Happy Atheism

Proof that Jews are not the only ones who can rhyme in falsetto.

Invitation to UUCA's Celebration Sunday

Rev. Anthony David's personal invitation to special Celebration Sunday services on October 19 (9:30am & 11:15am).

For more info, visit www.uuca.org

More on Troy Davis

The U.S. Supreme Court Tuesday issued a stay of execution for Troy Anthony Davis less than two hours before he was to be put to death by lethal injection.

Davis, 39, sits on death row for the Aug. 19, 1989, killing of Savannah Police Officer Mark Allen MacPhail. He was scheduled to be executed at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

The U.S. Supreme Court’s justices are scheduled to decide Monday whether to hear an appeal of a ruling issued in March by the Georgia Supreme Court. In that 4-3 decision, the state Supreme Court rejected Davis’ request that he be granted a new trial or a court hearing to present new evidence.

In its order, the U.S. Supreme Court said if the justices decline to accept Davis’ appeal, “this stay shall terminate immediately.” If the appeal is granted, the stay will remain in force until the high court issues its ultimate ruling on Davis’ appeal, the order said.

Davis claims he did not commit the crime. Since his 1991 trial, seven of nine key prosecution witnesses who testified against him have recanted their testimony.

On Monday, the state Board of Pardons and Paroles declined to reconsider its decision to deny Davis clemency and the Georgia Supreme Court, by a 6-1 vote, declined to issue a stay of execution.

From the AJC.

Tory Davis will see tomorrow

Seen on the Breaking News Ticker on CNN.com:

The U.S. Supreme Court has issued a stay of execution for Troy Anthony Davis, who was convicted in 1991 of killing a police officer.

Yeah!!!!! I'm having a great day now!

Voter Registration

The Obama campaign just launched a new one-stop voter registration website called Vote for Change:

http://my.barackobama.com/vfc

You can check your registration status, register to vote, look up early-vote information for your state, apply to vote absentee, or even find your polling place.

http://my.barackobama.com/vfc

Information for Georgia

Can I Vote Early In Person?
Early Vote in Georgia is available from October 27 through October 31.

Where Do I Go On November 4th?
Soon you will be able to enter your address and find the polling location that’s closest to you.
Want us to let you know when this is available? Click "Find my polling location?" at the top of the page.

What Time Will The Polls Be Open On Nov 4th?
7:00 am to 7:00 pm

What to Bring With You When You Go.
Georgia law (O.C.G.A 21-2-417) requires Georgia residents to show photo identification when voting in person. When you arrive at your polling place, you will be required to present one of the following forms of identification: Georgia driver’s license, even if it is expired; photo ID issued by a state or federal government agency; passport; employee ID card containing your photograph and issued by any branch, department, agency, or entity of the U.S. government, Georgia, or any county, municipality, board, authority, or other entity of Georgia; U.S. military ID card; or a valid tribal ID card.

Florida Adoption Ban Declared Unconstitutional

Florida Circuit Court Judge David J. Audlin, Jr.has granted the petition of a gay man to adopt the child who was placed in his home as a foster child in 2001 and whose legal guardians the man and his partner of 15 years became in 2006. The child is identified in the court documents as John Doe. To grant the adoption, the judge had to find unconstitutional Florida’s ban and adoption by lesbians and gay men. In so finding, the judge reviewed what was said about the ban when it was enacted in 1977 and concluded that the origin of the ban was a politically charged climate, dominated by Anita Bryant’s anti-gay crusade that resulted in the repeal of the Miami anti-discrimination ordinance.

Judge Audlin addressed the decision of the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in the Lofton case, which refused to find the ban unconstitutional. Lofton was decided based on summary judgment, which means there was never a trial with evidence presented about the validity of the ban from a best-interests-of-the-child perspective. The appeals court in Lofton said that the legislature passing the ban might have thought it “premature to rely on a very recent and still developing body of research, particularly in light of the absence of longitudinal studies following child subjects into adulthood and of studies of adopted, rather than natural, children of homosexual parents.”

Awesome

Ignore the Pregnant Teen, other reasons not to like Sara Palin

Over on my LiveJournal, I got in a mood and posted a big ol' brain dump on why Sara Palin is not right for the job of VP. It started with my exclamation of disbelief in a VP candidate having an unwed pregnant teen. That's not a good reason to not want her as a VP.

The fact that she has a pregnant teen is clouding the issue. Either side would have jumped on this. Were this Obama's teenage daughter, the right would have cried "an attack on the morals of America". Either way... it shouldn't be a issue.

So let's look at all the other things that should be talked about.

• Palin is under investigation in a nasty conflict involving her sister, a state trooper, an ugly divorce and the firing of Alaska Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan. Her lawyer is now demanding that the entire case be taken out of the hands of the independent prosecutor hired by Alaska lawmakers, and given over to a state personnel board -- whose three members were appointed by the governor herself. link
• Fellow Republican and Alaska State Senate President Lyda Green, told the Anchorage Daily News on Saturday "She's not prepared to be Governor. How can she be prepared to be Vice President or President?" link
• Sarah's mother-in-law, Faye Palin, echoed the sentiment. "I'm not sure what she brings to the ticket other than she's a woman and a conservative. Well, she's a better speaker than McCain," Faye offered. link
• Maj. Gen. Craig Campbell, adjutant general of the Alaska National Guard, said he and Palin play no role in national defense activities, even when they involve the Alaska National Guard.. The entire operation is under federal control, and the governor is not briefed on situations. link
• Andrew Sullivan reports that in an interview with Alaska Business Monthly, Palin, confessed "I haven't really focused much on the war in Iraq. I heard on the news about the new deployments, and while I support our president, Condoleezza Rice and the administration, I want to know that we have an exit plan in place; I want assurances that we are doing all we can to keep our troops safe." link
• From 2003 to 2005 Sarah served as one of three directors of the "Ted Stevens Excellence in Public Service, Inc.," a 527 group. In July 2008 the senior Alaska senator was indicted on seven counts of corruption. link
• Members of a fringe Alaska secessionist party, AIP, claim Palin was a member in the 90s. link This one looks be debunked (or spun). I think that she was never officially a member. It was AIP member claiming she was a member. She still spoke at their convention and supports them. link
• If Sara Palin wasn't an official member of AIP, her husband was. link
• Palin received millions in earmarks as mayor of Wasilla. Taxpayers for Common Sense combed through the lobbying reports that Wasilla filed when Palin was mayor. It came up with 14 items, totaling slightly less than $27 million. link
• Palin hired a lobbyist who honed his skills under now-jailed Jack Abramoff. link
• An Alaska State Senator reveals the McCain campaign is stalling an investigation of Sarah Palin link so that report doesn't come out right before the election link
• Video footage reveals Palin talking to her church congregation about how her policies are "shaped" by God. link She's a member of the Assembly of God, the Pentecostal denomination known for diving healing, speaking in tongues, and defrauding evangelicals (Morris Cerullo, Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker, Gene Scott, Bill Hamon, Jimmy Swaggart, Karl Strader, Jack Coe, Benny Hinn.... I could on and on.)
• According to CNN, After Campbell Brown asks some hard questions to McCain's spokesman Tucker Bounds, McCain canceled an interview with Larry King. link
• Earlier this year, Palin used her line-item veto to slash funding for a state program benefiting teen mothers in need of a place to live. link
• She favors teaching creationism in public schools. link
• She didn't even have a passport until 2007. link
• She supported right-wing extremist Pat Buchanan for president in 2000. link
• She wants to open ANWR for drilling. link

I am utterly convinced that if she was a man that she would not be considered for the VP spot. She's got a few redeeming qualities as a person (deciding to keep a Down baby, supporting her teenage daughter, etc.), but as a Vice President, she's a worse pick than Cheney.

As for experience, there are arguments to be made from both sides. She does have "executive" experience, yes, but from a state of less than 650,000. All this talk about how this is so different from what Obama had done seems like splitting hairs. As Robert Gibbs said, "if executive experience is truly important on the Republican side, maybe she should run for president and John McCain can be her vice president." See, I believe that McCain, Obama, and Biden have the right experience and education to be President or VP. I just don't agree with McCain's view on the issues. I don't think that Sara Palin has the right experience or education, and I don't agree with her views.

So I agree, please ignore her teenager who got knocked up by a high school drop out. There are many more reasons to not want her as VP.

Shooting at Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church

I'm sure some of you saw in the news a few days ago that there a shooting at a church in Tennessee. This was at Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church. Yes, the same Unitarian Universalists that I am a part of. I was left dumbfounded when I heard the story on Sunday. Our ministers sent a message out on Sunday, which you can read here. WIRB in Knoxville has done some great reporting on the incident, keeping as updated when the second man died later on during the day. They have posted a timeline full of links. Here's just one of the videos available on their website.

Here at UUCA, we held a vigil on Monday night. It was very moving with about 40 or 50 people showing up. We had families that used to attend TVUUC. We had teenagers that had made friends with TVUUC members at The Mountain. We had one lady talk about her fear and anger because being black and gay in the south, UUCA is one of the only places she feels safe, and she was angry that someone would threaten that sanctuary. We lit every candle we set out for the event. It was very moving and a great show of support for our Tennessee brethren.

Personal accounts are starting to be posted. Dr Reginald Osiris writes a very moving prose:

"People looked up, puzzled. Was is a sound equipment malfunction? Part of the scene? I'd never seen "Annie", so I had no idea what to expect. Vicki got up to see what had happened. Then she screamed "Get down, everybody!"

Another personal account from writingjen:

"There were no more shots for a moment, and I saw under the pew that people were running toward the doors ahead of me. I also realized that Hannah was outside. Realize that we had no clear what happened, how many people might be shooting, where he/they had been or come from. I screamed at Rob to go get Hannah, probably no sooner than he himself came to the same realization. He vaulted the single pew in front of us and ran out the stage right back door. My mother-in-law climbed over the same pew -- afterward, she said she must have had one of those adrenaline rushes that enable superhuman feats, because she's pretty sure she'd never make it over a pew under normal circumstances -- in a skirt and heels, no less. Now standing, I could see that most of the people were gone, some were milling around to my right, where it became apparent the injuries were. I saw my mom on the floor beneath her walker -- my dad was nowhere to be seen. I knew Mom would never be able to stand by herself, so I gave Z to his granny and she ran out the same door after Rob with my screaming boy. I climbed over the pew myself and went to mom -- after taking a second to pick up my purse and laptop. Can you believe it? What a dumb thing to do (but lucky, as it turned out)."

This event has touched me very deeply. I have only been a UU for a year or two now, but the sense of community has pulled me in way before this incident. The attacker was angry at the world and blamed liberals for his troubles. This attack could very easily been at UUCA or any other liberal church out there. It's scary and I am glad that I have a large extended family to share this troubling time with.

I was proud to be a UU last week. I am even prouder this week.

It's Official, I am a Lay Minister now!

On June 2nd, I was commissioned as a Lay minister at UUCA. It was a wonderful service and I greatly appreciate all the kind words by those I spoke with after the service. I am very excited about my post and look forward to serving the congregation.

I also had my first meeting as a member of the Nominating & Leadership Development Committee. We will be doing a Leadership Retreat next month. The dates have been selected: June 11th and 12th. Friday evening and all day Saturday.

Our Jewish Pagan Wedding Script

Here is the wedding script that Leah and I wrote/complied. Feel free to use any portion. A lot of the content below was also borrowed from the interwebs.

Processional: Rev. Keller, Opi, Jason, Xavier and his parents, Lisa, Audrey, Leo and Jorge, and then Leah and her parents.

Marti will take position at the pulpit. Xavier will remain in the middle of the circle. After giving kisses to Xavier, Xavier’s parents will sit. Jason and Lisa will take position. Audrey, with Jorge and Leo, will drop flowers up to Xavier. Xavier will kiss to all the kids and they will sit with Xavier’s Parents. Leah will enter with her parents, reach the edge of the circle, and receive kisses from her parents. They will sit with Xavier’s parents and the kids.

Leah will walk the circle three times. The first time around she will stop to plant the seeds. The second time around she will pour water on the fountain. The third time around she will uncover the Doves. Then she will invite Xavier to light the Chalice together.

They then walk under the chuppah together.

Marti:

The circle in which you all stand is a sacred space for a sacred event to take place. Much of the symbolism of the chuppa and the wedding band hold true in the circle, the sacred womb from which the two are born again as one and the symbol of eternity.

Above you are the stars, below you are the stones, as time doth pass, remember; Like a stone should your love be firm, like a star should your love be constant. Let the powers of the mind and of the intellect guide you in your marriage, let the strength of your wills bind you together, let the power of love and desire make you happy, and the strength of your dedication make you inseparable. Be close, but not too close. Possess one another, yet be understanding. Have patience with one another, for storms will come, but they will pass quickly.

Be free in giving affection and warmth. Have no fear and let not the ways of the unenlightened give you unease, for God is with you always.

Be with us here, O beings of the Air
With your clever fingers
Tie closely the bonds between these two.

Be with us here, O beings of Fire
Give their love and passion
your own all-consuming ardor

Be with us here, O beings of Water
Give them the deepest of love
and the richness of the body, of the soul and of the spirit.

Be with us here, O beings of Earth
Let your strength and constancy
Be theirs for so long as they desire
to remain together

Be with us here, oh Lord our G-d, Sovereign of the World,
who hath created joy and gladness, Bridegroom and Bride,
mirth and exultation, pleasure and delight,
love and brotherhood, peace and friendship.
Blessed art thou, O Lord,
who gives the Bridegroom joy in his Bride.

This is your first drink together. May you never thirst!

Xavier and Leah sip the wine.

Marti:

Xavier, I have not the right to bind thee to Leah, only you have this right. If it be your wish, say so at this time and place your ring in her hand.

Xavier:

Behold, with the circle of protection and love you created and with the wisdom of the earth, you are betrothed unto me with this ring, according to the Law of Moses and Israel.

Marti:

Leah, I have not the right to bind thee to Xavier, only you have this right. If it be your wish, say so at this time and place your ring in his hand.

Leah:

Behold, with the circle of protection and love I created and with the wisdom of the earth, you are betrothed unto me with this ring, according to the Law of Moses and Israel.

Marti [to Xavier]:

Repeat after me: I, John Baptista Xavier Ashe, in the name of the spirit of God that resides within us all, by the life that courses within my blood and the love that resides within my heart, take thee, Leah Grant Ingram, to my hand, my heart and my spirit, to be my chosen one. To desire thee and be desired by thee, to possess thee and be possessed by thee without sin or shame, for naught can exist in the purity of my love for thee. I promise to love thee wholly and completely without restraint, in sickness and in health, in plenty and in poverty, in life and beyond. I shall not seek to change thee in any way. I shall respect thee, thy beliefs, thy people and thy ways as I respect myself.

Marti [to Leah]:

Repeat after me: I, Leah Grant Ingram, in the name of the spirit of God that resides within us all, by the life that courses within my blood and the love that resides within my heart, take thee, John Baptista Xavier Ashe, to my hand, my heart and my spirit, to be my chosen one. To desire thee and be desired by thee, to possess thee and be possessed by thee without sin or shame, for naught can exist in the purity of my love for thee. I promise to love thee wholly and completely without restraint, in sickness and in health, in plenty and in poverty, in life and beyond. I shall not seek to change thee in any way. I shall respect thee, thy beliefs, thy people and thy ways as I respect myself.

1. Praised are You, O Lord our G-d, King of the Universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine.

2. Praised are You, O Lord our G-d, King of the Universe, Who created all things for Your glory.

3. Praised are You, O Lord our G-d, King of the Universe, Creator of man.

4. Praised are You, O Lord our G-d, King of the Universe, Who created man and woman in Your image, fashioning woman from man as his mate, that together they might perpetuate life. Praised are You, O Lord, Creator of man.

5. May Zion rejoice as her children are restored to her in joy. Praised are You, O Lord, Who causes Zion to rejoice at her children's return.

6. Grant perfect joy to these loving companions, as You did to the first man and woman in the Garden of Eden. Praised are You, O Lord, who grants the joy of bride and groom.

7. Praised are You, O Lord our G-d, King of the Universe, who created joy and gladness, bride and groom, mirth, song, delight and rejoicing, love and harmony, peace and companionship. O Lord our G-d, may there ever be heard in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem voices of joy and gladness, voices of bride and groom, the jubilant voices of those joined in marriage under the bridal canopy, the voices of young people feasting and singing. Praised are You, O Lord, Who causes the groom to rejoice with his bride.

Is it also your wish today that your hands be fasted in the ways of old?

Leah and Xavier:

It is.

Marti:

Woven into this cord, imbued into its very fibers, are all the hopes of your friends and family, and of yourselves, for your new life together. With the fashioning of this knot do I tie all the desires, dreams, love, and happiness wished here in this place to your lives for as long as love shall last.

In the joining of hands and the fashion of a knot, so are your lives now bound, one to another.

By this cord you are thus bound to your vow. May this knot remain tied for as long as love shall last.

May this cord draw your hands together in love, never to be used in anger. May the vows you have spoken never grow bitter in your mouths.

The cross creates the Rune Gebo which is the Rune of partnership and union. As your hands are bound by this cord, so is your partnership held by the symbol of this knot. May it be granted that what is done before God be not undone by man.

Xavier then break the glass. Mazel Tov!

Recessional: Xavier and Leah, Leah’s parents with Jorge and Leo, Xavier’s parents with Audrey, Lisa & Jason together, Opi, and Rev. Keller.

Open Call for Auditions

DigiTribe Productions, LLC (Geekin', After, The Statement of Randolph Carter) is pleased to announce open auditions for our newest feature film project, currently known as "The $1,000 Feature".

The Project: Our goal is to push ourselves to our creative limits and create an entire 90-minute feature film for exactly $1,000. We will be keeping an open production diary throughout filming and publishing the budget as the money dwindles away. The film itself is a dark, violent drama about one man's quest to save a friend. For more information on the 1KF, please check out our website -- www.digitribe.net
Due to the ultra-low budget nature of the film - compensation will be limited to meals, credit & copy.

Characters: Most, but not all, roles are for early 20's to mid 30's, male and female. Further information on roles can be found at: http://www.digitribe.net/projects/1kfeature/audition/roles

When and Where: Auditions will be held Saturday, May 24th from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM at Eyedrum, located at 290 MLK Jr. Drive, Suite 8, Atlanta, 30312. Performers will be seen on a first come - first served basis.

RSVP: Headshots and resumes will be accepted in advance and can be sent to 1kf-auditions@digitribe.net or PO Box 42 Jonesboro, GA 30237.
Some performers who pre-submit a headshot & resume may be selected for the Priority List. These performers will be notified by email, and will be sent to the head of the line when they arrive at the audition.

NLDC

I knew there was something else worth mentioning. I have been nominated to sit on the Nominating and Leadership Development Committee (NLCD) at UUCA. Woot!

I've been a bad UU Blogger

I've let this blog slip a little bit. So I'll be posting a good bit to catch up on all the fun UU-related activities in my life. Here's the overview:

• I got married!! Yup, on May 2nd at UUCA. Leah and I wrote the Jewish/Pagan service that was delivered my Rev. Marti Keller. I'll post the details soon.
• I delivered my first homily at Wonderful Wednesday Vesper Service.
• Furthering my Lay Minister studies. The installation service is on June 1st at UUCA

I'm sure there are some other things I need to post to catch up. Love to hear your feedback!

Belated Mother's day note

I have two great mother's in my live. They need to be celebrated.

The first mother is my wife of 10 days. She manages to make it look easy to take three kids to three different schools, with three different schedules, make breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack, keep all of us in clean clothes and in a clean house. Add into the equations three kids that like to get sick, Jorgito's special health needs, and Leo's sensitive immune system. She does it all so well, that you wouldn't think that it was a very hard task. She still has enough energy and love to play with the kids, play games with me, and generally stay very happy. She not only only takes care of us, but makes us happy, brings us joy, and shows us so much love that it's easy to forget how challenging life can be. Audrey and I could not have found a better person to be my wife and her mother. Thank You, Leah.

The other mother that needs celebrating is my own. I let you in on a little secret of my wedding. During the reception, Leah's ex decided that he was going to bail on taking the boys for the week of our Honeymoon. I spent a good portion of my reception dealing with the fact that the honeymoon was probably off. Then my mother told Leah and I that under on circumstances were we going to miss our honeymoon. They moved into our house and took care of three children with all the above mentioned challenges. My mother still has a job and my dad has church and school board obligations. But they made it work. And the children had a blast.

I've never been much of a mother's boy, but when the chips are down, my parents have been there for me. From moving to Milwaukee to help me after I separated, to helping me throughout the $20k, 2-year divorce, to ensuring I had a stress free honeymoon... they are the best parents in the world.

Ultimate Bible Quiz

You know the Bible 87%!

Wow! You are awesome! You are a true Biblical scholar, not just a hearer but a personal reader! The books, the characters, the events, the verses - you know it all! You are fantastic!

Ultimate Bible Quiz

Help my dad keep his job

As you may well know, my father, David Ashe is on the Clayton County School Board. It's been tough being a School Board member in Clayton County, but my dad is one of the good guys. Help show the public that he should keep his job by going here:

http://projects.ajc.com/gallery/view/metro/clayton/claytonboard0327/

Hit the forward button about 6 times until you get to the only white guy. That's him. Vote for him to stay.

Thanks!

You need a Mercedes Benz

I am selling my Benz. Who wants it? $500 off the edmunds.com price if you mention this blog!

2003 MERCEDES C320
Price:$18,268
Mileage:77,129
Color:Black
Doors:4
Features:
Air Bag, Air Conditioning, Anti-Lock Brakes, CD player, Heated Seats, Leather Interior, Power Seats, Power Steering, Power Windows, Security Features, Side Impact Air Bags, Sunroof, Traction Control

Additional Comments:
This car has served me well, but I am getting married and need to get a bigger car (more kids!). It is priced to move. It's in near perfect condition. This is a very fun drive. Give us a call to schedule a test drive any time (we work from home). More details: AM/FM Stereo; Multi-CD Changer; Cassette; Premium Audio System (Bose); 4-Wheel Anti-Lock Brakes; Dual Control Air Conditioning; Alloy Wheels; Cruise Control; Front And Rear Head Air Bags; Rear Window Defroster; Power Seats; Leather Seats; Power Door Locks; Power Heated Mirrors; Power Windows; Power Steering; Front And Rear Side Air Bags; Sunroof/Moonroof; Tinted Glass; Power Tilt Wheel; Bucket Seats; Fog Lights; Lighted Entry System; Automatic Climate Control; Memory Driver And Passenger Seats; Power Telescopic Steering Wheel; Clock; Trip Computer; Stability Control; Anti-Theft Alarm System; Rear Bench Seat; Remote Trunk Release; Leather Steering Wheel Trim; Center Console; Garage Door Opener; Keyless Entry System; Wood Interior Trim; 16 Inch Wheels; 3.2L V6 SOHC 18V FI Engine; Tachometer; Traction Control; Audio Steering Wheel Controls; Leather Shift Knob Trim; Intermittent Wipers; Daytime Running Lights; Turn Signal Mirrors Contact Xavier Ashe 404-229-8905, xashe@digitribe.net

Save the Date!

Leah and I finally set a wedding date:

August 1st at 7:00 pm at UUCA!

There will be a reception afterwards at a to-be-announced location. It's a Friday evening, so we will have a fun place with a nice party.

We will be sending out invitations, so please drop off your current address to my email: xavier at ashe d0t com.

Best Dilbert Punchline Ever

It took me a minute to get it. I had to say it out loud.

Si Se Puede Cambiar

Oh No! The Atheists are coming!

The Statement of Randolf Carter

This is the latest film from DigiTribe Productions. I hope you enjoy it!

Liturigst this Sunday (2/17)

I get my second showing in front of UUCA congregation this Sunday, the 17th where I will be doing the liturgy. I was a bit on the nervous side last time. Not because I don't like or have never done public speaking. Just the opposite, in fact. I have done teaching, given lectures, and the occasional keynote, but speaking at UUCA is different from me. First of all, I greatly respect my peer lay ministers and professional ministers. I also respect the congregation, a lot. This manifested in to nervousness last time I did the liturgy. Good thing I got the first time done without any major mishap.

Overall... I am looking forward to it and won't feel as worried last time. Come on out!

Report It Now!

Artist and educator Angela Shelton has a new campaign this month called "Report IT!" On April 29th, 2008, she is mobilizing survivors across the country to go to their local county courthouses and report sexual violence. These survivors will not necessarily be at the courthouse in order to file police reports. Instead, they will be standing together, declaring that they were victims of sexual assault and demanding that their communities acknowledge them!

In conjunction with this campaign, Angela is asking survivors to fill out a confidential form via the internet (and co-survivors, if the person is not able to do it themselves.) As many of you know, the statistics we currently have on the incidences of rape, incest and assault do not reflect reality. Sexual assault is one of the most underreported crimes there is. Many of us choose not to report to the police for a multitude of reasons (I could write a whole other e-mail on that!) Through reporting online through Angela's campaign, survivors can safely and confidentially (if they wish) stand up and be counted. We can show the world how many of us have suffered from sexual violence and that our cultures need to change.

Here is the link below for you to REPORT IT!!! Please pass this along to friends, family, coworkers.. to anyone who you believe would like to be counted or knows someone who they want to count:

http://reportitnow.org/

For more information on the campaign and on Angela Shelton, please visit..

http://reportitnow.blogspot.com/

http://www.angelashelton.com

Yes We Can!!

Go vote today. Yes WE CAN!

Almost Time!

The Georgia primary is this Tuesday, February 5th.

I hope you will join me in voting for Barack Obama. Find your polling place:

http://my.barackobama.com/GAlookup

It's time to put an end to the say-anything-to-win politics of the past. Together we can face the challenges of the future with a new kind of politics and a new kind of leadership.

Find your polling place and make sure you come out and vote for Barack this Tuesday, February 5th:

http://my.barackobama.com/GAlookup

If you already know where you'll be voting on Tuesday, take a minute to invite five of your friends to look up their polling place:

http://my.barackobama.com/GAlookup

Thanks

Early Voting in Georgia

Go Vote! TODAY!

Registered voters who want to avoid the long lines next Tuesday for Georgia's presidential primary can vote early through Friday in advance voting. Metro Atlanta counties have multiple poll sites; voters may go to any in the county where they are registered. Early voting locations may be different from the regular Election Day sites.

Below is a list of the locations, hours, Web sites and phone numbers of election offices for metro Atlanta counties

Places where you can cast an early vote.

Map of Leading Church Bodies in 2000

Data collected by The Glenmary Research Center. The GRC is a catholic group that supports the Glenmary Home Missioners.... who are domestic missioners. So the point of this data collection was to find out where to where to concentrate their efforts. They have some other maps available (in PDF format), including U.S. Counties With High Percentages of Unclaimed/Unchurched, U.S. Counties With High Percentages of African Americans, and others that I find interesting. I guess they've been around around for a while. Take a look at this map from 1938:

Updated Travel Map

In the spirit of the last post, I figured I'd post an updated travel map. I saw a good bit of world in 2007, but there's so much more to see. I've only visited 20% of the countries of the world. I look forward to going to South America and Africa soon.


create your own visited countries map

28 Places to see before you die.

The Smithsonian has posted The Life List, a list of 28 places that must be seen and experienced. I have only managed to see 3 out of 28 so far: Grand Canyon, Parthenon, and the Great Barrier Reef. I guess it time to start traveling again.

To that end, the staff of Smithsonian—as diverse a group of travelers as you're likely to meet—put their heads together to come up with an exclusive list of 28 places the Smithsonian reader might wish to visit before ...it's too late. Some of the sites are portals into the past—ancient cities so well preserved that visiting them is like stepping into a previous century. Others feature feats of engineering or sublime works of art—or, in the cases of the Taj Mahal and Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater, both. Travelers can visit temples and churches so breathtaking they must have been built with divine inspiration. For the more adventurous, we offer rewards beyond mere sightseeing—from a three-day hike across the Grand Canyon to a ride along China's Yangtze River.

While all of these destinations beckon year-round, there are places where timing matters: many travelers are at a loss for words after witnessing the sun rise over Machu Picchu or seeing Iguazu Falls by the light of a full moon. And, appropriately, some of our sites now confront their own mortality—endangered by pollution or just worn down, like a few of us, by the passage of time.

Whether you visit only a couple of these destinations or all 28, your life will be enriched by the experience. And if along the way you want to gorge on caviar or get a tattoo, that's entirely up to you.

100 Greatest Quotes from Fundamentalist Christian chat rooms

Found this gem on Digg today. Here is the original link and here's a mirror if the first site is down. Good stuff in here:

To say the Bible was written by men and may contain inaccuracies completely contradicts the word of the Bible.

To me, religion is evil. It is manmade and man-centered. I have a belief. A belief in My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

If your original Hebrew disagrees with my original King James --- your original Hebrew is wrong. If your original Hebrew agrees with my original King James, your original Hebrew is right.

I can sum it all up in three words: Evolution is a lie

Christian Athiest?

From Boing Boing:

Today in my ongoing series of photos from my travels: the Christian Atheism guy who stands quietly at Speaker's Corner in London every Sunday, with signs that proclaim: CHRISTIAN ATHEISM: TO FOLLOW JESUS, REJECT GOD. Link

2008 Presidential Candidate Matching Quiz

The questions on this quiz are extremely limited and divisive. There are only 2 or 3 answers and they are obviously a democratic or republican view. None of the republicans scored high on my list even though I have a strong capitalistic vein. I blame the questions.

85% Barack Obama
75% Bill Richardson
74% Chris Dodd
71% Joe Biden
70% Dennis Kucinich
70% Hillary Clinton
70% Mike Gravel
69% John Edwards
47% Rudy Giuliani
45% John McCain
38% Ron Paul
37% Mike Huckabee
33% Mitt Romney
24% Tom Tancredo
22% Fred Thompson

2008 Presidential Candidate Matching Quiz

Mayalsia: Taoist statue deemed “offensive” to Islam raises new controversy over religious freedom

I just visited Malaysia last month and was amazed at the religious diversity. The only other Muslim country I have been to is Bahrain, and that was back in college. Malaysia was full of Hindu, Taoist, and Buddhist Temples along with many Mosques. I saw an occasional Christian Church, but is was a different world compared to my European travels.

The following article was found on The Wild Hunt, a great Pagan blog IHO. It was originally published by AsiaNews.it

The construction of the world’s tallest Taoist Goddess of the Sea statue has set off the latest row over religious freedom in Malaysia. The 36-metre (108-foot) statue of Mazu, known as Tin Hau in Hong Kong, should be erected in the fishing village of Kudat on Borneo Island. So far only the platform has been set; the statue itself is waiting some 200 km away in the port town of Kota Kinabalu. Local authorities had approved construction in December 2005 but Sabah state authorities stopped construction saying that the statue was “offensive to Muslim sensitivities.”

Opposition leader Lim Kit Siang, who heads the Chinese-based Democratic Action Party, warned that if the row was not resolved it could hurt multiracial and inter-faith harmony in the hitherto tolerant Malaysia.

“The insensitive controversy objecting to the building of the Mazu statue is created by a small group of Muslims with ulterior political objectives, which setS a dangerous precedent in undermining inter-religious goodwill in Malaysia,” he said.

“All we want is for Mazu Goddess to protect us when we are at sea and our Muslim countrymen have nothing against,” said a local fisherman.

After the state government halted construction Sabah’s mufti issued a fatwa saying the statue was “offensive to Islam” because it was too close to a mosque.

Sabah’s deputy chief minister Chong Kah Kiat, an ethnic Chinese, resigned in protest and in early December took legal action challenging the order to stop construction.

About 60 percent of Malaysia’s 27 million people are ethnic Malay Muslims; 25 per cent are Chinese and 10 per cent, Indians, mostly Hindu or Christian.

Malaysian commentators and minority leaders have sounded the alarm over the growing ‘Islamisation’ of the country and the increasing polarisation of the three main ethnic communities, which mix much less than in the past.

In recent weeks there have been other controversies, including a ban issued by the Ministry of Internal Security on the use of the word ‘Allah’ for God by the Herald, a Catholic weekly.

Catholics and Protestants have also had their right to build places of worship severely restricted.

My First Vespers (TM)

Tonight, along with Rev. Marti Keller, I did my first Vespers service. Because of Leo's surgery, I wasn't able to plan as well as I had hoped, but it went very well. Marti did the homily, but I did everything else: opening words, selected the music, meditation, joys and concerns, and closing words. I am feeling more comfortable in a church setting as time goes on. I have done tons of public speaking and teaching, but never in a church. So this is a great learning experience.

If anyone reading was there tonight, please feel free to give me frank feedback. I appreciate all opinions, no matter how brash.

I am also realizing that I do better with notes and speaking off the cuff, that trying to write out all the wording ahead of time. That might be different when I actually write a homily or sermon, but for other things I think I'll stick with my normal way of presenting. I only tried to write everything out because I noticed that was the way that others presented. I respected their message, so I tried their style. We'll see... I still may to do for longer speeches.

I feel accomplished. Joining the Lay Ministry was way outside my realm of possibilities a year or two ago. It's feeling right and it looks like I might be able to do it well.

Update on Leo

Leo did great today. The surgery happened with no complications. The surgeon got to see how much damage the reflux had done and he confirmed that this procedure really needed to be done. He's spent most the day drugged up and or sleeping. He may be home tomorrow, or it may be Wednesday.

Even thought he did well today, last night was another issue. His reflux peaked one last time, as if to say it wasn't going away without a fight. Leah was up most the night, cleaning vomit and rocking an upset baby.

Well, the worst is past us. We feel like we made the right decision, and there were no complications during surgery. It's just healing time now.

Leo is going in for Surgery

Leo, Leah's 20 month old little baby, is going in for surgery tomorrow. He will getting a Laparoscopic Nissen Fundoplication to fix his serious reflux. It's a major surgery, so we all a bit on edge. It will happen at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston. We expect a few days of recovery time. I have taken off work and will be available via cell phone. Please do not call Leah's cell phone, she will be with him and will probably be turned off.

Wish him luck!

ps. We found a house in the Mornigside area within our budget and are 90% moved in. The move is on hold for a bit to concentrate on Leo, but send me an email if you want our new address.