Archive for the ‘Religion’ category
Call to prayer
One of the first things you’ll notice in Abu Dhabi, aside from the sun, is the daily ritual — five times daily, actually — of the adhan (pronounced azan), or call to prayer. Because prayer — or salat — in Islam is spread throughout the day according to the position of the sun, the timing […]
Jesus in the news
Jesus, often accused of diversion and rabble rousing, has managed to distract the media again, even in a week where Mitt is sporting a suspicious tan. The news this time? A fourth century papyrus hinting he may have had a wife. The scholar who announced her discovery is an expert in early Christianity and presented […]
Three Aztec Gods
This is on the side of a taqueria in Highland Park. It took me a minute to sort out who it is. I’m left wondering, however, what Psalms 37 and John 2 have to do with Larry, Curly, and Moe. (Click for a larger view.)
A few things I’ve been looking at
“Being a Maid”. Mormonism dealing with the internet. “The Aesthetics of Authority”. A Szymborska poem, complete with cat and link to an alternate translation. “Kim Jong Un Looking at Things”. Bonus video: All kinds of text and subtext at a UC town hall meeting about Occupy.
And I’m (no longer) a mormon
A few years ago, I had a conversation with one of my favorite Whatsitzers about some of his experiences as a Mormon missionary. I asked whether he had ever converted anyone, and he answered that yes, there were a few. I pressed him asking, “How do you feel about that?” I have to admit that I assumed […]
St. Ann’s Kids . . .
Well, my sister finally passed away. It’s been a long time coming since she had lived with Multiple Sclerosis for 25 years. This is a photo of her oldest child with my son. The big kid was adopted into my parents family in 1980. The little one born into the extended clan in 2004. The […]
Potentially funny or mean spirited?
From the New York Times: custom essay writing ‘Book of Mormon’ Announces Cast and Designers By ERIK PIEPENBURG “The Book of Mormon,” the first Broadway musical from Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the creators of “South Park,” has found its Mormons. Josh Gad, a correspondent on “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart,” and Andrew Rannells […]
Bigotry vs. bigotry
A couple of weeks ago, commentator Juan Williams got fired from NPR for saying this: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAfGKVK8PyE&feature=related[/youtube] The firing caused a huge uproar; many believed Williams was simply stating a truth, something that many other non-Americans feel too, and that political correctness had run amok. Personally, I was glad to see Williams fired, mostly because it’s […]
