respublica

Religious beliefs and American University faculty

A study done through the Institute for Jewish and Community Research by Gary A. Tobin and Aryeh K. Weinberg on the attitudes toward religion by university faculty has some interesting, but not surprising findings.  Among them:

Most faculty believe in God, but atheism is more prevelant than among the general public.

Religious beliefs of college faculty is highly associated with political identity and behavior.  (Faculty who are liberal and secular tend to be more critical about current American foreign and domestic policies. Those who are religious and conservative tend to be more positive about American
foreign and domestic policies.)

The secular/liberal proportion of faculty is much higher than the religious conservative.

Faculty feel coldly toward evangelicals and Mormons.

Etc.

Obama as "enlightened being?"

Now it gets weird.  San Francisco Gate columnist, Mark Morford, attempts to explain why many "spiritually advanced people I know (not coweringly religious, mind you, but deeply spiritual) identify Obama as a Lightworker, that rare kind of attuned being who has the ability to lead us not merely to new foreign policies or health care plans or whatnot, but who can actually help usher in a new way of being on the planet..."

Lightworker. 

He can't be just exactly what he is, an ambitious political person who knows how to give a good speech.

Who are the Lutherans

As long as we're on the subject of Lutheran doings this morning, here is a YouTube video using a song by Lost and Found to run through a list of notable Lutherans.  One notable Lutheran not mentioned is Congressman John Shimkus of Collinsville.

Thanks to Quincy Pundit for this link.

Coke...

It's what's for Passover.

Passover begins tonight and some soda makers have begun producing a special, Passover only, drink. Coke has one and so does Pepsi, the difference being the soda is made with real sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup.  Most of us can't even remember drinking Coke the way it used to be made and should still be made.

"These are people who love Coca-Cola as it used to be."  "Sugar lends a different flavor. It's not as sweet and it's much fizzier and foamier."

If you're ever in Waco Texas you can buy Dr. Pepper made with real sugar, but they sell it no where else.  It isn't Kosher or made for Passover, however.

You will know the special Coke and Pepsi by the bottle caps which have a Kosher symbol next to a "P".  Pepsi's are white and Coke's are yellow.  Haven't found any around here yet.

Clinton and Obama on abortion

Speaking at a forum on faith and public discourse in Grantham Pennsylvania, yesterday, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama were asked if life begins at conception.

"I believe the potential for life begins at conception. It is about the other lives involved. ... I have concluded, after great, you know, concern and searching my own mind and heart over many years, ... that individuals must be entrusted to make this profound decision, because the alternative would be such an intrusion of government authority that it would be very difficult to sustain in our kind of open society."

Obama's answer.  "This is something that I have not, I think, come to a firm resolution on. I think it's very hard to know what that means, when life begins. Is it when a cell separates? Is it when the soul stirs? ... What I know, as I've said before, is that there is something extraordinarily powerful about potential life and that that has a moral weight to it that we take into consideration when we're having these debates."

Mixed answers surely.  Both hedged, but they also a provided a glimpse into the main problem of abortion, life, even for democrats whose party maintains the most unwavering voice for its availability.

We preach Christ crucified

Without Good Friday, there would be no Easter.

Etching by Rembrandt, The Three Crosses, 1653

O Sacred Head Now Wounded

The hymn for Good Friday

Baptism at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Springfield Virginia

Connor was baptized this Palm Sunday morning, a washing with water and the Word which in the Church (capital C) historically, was the outward sign of a person's "entrance into the Church".   Lizzie and Connor stood in front the baptism stained glass window behind the altar.  The dove coming down from heaven has been associated with baptism since Jesus' baptism by John the Baptist.

Hosanna Hosanna Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

Connor's Baptism

Connor with his mom and dad, sponsors/godparents, and officiating pastors.

Parents, Lizzie and Darren holding Connor, with godparents, Christy and Steve.

Connor's Texas side

The Texas, Missouri, Virginia, Maryland, Illinois family

Two brothers, one pastor, one grandpa

The Baptism ended with the Dale holding, attempting to hold, both boys, both of whom reacted pretty much the same.

So he tried holding just the Baptismal birthday boy, Connor.