To those who subscribe to this blog, I appreciate you very much. I however, have a new blog and will soon be deleting this one. Just giving everyone a heads up!
Thanks,
Renee
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Mark Twain's "War Prayer"
A classic. With wit and sarcasm, Mark Twain makes a mockery of the senselessness of war. He was ahead of his time in the late 1800's/early 1900's as an anti-war activist and civil rights activist, and of course, a brilliant author.
"The War Prayer"
"O Lord our Father, our young patriots, idols of our hearts, go forth to battle -- be Thou near them! With them -- in spirit -- we also go forth from the sweet peace of our beloved firesides to smite the foe. O Lord our God, help us to tear their soldiers to bloody shreds with our shells; help us to cover their smiling fields with the pale forms of their patriot dead; help us to drown the thunder of the guns with the shrieks of their wounded, writhing in pain; help us to lay waste their humble homes with a hurricane of fire; help us to wring the hearts of their unoffending widows with unavailing grief; help us to turn them out roofless with little children to wander unfriended the wastes of their desolated land in rags and hunger and thirst, sports of the sun flames of summer and the icy winds of winter, broken in spirit, worn with travail, imploring Thee for the refuge of the grave and denied it -- for our sakes who adore Thee, Lord, blast their hopes, blight their lives, protract their bitter pilgrimage, make heavy their steps, water their way with their tears, stain the white snow with the blood of their wounded feet! We ask it, in the spirit of love, of Him Who is the Source of Love, and Who is the ever-faithful refuge and friend of all that are sore beset and seek His aid with humble and contrite hearts. Amen.
"The War Prayer"
"O Lord our Father, our young patriots, idols of our hearts, go forth to battle -- be Thou near them! With them -- in spirit -- we also go forth from the sweet peace of our beloved firesides to smite the foe. O Lord our God, help us to tear their soldiers to bloody shreds with our shells; help us to cover their smiling fields with the pale forms of their patriot dead; help us to drown the thunder of the guns with the shrieks of their wounded, writhing in pain; help us to lay waste their humble homes with a hurricane of fire; help us to wring the hearts of their unoffending widows with unavailing grief; help us to turn them out roofless with little children to wander unfriended the wastes of their desolated land in rags and hunger and thirst, sports of the sun flames of summer and the icy winds of winter, broken in spirit, worn with travail, imploring Thee for the refuge of the grave and denied it -- for our sakes who adore Thee, Lord, blast their hopes, blight their lives, protract their bitter pilgrimage, make heavy their steps, water their way with their tears, stain the white snow with the blood of their wounded feet! We ask it, in the spirit of love, of Him Who is the Source of Love, and Who is the ever-faithful refuge and friend of all that are sore beset and seek His aid with humble and contrite hearts. Amen.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Litany Of Resistance
From the book Jesus For President.
Authors Shane Claiborne and Chris Haw
Litany of Resistance
Compiled with the help of friends Jim Loney and Brian Walsh
One: Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world.
All: Have mercy on us.
One: Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world.
All: Free us from the bondage of sin and death.
One: Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world.
All: Hear our prayer. Grant us peace.
One: For the victims of war.
All: Have mercy.
One: Women, men, and children.
All: Have mercy.
One: The maimed and the crippled.
All: Have mercy.
One: The abandoned and the homeless.
All: Have mercy.
One: The imprisoned and the tortured.
All: Have mercy.
One: The widowed and the orphaned.
All: Have mercy.
One: The bleeding and the dying.
All: Have mercy.
One: The weary and the desperate.
All: Have mercy.
One: The lost and the forsaken.
All: Have mercy.
One: O God, have mercy on us sinners.
All: Forgive us for we know not what we do.
One: For our scorched and blackened earth.
All: Forgive us.
One: For the scandal of billions wasted in war.
All: Forgive us.
One: For our arms makers and arms dealers.
All: Forgive us.
One: For our Caesars and Herods.
All: Forgive us.
One: For the violence that is rooted in our hearts.
All: Forgive us.
One: For the times we turn others into enemies.
All: Forgive us.
One: Deliver us, O God.
All: Guide our feet into the way of peace.
One: Hear our prayer.
All: Grant us peace.
One: From the arrogance of power.
All: Deliver us.
One: From the myth of redemptive violence.
All: Deliver us.
One: From the tyranny of greed.
All: Deliver us.
One: From the ugliness of racism.
All: Deliver us.
One: From the cancer of hatred.
All: Deliver us.
One: From the seduction of wealth.
All: Deliver us.
One: From the addiction of control.
All: Deliver us.
One: From the idolatry of nationalism.
All: Deliver us.
One: From the paralysis of cynicism.
All: Deliver us.
One: From the violence of apathy.
All: Deliver us.
One: From the ghettos of poverty.
All: Deliver us.
One: From the ghettos of wealth.
All: Deliver us.
One: From a lack of imagination.
All: Deliver us.
One: Deliver us, O God.
All: Guide our feet into the way of peace.
One: We will not conform to the patterns of this world.
All: Let us be transformed by the renewing of our minds.
One: With the help of God’s grace.
All: Let us resist evil wherever we find it.
One: With the waging of war.
All: We will not comply.
One: With the legalization of murder.
All: We will not comply.
One: With the slaughter of innocents.
All: We will not comply.
One: With laws that betray human life.
All: We will not comply.
One: With the destruction of community.
All: We will not comply.
One: With the pointing finger and malicious talk.
All: We will not comply.
One: With the idea that happiness must be purchased.
All: We will not comply.
One: With the ravaging of the earth.
All: We will not comply.
One: With principalities and powers that oppress.
All: We will not comply.
One: With the destruction of peoples.
All: We will not comply.
One: With the raping of women.
All: We will not comply.
One: With governments that kill.
All: We will not comply.
One: With the theology of empire.
All: We will not comply.
One: With the business of militarism.
All: We will not comply.
One: With the hoarding of riches.
All: We will not comply.
One: With the dissemination of fear.
All: We will not comply.
One: Today we pledge our ultimate allegiance to the kingdom of God.
All: We pledge allegiance.
One: To a peace that is not like Rome’s.
All: We pledge allegiance.
One: To the gospel of enemy-love.
All: We pledge allegiance.
One: To the kingdom of the poor and broken.
All: We pledge allegiance.
One: To a king who loves his enemies so much he died for them.
All: We pledge allegiance.
One: To the least of these, with whom Christ dwells.
All: We pledge allegiance.
One: To the transnational church that transcends the artificial borders of nations.
All: We pledge allegiance.
One: To the refugee of Nazareth.
All: We pledge allegiance.
One: To the homeless rabbi who had no place to lay his head.
All: We pledge allegiance.
One: To the cross rather than the sword.
All: We pledge allegiance.
One: To the banner of love above any flag.
All: We pledge allegiance.
One: To the one who rules with a towel rather than an iron fist.
All: We pledge allegiance.
One: To the one who rides a donkey rather than a war horse.
All: We pledge allegiance.
One: To the revolution that sets both oppressed and oppressors free.
All: We pledge allegiance.
One: To the way that leads to life.
All: We pledge allegiance.
One: To the Slaughtered Lamb.
All: We pledge allegiance.
One: And together we proclaim his praises, from the margins of the empire to the centers
of wealth and power.
All: Long live the Slaughtered Lamb.
One: Long live the Slaughtered Lamb.
All: Long live the Slaughtered Lamb.
Authors Shane Claiborne and Chris Haw
Litany of Resistance
Compiled with the help of friends Jim Loney and Brian Walsh
One: Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world.
All: Have mercy on us.
One: Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world.
All: Free us from the bondage of sin and death.
One: Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world.
All: Hear our prayer. Grant us peace.
One: For the victims of war.
All: Have mercy.
One: Women, men, and children.
All: Have mercy.
One: The maimed and the crippled.
All: Have mercy.
One: The abandoned and the homeless.
All: Have mercy.
One: The imprisoned and the tortured.
All: Have mercy.
One: The widowed and the orphaned.
All: Have mercy.
One: The bleeding and the dying.
All: Have mercy.
One: The weary and the desperate.
All: Have mercy.
One: The lost and the forsaken.
All: Have mercy.
One: O God, have mercy on us sinners.
All: Forgive us for we know not what we do.
One: For our scorched and blackened earth.
All: Forgive us.
One: For the scandal of billions wasted in war.
All: Forgive us.
One: For our arms makers and arms dealers.
All: Forgive us.
One: For our Caesars and Herods.
All: Forgive us.
One: For the violence that is rooted in our hearts.
All: Forgive us.
One: For the times we turn others into enemies.
All: Forgive us.
One: Deliver us, O God.
All: Guide our feet into the way of peace.
One: Hear our prayer.
All: Grant us peace.
One: From the arrogance of power.
All: Deliver us.
One: From the myth of redemptive violence.
All: Deliver us.
One: From the tyranny of greed.
All: Deliver us.
One: From the ugliness of racism.
All: Deliver us.
One: From the cancer of hatred.
All: Deliver us.
One: From the seduction of wealth.
All: Deliver us.
One: From the addiction of control.
All: Deliver us.
One: From the idolatry of nationalism.
All: Deliver us.
One: From the paralysis of cynicism.
All: Deliver us.
One: From the violence of apathy.
All: Deliver us.
One: From the ghettos of poverty.
All: Deliver us.
One: From the ghettos of wealth.
All: Deliver us.
One: From a lack of imagination.
All: Deliver us.
One: Deliver us, O God.
All: Guide our feet into the way of peace.
One: We will not conform to the patterns of this world.
All: Let us be transformed by the renewing of our minds.
One: With the help of God’s grace.
All: Let us resist evil wherever we find it.
One: With the waging of war.
All: We will not comply.
One: With the legalization of murder.
All: We will not comply.
One: With the slaughter of innocents.
All: We will not comply.
One: With laws that betray human life.
All: We will not comply.
One: With the destruction of community.
All: We will not comply.
One: With the pointing finger and malicious talk.
All: We will not comply.
One: With the idea that happiness must be purchased.
All: We will not comply.
One: With the ravaging of the earth.
All: We will not comply.
One: With principalities and powers that oppress.
All: We will not comply.
One: With the destruction of peoples.
All: We will not comply.
One: With the raping of women.
All: We will not comply.
One: With governments that kill.
All: We will not comply.
One: With the theology of empire.
All: We will not comply.
One: With the business of militarism.
All: We will not comply.
One: With the hoarding of riches.
All: We will not comply.
One: With the dissemination of fear.
All: We will not comply.
One: Today we pledge our ultimate allegiance to the kingdom of God.
All: We pledge allegiance.
One: To a peace that is not like Rome’s.
All: We pledge allegiance.
One: To the gospel of enemy-love.
All: We pledge allegiance.
One: To the kingdom of the poor and broken.
All: We pledge allegiance.
One: To a king who loves his enemies so much he died for them.
All: We pledge allegiance.
One: To the least of these, with whom Christ dwells.
All: We pledge allegiance.
One: To the transnational church that transcends the artificial borders of nations.
All: We pledge allegiance.
One: To the refugee of Nazareth.
All: We pledge allegiance.
One: To the homeless rabbi who had no place to lay his head.
All: We pledge allegiance.
One: To the cross rather than the sword.
All: We pledge allegiance.
One: To the banner of love above any flag.
All: We pledge allegiance.
One: To the one who rules with a towel rather than an iron fist.
All: We pledge allegiance.
One: To the one who rides a donkey rather than a war horse.
All: We pledge allegiance.
One: To the revolution that sets both oppressed and oppressors free.
All: We pledge allegiance.
One: To the way that leads to life.
All: We pledge allegiance.
One: To the Slaughtered Lamb.
All: We pledge allegiance.
One: And together we proclaim his praises, from the margins of the empire to the centers
of wealth and power.
All: Long live the Slaughtered Lamb.
One: Long live the Slaughtered Lamb.
All: Long live the Slaughtered Lamb.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Transphobia
Here is an article written by Jean Pockrus, an old high school friend of my younger brother, Lance. This intelligent, thoughtful Wesleyan University graduate had an unfortunate encounter with ignorance and hatred not too long ago.
Read about her unfortunate incident here.
It troubles me how far behind we are as a society in acceptance of people of all races, genders, and sexual orientation. And it troubles me even more that such a lack of acceptance brews such hate that one would physically attack a member of their human family. Hopefully stories like this will spread a message of love and acceptance and put an end to the ignorance that leads to hate crimes such as this.
Peace.
Read about her unfortunate incident here.
It troubles me how far behind we are as a society in acceptance of people of all races, genders, and sexual orientation. And it troubles me even more that such a lack of acceptance brews such hate that one would physically attack a member of their human family. Hopefully stories like this will spread a message of love and acceptance and put an end to the ignorance that leads to hate crimes such as this.
Peace.
Freeganism
An old high school friend of my younger brother, Lance, wound up in September's issue of Cosmo-Girl. Jean Desiree Pockrus, a Wesleyan University graduate, is a passionate "freegan" and dumpster diver, and is doing her part to cut back on the post consumer trash that is taking up so much space on landfills.
Freeganism is not only good for the earth, it is good for your wallet and your piece of mind. America alone, which makes up a small percentage of the earths population (about 6%), uses around 60% of the worlds resources. One American consumes in one day what 20 Ethiopians consume in one day. And most of our products come from foreign countries where people (and many many children) are paid slave wages. The children are often horrifically abused in these sweatshops. And it keeps happening because we want multitudes of cheap stuff, and we want it easily accessible and convenient.
Many of us may not be aware how much of our stuff comes from foreign factories where human beings are exploited, and many of us know but just don't care. Until recently I belonged in both of those categories. My closet is full of clothes (most items purchased from Wal-Mart) made in other countries. In fact, nothing in my closet was made in the states. I, and many others, need to change that. Be it dumpster diving or shopping at second hand stores, reusing and recycling reduces the impact on the environment, and no new human exploitations are made when you buy used or reuse.
The most empowering thing about freeganism is that it sends a message to the corporations that dominate us, telling them that we don't need them. The oil companies have made us dependant on them just like the other corporations. Imagine if we could drastically reduce our dependance on oil? (but that's a whole other blog entry)
Read the article about Jean here.
Peace
Freeganism is not only good for the earth, it is good for your wallet and your piece of mind. America alone, which makes up a small percentage of the earths population (about 6%), uses around 60% of the worlds resources. One American consumes in one day what 20 Ethiopians consume in one day. And most of our products come from foreign countries where people (and many many children) are paid slave wages. The children are often horrifically abused in these sweatshops. And it keeps happening because we want multitudes of cheap stuff, and we want it easily accessible and convenient.
Many of us may not be aware how much of our stuff comes from foreign factories where human beings are exploited, and many of us know but just don't care. Until recently I belonged in both of those categories. My closet is full of clothes (most items purchased from Wal-Mart) made in other countries. In fact, nothing in my closet was made in the states. I, and many others, need to change that. Be it dumpster diving or shopping at second hand stores, reusing and recycling reduces the impact on the environment, and no new human exploitations are made when you buy used or reuse.
The most empowering thing about freeganism is that it sends a message to the corporations that dominate us, telling them that we don't need them. The oil companies have made us dependant on them just like the other corporations. Imagine if we could drastically reduce our dependance on oil? (but that's a whole other blog entry)
Read the article about Jean here.
Peace
Mother Of 8 Goes To Jail Joyfully
Hugh received this e-mail about his friends wife and forwarded it to me. Quite shocking (and ridiculous) what will wind a person up in jail. Read the story here.
What amazes me about this is the fact that our judicial system put a mother behind bars who was exhibiting a peaceful demonstration by pleading for a man's life. She did not cross the police line. She simply got close to it and knelt down to pray.
Sigh.....boy don't we all feel safe knowing that such dangerous people as her are behind bars (this is sarcasm, for those who can't detect sarcasm).
We live in a world where war mongers run free, and peace mongers are put behind bars. Apparently freedom of speech has some limits.
God, save us from the injustice and the logic of our broken judicial system.
Peace.
What amazes me about this is the fact that our judicial system put a mother behind bars who was exhibiting a peaceful demonstration by pleading for a man's life. She did not cross the police line. She simply got close to it and knelt down to pray.
Sigh.....boy don't we all feel safe knowing that such dangerous people as her are behind bars (this is sarcasm, for those who can't detect sarcasm).
We live in a world where war mongers run free, and peace mongers are put behind bars. Apparently freedom of speech has some limits.
God, save us from the injustice and the logic of our broken judicial system.
Peace.
About me
I am a perpetual work in progress. I am very open to change, even though I come across as stubborn and set in my ways sometimes.
I have a lot of love for everyone in my life...past, present, and future.
I am slowly learning to trust. This has not always been easy for me. But I have recently come to the realization that a woman can become very bitter and unhappy with her life if she refuses to trust and assumes the worst in mankind.
I love to have fun in the simplest and most inexpensive ways. I've learned to enjoy solitude and time to myself but I prefer to be with others. I like to be with people and socialize as much as possible. I prefer to be out as opposed to in, but when I'm in good company it doesn't matter where I am at.
I love to make people happy. There is no greater satisfaction than being able to bring others happiness, and I believe people have to be willing to love and know how to make others happy before they can be truly happy themselves.
I firmly believe that "Love Wins, Always". "Love thy neighbor" is the best philosophy to live by, and that means..ALL neighbors. I believe the world would be a much better place, and the human race would be a much happier race if we all put this philosophy into action. All human beings possess beauty and are a valuable addition to the human family. We all have the ability to love and care for each other, we just have to nurture those abilities in each other. It's a chain reaction. I intend to do my part in creating this "chain" for the rest of my time here on earth. Peace and love are not just hokey, hippie coined words.
Do your part....spread the love virus.
I have a lot of love for everyone in my life...past, present, and future.
I am slowly learning to trust. This has not always been easy for me. But I have recently come to the realization that a woman can become very bitter and unhappy with her life if she refuses to trust and assumes the worst in mankind.
I love to have fun in the simplest and most inexpensive ways. I've learned to enjoy solitude and time to myself but I prefer to be with others. I like to be with people and socialize as much as possible. I prefer to be out as opposed to in, but when I'm in good company it doesn't matter where I am at.
I love to make people happy. There is no greater satisfaction than being able to bring others happiness, and I believe people have to be willing to love and know how to make others happy before they can be truly happy themselves.
I firmly believe that "Love Wins, Always". "Love thy neighbor" is the best philosophy to live by, and that means..ALL neighbors. I believe the world would be a much better place, and the human race would be a much happier race if we all put this philosophy into action. All human beings possess beauty and are a valuable addition to the human family. We all have the ability to love and care for each other, we just have to nurture those abilities in each other. It's a chain reaction. I intend to do my part in creating this "chain" for the rest of my time here on earth. Peace and love are not just hokey, hippie coined words.
Do your part....spread the love virus.
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