Who let the Dogs out?

It was Bring-Your-Animal-To-Church Day at UUCA yesterday. Go here for a flickr set of pictures from the event. It was also the first sermon from our new Minister, Anthony David. Good fun!

Special Moments

During the service at UUCA today, there was a wonderful soloist playing a song about love. I left my order of service at UUCA, so I don't have her name, but she was very good. I was holding Audrey in my arms and I was gently rocking her to the music. She sat up at bit and whispered in my ear, "Daddy, I want to give all my love to you."

Every day with her is like the best father's day in the world.

Momentum is Building

Rev. Anthony David officially started this Monday, August 13th. His first Sunday sermon isn't until September, but he gave an extended vespers service last night after a potluck dinner at UUCA. His sermon was energizing to the extend of being excited about the possibilities. However, his tendency to draw thing out a bit seem to undo some of the excitement he built. He is doing a great job laying the foundation of positive change, by making people excited about change while softening the impact a bit. He spoke of patience while also extolling the virtues of doing something new.

I write this out becuase I am impressed with him as a leader. I am constantly taking leadership roles, and he will be a positive role model. I can't wait to start the lay ministry program and learn from him more directly.

Scientology, just Yuck!

I got surfing around on Xenu.tv laughing at the silly Scientologists and found this great excerpt from Boston Legal. I love that show, and episode has some wonderful zingers. "Your Honor she’s making fun of Christianity. It’s unpatriotic. I’m afraid that it will hurt the troops." Good laugh out loud fun.

Scientology: Boston Legal
Uploaded by XENUTV

More Off Topic Fun!

As I posted before, I am part of Digitribe Productions. It is a local production company that does film, music, art, and gaming. It's the creative side of a bunch of geeks, including me. Well, we just completed another skit, a comedy this time, and posted it up on YouTube. Let me know what you think!

Back to Church

It's been a while since going to UUCA. I took a few weeks to do some traveling with my daughter and then went to Paris when she went to her see her mother. It felt good to be back. I've never been a church going person, so it's not the ritual of going to church I missed. I just felt grounded and comforted. Rev. Marti Keller delivered a fine sermon that reminded me that I really like this place.

Tomorrow, Audrey starts her first day at Pre-K. It's a big day for her, and for me. It's at a elementary school, so it's really her first day of school. I got her a fashion purse that she will use as a book bag. She loves it. I'm excited for her, but more excited to get her life back to normal. Summertime is full of large visitations with her mother, and being back home full time will help her tremendously. I am debating which after school program to do: dance, piano, voice (singing), Spanish, art... there's tons out there. Just have to pick one. Maybe two.

Well, that's about it. I feel like real life begins again tomorrow and going back to UUCA was a good start to getting back into the groove of things.

Life of Pi

I just finished with The Life of Pi, a novel by Yann Martel. I highly recommend this novel to all UU's and others that take the time to read a blog about my spirituality. In fact, the first I heard of this novel was from Wednesday night vespers at UUCA.

The main character, Piscine Molitor Patel or Pi for short, was raised Hindu, decides to become a Christian and a Muslim. "I just want to love God," says the teenager who gathers joys from the various perspectives of spirituality. His family runs a Zoo in India, but decides to move to Canada. The boat sinks and he has to survive for 227 days on a rescue boat with a zebra, a 450-pound Bengali tiger by the name of Richard Parker, a hyena, orangutan, various insects and other pestilence. After a a few days, only Pi and Richard parker remain.

The allegories abound as Pi spends several hundred days at sea. Richard Parker represents the animal in all of us, and Pi must come to terms with this new relationship. The issue of reality and faith are also covered very well.

“I can well imagine an atheist’s last words: ‘White, white! L-L-Love! My God!’–and the deathbed leap of faith. Whereas the agnostics, if he stays true to his reasonable self, if he stays beholden to dry yeastless factuality, might try to explain the warm light bathing him by saying, ‘Possibly a f-f-failing oxygenation of the b-b-brain,’ and, to the very end, lack the imagination and miss the better story."

More events happen along those themes, but I'll try not to ruin the story, since it's such a fun read. Also math geeks might see the significance of Pi being at sea for 227 days. For everyone else, pi = 22/7.

Overall, it was a great story that I am sure any UU will enjoy. Read it before the movie comes out.

Announcing - The DRAGON CONspiracy

Disclosure: I am part of Digitribe Productions. This is a bit off topic, but will prove to be good fun. Click here for the original announcement.

Greetings Citizen!

I'm pleased to announce that DigiTribe Productions will be producing a Live-Action version of the popular Paranoia RPG at Dragon*Con 2007 in Atlanta, GA the weekend of August 31-September 3. Digitribe Productions has brought you many fun games in the past including Night's Children and R.E.L.I.C., and also brought you Geekin'.

The game will run continuously from Friday night until Sunday evening with primary plot hours occurring Friday 1900-2100, Saturday 1300-1800, and Sunday 1300-1800. The Primary storyline will advance during these three session windows, however players are encouraged to continue game play throughout the day and night if they so wish.

The LARP system being used has been specially developed for this type of convention game and has been streamlined for ease of play, speedy resolutions, and quick learning curves.

Registration for the game is $19.84 - and includes six lives (clones) of your assigned character. To pre-register please visit http://www.digitribe.net/paranoia. The game is written for a maximum of 200 players, so act now and get your name on The Computer's roll sheet.

The official game description is as follows:

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ATTENTION SELECTED CITIZENS

As you may be aware, for the last <CLASSIFIED/indigo> years, certain citizens have been selected for a relaxation experiment. This year, you have been selected for this honor. The computer requests that you report to the CON sector. Attendance is mandatory. Failure to attend is treason.

You are ordered to take two days of holiday. You will be taken off of Visomorpain for the duration. You will be given an extra dose of Xanitrick. All citizens WILL enjoy themselves. Computer-approved jumpsuits are not mandatory for this period. Citizens are encouraged to dress in festive costumes based on Computer-approved video dramas. Citizens MUST avoid work during this relaxation period. Citizens MUST accomplish all mandated tasks as normal. Happiness is mandatory.

<CLASSIFIED/red>
This "holiday" is essential to long-term evaluation of infrared response to adjustments in medical dosages and work schedule. CON sector will be sealed until infrared citizens return to normal parameters, so their “colorful antics” do not disturb other citizens. It is essential that you help collect data on infrared behavior during this period without interfering in their behavior.

This experiment may result in increased treasonous activity. You are required to report to the CON sector main Computer terminal for troubleshooting assignments. Troubleshooters will receive work assignments to uncover seditious activity. Failure to report will be regarded as treason. Refusal to work will be regarded as treason. Clearance Red and above citizens are not exempt from the prohibition against working during the experiment.

Due to a treasonous, communist attack on a local plant, Multicorder devices will not be available for requisition on the festival weekend. Since Multicorder records are very helpful in establishing treason beyond a shadow of a doubt, all troubleshooters are encouraged to bring personal Multicorder devices for use in missions during the experiment. Fines for possession of a Multicorder of unauthorized clearance will be waived for the duration of the experiment. Troubleshooters bringing personal Multicorders will be Commended. It is treasonous to use a Multicorder of a level beyond your clearance.

Drinking Liberally

Being a single dad, I can't really dedicate a weeknight to drinking, but maybe I'll call up the parents to babysit every now and then. Regardless, I definitely wanted to share.

What is Drinking Liberally?

An informal, inclusive progressive social group. Raise your spirits while you raise your glass, and share ideas while you share a pitcher. Drinking Liberally gives like-minded, left-leaning individuals a place to talk politics. You don't need to be a policy expert and this isn't a book club - just come and learn from peers, trade jokes, vent frustration and hang out in an environment where it's not taboo to talk politics.

Bars are democratic spaces - you talk to strangers, you share booths, you feel the bond of common ground. Bring democratic discourse to your local democratic space - build democracy one drink at a time.

While drinking liberally, always remember to drink responsibly, and make liberal use of designated drivers. Drinking and driving is reckless and irresponsible, like a neocon war or corporatist tax cut. Liberals, don't do it.

Atlanta, Georgia

• Every Thursday, 8:00 pm onward
• Thinking Man's Tavern, 537 W Howard Ave, Decatur (map)
• Hosted by atlanta (at) drinkingliberally.org
• Join the Atlanta mailing list
• Discuss in the Atlanta forum

Open Letter to Dr. Laura

Snopes could not confirm the authenticity or the origin of the letter, but it's still great fun. It's interesting how religions pick and choose from their holy books to decide which ones to adhere to strictly and which are now archaic.

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On her radio show recently, Dr Laura Schlesinger said that, as an observant Orthodox Jew, homosexuality is an abomination according to Leviticus 18:22 and cannot be condoned under any circumstance. The following response is an open letter to Dr. Laura, penned by a US resident, which was posted on the Internet.

Dear Dr. Laura:

Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law.

I have learned a great deal from your show, and try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination. ... End of debate.

I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some other elements of God's Law and how to follow them.

1. When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord - Lev.1:9. The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

2. I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?

3. I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanness - Lev.15:19-24. The problem is how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.

4. Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?

5. I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2. The passage clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself?

6. A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination - Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this? Are there 'degrees' of abomination?

7. Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?

8. Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev.19:27. How should they die?

9. I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?

10. My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev. 19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? - Lev.24:10-16. Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)

I know you have studied these things extensively and thus enjoy considerable expertise in such matters, so I am confident you can help.

Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging.

Your adoring fan,

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