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Showing posts from March 4, 2018

American Evangelical casuistry

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The right wing evangelicals/fundamentalists would not have given Barack Obama the benefit of this doubt.   And yes, I know.... there are also skeletons in the cupboard of the Episcopal Church.   jmp ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "When you worship political power more than you worship God." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Robert Jeffress: Bible's 'Thou shalt not have sex with a porn star' is 'totally irrelevant' for Trump's evangelical supporters Christian Today staff writer   Fri 9 Mar 2018 8:56 GMT       Conservative pastor Robert Jeffress has defended Donald Trump over allegations he had an affair with a porn star saying the biblical commandment against adultery is 'totally irrelevant' for evangelicals support of him. 'Evangelicals still believe in the commandment: Thou shalt not ha

I give the Sarasota Herald-Tribune a mere passing grade.

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Headlines from today's Sport Section.  Feb 9th 2018 Virginia  Waltzes past Cardinals. Alabama Slips past Aggies. No. 2 'Cats Roll past Marquette. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Does your team Waltz, Slip, or Roll, or something better? Please post your suggestions for headlines in a similar vein.  Mine would be    Red Sox  Race past Yankees .

Shop Local

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"Shop Local" they say:  I think that they mean "Shop Locally". I am trying to do so.  I want my dollars to stay in the local community and not to be siphoned off to some other place at home or abroad. Many Americans are familiar with "Ace Hardware".  I think (and hope) that it is a franchise. So I try to use my local Ace Hardware (rather than the Big Box and understaffed place up on Fruitville, its name begins with an "L" not with "H.D." ) I was at Ace a few years ago looking for an item which I knew by the British name "Rawplug" - in truth that's brand name not an item name  but I did not know the item name here.  I described its function.  "Oh" said the super Clerk, "you are looking for a fastener", and he took me to the right aisle.   That would not have happened at the "Big Box", even if I'd been able to find a clerk. Similarly when I was recently shopping for Mulch I used

America First and the Gospel of Jesus Christ (via S.I.Alden)

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Christian Nationalism and Other Heresies FEBRUARY 13, 2018  /  JOHN PAVLOVITZ God doesn’t bless America. That’s not how this works. I’m sorry to break it to you, Bible Belt Christians—but that’s just how it is. I know this kinda wrecks the convenient narrative you’ve been working for the past 60 or so years (and hitting especially hard the past eighteen months), but honestly that nasty bit of heresy has done enough damage already and it needs to go. It’s straight-up of the devil. I’m not sure where you’re getting your taglines and hat slogans from, but I know it isn’t from the Bible. I know it isn’t from your coveted and regularly trotted out John 3:16: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. God loved  the world . God is in the  world-loving  business—not the  America-blessing  business. You remember the world, don’t you; that massive, spinning sphere of 7.6 billion dispa

Orange Day

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If you have been in the U.K. or the Republic of Ireland you may have been lucky enough to have a "Full English/Irish/Scottish/ Welsh" breakfast. If you were lucky it will have included sausage, ham, eggs, grilled mushrooms and tomatoes,  and black or blood pudding  [ not pictured above]   )  with: U.K. and Ireland style baked beans.  Heinz is a popular brand, but they are also sold by Cross and Blackwell They are not the American style Baked Beans with molasses and pork,  but darn it all, they are so very good,  in a mild tomato sauce. They are available at some Publix stores in South West Florida. ------------------------------------------------------------- Today, March 6th was my orange day! For breakfast  "Beans on Toast" (be proud of me my  U.K. family and friends). ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For lunch home-made "Carrot and Ginger Soup", with some barley to thicken it.

A visit to the Moving Pictures

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I rarely go to the Cinema.   I think that I have seen no more than five movies since I moved to Sarasota almost twelve years ago. Until today the most recent time was in 2011/12 when I went with my late friend Ben to see "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo". By mutual agreement Ben and I left about half way through 'cause we couldn't deal with the violence. But for once I wanted to see a movie, so off I went this afternoon with my pals Bill and Patrick to view "The Insult". The film was made in Lebanon and in the Arabic Language (with excellent  sub-titles in English). I've had the blessing of visiting Lebanon there to stay with my friends Hani and Rula Asfour.  Hani is a Christian with Palestinian heritage.  Rula is a Lebanese Christian.  I had a most splendid time there:  It was a delight to be with the Asfours; to enjoy the legendary and gorgeous Middle Eastern Hospitality;  and to see a fair bit of this tiny Country. So "The Insult

New Englanders - don't mess with us!

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So I have a neighbour who wanders around with her dog, but is always on her 'phone, with the speaker on. As I sat outside with my dog this afternoon I could not help but hear this. " But they are all New Englanders.   When people from the mid-West move to California they become Californians" But I am not into New Englanders .  They come here for the winter, but they are always New Englanders.   I suppose that I should be grateful for the luxury of living in Florida". ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Oh dear! I beg to differ. 1)  They are not all New Englanders: -  follow the road maps. Here is I-75.  I-75 is the seventh longest Interstate Highway, the second longest north-south after  I-95 , and passes through six different states: Florida,  Georgia ,  Tennessee ,  Kentucky ,  Ohio , and Michigan. The major metropolitan areas that I-75 connects to includes (from south to north) Miami,  Tampa ,  Atlanta ,