Rainbo (Sissy Spacek) Sings About the Two Virgins Album

 

I claim Fair Use Doctrine/I do not monetize

This is another one of those “Why haven’t I heard this before?” moments…

It appears that our darling actor Sissy Spacek recorded a song in 1968, released in 1969, which would require the news of the day to understand or a solid knowledge of Beatles.

The title of Spacek’s song (recorded under the name “Rainbo”, how hippie cool is that) is “John You Went Too Far This Time’

There are many Beatle references in this song. I present ( claiming fair use) the lyric here:

Everything you asked of me, I did, John
From holding hands to living in a sunlit submarine
And you were something special when you said, John,
That you had more disciples than the man who was too green

John, I love you
But you went too
Far
This time

John, I love you
But you went too
The man with the foolish grin
Is you

I recall you turned me on with Pepper
The tour we took with Lucy was a trip I won't forget
And John, I loved you when we both wore flowers
But putting down your guru brought confusion and regret

John, I love you
But you went too
Far
This time

Now I gaze in awe before that picture
My mind retires to the place it was before you came
I love the things you showed me up 'til now, John
But since that picture, I don't think my love will be the same

John, I love you
But you went too
Far
This time

John, I love you
Alone on a hill
The man with the foolish grin
Is you

A few references:

   Holding hands   I Want to Hold Your Hand

   Sunlit submarine   Yellow Submarine

More disciples        more popular that Jesus

Foolish grin            The Fool of the Hill

Pepper and Lucy     Sgt. Pepper album

That picture            very likely the picture on the cover of John and Yoko’s

                              “Two    Virgins”

It seems that that step was a step too far for Rainbo.

Personally, Beatles fan that I am, I got past the cover.

It was the recording on the vinyl that I claim was John going too far for me.

The arrangement on this recording is cleverly done by Paul Harris, who successfully blends in backing music which sounds like the psychedelic  Beatles of the Pepper, Penny Lane, Magical Mystery Tour days.

I envy the writer of the lyric as it too is superb.

If you are a Beatles fan, moderate to intense, you will appreciate this recording.

Click the following Youtube link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38YIMgtEMFU

Celebrating Religious Freedom, Personal Conscience, American Integrity

 

holiday focused postage stamps available at USPS

My patriotism rests, in much part, on the first amendment to the Constitution which provides “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;"

As a child living in Detroit during the 1960s, I was introduced to many different faiths. Of course, there were, as now, the many different denominational takes on Christian faith. But also, the kid that lived next door was Egyptian Muslim. A girl in my class at school was Saudi Arabian Muslim. I had Jewish friends.

I loved having discussions about our differing faiths. My faith grew richer and deeper by hearing their faith stories, traditions, and customs.

“This is America!” I excitedly thought.

I was, and am, proud to be a citizen of a nation that respects personal conscience so deeply that it is written into our very fundamental social contract known as the United States Constitution.

Other nations assert a State religion. For the United Kingdom it is the Church of England, for Argentina, the Roman Catholic, for Denmark, the Lutheran Church. And of, course Muslim nations assert the Islamic faith.

But here in America, your faith and religion are a matter of your personal conscience.

Religion is neither imposed upon you nor is it prohibited of you.

This is America! I vigorously assert.

Oh, there are voices claiming that there is some sort of suppression of religion happening in America. I suspect those voices are merely stirring the pot of electoral politics.

Far from suppression, many faiths, positions of conscience, are affirmed even by The United States Post Office as you can see by the availability of holiday-focused stamps.

From my childhood in Detroit to this day, my patriotism rests upon the Constitution and especially the first amendment.

The Constitution is the national and social contract by which we all get along.

I pray that in 2024 we all get along like 1960s Detroit elementary school kids talking about our different faiths across a table at lunch time.

This is America! I proudly proclaim!

Veterans Day Sentiment

 

This last Tuesday I once again served as a poll worker at a Vote Center.

This is a long day, 5AM until the polls close at 6PM and then the closing administrative duties.

Of course, there is also the training one takes before election day.

Indeed, it is a dedicated service and I applaud all poll workers who served.

We each, at the beginning if the day, swore an oath to support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Indiana.

I was very proud to do so, speaking the words with sincerity and determination.

I wore a name badge that identified me as an election official.

This is my way of serving my state and country.

But you know, all of that service seems seriously insufficient when compared to the service of people who wear, not a name badge, but a whole uniform to identify their service.

They serve, not for a very long day, but for three or more years, often in dangerous locations.

Instead of a few hours of training in a comfortable room, they undergo boot camp and other more intense training.

At the end of my day as a poll worker, I get to go home and back to my life.

At the end of a soldier or sailor’s service, they must rebuild a life interrupted by their patriotic service.

Thank you Veterans and all who currently serve!!!

Do Not Quench the Spirit

 

Greetings Sisters and Brothers always thirsting for more Spirit…

1 Thessalonians ¹⁹ Do not quench the Spirit. 

Many soft drink companies promote their product by saying that it will “Quench your thirst,”

Unsurprisingly, Biblical advice is somewhat contrary to worldly advice as Apostle Paul teaches us to not quench our desire for the Spirit.

And, I suspect that a genuine search for the Spirit cannot be satisfied any more that real love can ever fully be satisfied…

Song of Solomon 8:7 Many waters cannot quench love;
    rivers cannot sweep it away.
If one were to give
    all the wealth of one’s house for love,
    it would be utterly scorned.

Each day as a follower of Jesus provides opportunities for discoveries in faith.

Allow the Spirit to disclose those discoveries. As you awake, eagerly anticipate the newness of the day and look for what God wishes to deliver.

Unquenchably yours, Mike

In Celebration of Article I Section 8, Clause 8

 

While the beginnings of Intellectual Property Rights reach as far back as the 1474 Venetian Patent Statute, I claim Article I, section 8, clause 8 of the US Constitution as the primary impetus of success of the United States in economics, business, capitalism, art, and all areas of value-transaction.

The clause reads:

To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;

The idea was to allow the creator of value the right to claim, own, sell, keep, receive credit, and otherwise be known as the originator of the work.

Without such right, many folk would be inhibited toward such creation, fearing others would take credit and payment for their work. That would have had a stunting effect on national progress.

Also, inherent in this clause is the idea that such a monopoly on intellectual property should not be forever. Such a condition also would inhibit progress by denying the right of adaptive usefulness.

This is but another example of just how important the Constitution is and why any citizen of the US should value the Constitution.

When you take an oath upon entering elective office, appointive office, even being a poll worker, your first and foremost promise is to the Constitution.

Article 1. section 8, clause 8 is one aspect of American idealism protected by the Constitution.

Be proud!

Called From the Cave

 

 

Greetings Sisters and Brothers called from the cave…

1 Kings 19: ¹¹ And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake:

¹² And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

¹³ And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?

Many hymns are inspired by Scripture.

This one, “Dear Lord and Father of Mankind” seems to have been inspired by these words from 1 Kings.

Give the hymn a listen, particularly the last verse.

Be encouraged that whatever may be chasing you into the cave, God is bigger and calls you from the cave.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqOnjmr9Ah0

Peace, Mike

God's compassion for Animals

 

Greetings Sisters and Brother of Godly compassion…

Jonah 4:11 And should I not be concerned about Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also many animals?"

Today I assert God’s care and compassion for animals.

Was God being trivial when he mentioned animals to Jonah? I think not. The animals are mentioned right along with the city of Nineveh and more than one hundred twenty thousand people who seem to be ignorant of their sin or undirected toward righteousness.

And God cares about all of them!

To reinforce the idea that God cares about animals, let me remind you that they too are to be given rest on the Sabbath…

Exodus 20: but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals,

There are other instances, particularly in Psalms in which animals are mentioned in good regard.

Think about it, when you find a gift for a young child, often it is a stuffed animal, bear, bunny, chimpanzee, dog, cat. We seem to have a built-in knowledge that animals are creatures of consolation and protection.

From the Social Principles of the United Methodist Church (official position statements of the church), which I teach at Lay Academies…

Animal Life

We support regulations that protect and conserve the life and health of animals, including those ensuring the humane treatment of pets, domesticated animals, animals used in research, wildlife, and the painless slaughtering of meat animals, fish, and fowl. We recognize unmanaged and managed commercial, multinational, and corporate exploitation of wildlife and the destruction of the ecosystems on which they depend threatens the balance of natural systems, compromises biodiversity, reduces resilience, and threatens ecosystem services. We encourage commitment to effective implementation of national and international governmental and business regulations and guidelines for the conservation of all animal species with particular support to safeguard those threatened with extinction.

My pastory statement is this…a genuine respect for God and all that he has created, which he declared “good”, includes at least an appreciation and gratitude for the pets he brings into our homes, the various foods which nurture us, such as chicken, beef, fish, and the work animals such as horses. We still measure automotive force by “horsepower”.

Sherry and I have four cats.

It is appropriate to be thankful for our pets.

Peace, Mike

America: Roots in Greek and Roman Idealism

 

image from American Antiquarian Society (I claim Fair Use)

I tend to watch movies analytically. Of course, I pay attention to the plot, but I more closely focus on production aspects such as lighting, direction, camera angle and such. All such aspects inform me of the ultimate situation and setting of the movie which then gives more insight and enjoyment.

I tend to read analytically the materials I read in much the same manner.

Reading from the Book of Genesis one day when I was nine years old, I said out loud to my self “Wait a minute!” The thought occurred to me that this Hebrew book had a Latin title. “Genesis”. The question followed…”Why would a Hebrew book have a Latin title?”

The epiphany and question prompted me along an analytical journey of Biblical content, context, and scriptural compilation that eventually led me to preaching the Bible today as pastor.

As a teenager I had a similar epiphany regarding the Constitution of the United States. “Wait a minute, why is this document, written in English, constructed in major divisions according to Roman numerals? Why not just use common colonial numbering ( see date in picture at top)?

Well, my analytical brain was then set in motion.

It appears from my background study of the founding fathers that they, perhaps except for Washington, had a firmly classical education. I mean to say that they studied Greek and Roman history, philosophy, language, and statecraft.

I quote from an article on the website Memoria Press ( the link is found at bottom of post).

“When James Madison applied at the College of New Jersey (now Princeton), he had already read Vergil, Horace, Justinian, Caesar, Tacitus, Lucretius, Phaedrus, Herodotus, Thucydides, and Plato. Other key figures in the American founding received similar educations.”

Of course they would use Roman numerals to indicate the anticipation of a long-living document rather than an temporary disposable document like a newspaper.

Comparatively, the Declaration of Independence seems like an ephemeral news release item than a document of national formation as is the Constitution.

Another good source for becoming informed of the education of the founding fathers is found in the book “First Principles” by Thomas Ricks.

My point in presenting this information is to make the following assertion:

To truly understand the ideas and philosophy on which our nation was founded, a person must become somewhat familiar with those Roman and Greek influences.

As an example, it appears that Thomas Jefferson was influenced by Epicurus, known as a philosopher of “happiness”. Recognizing this influence helps to make sense as to why Jefferson wrote in the Declaration of Independence “Life. Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” rather than “property” as a student of political theorist John Locke would write.

I assert that our nation was founded on more ancient, classical influences rather than anything-but-British reactionism.

For James Madison, good public order seemed to be a virtue influenced by Roman philosophers and statesmen.

American idealism didn’t just “pop up” in 1776. It is rooted in a classical education which seems long detached from our high school or college curricula.

I think, if we were to return more broadly to a classical education, we would then have a society with a more faithful and workable understanding of our foundational documents and how to move forward more productively in our society. I don't mean that we should require students to learn the Latin language. I do mean that students should learn how much influence Roman and Greek cultural attributes and thought contributed to American national identity.

My next journey of discovery regarding Roman numerals is to answer the question “Why does the NFL use Roman numerals to designate Superbowl games?”

https://www.memoriapress.com/articles/classical-education-founding-fathers/

Christians as Good Neighbors

 

Greetings Sisters and Brother, Spiritual exiles in a dog-eat-dog world…

1 Peter 1:1,2

 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,

To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, ² who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood:

Grace and peace be yours in abundance.

Since we will be watching a dvd series on Simon Peter this month (13, 20, 27 at 11am), I thought I would use the Wednesday encouragement as a means to draw out Peter’s wisdom.

Regarding verses 1 and 2: Please note he uses the nick-name Jesus gave him (Peter) rather his birth certificate name, Simon. It is likely that he needed no introduction to the people he was writing. It seems they would know him well.

The exiles he mentioned are probably Christ followers, who had learned under his authority rather than Paul’s (though Paul would have become well known also). Thes Christ followers are now “out in the world” and there may be influences that cause them to suffer.

Like Abraham being a sojourner, and the exiles in Babylon, the expectation is to be faithful to Christ while also being a good neighbor or citizen in the land to which they (and we ) have traveled.

I think Peter is saying to Christians what God, through Jeremaih said to the Israelites…Jeremiah 29: ⁴ This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: ⁵ “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. ⁶ Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. ⁷ Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.

Let us, as Christians in an uncomfortable land, continue to be faithful yet good neighbors to those around us.

Peace, Mike

Personal Piety as Confidence

 

Greetings Sisters and Brothers of hope…

Job 4:1-6

4 Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:

 “If someone ventures a word with you, will you be impatient?
    But who can keep from speaking?
 Think how you have instructed many,
    how you have strengthened feeble hands.
 Your words have supported those who stumbled;
    you have strengthened faltering knees.
 But now trouble comes to you, and you are discouraged;
    it strikes you, and you are dismayed.
 Should not your piety be your confidence
    and your blameless ways your hope?

 

We already knew from God’s own words that Job was pious and blameless…”he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.”

 

Eliphaz has probably seen similar situations. You offer to speak your opinion about the matter, and people get upset with you. But you just have to have your “2 cents worth” in it!

Eliphaz praises Job for his good deeds and character.

And then Eliphaz points out that when Job has suffered, he has become disappointed.

 

In Matthew 5 Jesus gives us this encouragement…

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Job, because he was righteous, was persecuted by Satan. Eliphaz reminds Job that  we are not rewarded with ease and comfort for our piety and blamelessness, sometimes calamity falls upon us Yet we are blessed, yet we have hope.

Please know that nowhere in the Book of Job does God speak of Job as anything less than righteous and considered Job his servant.

Continue in your good character and deeds for these make us servants. And being pious and righteous during times of trial makes us Christ-like servants!

Peace, Mike

Christians Amidst Chaos

 

Greetings Cherished Children of God…

   Have you ever considered the words of Jeremiah the prophet to those in exile?

Jeremiah 29: ⁴ This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: ⁵ “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. ⁶ Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. ⁷ Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”

Even in the New Testament Paul and Peter encourage folk to obey and respect leaders. That was at a time when Nero was Emperor. He was somebody particularly troublesome for Christians.

1 Peter 2: ¹³ Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, ¹⁴ or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. ¹⁵ For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. ¹⁶ Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. ¹⁷ Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.

Far from calling us to be threats to the prevailing culture surrounding us, God encourages us to live productive lives in the midst of discomfort and contrary conditions.

God encourages the Israelites to pray for their captors. God encourages Christians to be at peace with human authority.

Also, in both, the Jeremiah and 1 Peter encouragements, there is a sense of us Christians being about our business as Christians rather than cultural or political subversion.

Let us not indulge in anxieties about whether or not things are falling apart. Let us “Know that God is indeed God” and that all things work for the good of those that love God.

Be about that today. Be about loving God and neighbor. The rest is up to God.

Peace, Mike

Angels, Up and Down the Ladder

 

Greetings Sisters and Brothers, beneficiaries of God’s interventions…

Genesis 28: ¹² He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.

In 1968, at age 13 and reading through Genesis rather studiously, I was theologically tickled by this verse. “What in the world is going on here?”, I pondered.

Jacob is having a dream in which this vision occurs. Yet there are no verses around it to explain or describe its meaning. There seems to be nothing to “contextualize” this verse. And yet it is there!

Many Bible commentators say something about this verse, but they are all just “reaching” for a meaning.

Still, I can’t help but take a stab at it…

1.     God is continually in relationship and working with humans and all of creation. We are not left alone.

2.     Verse 14 says…Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. I think these ascending and descending angels are busy at work making God’s promise a reality. He will for us as well as for Jacob.

3.     We don’t see this ladder of angels and thus, we tend to think that God has become detached and remote.

4.     Jacob was not told, nor did he ask what those angels were doing. And yet, I speculate on their activities. Often, we may not be told how God is going to keep his promises.

5.     I think the verse about the angels ascending and descending is meant as a comfort to us that God is always at work for the good of those that love him, whether we see it or not.

I encourage you to travel the day knowing that God is with you and I hope you get a good night’s sleep.

But use something softer than a stone as a pillow!

Peace, Mike

The Leveling of Your Path

 

Greetings All…

An Old Testament Jewish fellow by the name of Baruch was the scribe for prophet Jeremiah.

Baruch also wrote a book, though it did not make the cut for our Old Testament, still some of the readings are part of the schedule of Scriptural readings through the year.

This is one reading suggested for preaching…

Baruch 5:1-9
5:1 Take off the garment of your sorrow and affliction, O Jerusalem, and put on forever the beauty of the glory from God.

5:2 Put on the robe of the righteousness that comes from God; put on your head the diadem of the glory of the Everlasting;

5:3 for God will show your splendor everywhere under heaven.

5:4 For God will give you evermore the name, "Righteous Peace, Godly Glory."

5:5 Arise, O Jerusalem, stand upon the height; look toward the east, and see your children gathered from west and east at the word of the Holy One, rejoicing that God has remembered them.

5:6 For they went out from you on foot, led away by their enemies; but God will bring them back to you, carried in glory, as on a royal throne.

5:7 For God has ordered that every high mountain and the everlasting hills be made low and the valleys filled up, to make level ground, so that Israel may walk safely in the glory of God.

5:8 The woods and every fragrant tree have shaded Israel at God's command.

5:9 For God will lead Israel with joy, in the light of his glory, with the mercy and righteousness that come from him.

Please note how verse 7 here very closely resembles verse 5 of chapter three of Luke…

3:5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth;

And also chapter 40, verse 4 of Isaiah…

Every valley shall be raised up,
    every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level,
    the rugged places a plain.

Be very assured that whatever obstacles may seem to be in the way, God is working on removing those obstacles and leveling our path toward him.

This idea of leveling the path seemed important enough for God to inspire Isaiah, Baruch, and Luke…perhaps it is an important enough of an idea that we should cast our faith upon it!

Rejoice this day for God will show your splendor everywhere under heaven.
Peace, Mike

Accurate Scales and a Truthful Tongue

 

Greetings Sisters and Brothers of a faithful tongue…

Exodus 20: 16 You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

Some folk round off that verse to say “Don’t lie”. But it is much more important than that!

The function it served in the day of Moses was to ensure that the court, those that sat in judgement, could always count on honest testimony from petitioners and the accused as they made their decisions.

I quote Bible scholar Walter Breugemann from his commentary on Exodus regarding this verse…

“Community requires drawing a line against private interest in order to make social relations workable.”

This verse is not just about a person saying what they want to get their way, protect themselves and such. The deeper point is to preserve harmony in a community.

All of the Ten Commandments are about loving God first and then neighbor as self.

Just like the importance of maintaining accurate scales, Proverbs 11:1, the reports which we give regarding other people should be as honest as we would want them to be about us.

I offer what James warned all Christians of…

⁹ With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. ¹⁰ Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.

Again, the Commandment in Moses’ day was about court testimony. Of course that would apply today as well. But also, it should apply in our personal lives as we speak about those not in our presence.

Today is a good day to practice being Christian in all that we say as well as wearing the symbols of our faith, such as cross jewelry!

Peace, Mike