to reporters after the private caucus meeting with Dems over Joe Lieberman's fate, and he confirmed it: Lieberman will not be stripped of his Homeland Security chairmanship, because the "vast majority" of the Democratic caucus wants him to stay.

"This was not a time for retribution," Reid said, quoting an unnamed Senator. We're "moving forward," Reid added.

Lieberman was removed from the Environment and Public Works Committee, a largely meaningless punishment, a committee where (unlike Homeland Security) he has no differences with Dems.

Asked about liberal "anger" towards Lieberman, Reid said: "I pretty well understand anger. I would defy anyone to be more angry than I was."

But he added: "If you will look at the problems that we face as a nation, is this a time we walk out of here saying boy did we get even?"

Sen. Reid, I was angry with Joe, very angry. To me, the Senate vote was not about getting even; it was about consequences for the vicious and stupid words he spoke about the Democratic candidate during the campaign. I expect the vote was secret because some of the senators are ashamed of their votes.

Democratic senators, this was wrong, just plain wrong. You still don't get it.

"No Comment"

I awoke this morning to a History Channel "retread" documentary on New Guinea informing me that there are or were communities on that island where the men and women speak completely different languages. No comment.

From Lapin.

Bye-Bye, Mr. President

Thanks to Ann.

Still Not Blogging...

Last week, I went to our adult study group which meets between services at 9:15 AM. You're probably bored with hearing that I'm not a morning person and how I struggle to get anywhere before 11:00 AM. The class finished the Walter Bruggemann DVD series, and moved on to a series of lessons by Bishop N. T. Wright of the Anglican Diocese of Durham in the UK. I don't know the name of the series, but Bp. Wright's words are interspersed with scenes from a movie or video on the life of Jesus. The first lesson was on the scandal of Jesus.

One scene in the film showed Jesus dancing at the wedding of Cana, and I loved that. At Mary's request, he made more wine for folks who had already drunk up all the wine, although he was not yet ready to begin his miracle ministry. Bp. Wright pointed out other ways that Jesus scandalized the people of the time, such as spending time with all the wrong people of his day, the prostitutes, the tax collectors. He touched the unclean; he worked on the Sabbath.

All well and good. It seems to be a good series, but I will probably not be attending the classes, because of the 9:15 AM time. I made a heroic effort (for me) for Bruggemann, because I loved his teachings and because they stimulated such lively discussions afterward.

At Lambeth, Bp. Wright said this:

“George Bush said he was going to invade Iraq. Everyone told him not to because there would be consequences, but he did it anyway.

“The Americans floated the balloon in 2003 when they consecrated Gene Robinson as bishop of New Hampshire. They knew exactly what they were doing then and they know exactly what they are doing now. They knew it would be unacceptable to the majority of the Communion. They are doing exactly as they please.”

He continued: “Either the rest of the world caves in or someone has to stand up to them.”

That's quite a leap, isn't it? Bush - Iraq - consecration of Bp. Gene Robinson.

In addition, Bp. Wright was a principal contributor to the Windsor Report, which somehow morphed into rules that the entire Anglican Communion must live by.

As Bishop Martin Barahona, the primate of Central America, said, "The Windsor Report," he said. "It’s just a report. When did it become like The Bible?"

Exactly. I hope that it dies a peaceful death.

I'm told that Bp. Wright is a fine Scripture scholar, and perhaps he is, but as he talked of the scandal that Jesus was, I was thinking about his actions and his words, and that put me off the series and discouraged me from making the heroic effort to be at church at 9:15 AM.