How has the Internet changed your life?

** Participate in One Web Day, on September 22. Here's what you can do.

Act now - save the world

** The link below takes you to the text of a speech given by Dr. Robin Meyers, Pastor, Mayflower Congregational Church, Oklahoma City. It was given in the place that pivotal speeches by the likes of Thoreau and Walt Whitman were given. It's an eloquent and impassioned call for action in the face of the perilous state of the world at this time brought about by a government heavily influenced by the so-called Christian Right.

In the speech, Dr. Meyers includes a list compiled by political scientist Lawrence Britt of 14 characteristics that are sure signs that a nation is sliding into fascism:

1) powerful and continuing nationalism,
2) distain for the recognition of human rights,
3) identification of enemies and scapegoats as a unifying cause,
4) supremacy of the military,
5) rampant sexism,
6) controlled mass media,
7) obsession with national security,
8) religion and government intertwined,
9) protection of corporate power,
10) suppression of labor power,
11) disdain for intellectuals and the arts,
12) obsession with crime and punishment,
13) rampant cronyism and corruption, and
14) fraudulent elections.

I used to believe that it was sufficient to simply pray about these kinds of problems. I now think that's not enough - maybe not even necessary. But even if prayer is still in your repertoire, it seems foolish, maybe even criminal, to let it go at that. Action is what's needed, even to the point of civil disobedience. Yes, it's gotten that bad.

Read, and distribute the attached to as many people as you believe might be willing to take action to reverse the destructive course the United States is now taking.

Why the Christian Right is Wrong

An ignoramus reads the Bible

** Ever notice how selectively the Bible is used? You can "prove" or emphasize just about any point by finding the appropriate passages. Why should it take uncounted numbers of "scholars," people with "divinity" degrees and such, to tell you what the Bible means? Certainly scholarly research is importannt and useful when it can shed light on the origins or contexts of biblical passages, or about the creation of the Bible itself. But can the Bible sustain its "inspirational" status under the scrutiny of an unaided reader? This experiment by Slate, has a nice, but not "observant," Jewish guy read the Bible straight through, blogging his impressions as he goes. A refreshing change from most biblical essays and commentaries. Click here to read the first installment.