Rest In Peace, Davy Jones February 29, 2012

Davy Jones: 12/30/1945 – 02/29/2012

“Even if they never meant to be more than entertainment and a hit-single generator, we shouldn’t sell The Monkees short. It was far better TV than it had to be; during an era of formulaic domestic sitcoms and wacky comedies, it was a stylistically ambitious show, with a distinctive visual style, absurdist sense of humor and unusual story structure. Whatever Jones and The Monkees were meant to be, they became creative artists in their own right, and Jones’ chipper Brit-pop presence was a big reason they were able to produce work that was commercial, wholesome and yet impressively weird.”
- Poniewozik, James (February 2012). “RIP Davy Jones, The Monkees’ Daydreamboat”. Time (magazine).


Below is a brief telling of our recent concert experience seeing Davy Jones at Bearcreek Farms.
I’m so very glad we went.

  

Another fun concert experience.   At 66 years old, Davy still sounds great.
The six-piece band was absolutely top-notch.  When the concert was over and most of the crowd gone,
my wife yelled “You Guys Are Awesome!” at the remaining band members onstage.
Dave Robicheau did some amazing guitar work on “Valerie.”
Aviva Maloney is a multi-talented wonder.
You can check out them and the other band members here:  http://davyjones.net/djband.html

Davy sang some of his solo songs, did a number from his Broadway days in “Oliver,” and lots of Monkees favorites.



His wife was onstage for a couple of really good dance numbers.
Jones, of course, shared many stories and jokes, and had frequent audience interaction.

We saw The Monkees June 13th, 2001 at the Fort Wayne Embassy (with some of the same band members).
That was a great concert, but this was a more “personal” overall experience.
Especially since we got to meet him and get our pictures taken with him!


———————


AND here are some general pix from Bearcreek Farms:


  

        

Don’t Ask. Don’t Sell. February 27, 2012

I had a “conversation” with a Greg McCaw, a former CCM insider (he was “no longer needed” after he came out). He estimates that as many as 35% of those in the Christian Music industry are closeted gay.
Based on his experience, Mr. McCaw suspects most who work alongside them within the industry know of their orientation. Just not the general public.
So in reality, people like Marsha Stevens-Pino (For Those Tears I Died), Clay Aiken, Jenifer Knapp, Ray Boltz, et al, were not outsted from the industry because they were gay, but because they admitted publicly they were gay.

According to Greg, “It is OK to be LGBT privately, as long as you don’t say that you’re LGBT.  This is especially true if you have a talent that is quite marketable.”
Privately pro-LGBT thinkers keep quiet because they know most of their buyers are fundies.  It’s easy to become victims of the hypocrisy of religion.

There are many who make their living from selling “Christian goods” who are sincere believers that do valid ministry.  But, as Greg also says, Christian events and “the Christian music industry and the Christian publishing industry… are not primarily about ministry, they are primarily about sales.”

That’s all good and fine, I suppose.  Most of us probably already know that anyway.  But when people become less than who they are, or must be somewhat decietful concerning their views just to ensure their paycheck…
well, that’s not very Christian at all.
Making your money “off the gospel” is usually a dangerous thing.  It’s easy to end up being an ear-tickler.  Especially, I believe, in fundamentalist circles.

You can justify your cowardice because, in the words of Frank Schaeffer, “there are bills to be paid, because you are booked up for a year, because this is what you do.”

Yes, the livelihood of many gay Christians, as well as their straight allies, is tied to the CCM industry’s “Don’t Ask. Don’t Tell” policy.
Thank God, the tide of public opinion is turning, brought about in part, by the many Christians and denominations who are taking a stand for equality, consequences be damned.  This has happened time and time again throughout history, in relationship to various issues of human rights.
These people are those to whom, in my opinion, true ministry is more important than the Christian Money Machine.

-df

I’m More Biblical Than You February 25, 2012

It is stupid for conservatives to think that they are more moral or “biblical” (oh my gosh I hate that word) than liberals.
There is plenty of support for both worldviews in scripture.


There is plenty of support for MOST worldviews in scripture, actually, depending on your preferred exegetical approach. The bible is not as cohesive as either side would want to believe, and to derive one single systematic theology from it while maintaining any kind of intellectual integrity is nearly, if not entirely, impossible.


– [Small section of a comment by a wise facebook friend.]
 

Calling Evil Good February 21, 2012

I’m still amazed, amazingly, at how ones approach to scripture can flavor, alter, or completely reverse the meaning of a given passage.  I’ve heard countless sermons in institutional churches quoting scripture to defend the very religious system those verses were intended to condemn.  An instance that recently came to mind is Isaiah 5:20.

“Doom to you who call evil good and good evil, Who put darkness in place of light and light in place of darkness, Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!”

Usually, I’ve heard this applied in a general “church vs. the world” context.  Reading the entire passage from a Christ-centered perspective we can begin to see how once again, the love of God has been perverted by religion.  True, this section does address “carousing.”

But its stronger focus is on spiritual insensitivity and social injustice.  Many often scoff at issues of social injustice, implying them to be of worldly concern.  In fact, as I’ve previously stated, these concerns are the gospel.  At least they are a large part of Jesus’ focus.


Back to calling “evil” good.
Could it be that once again our Western-world fundamentalist mind-set has clouded our vision?  Could it be that the ones condemning the world for calling evil good are those in fact guilty of this crime?

Consider these options:
- When we know that we are God’s house, could referencing any brick-and-mortar building as “God’s house” (something not done in the New Testament) be calling evil good?
- Isn’t emphasizing the avoidance of things like smoking and cussing, instead of focusing on how we treat others a form of calling evil good, and good evil?
- Is it possible that the very concept of a “just war” is calling evil good?
- And when we kill our enemies in the name of God and country, might that be calling  evil good?  Hey, I’m just asking you to consider the possibility.
- Are all the intensely “grace-a-phobic” religious people calling evil good when they relish in the idea that those who don’t see things their way are “going to hell”? (Don’t tell me you don’t know these people.  They’re very fond of believing that “They’ll get theirs someday!”)

- If the hate-filled, sign-carrying protesters constantly ignore the fact that, according to Ezekiel 16:49, the true sin of Sodom was the social injustice of ignoring the poor and the needy, are not they the ones actually calling evil good, and good evil, as they oppress our gay brothers and sisters in the Lord?
- Could insisting that old covenant tithing be observed by those under grace be calling evil good?


What other cherished teachings of religious institutions may share this unholy distortion?

I remember when I thought the term “fallen from grace” meant someone was involved in some kind of “gross sin.”  It was quite the revelation when I finally understood that, according to Galatians 5:4,  ”falling from grace” meant living by the law!
Truly, that perversion of the good-news is calling “good” evil.

Like I indicated at the beginning, our preconceived notions bear heavy weight on what “we say ‘God says.’”
Once we begin the journey out of that religiously induced fog of legalism, we are free to start re-thinking our beliefs from a “Christ-centric” approach.

I can guarantee, that as we do this God’s grace will give new birth to our spirits, and new understanding as to what it means to “call evil good.”

–df

Religion Gone Bad February 16, 2012

“Becoming an activist is simply a matter of putting love into action.”

Religion Gone Bad: The Hidden Dangers Of The Christian Right
- Mel White
———–

My WordPress stats tell me this is my 200th blog post.
I’m glad it’s dedicated to reviewing a book of this much importance.

While this book seems a bit dated in spots, it remains essential.
It contains vital recent past history, chronicling  and exposing the war on America by the religious right.  The material here isn’t conjecture, or hyped partial-truths.  This book is written by an “insider.”
Mr. White was a significant player in fundamentalist evangelical circles.  And for a time, he bought into the lies.
He knew, and worked with people like Billy Graham,  Francis Schaeffer, Jerry Falwell, James Dobson, D. James Kennedy, and Pat Robertson.
[The only one of those men who seemed to have a clue as to who God really is, is Billy Graham.]
Mel White knows of what he speaks!  And what he speaks of is some very, very scary stuff!
We learn of secret meetings, political agendas, manipulation of the masses, and very “un-Christ-like” power-plays of this sect that wishes to control and conform the entirety of America into their own image.

Part of the book descriptions have this to say:

“The Reverend Mel White, a deeply religious man who sees fundamentalism as “evangelical Christian orthodoxy gone cultic,” believes that it is not a stretch to say that the true goal of today’s fundamentalists is to break down the wall that separates church and state, superimpose their “moral values” on the U.S. Constitution, replace democracy with theocratic rule, and ultimately create a new “Christian America” in their image. White’s new book, Religion Gone Bad, is a wake-up call to all of us to take heed.

White is singularly qualified to write this exposé of the Christian Right because he himself was a true believer who served the evangelical movement as pastor, professor, filmmaker, television producer, author, and ghostwriter. As he writes, “These are not just Neocons dressed in religious drag. These men see themselves as gurus called by God to rescue America from unrighteousness. They believe this is a Christian nation that must be returned forcibly to its Christian roots.”

There’s a story of how he was hired to ghost-write a book for Pat Roberston, and Pat wouldn’t even take the time to read it. Yet, there he was at a book signing, autographing a book with his name on it, not fully knowing what was actually in it.

There’s also information about how President Bush actually sought approval from James Dobson on who to appoint to office!!

The section “Idolatry:  The Religion Of Fundamentalism”  should be a “must-read” for Christians everywhere.
It covers “God As Idol” (some GREAT insights here), “The Bible As Idol” (which I’ve covered in a number of other posts), “The Family As Idol” (focus on the Dobson), and “The Nation As Idol” (also see “The Myth of a Christian Nation).

Later we look at “Fascism: The Politics Of Fundamentalism.”  We’re shown the frightening similarities between what’s going on in America, and the way religion and the Bible were used by Hitler to deceive the masses and rally the troops. The “14 identifying characteristics of fascism” are disturbingly similar to fundamentalist Christianity.

Then, in Part Four of the book, we discuss ways to resist fundamentalism. Chapter’s 8 and 9 analyze how to reclaim our progressive political and moral values.
In the section on moral values, we look at the Old Testament prophets and the teachings of Jesus. There’s lots of scripture in this section. We see again how fundamentalists, like the Pharisees, major on the minors, while ignoring or dismissing the real meat of the Bible and of Jesus’ teachings.
While fundamentalists want to “reclaim America,” what’s really needed is to reclaim Christianity from the fundamentalists.

Finally, there’s “Discovering Soul Force.” We look at the examples of Martin Luther King Jr., and Ghandi as we discover the power of non-violent resistance (also known as “Christian Love”) which Jesus taught and lived. It can be, or rather is, very hard to not hate the haters. I see a lot of hater hating these days. It is understandable. But this portion of Mel’s book really helped me remember that love conquers hate. We also see that loving one’s enemies doesn’t mean rolling over and playing dead. It’s not violence or passivity. It is a third way.
[In relationship to that, check out the last paragraph of this previous post: Click HERE. ]


As a gay man, Mr. White does focus on the dangers of the religious right in their war against homosexuals, BUT these dangers are a threat to us ALL! History has has shown us the horrific results of the marriage between church and state. The torture. The intimidation. The outright murder. All in the name of God. That is the direction to which many fundamentalists are trying to take us.
As the famous phrase goes, “The Christian right is often neither.”

This book came out (pun intended) in 2006, and we’ve seen this disease of religious control and manipulation spread even more since the book was written. Some of our current politicians think that their interpretation of the Bible should be the literal rule of the land for all of our blessedly diverse culture.

I echo the previous statement that this book sounds the alarm, and should be a wake-up call for those who value all American’s rights.

- df

Buy the book.  Click HERE.

Check out the organization SOULFORCE. Click HERE.

———————-

Quotes:

- The Bible is not a book of magic. It’s a book of mystery. You can’t just quote verses that support your prejudices or guarantee your health, wealth, and happiness and demand that God “follow through” as promised. God is not limited to the words of Scripture. God is still speaking.

- Fundamentalist Christians are my sisters and brothers, my family and friends, my oldest colleagues and coworkers. But I fear their love for the nation has become an obsession to reshape it in their own image.

- [Billy Graham is an] example that in spite of the fact that all fundamentalists are evangelical, all evangelicals and definitely not fundamentalists.

- Like the people of Israel who created a golden calf to represent God while Moses was away, fundamentalist Christians have built their own idols to represent God until Jesus returns.
The religion of fundamentalism is idolatry.
Buy the book.  Click HERE.

- Fundamentalist Christianity is not just a threat to lesbians and gays, but to all Americans who cherish democracy and the rights and protections guaranteed us by the U.S. constitution.

- When Sally Williams asked her son Matthew why he killed “the two homos,” his answer was recorded by prison officials: “I had to obey God’s law rather than man’s law. I didn’t want to do this. I have followed a higher law. [I was] cleansing a sick society. I just plan to defend myself from the Scriptures.”

- “Fundamentalists are not happy when facts challenge their understanding. For biblical literalists, there is always an enemy to be defeated in mortal combat.” – John Shelby Spong [Rescuing the Bible From Fundamentalsis]

- Jerry Falwell turned gay bashing into a very successful art form. [He is] the first fundamentalist to exploit the fear and loathing of homosexuals to raise hundreds of millions of dollars and add millions of new donors to his mailing list.

- It’s beginning to feel like there is no room in America for anyone who is not a fundamentalist Christian.
Buy the book.  Click HERE.

- Although He is regularly asked to do so, God does not take sides in American politics.” – Senator George Mitchell

- Gary Nixon and I have had a loving, committed, faithful relationship for twenty-five years (now over 30) yet we are denied more than a thousand rights and protections that go automatically with marriage.

- It would be catastrophic if one day these fundamentalists Christians gain enough political power to enforce their literal understanding of Mosaic Law.

- The Roman Catholic Church is without doubt the original source of suffering for gay and lesbian people.

- Because of their excessive commitment to a literal Bible, fundamentalist Christians have fallen into the trap of biblioltry.
Buy the book.  Click HERE.

- Doing justice, loving mercy, seeking truth…these are the issues [the Bible] is clear on.

- There were families made up of Jewish soldiers and female prisoners of war; female rape victims forced by law to marry their attackers; and male slaves assigned to female slaves by their master. Jesus condemned divorce but did not condemn any of the family types common to his day.

- I am convinced that Christian fundamentalism is a far greater threat to this country than Muslim terrorists could ever be.

- “The government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian Religion.”
[Article 11. Treaty of Tripoli. Signed into law by President John Adams. 1797.]

- The words “God is love” conclude a biblical warning, not a warm and fuzzy slogan. “He who doesn’t love [his neighbor] doesn’t love God, for God is love.”
Buy the book.  Click HERE.

- My commitment to the Bible [is my] source of progressive values.

- Although I claim to be a Christian, I live at a moment in time when the Christian faith is being defined by fundamentalists who have dishonored Christ and are in the process of destroying His church. I refuse to wear the “Christian” label without redefining it.

- Without faith in God, man can have faith neither in himself nor in others. The finite cannot be understood unless we know it is rooted in the Infinite. – Gandhi

- When you stand with the outcasts, you stand with Jesus, and when you despise the outcast, you despise Jesus, as well. Becoming an activist is simply a matter of putting love into action.

- [And if you made it this far, thanks for reading my 200th post! - df]

Buy the book.  Click HERE.

Check out the organization SOULFORCE. Click HERE.

Books. I Like Books. February 16, 2012

[Every so often, I re-post this list for my new readers. So...]


These are just some of the books that have helped me SO much on my journey.
They have challenged me in ways I could have never imagined!
I believe they can truly help change the way we live.
(CLICK ON ANY BOOK image for a few quotes, or a brief review.)


Velvet Elvis   He Loves Me   The Shack 


If Grace Is True        Blue Like Jazz         

Thou Shalt Not Love


Lies (And The Lying Liars Who Tell Them)        Grace (Eventually)


A New Kind Of Christianity     A Heretic’s Guide To Eternity   


The Naked Gospel       The Myth Of A Christian Nation


Jesus Wants To Save Christians


Rejecting Religion. Embracing Grace
(Hey, I’m mentioned in this book!)


The Misunderstood God      Evolving In Monkey Town   


Love Wins      Fall To Grace      A Time To Embrace   


There are so many more; Like Bert Gary’s “Jesus Unplugged,” and Jim Palmer’s “Divine Nobodies.”
There’s “Insurrection,” and “The Orthodox Heretic,” both by Peter Rollins, and “Crazy For God,” by Frank Schaeffer


Most of these, and more, are available at the “Life Walk” Bookstore.” [Click here.]
And, I’m always finding new insights in new books.


For other recommended books, click on the “Books” link to the right, under “Categories,” and scroll through the entries.

Happy reading. Have a good life.

Lincoln’s Anguish February 11, 2012

You can feel Lincoln’s anguish as he describes the irony of soldiers from North and South killing one another.
“Both read the same Bible,” he said, “and pray to the same God; and each invokes His aid against the other.”

Nothing has changed. The culture war being waged at this very moment is a war between Americans who pray to the same God and invoke God’s aid against the other. The fundamentalist Christians pray daily that they will succeed in superimposing their liter biblical view of homosexuality on the nation.
I pray daily that they will fail.

President Lincoln fought that terrible civil war to make things equal for those who suffered inequality; to end bigotry, intolerance, and discrimination.

Have we learned nothing? Will it take another civil war to guarantee the civil rights of all Americans? It will unless we decide that fundamentalist Christianity is a real threat to this democracy and that the only way we can confront that threat without bloodshed, resolve our differences, and reconcile with our fundamentalist neighbors is to rediscover the power of relentless nonviolent resistance demonstrated in the the twentieth century by Gandhi in south African and India and by Martin Luther King, Jr., in America.

[Taken from "Religion Gone Bad" by Mel White. Book review coming later.]

God As Idol February 5, 2012

Like the people of Israel who created a golden calf to represent God while Moses way away, fundamentalist Christians have built their own idols to represent God until Jesus returns.  The religion of fundamentalism is idolatry.

—

The god [they call] to bless [their] antigay campaign is an idol that [they] have created from a string of unrelated biblical verses read literally to sanction their prejudice and consolidate their power.

We’ve seen this demigod before.  The Roman Catholic Church called upon him to bless their bloody inquisitions and crusades.  Fiery frontier preachers called upon him to bless their war against Native Americans.  White Southern Christians called upon him to bless their efforts to preserve slavery and segregation.  White Northern Christians called upon him to bless their efforts to prevent women’s suffrage and obstruct child labor laws.

These same fundamentalists who persecute my brothers and sisters wear bracelets that read “What Would Jesus Do?”  If only they would take that question seriously.
A Christian understands who God is by looking closely at Jesus.  Any lesser god is an idol, and anyone who worships that lesser god is an idolater in God’s eyes.

[Taken from "Religion Gone Bad" by Mel White. Book review coming later.]