Mauled headlines, and a new series...
Hope Flickers as Budget Talks Lag
(that's kind of like the pun from "The Muppet Show" - "Gonzo Fiddles while George Burns.")
Gates to leave daily role at Microsoft
(So, should this be a warning for comic book stores and Best Buys everywhere?)
Foundation says Gates, wife involved 
(Well, I certainly hope so...they ARE married, after all!)
Ancestor of modern birds believed found
(in a separate interview, she stated she would be bringing three-bean salad and angel food cake to the family reunion at the Lions Club hall.)
'Idol' winner Studdard awarded $2M in suit 
(Well, I bet the pockets were stuffed. Maybe he can get Taylor Hicks the value pack of Grecian Formula.)
Elvis tops Forbes' list of dead celebs
(Well, if Elvis is on top, you know the rest of the corpses aren't going anywhere...)
Art gallery loses its head, displays plinth. 
(What the hell is a plinth?)
Well, it’s the end of another week in my life. OH boy.
Not a whole lot going on – my mom, my aunt, and their cousin are all wending their way Westward. Yep – the three Red Hats are goin’ west. I’m wondering why I didn’t volunteer to film the whole damned thing and submit it to Sundance, but then again, would they be interested? I mean, I think it’s funny when my mom and my aunt bicker about who was right or wrong about something. I don’t know if those at Sundance would agree. Personally, if David Lynch can make a movie about an old Iowa farmer that drives a lawn mower to Wisconsin so he can see his dying brother, why can’t I make a movie about three old ladies driving west in a minivan? Oh well…Sofia Coppola’s job is safe for the time being.
In another attempt to keep my fat little finger on the pulse of America, I am going to start with an entry for a new intermittent series. The title of this series?
Reasons to have Ann Coulter thrown in a swamp with hungry alligators…
Reason #1: She’s picking on the Episcopal Church.
I go to an Episcopal church here in MD, and I happen to like that particular denomination. Yes, there is a tendency toward liberalism in some of the congregations. I have always found it to be a healthy mix, and when I encounter people of a different mindset than my own, I don’t get all upset about it unless they get in MY face for what I believe.
Here’s what Wikipedia had to say about all this:
Coulter on her definition of Christianity
In Godless: The Church of Liberalism, Coulter says in a footnote, "Throughout this book, I often refer to Christians and Christianity because I am a Christian and I have a fairly good idea of what they believe, but the term is intended to include anyone who subscribes to the Bible of the God of Abraham, including Jews and others."
However, while Coulter calls herself a Christian she makes no statements in the book regarding her chosen denomination. In an April 17, 2005 article in Time Magazine by John Cloud, Coulter claimed to be a member of the Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City. However, when the journalist Max Blumenthal made inquiries to the church about Coulter's attendance he discovered that she was not listed as a member in their database and was unable to find anyone at Redeemer Presbyterian who could corroborate Coulter's claims of attendance.
Coulter also criticizes the Episcopal Church in her book, saying, "Howard Dean left the Episcopal Church -- which is barely even a church -- because his church, in Montpelier, Vermont would not cede land for a bike path."
______
Here is the
The Episcopalians don't demand much in the way of actual religious belief. They have girl priests, gay priests, gay bishops, gay marriages it's much like the New York Times editorial board. They acknowledge the Ten Commandments or "Moses' talking points" but hasten to add that they're not exactly "carved in stone." After Bush said that the most important philosopher to him was Jesus Christ, the Episcopal bishop in Des Moines, Iowa, C. Christopher Epting, pronounced the answer "a turnoff." So there isn't a lot of hair-shirt-wearing and sacrifice for the Episcopalians.
But the bike path incident was too much for Dean. A key tenet of the Druidical religion of liberals is non-fossil-fuel travel. So Dean left the Church of the Proper Fork because the Episcopal Church in Montpelier hesitated before ceding some of its land for a bike path.
On CNN, Judy Woodruff asked in amazement, "Was it just over a bike path that you left the Episcopal Church?"
Dean: "Yes, as a matter of fact it was."
Dean waxed expansive on the theological implications of bike paths, saying: "I didn't think that was very public-spirited."
_______
Now, here’s where I get pissy.
Yes, I am aware of the reputation of the Episcopal church as a “liberal” church.
However, every denomination carries with it various stereotypes. It’s like the joke, “Baptists do not recognize each other at the liquor store or at Hooter’s.” Catholics are not immune, nor are Methodists, Lutherans, Mennonites, Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses or any other denomination not listed here.
Stereotypes are often times “birthed” (for lack of a better word) by negative encounters or situations. I’ve always thought that religion would be great if it weren’t for all the people involved. People aren’t perfect. Personally, I think that Howard Dean leaving a church and a congregation over a bike path is a bit weird. Maybe there’s something he’s not saying about the whole matter. Maybe a series of events led up to this, and the bike path was the “last straw”. We’ll never know at this point.
But Ann Coldheart (and forgive me for the various nicknames scattered about, but I figure if she can do it, so can I) is taking the ball and SPRINTING with it. She’s taking the actions of one person and condemning an entire nationwide congregation with it.
Episcopalians have enough trouble working through the gay priest issue, but many of us are trying to look at the big picture. The big picture – God’s love for us and how we can serve our fellow humans by his teachings – is what many of us are trying to adhere to.
I’ve heard of many different reasons for quitting a church. Between changes in communion, not liking the pastor’s kid(s), changes in choir directors, new hymnals with more modern songs, etc., there are many reasons people can pull out of their hat for not wanting to go to that church anymore.
I left my childhood church because I moved away, but I stayed with it even when I was unhappy in many aspects. I first became acquainted with the Episcopal Church when I lived in Iowa City, and enjoyed the various opportunities and relationships I developed there.
When I moved to the DC area, I went to one Episcopal church for over a year or two…at first I really enjoyed it, but I grew disenchanted over time. I finally left to join the church D and I currently attend, and I’ve never felt better about a change in my life. It’s a “young” church (meaning the church itself – not its congregation – is new), and more open to new ideas and new people. I’ve never really felt liberal politics as a driving force when we attend. I just see and worship with people that love the Lord, want to serve Him and receive His love in return. If politics on either side ever came into play, I’d leave.
So why, pray tell, does Ann Coldheart dislike the Episcopal Church, REALLY? Did she have a bad experience with it? It could be interesting to find out, I think.
And that’s all the mud I have to fling for now…Annie C., better get some gator repellant – I’m watching you.
Sudiegirl
(who’s keepin’ them gators hungry…)
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