In the Spirit of Easter, Be Humane and Honor Creation

(From the HSUS http://www.hsus.org/religion/news/in_the_spirit_of_the_easter.html)

In anticipation of Easter Sunday, The Humane Society of the United States has tips to help make your celebration as humane as it is joyful.

Love Bunnies? Make Yours Chocolate

Did you know that animal shelters take in a large number of relinquished pet bunnies and rabbits during the weeks and months following the Easter holiday? This adds an additional burden on shelters who are already overwhelmed with so many homeless animals in need of good homes.

Resist an impulsive purchase of a rabbit as an Easter gift. People who do not do their research on pet rabbits learn quickly that there is more to caring for the animals than cuddling. Rabbits are the third most relinquished species at animal shelters across the United States. The Columbus House Rabbit Society (http://www.columbusrabbit.org) launched the “Make Mine Chocolate” campaign to raise awareness about this issue. If you and your family have been seriously considering adopting a pet rabbit into the family, read more from The HSUS Animal Sheltering Magazine (http://www.animalsheltering.org) about caring for rabbits.

And he said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation." (Mark 16:15)

The rabbit I have now was one of these bunnies. Discarded, thrown on the streets of Chicago, when he was no longer wanted. When I found him he was skinny and matted with dirt. Domesticated rabbits cannot live on their own outside.

A Good Day

Betty White (Golden Girls fame) was in town today for a fund-raising brunch for a new broadcast museum here in Chicago. I have been trying to get tickets, but they were sold out. I had even offered to volunteer working at the event.

I decided to just go down to the hotel and see if I could get in . . . somehow. Didn't know if I could snatch an extra ticket or would have to sneak in, but I had to try.

Someone who works at this new broadcast museum overheard me talking while I was at the bar next to the entrance to the Empire room. He came over and asked why I wanted to see Betty, and I went on and on. He said he worked for the museum and had an extra seat at his table, so if I bought some raffle tickets he would let me sit at his table!

My reply was: "How many do you want me to buy?!"

And guess what . . I won one of the raffles too!   ha ha ha

She is sooooo sweet and just as quick and funny, (kind of a wicked sense of humor), as she is on talk shows.

I told her that I use to go down to my grandmothers and watch Password. One of my first memories of her (Betty White) is my grandmother saying to me: "That Betty White is the prettiest woman."

I was wearing a pin on my jacket that belonged to my grandmother so I showed it to her and told her it had belonged to my grandmother, so my grandmother was there in in spirit. Betty put her hand on the pin and caressed it and said something like, "Oh I know she is." (I was so in awe that I don't remember her exact words.)

I told her how much I appreciate her, and she said told me how appreciative she is!

What a lovely wonderful woman. I was right to do my best to meet her. Her kind and positive attitude filled the entire room and all those who were there. I knew she was special.

I am very happy today.


- Oh, she is going to be on Jay Leno this Tuesday doing one of those throwing something at her to see if she flinches. She is so funny. She will also be on "My Name is Earl" this Thursday. -

. . . . And if you want some good laughs, here are a couple of skits from her recent visit to The Craig Ferguson Show.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9bfpu9jWVY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRsqe_NSBoI&feature=related

87 years old and hasn't slowed down a bit. A true inspiration.

Jumping Off In The Deep End

I was suppose to go to a movie night tonight, but having just eaten, I have become sleepy. So here I sit, with my cat, Dax, on my lap, about to put down an entry that will surely be anything but agreeable.

Someone e-mailed me last night and asked if I was a Christian. No, this was not one of those attempts to convert me to finding Jesus. She was just curious because of our conversations. It was a fair question. You see, she and I had been roommates at All Saints' Episcopal School (about a million years ago). . . . All Saints' Episcopal School was an all girls high school in Vicksburg, Mississippi, U.S.A.

She noted that I seemed to lean more toward Judaism with my beliefs. This left her a little confused because I am an ordained minister.

I thought it apropos to post the follow reply to her question:


No, I am not a Christian. I DO have respect for all faiths and beliefs as long as they don't insist they are the only path and or they condone bigotry, prejudice which leads to hate. I follow the concept that "We Are One".

What did Jesus mean when he said he was the son of God? Did he really say he was closer to God than the rest of his people? As so many other things he tried to teach, he was unfortunately misunderstood. He was attempting to explain that everyone was the son/daughter of God; that everyone was equal and that we are one.

Personally I cannot be a part of any belief that denies scientific evidence that contradicts their Bible/Torah/Qu'ran.

I know a lot about Judaism because I was converting for my ex. Not that I was going to change what I truly know in my heart, but I was willing to be "called" anything that would have made her happy. She wanted me to go to synagogue on Saturdays with her. If this made her happy, it made me happy. She had a real problem with having to be strict kosher and following everything her father had told her she had to do and be. She also had a real fear of her father not accepting her being with a woman (he is Orthodox), and especially if she was with a non-Jew. . . . Yep, there is that bigotry and denying scientific evidence thing!

There are many things about Judaism that I prefer over Christianity. It is basic. Also, you will not find Judaism converting the world. But have to tell you, having been with one for seven years, it is true (she admitted it to me) that they DO believe they are the chosen people. She admitted to me that she was raised to believe she was "special", and she actually, truly, believes that she is a little "better" than non Jews.

Be that as it may, I don't hold that against them (just her). They are a live and let live group that are into promoting a better world. . . . well all except her . . . but I will leave that to another time . . . .

(And besides, Jewish women are hot!!! Intelligent and hot. What a combination!)

Sigh . . . .

Anyway . . .

I am a naturalist. I celebrate the earth, seasons, sun, moon, nature, universe, and give offerings to a few African gods. I believe in the power of prayer, not to an all knowing god, but as a strength that we all have in us to be able to effect our environment. I have personally witnessed the power of healing. (The cat is sitting in my lap right now.)

Here is my website that pretty much tells where I am coming from: http://www.congregationmoab.yolasite.com/

Here in the U.S.A. an ordained minister can have any kind of church they wish and follow any belief they wish. "Spiritual Humanism" is a rapidly growing (so called) church. The Church of Spiritual Humanism: "A religion based on the ability of human beings to solve the problems of society using logic and science."

A theory I lean to is that humans are not indigenous to this planet. . . . . (We are the only species that is not in balance with nature.) “When the beasts have exhausted the land, they move on to another . . . if there is another.”

So whose image were we made in?

Why are there no more angel sightings? No more chariots in the sky?

Who really told those stories that were passed down generation after generation and then eventually put down in writing?

If you were going to attempt to teach a group who does not have the capacity of understanding scientific basics, let alone have the ability to grasp concepts that they have no relation to, how would you go about it? . . . . The same way a parent teaches a child. You teach them with stories, with rules, and with "I'm bigger than you, this is my house, I said so, and you follow what I say or else."

You attempt to give them the basics because you know that someday you will no longer be there for them.

There comes a time that children should no longer need to believe in Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy.