“Animals are attracted to certain animals,” Scott said. “When looking to mate two animals, it is important that their energy is compatible. This isn’t an arranged marriage, we can’t force them together.”
Now you might think a story with the headline, “More dogs are saying ‘Fi-Do’ to pet weddings” might come from The Onion, or at least be satirical in nature. Nope. The mainstream, conservative-leaning Chicago Tribune is reporting today about a growing trend of doggy nuptials for parents who simply can’t allow illegitimate pups born to unwed mothers around their house.
God help us all.
With the price of gas hovering around $4/gallon, the cost of food skyrocketing, and the growing divide between the have-it-alls, the have-somes and the have-nothings, certainly dog marriages are the first thing to make sure we’re providing these days.
And don’t even get me started on the gay marriage vs. “sanctity” of marriage argument within this context. Spot’s “wedding” is so far off the charts absurd it doesn’t even merit discussion.
But even beyond the rational arguments lie the utterly irrational. How can one walk around with “Doggie Wedding Consultant” on their business cards? Is there a requirement for the dogs to be paper trained before the ceremony? They say pre-nups aren’t necessary, but we all know pets have fickle minds, so can you at least point me in the way of adequate legal counsel?
Alright, I know the Pope is already here, but “The Pope is here! The Pope is here!” doesn’t have the same connection.
A couple of people have asked me if I’m excited about the Pope’s U.S. travels. Usually, I gently remind folks that as a Protestant Christian, I’m not all that interested in the comings-and-goings of the Roman Pontiff. The last Pope, John Paul II, I would have been excited for. I might have even tried to find a way to go out east. But Benedict XVI doesn’t strike my interest.
There have been a few thoughts I’ve pondered surrounding the Pope’s visit, however:
There is a lot of talk about this being such an “historic” event. Yes, a religious leader traveling is important, and genuinely something to garner interest and excitement. But historic? Its not the first time a Pope has visited the United States. JP2 came in 1995. Listening to much of the media coverage, I’d think The Vatican had just perfected the technology to move the popemobile.
The Pope’s response — or lack thereof, depending on your vantage — to the clergy sex abuse cases.
Massgate 2008. The eleventh commandment, “Thou Shalt Not Scalp Pope’s Mass Tickets,” is apparently landing some people in the confessional. For this guy, the ticket is more meaningful than just getting a glimpse of the sixteenth Benedict in person. Of course, worship is about community with Christ and fellow believers, so shouldn’t there be ample overflow for blocks around?
On the news this morning, however, was the key story I’d been waiting to see: the greatest “crisis of faith” Christianity has ever seen. This one is certainly so big it will fell the institutional church for good. Fewer people in church on Sunday, a generation coming-of-age which would rather sleep than worship. We’re baptizing fewer babies, confirming fewer youth, marrying fewer adults. Those adults are having children later in life and not raising them in the church. In 40 years, the church will simply cease to exist, since the last member will have died and no one is filling their pew.
Puh-leeze. Such a crisis has been plaguing folks since… well, since the High Priests condemned Jesus for working on the sabbath. Or talking to gentiles. Or radically changing the social agenda.
To be sure, churches never looked older than they are today. Generation Y, even less than Generation X preceding it, attends church so sporadically that its hard to get solid statistical data in some denominations. A growing pluralism and globalization in society is blurring the distinctions between faith traditions, let alone between sects and denominations within those traditions.
But this isn’t a crisis of faith — its is a need for reformation and transformation for how we’re used to doing church. A couple of examples:
In the time following Hurricane Katrina, the vast majority of the relief response has been from faith-based agencies. College students, those heathenistic GenYers, from all across North America took their spring breaks the past three years to travel to the Gulf Coast to assist in the clean-up and rebuilding. Ask them why they’re doing it, and they’ll often point to an intangible spiritual experience of helping others, building community and connecting with humanity.
My own denomination, the United Church of Christ, offers a “virtual chapel” of sorts, called i.UCC, providing Bible studies, prayer connections, devotions, meditations and more for those who want to be part of a community, but disenfranchised from church.
Last week at my fraternity chapter’s annual retreat, I facilitated a workshop on spirituality and meditation. Beyond the numbers that attended (a mixture of both alumni and undergrads), the conversation and reflection built in a way I didn’t expect. The connection to external powers outside the self is very real, very motivating.
I often say “survival mode is exactly what will kill the church.” It is painful to disconnect from what we know, to detach from the safety of tradition. But change will happen. It is inevitable. To be bold in our radical witness, an extravagant welcome, an unparalleled commitment to the other in society will mean being more concerned about action than worship attendance, more concerned about relationships than right doctrine, more concerned about justice than structure.
Sounds a lot like that crazy, long-haired dude who pissed off the establishment 2,000 years ago, doesn’t it?
If you haven’t heard of Justin Nozuka, get on iTunes and buy his album “Holly” pronto. He’s still just a kid — 19 — but his natural talent can’t be matched. This song appears to be online only (maybe a forthcoming release?), but an equally-powerful, similar song of his is “Save Him.” You might have heard another song, “After Tonight,” as its getting some play on the television and on Canadian radio.
So that’s officially 10 pounds in two weeks. I’m feeling better, though I still have a ways to go. But I’m not burned out yet — so I’ll keep going! Depending on the weather, I’m probably going to add the bike riding to/from work next week.
I don’t know what day I’m up to. And my lack of posting hasn’t been a lack of walking (well, mostly), its been a lack of new or unique routes. Since the snow came, getting around without running into a big pile has been a little difficult.
If you haven’t shoveled the sidewalk in front of your home or place of business by now, and I have to walk through snow, I’m going to start calling DPW to report you tomorrow. Be warned. Be afraid. I’m sick of falling knee-deep in snow because you’re too much of a lazy ass to do your responsibility as a property owner.
Now that that’s off my mind, my walk today was a little abbreviated — only 45 minutes — because I have a pile of homework and laundry to get done, in addition to some consulting work, and there simply isn’t enough time in my schedule to play. Too bad — its a beautiful day to walk. The air is crisp, the sun is shining, but then there are knee-deep piles of snow to climb through because of lazy people.
Over the recent past — specifically since “An Inconvenient Truth,” many churches have been forming rabid green teams charged with creating programs for environmental stewardship within the congregation, analyzing where energy savings can be optimized and to establish a culture of ecology within the parish. My work, my congregation and my seminary are no different in these attitudes, and overall it is a good work.
But doesn’t this all sound like the mid- to late-1980s all over again? Those who, like me, grew up with the commercials in between cartoons on Saturday morning calling us to “reduce, reuse, recycle,” or remember the commercial with the sad Native American who sheds a lone tear for the garbage strewn across his land, is it familiar? The boom, particularly of the late-1990s, displaced us from a focus on the environment.
The push for environmental sustainability has received greater emphasis in our churches and society following a number of big names throwing their endorsements behind such efforts. But why are so few people talking about the drawbacks of these efforts?
One of the biggest issues in America is the over-consumption of resources. Does it seem more than a little strange that green solutions generally involve consuming more?
The paint on the walls of your home emit toxic fumes. Even though you painted just a year ago, make sure to go out and buy gallons more paint you don’t need, but this time get the low-emission, eco-friendly paint.
The carpet in your home is only five years old. No matter — make sure to go out and buy new bamboo flooring that you don’t need because its better for the environment.
Did you just replace a lightbulb with those ever-so-disgusting and old incandescent style? Get thee to the store stat and buy a pack of CFLs — overpacked for your convenience in enough plastic to cover a dining room table — and throw out that perfectly good bulb. Yes, its creating more waste now, but its so good later on.
Stop driving that gas-guzzling Chevette and stop by your nearest Lexus dealer to browse their hybrid lineup. Its simply not acceptable to drive anything less — or consider mass transit, or carpooling, or consolidating trips, or…
Stewardship is the notion of paying close care to that which has been entrusted to you. We are called to be good stewards for our neighbor, our money, our family and yes, the environment. But it is simply not good stewardship to fall prey to hype. Change over to CFLs, but do it as you would normally do: by replacing what needs to be replaced. Are the scuff marks on your walls ready to be painted? By all means, consider the “green” paint. (I especially like Sherwin Williams’ offerings, but do as you will.) Does your vehicle, like mine, already get 30-35+ miles to the gallon? Consider other alternatives, like walking or biking to work, taking mass transit, setting up a carpool for your office or shopping trips with a nearby friend, rather than junking it in favor of the hybrid.
Going green is a lifestyle change, and like every other, consideration must be weighted to one’s situation. I think of many churches I work with — including my own:
Many churches put their dishware and mugs in storage as the conveniences of using disposable overpowered the clean-up of stoneware following coffee hour. Pulling those “old relics” out for another tour of duty is a simple way to be more green — but rather than tossing the still-usable disposable cups and plates, at least get through the supply-on-hand in the meantime.
For those churches who use an order of worship or liturgy that is printed in a pew resource (such as a hymnal or prayer book), why not just create “bookmarks” for the greeters to hand out each week, containing the service outline with page numbers for quick reference. Using less paper also means recycling less paper — expending less energy overall.
Allow pledging members to give electronically, either through a third-party resource or have members set up routine bill payments if their bank offers free online bill pay. (Side note: if your bank still charges you for this service — change immediately, or demand they buy a new calendar showing the current year.) Some will switch, meaning less paper each week from checks and envelopes, but also usually indicating a greater percentage of fulfilled annual pledges. (Why yes, I am on the Board of Stewards at my congregation, why do you ask?)
There are certain times when there simply is not a better green alternative. For example, if your congregation does not have suitable dishwashing procedures or equipment and offers a weekly community meal, you may not be able to scrap disposable products in favor of dishware. Here’s where that stewardship thing comes in again: it is better stewardship for the environment to upgrade the kitchen dishwasher, but is it the right stewardship for your congregation community?
Oh, and what about the economic class division that is being created between the “greens” and the “nots”? Post for another time…
