9/11, the Spiritual Climate, and Charity

September's just about over, but I still have time to squeeze in one more 9/11 reference. Here's an interesting article that looks at the effects that 9/11 has had on the spiritual climate in America. Research has found that, though church attendance rose significantly after the attacks, it has since leveled off. Despite the attendance numbers, studies show that Americans are continuing to grow more generous, with charitable giving rising 12 percent since 2001 ... Now, Americans are rather spiritual. Don't let the not-going-to-church thing fool you into thinking otherwise. It's like these researchers are saying, "Hey, only church-going folks give to charity, so what's going on here? What accounts for these numbers?" But is that really the case? I don't think so. And I don't think there is any true mystery behind the increase in charity. For one thing, since 2001, the world has experienced the December 2004 tsunami and Hurricane Katrina (2005). And people dug deep (monetarily and literally) to help out in both cases. For another thing, the research is only looking at giving as tied to a function of Christianity. But Christians are not the only people who do outreach work. They are probably the most recognized, but that is mainly due to societal conditioning. (This is not to say that Christian charities are unworthy of recognition. I'm just saying that there are lots of fine people out there, of all sorts of religious persuasions, who are doing good work and giving to charity). If there is a mystery to the numbers, I would say it lies in why the mainstream press does not do a study on Pagan, Buddhist, Heathen, etc. approaches to charity.

Friday Pet Blogging | Design Feline

Milo, though a bit cautious or skittish, is insatiably curious. And he really has a thing for my books and such near the couch -- particularly my backpack. Well, while I was out on Sunday, and had the backpack with me, Mrs. Brainwise snapped some excellent shots of Milo milling about my stuff. He was probably looking for the backpack. Instead, he found himself on (digital) film. Now, you tell me: Doesn't he look like he is ready to unleash a life-changing design?

My slipcover is orange, of course .... it is covered with my divine fur.

One by one, the pet blogging posts steal my sanity (but I don't miss it much)...

More Pet Blogging See the Friday Ark, featuring a compilation of today's pet blogging posts, over at The Modulator. Check the M&O Archives for some previous Milo & Otis appearances. Carnival of the Cats, coming at you every Sunday. And one of the funniest/cutest/obsessivest (OK, I know that's not a word!) sites for cat photos, StuffOnMyCat.com is a must see. Take it from them: Stuff + Cats = Awesome!

Friday Pet Blogging | Extreme Synchronized Napping

As you can see, my internet connection has been restored. And not a minute too soon. Otherwise, you might have missed this rare occurence of Milo & Otis taking synchronized napping to new heights. What Nap-thletes!

One by one, the pet blogging posts steal my sanity (but I don't miss it much)...

More Pet Blogging See the Friday Ark, featuring a compilation of today's pet blogging posts, over at The Modulator. Check the M&O Archives for some previous Milo & Otis appearances. Carnival of the Cats, coming at you every Sunday. And one of the funniest/cutest/obsessivest (OK, I know that's not a word!) sites for cat photos, StuffOnMyCat.com is a must see. Take it from them: Stuff + Cats = Awesome!

Friday Pet Blogging is Delayed

[Photo from The Visual Dictionary]

Today's installment of Friday Pet Blogging is delayed. I had no Internet connection last night, so I could neither upload new photos nor enter a post about an existing photo. I think things are worked out now. I will try to upload a sampling of new photos and then select an excellent specimen for your viewing pleasure. Please accept my apologies. I apprecate your kind consideration and patience.

Lessons from Hellblazer

While I was laid up with a broken foot this summer, I fell behind in my comic book reading. I just couldn't maneuver around the store on crutches. Heck, it would have been too much of an effort to get to the store in the first place. But now I've now been off the crutches for about two weeks. So on Sunday, I stopped by and picked up my books. Fortunately, it was a short stack -- John Constantine: Hellblazer is the only title I collect on a regular basis these days. Still, it was about 3 or 4 months worth of stories, and I got to read them all in one sitting. While reading, I noticed that there are many practical lessons packaged with these tales of British occult horror. And I decided to share a few with you... John Constantine on relationships:

"If I've learned one thing about relationships, it's this: Friends believe the best about us. They need to. Because they feel what we feel. And given a choice between feeling good or feeling bad … no one's picking up the shitty stick."

Evans (supporting character in current storyline) on hiring help:

"Honestly, lackeys these days..."

John Constantine on art appreciation:

"I know a lot about art, but I don't know what I like."

And JC on work ethic:

"I was up all night grinding fairies to make this stuff."

OK. So maybe that last one doesn't actually convey a lesson. But it is laugh-out-loud funny.

Other Hellblazin' links:

• Wikipedia entry
• Hellblazer Index

Quotable | Best

Sometimes it is not enough to do your best. Sometimes you must do what is required. -- Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

Friday Pet Blogging | Too Close!

Still using some older shots. This one is from July of this year. It illustrates an important adage in photography: You don't always get the shot you want. This is particularly true of a camera-averse kitty like Milo.

Milo in "witness protection" mode.

This reminds me of the video that often accompanies news stories about obesity. Have you ever noticed that all those people are shot from the neck down? Not that Milo is obese! He is pleasantly plump, right boy?

And here come the opportunities to see more pet blogging posts...

More Pet Blogging See the Friday Ark, featuring a compilation of today's pet blogging posts, over at The Modulator. Check the M&O Archives for some previous Milo & Otis appearances. Carnival of the Cats, coming at you every Sunday. And one of the funniest/cutest/obsessivest (OK, I know that's not a word!) sites for cat photos, StuffOnMyCat.com is a must see. Take it from them: Stuff + Cats = Awesome!

Controversy Nabs Prizes

That presidential snuff film I mentioned on this blog a few weeks ago ("Yes, But Is It Art?" August 31, 2006) won the critic's prize at the Toronto Film Festival. Apparently, the jury liked it "for the audacity with which it distorts reality to reveal a larger truth." Story at Yahoo News: "Bella" Wins Top Toronto Film Festival Award.

Quotable | Elephants

When elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers. -- Kikuyu Proverb

I think today's quotable is quite appropriate in light of the skirmishes, both verbal and physical, that are in effect around the globe today.

The Pope Said ... What?! (Part II)

A few astute people have shown me that the Pope might have known exactly what he was saying when he quoted a 14th century document that was critical of Islam. (See my previous post and these news items). In fact, two of those people left rather thoughtful comments here. And now ... I am doing some more reading ... and I see that the Pope is taking shots at the Jews and the Pagans. What is he thinking?? Shortly after -- or "minutes after" as the Age reports it -- offering an apology for the speech that incited Muslims around the world, the Pope was commenting on two recent Roman Catholic festivals relating to the crucifixion. He slipped this little gem into his commentary:

"We preach the crucified Christ — a scandal for the Jews, a folly for the pagans." --The Age

Do you recognize that statement at all? Here is a hint: Try cracking open 1 Corinthians. The Pope has paraphrased the words of St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 1:23: "We preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles." Note that he has changed "stumbling block" to "scandal". And he has exchanged "Pagans" for "Gentiles" (or "Greeks" in some translations). Now, why would he do this? And why would he use it on the same day he offered an apology for his apparent verbal gaffe of a few days ago? If you take the time to read the Biblical passage (1 Corinthians 1:18-30 NIV | KJV | NRSV | CEV), you will see that it deals with wisdom. Particularly, the supremacy of God's wisdom. And, by extension, I suppose the wisdom of the Christian path as well. So, we have to ask, in sharing this bit about preaching "Christ crucified" and connecting it to the wisdom of God, could the Pope in fact be claiming that he acted with great wisdom and forethought in what the media is calling his "blunder" that has enraged the Islamic community? Remember, now, that the Pope -- for millions of Catholics around the world -- is the representative of Christ on Earth. He is considered to be the only person who is in direct contact with God the Father. And he is considered to be infallible. So, there was no mistake for which to apologize. Something more is certainly going on, and this bears watching. (Aside: If I am not mistaken, the concept of Papal Infallibility is only applied to statements he makes that can be considered solemn papal definitions or ex cathedra teachings. So, if he was at a conference of scholars in Germany, can those statements be taken as ex cathedra? And if the statements are not ex cathedra, then are we back to calling the whole thing a mistake, thereby cancelling out everything I just wrote?)

The Pope Said ... What?!

I go away for one weekend and the Pope puts his slippered foot in his mouth. Or does he? I guess that depends on what you think Benedict's intentions were when he quoted a 14th-century text that characterized some of the prophet Muhammad's teachings as "evil and inhuman." Now, considering the cartoon fiasco that rocked Europe earlier this year, and the general pins-and-needles state of relations between the West and Islamic countries, this seems like an insane mistake. In fact, just yesterday a friend asked me, "Has the Pope lost his mind?" Well, I am in no way qualified to render a diagnosis of Benedict's mental health. But I would like to briefly address the bru hah hah that has kicked up a new firestorm of words and threats. First, in Benedict's defense (and I'm not the Pope's biggest fan), his words were taken out of context. He was in a gathering of scholars, and he quoted from a dusty old text. His point was that violence in service of religion is never appropriate. And this is a modern concept. The Church has its own violent past to deal with. Speaking of which, I find it interesting to note that, at the time of the speech, Benedict never once said whether he supported the view of that particular text. Second, although he was taken out of context, Benedict should have known better. The media is soundbite hungry, and the general public has a 10-year-old mentality ("You said something bad about my dad! I'm gonna kick you!"). One of the best media responses comes from Australia:

Subtle Scholar, But What an Inept Politician The Age | September 18, 2006

Pope Benedict's speech was an academic address at a German university on an esoteric theological theme that had nothing to do with affronting Muslims. The apparently offending remarks were almost a footnote to the discussion… But it seems some elements in the Muslim world are looking avidly for something to offend them. Meanwhile, governments looking to boost their Islamic credentials are only too happy to seize on this, or nurture it, for their own political advantage.

You can read some more responses at NPR, which is where I found the Australian post. I'm thinking that Benedict should have just referenced the text and the conversation in it. He should not have quoted anything from it. He definitely should have pointed out that the text presented an outmoded point of view. At the very least, he should have had a few people in his office review the speech before he left the Vatican. A little vetting never hurt a scholar. So, until we have peer review for every public statment, can we just, like, you know, grow up? Update (09.20.2006): For those who are interested, there is a translation of the speech here.

Friday Pet Blogging | Perfect Fuzzy Faces

This evening I downloaded the latest set of photos from the Nikon CoolPix. I had taken a bunch of shots at rehearsal on Tuesday (The Last Five Years at Montgomery Theater). Unfortunately, I didn't get anything worth sharing. But I did come across a surprise or two. Mrs. Brainwise must have recenlty lifted the camera because I know I didn't take these nice pics of Milo and Otis showing their perfect fuzzy faces:

Milo throws a carefree glance over his shoulder. (Yes, Mom still has that damn camera!)

Otis ponders the miracle of a sunbeam. (Actually ... he's either zoning out or wishing he could catch a bird.)

I gotta leave the camera unattended more often.

And here come the opportunities to see more pet blogging posts...

More Pet Blogging See the Friday Ark, featuring a compilation of today's pet blogging posts, over at The Modulator. Check the M&O Archives for some previous Milo & Otis appearances. Carnival of the Cats, coming at you every Sunday. And one of the funniest/cutest/obsessivest (OK, I know that's not a word!) sites for cat photos, StuffOnMyCat.com is a must see. Take it from them: Stuff + Cats = Awesome!

Quotable | Broken

Good old 'Uncle' Walt. In just a few words from "A Song of the Rolling Earth," he nails a concept that is essential for healing in this Post-9/11 world:

I swear the earth shall surely be complete to him or her who shall be complete, The earth remains jagged and broken only to him or her who remains jagged and broken. Leaves of Grass > A Song of the Rolling Earth [line 100] Walt Whitman (1819–1892)

The men who carried out the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, and the men who hijacked United 93 were jagged and broken, and they were spurred on by jagged and broken men. This is a quality they carried in their souls, and as such it informed the way they looked at the world. That is why they could do such a heinous thing. I truly think that there is no way a person who has some semblance of completion within him or herself, and how is able to look upon the world as a wondrous thing, could have participated in such violence.

Sonic Memorial

Whenever I am in my car, I am probably listenting to a podcast, public radio, or an AM talk show (Michael Smerconish). The car radio is rarely tuned to regular ol' stations that play music anymore. While the podcasting interest is still relatively recent for me -- I only got an iPod last December, and then found my way to podcasts early this year -- the public radio interest started on September 11 ... 2001. My office was dismissed early so that we could go home and be with our families. Of course, many other folks got the same idea. So I got stuck in the 309 Northbound traffic for a while. Being confined and isolated in my car -- I say "isolated" even though scores of other people around me were similarly confined in their own vehicles -- I found myself hungering for information. For some kind of connection to the aftermath of the morning events ... to the events still going on. And, frankly, after having shared the horror and anxiety of that morning with my colleagues and co-workers, I just didn't welcome this seeming loneliness in my car. I had already tried to call a couple of family members, with varying degrees of success. Circuits invariably were busy. So, I found my way down the dial to 90.1FM -- WHYY in Philadelphia. And I have been listening to programming on that station ever since. Yesterday, I caught a broadcast of the Sonic Memorial Project. This is as good an argument for public radio as there is. I might never have heard about this if I had not caught it on the radio. The Sonic Memorial Project features material submitted by people across the U.S. who contributed personal recordings, stories and remembrances. There is a recording of the revolving doors at the World Trade Center (sounding eerily like a heartbeat), elevator recordings, and voicemail messages. Sure, just about all of the dialogue is available in a transcript, but I suggest you listen to the whole thing. It's amazing, somber, and at times ... heartbreaking. The project's own website (sonicmemorial.org) seems to be down, but you can catch the entire transcript at American RadioWorks (link). There is a link to download the RealAudio on that page as well.

Quotable | That Old Piece of Cloth

I schooled myself in the writings of Madison and Franklin and Adams and Jefferson. I came to love those noble, indestructible ideas. They were ideas, to my young mind, of rebellion and independence, not of idolatry. But not that piece of old cloth. To me, that stood for unthinking patriotism. It meant about as much to me as that insipid peace sign that was everywhere I looked: just another symbol of a generation's sentimentality, of its narcissistic worship of its own past glories. Then came that sunny September morning when airplanes crashed into towers a very few miles from my home... -- Frank Miller (1957 - ), comic book artist and writer

Go to NPR to read or listen to the full essay (requires either Windows Media Player or Real Player), which is part of their This I Believe series. I highly recommend it. Miller really cuts to the chase, showing how his upbringing and his own sense of rebellion formed his opionions of patriotism and Old Glory ... and how the events of 9/11 reshaped how he viewed both.

Friday Pet Blogging | Not Exactly Hospital Corners

After confirming that at least one of us is definitely up for the day, Otis usually decides to take a morning nap. He just sacks out at the foot of the bed, or curls up under a (ahem!) dog-eared blanket as shown here:

"You go to work; I'll keep the bed warm."

Support pet blogging! View more pet blogging posts!

More Pet Blogging See the Friday Ark, featuring a compilation of today's pet blogging posts, over at The Modulator. Check the M&O Archives for some previous Milo & Otis appearances. Carnival of the Cats, coming at you every Sunday. And one of the funniest/cutest/obsessivest (OK, I know that's not a word!) sites for cat photos, StuffOnMyCat.com is a must see. Take it from them: Stuff + Cats = Awesome!

By the way, if you are wondering what hospital corners have to do with this post, take a look at this image and compare it to the state of Otis' sheets in the photo above. And if you don't know how to achieve that regulation look for your own bed, then these two tutorials explain how to do it.

Crikey!

Steve "Crocodile Hunter" Irwin died today. At least he went out doing what he loved...

Mr Irwin made his international reputation wrestling crocodiles and snakes.

But the flamboyant naturalist's final confrontation with a wild animal occurred at Batt Reef off Port Douglas on Monday morning, where he had been filming a new documentary, "Ocean's Deadliest".

Taking time off from the main project, Mr Irwin was swimming in shallow water, snorkelling as his cameraman filmed large bull rays.

"He came over the top of a stingray and the stingray's barb went up and went into his chest and put a hole into his heart," said Mr Irwin's friend and manager John Stainton.

"It's likely that he possibly died instantly when the barb hit him, and I don't think that he ... felt any pain.

Source: Daredevil Irwin dies doing what he loved (theage.com.au)

Sure, it's easy to ridicule the personality we all saw on TV. But Irwin loved animals and wanted nothing more than to share that love with the world. He also loved his family, and my heart goes out to his wife and daughter.