PROPINQUITY GOING ON

Preacher Pat Robertson on l'affaire Petraeus.

“She is an extremely good-looking woman.  She is a marathon runner, she’d run Iron Man triathlons, and so she’s out running with him, and she’s writing a biography. And I think the term is propinquity. And there was a lot of propinquity going on.”
....

“He's off in a foreign land and he’s lonely and here’s a good-looking lady throwing herself at him. He’s a man.”

Blame the woman.  Poor manly, military men; they're defenseless against the wiles of a good-looking "lady".  And I love the way the good-looking "lady" co-anchor agrees with Robertson that there was a lot of propinquity going on.

What's wrong with these people?  What about the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman?  Do you laugh or cry?  A lot of what's wrong with these people is that they buy into patriarchy.
 
H/T to ThinkProgress.

UPDATE: Thanks to Prairie Soul in the comments comes a link to a reality-based opinion piece in the New York Times by Frank Bruni.

Such adamant women, such pregnable men. We’ve been stuck on this since Eve, Adam and the Garden of Eden. And it’s true: Eve shouldn’t have been so pushy with the apple. 

But Adam could have had a V8.

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Thanks again to Paul (A.), who says, "Cheers".

From mycoted.

NOT A FAN OF OBAMA

Arizona woman, in despair at the re-election of Democratic President Barack Obama, ran down her husband with the family car in suburban Phoenix on Saturday because he failed to vote in the election, police said on Monday.

Holly Solomon, 28, was arrested after running over husband Daniel Solomon following a wild chase that left him pinned underneath the vehicle.

Daniel Solomon, 36, was in critical condition at a local hospital, but is expected to survive, Gilbert police spokesman Sergeant Jesse Sanger said.

The TV announcer said, "This woman is not a fan of Obama."  Apparently the woman is not much of a fan of her husband, either.  The reactions to the election of certain conservatives gets crazier and crazier.  Cool down, people.

H/T to Adrastos at First Draft.

IT'S NOT EASY BEING A VISIONARY

Thanks to the recommendation of Tobias Haller, I put "Vision", the German film based on the life of Hildegard von Bingen, in my Netflix queue and watched it last week.  The film, written and directed by Margarethe von Trotta, opens with gory scenes of flagellation, and I debated whether to speed the scenes forward or stop watching altogether, but I did neither, thus the movie and I got off to an inauspicious start.  However did Christians come to think the sick practice of self-flagellation served any good purpose?   The reminder of one instance  amongst many of how often the followers of Christ went off track throughout the history of the church helped me to put today's conflicts and wanderings off the path in perspective. 

Hildegard was an extraordinarily gifted woman, who was well-educated from her childhood in 12th century Germany, when few women were fortunate enough to receive that sort of attention.  She was a "writer, composer, philosopher, Christian mystic, Benedictine abbess, visionary, and polymath."  Hildegard faced opposition nearly every step of the way from the male-dominated church in her efforts to fulfill the visions and messages she received from God, but she usually had her way in the end, often aided by the patronage of the powerful.  The church has come a long way, baby, but is not yet where it ought to be in terms of equality for women, as witness the struggle in the Church of England over women bishops and the roadblock in the Roman Catholic Church to ordination of women.  And that's not to mention the fundamentalist Christian churches which, to this day, teach submission of women to men.

Barbara Sukowa is formidable, indeed, as Hildegard.  She would have intimidated me.  All of the actors performed well.  The scenes in the monastery were well done, and seemed authentic to me, although I'm hardly an expert on life in a 12th century religious community.  The triangular relationship between Hildegard, Jutta (Lena Stolz), Hildegard's best friend from childhood, and the young sister Richardis (Hannah Herzsprung) hints at something beyond best friends and/or mother/daughter, but we are left to draw our own conclusions.  Except for the gory parts, I enjoyed the film and the lovely music in the sound track, which included Hildegard's compositions.   

ABOUT BLESSINGS

Bro John Anthony

When a blessing is spoken, those words channel a power that cannot be changed or reversed. A blessing once spoken is irrevocable.

-Br. Curtis Almquist
Society of Saint John the Evangelist

Amen.

Since I sometimes sign off with blessings in email messages, I'm pleased to know that the blessing is forever.  And no - one does not have to be clergy to bestow a blessing.

I HAD TO STEAL IT

 

Rmj at Adventus had to post the picture above, so I had to steal it.  What else could I do?

THE GREEN FIELDS OF FRANCE - ERIC BOGLE

I hate war. I hope and pray that our two most recent wars will be our last - a foolish hope and prayer perhaps, nevertheless...  

Oh, and one thing more...President Obama, please stop the drone attacks.  Innocent people get killed.  Thank you.

UNLESS THE LORD BUILDS THE HOUSE...

Washington National Cathedral, Washington DC

proper 27 meditation

Oh hear now how the proud claim, “I built that!” –

smug in abundance, demanding of praise,

no credit to the carpenter,

anonymous hands bought and bruised to raise

temples of conceit on the habitat

of the wild, the poor, the stranger.

“Unless the LORD builds the house,

their labor is in vain who build it.”

The tests and triumphs of mere mortal rule,

at best, may imitate a discerned

intent of our one Creator,

at worst, displace eternal gifts un-earned

with fleeting fragile robes consumed as fuel

to warm bare greed’s known successor.

“Unless the LORD builds the house,

their labor is in vain who build it.”

Oh Lord, oh builder of The worthy home,

let not our eyes be blinded by false pride

or the bribes of an oppressor

tempt a hungry soul to forsake the guide

of Love that feeds and shelters as we roam.

Praise to Thee, one true confessor.

(Marthe G. Walsh)

St James' Episcopal Church, Bear Creek SD

VETERANS DAY 2012 - THANK YOU

 

We honor our veterans best by serving them when they return from fighting our wars or leave the service. We honor them by providing compassionate and generous care for those who are broken in body, mind, or spirit and by providing opportunities for all veterans to further their education or training, to provide jobs for them, so the numbers of homeless veterans don't grow. All the fancy, patriotic words in the world will count for nothing if we do not back up our words with actions. Veterans served in the military in place of the rest of us. I thank them from my heart for their service.

A Prayer for Veterans' Day

O Judge of the nations, we remember before you with grateful hearts the men and women of our country who in the day of decision ventured much for the liberties we now enjoy. Grant that we may not rest until all the people of this land share the benefits of true freedom and gladly accept its disciplines. This we ask in the Name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

(Book of Common Prayer)

OUR DOUGHBOY - JOSEPH T. BUTLER, SR.

 

Last year I wanted the picture above of my father-in-law for Armistice, Remembrance, Veterans Day, but it was in New Roads. Now I have a scan to use today at the proper time, on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, the 94th anniversary of the end of bloody World War I.

 

Joe's papers show that he was not discharged until many months after the armistice was signed. As you see, Joe was one of the fortunate ones, as he did not engage in even a skirmish or an expedition. He brought home a French sword, which was given him by a Frenchwoman of his acquaintance. The sword belonged to her deceased husband. I'm sure she was a very nice lady, so no 'Madame from Armientières, parley voo' here. Besides, the two were single at the time.

 

Joe's occupation is listed as farmer on the papers, and his home community was tiny Butler, Louisiana, which disappeared from the map, if it was ever on the map. Once the older folks died off, and the youngsters migrated away, the community was no more.

Joe competed in The Inter-Allied Games, which were...

...a one-off multi-sport event held from June 22nd - July 6th 1919 at the newly constructed Pershing Stadium just outside Paris, France following the end of the First World War. The forum for the games, Pershing Stadium, had been built near the Bois de Vincennes by the U.S. Military in cooperation with the YMCA. The event was only open to participation by military personnel who were currently serving or had formerly served in the armed forces during the War. 18 Nations participated in the proceedings which included, among others, track & field events, swimming, baseball, football, rugby, basketball, tennis, boxing, horse riding events, pistol and rifle marksmanship, and wrestling. Following the conclusion of the games, Pershing Stadium was presented as a gift to the people of France from the United States of America. The area, still known as Le Stade Pershing, continues to be used as an open air recreation park to this day.

After the war, Joe attended Louisiana State University and won letters in several sports. He was inducted into the LSU Athletic Hall of Fame in 1982. It was only right. When he competed in the early 1920s, athletes received no help or scholarships. They even had to buy their own uniforms.

 

Joe was musical, too, and played the violin, the guitar, and the banjo. He loved the old country hymns and went to the Baptist church for choir practice on Wednesdays, but he didn't go to church on Sundays. He liked the singing but not the sermons. Joe and Grandpère both say Joe's mother preached frequently to her husband and children, and he'd had enough. We still have some of her letters, and they are quite like sermons.

When he graduated from LSU, Joe took a job as a teacher/coach at the high school in New Roads, LA, met Laura Janis, married, and settled there for the rest of his life. His teaching career ended when his principal wanted him to wear a tie, and he refused. He then took up welding, opened his own shop, and worked as a welder for the rest of his working life. Come hell or high water, Joe took a nap after lunch from which he was not to be disturbed.