Maybe He Can Lip-synch the Sun-tan Lotion Speech?
I never imagined this particular appointment would still be in George's daytimer. I thought it had been made eminently clear weeks ago that his claptrap and ideology, together with the unsightly lumpy radio controls essential to thwart spontaneity and/or keep his lips moving were not welcome at what would otherwise have probably been a rather jolly commencement. (Wait a minute - you don't suppose that could be a remote-controlled EST unit? Rove is reputed to be a bit of a sadist.)
It's a great relief, despite the increasing destruction of democratic civilization by those in power, to be assured that "conservative" still doesn't always mean "anti-intellectual" or "servile," two of what seem the common dominant genes in bush's legions.
Students and Profs at Religious Conservative Michigan College Object to Bush Appearance!
Pro-Bush Prof Argues Address Arranged by Political Director Rove 'Not a Political Event'...
According to the Grand Rapids Press, nearly 1000 students and professors from the conservative Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI are taking out a full-page ad to protest George W. Bush's commencement address appearance this Saturday.
The speaking engagement was requested and arranged by Bush's top political advisor Karl Rove who, according to NEWSWEEK, informed a College employee at a "Presidential" event back in March that "Bush was hoping to deliver a graduation speech in Michigan this year and asked if Calvin College, a small Christian school in Grand Rapids, might be a willing venue."
Ironically enough, The Press quotes the chair of the college's communication arts and science department who gave his approval for the event as accusing the objecting students and professors of turning the appearance into a "political event."
The fact that the appearance was arranged by Bush's top political advisor, who was specifically looking for a venue in swing-state Michigan for Bush to speak at is apparently to be ignored.
Yesterday's Press described tomorrow's stinging full-page ad:
In a full-page advertisement that will run in The Press on Friday and a half-page ad to appear Saturday, Calvin students, staff and alumni voice their disappointment with Bush's graduation stop.
"By their deeds ye shall know them," reads the paid advertisement, quoting the Bible. "Your deeds, Mr. President -- neglecting the needy to coddle the rich, desecrating the environment, and misleading the country into war -- do not exemplify the faith we live by.
"Moreover, many of your supporters are using religion as a weapon to divide our nation and advance a narrow partisan agenda. ...We urge you not to use Calvin College as a platform to advance policies that violate the school's religious principles."
More than 750 alumni, students and staff have signed Friday's advertisement, while about 100 of Calvin's 300 faculty members put their names on the Saturday ad.
[clip]
I know only snippets from press clips regarding Calvin College, but I find this whole business very refreshing. My current reading includes "Stealing Jesus" by Bruce Bawer. This challenging yet rewarding book affirms my belief that true Christian "conservatism," in the sense of being consistent with historical religious practice and principles, stretching back to the country's founders and to the disciples for that matter, has very little to do with the spewings of the fundamentalist dogmatics with whom the current power-brokers have been making noisy whoopie. From what I can tell, Christ was about love, not numb-headed adherence to a bunch of rules dictated by the authorities (and mega-corporations, in this case). He also doesn't seem to have been about exclusion or narrowly defined "membership" requirements.
I heartily recommend Bawer to anyone whose religious feelings or spiritual aspirations have not been totally stifled by the takeover of our society by religious bigots. Yes, I routinely wince at the word "Christian" these days. I'm not a church-going practioner, considering myself something of a Christian-principle-believing scofflaw, disgusted at the corruption and hypocrisy of most mainstream religion, as well as the pandering of the venal Republicans.
Stealing Jesus is more than worthy of a post of its' own, but 'til that day I'll settle for this:
Over the centuries, countless theologians and preachers have exhaustively discussed the things Jesus said and did. Less attention has been paid to what he didn't say and do. His encounters with men and women in the Gospels are striking for the absence of any spelling out of theological specifics or any overt attempt at conversion. Except in John's Gospel, there is no mention of Jesus baptizing anybody; and John's implication that Jesus did baptize is unaccompanied by any suggestion that baptism was viewed by him or anyone as distinguishing insider from outsider. He presents the good Samaritan as a model, even though the Samaritan, at the end of the story, remains a Samaritan. The story of the good Samaritan, like other Gospel passages, makes it clear that for Jesus, evangelism was plainly not about bringing people into doctinal conformity with himself or anyone else; it was about making people feel close to God and loved by God. (p. 46)
Peace be with you.
It's a great relief, despite the increasing destruction of democratic civilization by those in power, to be assured that "conservative" still doesn't always mean "anti-intellectual" or "servile," two of what seem the common dominant genes in bush's legions.
Students and Profs at Religious Conservative Michigan College Object to Bush Appearance!
Pro-Bush Prof Argues Address Arranged by Political Director Rove 'Not a Political Event'...
According to the Grand Rapids Press, nearly 1000 students and professors from the conservative Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI are taking out a full-page ad to protest George W. Bush's commencement address appearance this Saturday.
The speaking engagement was requested and arranged by Bush's top political advisor Karl Rove who, according to NEWSWEEK, informed a College employee at a "Presidential" event back in March that "Bush was hoping to deliver a graduation speech in Michigan this year and asked if Calvin College, a small Christian school in Grand Rapids, might be a willing venue."
Ironically enough, The Press quotes the chair of the college's communication arts and science department who gave his approval for the event as accusing the objecting students and professors of turning the appearance into a "political event."
The fact that the appearance was arranged by Bush's top political advisor, who was specifically looking for a venue in swing-state Michigan for Bush to speak at is apparently to be ignored.
Yesterday's Press described tomorrow's stinging full-page ad:
In a full-page advertisement that will run in The Press on Friday and a half-page ad to appear Saturday, Calvin students, staff and alumni voice their disappointment with Bush's graduation stop.
"By their deeds ye shall know them," reads the paid advertisement, quoting the Bible. "Your deeds, Mr. President -- neglecting the needy to coddle the rich, desecrating the environment, and misleading the country into war -- do not exemplify the faith we live by.
"Moreover, many of your supporters are using religion as a weapon to divide our nation and advance a narrow partisan agenda. ...We urge you not to use Calvin College as a platform to advance policies that violate the school's religious principles."
More than 750 alumni, students and staff have signed Friday's advertisement, while about 100 of Calvin's 300 faculty members put their names on the Saturday ad.
[clip]
I know only snippets from press clips regarding Calvin College, but I find this whole business very refreshing. My current reading includes "Stealing Jesus" by Bruce Bawer. This challenging yet rewarding book affirms my belief that true Christian "conservatism," in the sense of being consistent with historical religious practice and principles, stretching back to the country's founders and to the disciples for that matter, has very little to do with the spewings of the fundamentalist dogmatics with whom the current power-brokers have been making noisy whoopie. From what I can tell, Christ was about love, not numb-headed adherence to a bunch of rules dictated by the authorities (and mega-corporations, in this case). He also doesn't seem to have been about exclusion or narrowly defined "membership" requirements.
I heartily recommend Bawer to anyone whose religious feelings or spiritual aspirations have not been totally stifled by the takeover of our society by religious bigots. Yes, I routinely wince at the word "Christian" these days. I'm not a church-going practioner, considering myself something of a Christian-principle-believing scofflaw, disgusted at the corruption and hypocrisy of most mainstream religion, as well as the pandering of the venal Republicans.
Stealing Jesus is more than worthy of a post of its' own, but 'til that day I'll settle for this:
Over the centuries, countless theologians and preachers have exhaustively discussed the things Jesus said and did. Less attention has been paid to what he didn't say and do. His encounters with men and women in the Gospels are striking for the absence of any spelling out of theological specifics or any overt attempt at conversion. Except in John's Gospel, there is no mention of Jesus baptizing anybody; and John's implication that Jesus did baptize is unaccompanied by any suggestion that baptism was viewed by him or anyone as distinguishing insider from outsider. He presents the good Samaritan as a model, even though the Samaritan, at the end of the story, remains a Samaritan. The story of the good Samaritan, like other Gospel passages, makes it clear that for Jesus, evangelism was plainly not about bringing people into doctinal conformity with himself or anyone else; it was about making people feel close to God and loved by God. (p. 46)
Peace be with you.
posted by Sir Gumbo at 10:41 PM
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