O Boże, któryś Kościołowi swemu dał za nauczyciela i obrońcę wiary świętego Grzegorza Nisseńskiego, zapał i nas świętą miłością do wiary katolickiej i udziel łaski, abyśmy wiernie według niej żyli. Przez Chrystusa Pana naszego. Amen
The second annoying NPR story tonight was on immigration reform. Now NPR’s reporting wasn’t necessarily annoying, but rather some of those interviewed.
Now I am fairly liberal on immigration issues. This country has benefited greatly from immigration. My grandparents and great-grandparents were immigrants. Further, I prefer to work with a person who is industrious and has drive and determination over a slacker who thinks it should all be handed to him.
That being said, listening to illegal immigrants protesting the governmental process in the United States and in the various states by yelling Mexico, Mexico —“ well ok, the border is right there, please go back. The high school student in the story uses the ‘racism’ card because he hasn’t learned to make a cogent argument. Instead he has turned himself into a mimic for interest groups. See: Senate Pursues Immigration Bill.
I agree that immigration reform is necessary. I also agree that churches and charities that offer help to immigrants, whether legal or illegal, are engaging in sanctuary (a concept which has been lost) and should be exempt from any penalties for offering such help.
The way to go forward is to understand the need, to be as just as humanly possible, and to offer the opportunity of America with as few unrealistic barriers as possible. In addition, we have every right in the world to protect our borders.
Unfortunately, much of our immigration policy is so far behind the times that it reflects 1950’s and 1960’s anti-communist initiatives (see the issues surrounding immigration from Poland for example).
We need to get up-to-date, to reward those who wish to come and contribute, and to protect ourselves from those unwilling or unable to espouse our values.
National Public Radio (NPR) interviewed Francesca Zambello, an opera director who is —reimagining— opera to be more appealing to a wider audience.
The interview started with her saying that a good performer can convey the meaning of what may be unintelligible to the common listener, who has no command of languages, by the manner in which he or she performs.
Ms. Zambello then went on to make two very interesting points. She spoke about how opera should be performed in the vernacular —“ the local language. She also made points about how the libretto should be changed since it need not stick directly to the authors’ words.
Toward the conclusion of the interview she put a very fine point on the subject by saying that we must not treat these things as sacred. She reiterated the point about de-sacralizing the music and the text.
Here’s the story lead-in: Wagner’s ‘Ring’ Reimagined in America
All Things Considered, March 24, 2006 —¢ Picture the Rhine as an American river and the Niebelungs (dwellers of the underworld) as members of America’s underclass.
A bold new interpretation of Richard Wagner’s Ring cycle, setting its timeless tale of the corruption of power in a more contemporary American setting, is premiering at the Washington National Opera.
At the helm is Francesca Zambello, a superstar among opera directors. She has taken Das Rheingold — the first in Wagner’s four-opera series — and recast it from a distinctly American viewpoint.
…
She talks to Robert Siegel about reimagining Wagner’s operas and her use of America’s rich storytelling tradition and mythic past to involve a contemporary audience. She argues for making opera more accessible to wider groups, including teenagers, and she discusses her work as a storyteller — whether it’s staging Puccini’s La Boheme sung in English or Aladdin at Disneyland.
Now doesn’t that sound familiar. Opera has caught on to modernity.
Function in the vernacular and change the text. Treat nothing as sacred because we have to appeal to a wider audience. Otherwise no one will understand what is happening. And there aren’t that many good performers anyway…
My wife is back home and all appears to be well. Thank you all for your prayers, support, and words of encouragment. May our Dear Lord bless you for your kindness.
O Boże, któryś z pomiędzy wszystkich aniołów wybrał archanioła Gabrjela do zwiastowania N. Panny Marji Wcielenia Twojego Syna, – dozwól łaskawie, abyśmy czcząc jego uroczystość na ziemi, korzystali z jego opieki i wstawiennictwa w niebie. Przez Chrystusa Pana naszego. Amen
My wife was admitted to the hospital this morning. They’ve been running tests all day and can’t seem to pinpoint what the problem is. Please keep her, our children, and me in your prayers.
Św. Katarzyno Szwedzka, któraś świątobliwą była małżonką i wzorową córką, uproś nam u Boga tę łaskę, abyśmy naśladując ciebie, nigdy przykrości nie wyrządzili rodzicom naszym, lecz słuchali ich we wszystkiem co zgadza się z wolą Boga i przykazaniami Kościoła. Przez Chrystusa Pana naszego. Amen
The Churches in our area hold a monthly ecumenical gathering. We rarely if ever foray into theological or polity issues. We come together, pray, eat, and discuss general ministerial issues we commonly face.
We also love to learn from each other. When I was receiving the minor orders everyone was interested in the how and why of the process. When one of our members faces a problem, we support each other with prayer and in other ways. We also hold an annual Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service.
Yesterday’s event was held at St. Peter’s Armenian Apostolic Church. The first gathering I ever went to was held there and Fr. Stepanos as well as all the members there always make us feel so welcome. They put on a tremendous Lenten feast of Armenian food and desserts.
What really resonated with me was the way we began.
We begin each gathering in prayer. We use the format suggested by the host pastor. When my parish hosted the event we did the Liturgy of the Hours.
Well, Fr. Stepanos always pulls out all the stops. We were, as it was my first time there, immersed in Armenian Liturgy. We prayed and chanted in Armenian. At the very beginning Fr. Stepanos said to us, —When we pray we face the Altar and the East.— or words to that affect. We all turned and prayed.
I was bowled over. No, ‘well let’s accommodate everyone’. No theologizing liturgical posture. Rather, he remained faithful to the Liturgy. We faced God and prayed. The words of the Ascription and the following prayers were powerful as well. No gender neutrality or political correctness required.
I especially liked:
Lord God, help the Christian leaders, faithful rulers, their armies and peoples, and keep them in peace. Amen.
…and
By the sign of your holy and precious cross protect us against the visible and invisible enemy, in our places and homes. Amen.
So after prayer, discussion, and a boat load of hummus, the best tabbouleh I ever had, and pita, along with many other wonderful dishes, I just need to say thank you, and God bless your ministry Fr. Stepanos.
Well this makes sense. You know, Nietzsche styled himself as Polish nobility.
The clan came out of Poland, like so many other families of Eastern Germany, at the time of the sad, vain wars. Legend maintains that it was noble in its day and Nietzsche himself liked to think so. The name, says Elisabeth, was originally Nietzschy. “Germany is a great nation,” Nietzsche would say, “only because its people have so much Polish blood in their veins…. I am proud of my Polish descent. I remember that in former times a Polish noble, by his simple veto, could overturn the resolution of a popular assembly. There were giants in Poland in the time of my forefathers.” He wrote a tract with the French title L’Origine de la famille de Nietzsche and presented the manuscript to his sister, as a document to be treasured and held sacred. She tells us that he was fond of maintaining that the Nietzsches had suffered greatly and fallen from vast grandeur for their opinions, religious and political. He had no proof of this, but it pleased him to think so. — The Philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche by Henry Louis Mencken
Also, check out his vita from his April 10, 1888 Letter to Georg Brandes
| The Movie Of Your Life Is Film Noir |
 So what if you’re a little nihilistic at times? Life with meaning is highly over-rated. Your best movie matches: Sin City, L. A. Confidential, Blade Runner |
The AP is reporting that the Afghan man, who is facing a trial and the death sentence, for converting from Islam to Christianity, may be insane.
How convenient. The Afghan government escapes international condemnation, this man will go —free— (you know the Mohammedans will kill him in the street), and an international incident is averted.
I fully agree that to be Christian is to be mad. We are fools for Christ. If people would only label me insane for the love of Jesus Christ!
What should happen here is that the Western armies in Afghanistan should do an Israel and plow into the prison where this man in being held, free him, and bring him to safety in the West.
Here’s a few snippets from the AP story
Afghan convert may be unfit for trial
KABUL, Afghanistan — An Afghan man facing a possible death penalty for converting from Islam to Christianity may be mentally unfit to stand trial, a state prosecutor said Wednesday.
Abdul Rahman, 41, has been charged with rejecting Islam, a crime under this country’s Islamic laws. His trial started last week and he confessed to becoming a Christian 16 years ago. If convicted, he could be executed.
But prosecutor Sarinwal Zamari said questions have been raised about his mental fitness.
“We think he could be mad. He is not a normal person. He doesn’t talk like a normal person,” he told The Associated Press.
Thank the Lord for that. What these Mohammedans see as madness we know to be the truth.
…
The Bush administration Tuesday issued a subdued appeal to Kabul to let Rahman practice his faith in safety. German Roman Catholic Cardinal Karl Lehmann said the trial sent an “alarming signal” about freedom of worship in Afghanistan.
Is the West waking up?
The case is believed to be the first of its kind in Afghanistan and highlights a struggle between religious conservatives and reformists over what shape Islam should take there four years after the ouster of the fundamentalist Taliban regime.
Afghanistan’s constitution is based on Shariah law, which is interpreted by many Muslims to require that any Muslim who rejects Islam be sentenced to death. The state-sponsored Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission has called for Rahman to be punished, arguing he clearly violated Islamic law.
The case has received widespread attention in Afghanistan where many people are demanding Rahman be severely punished.
No, not the first of its kind. Remember the roundups during the Taliban times. People were herded into a western built soccer stadium and summarily executed. People sat in the stands cheering on the executions. Executions of men, women, and children. But hey, its Shariah.
“For 30 years, we have fought religious wars in this country and there is no way we are going to allow an Afghan to insult us by becoming Christian,” said Mohammed Jan, 38, who lives opposite Rahman’s father, Abdul Manan, in Kabul. “This has brought so much shame.”
You insult yourselves by clinging to the falsehood of Islam.
Rahman is believed to have converted from Islam to Christianity while working as a medical aid worker for an international Christian group helping Afghan refugees in the Pakistani city of Peshawar.
He then moved to Germany for nine years before returning to Kabul in 2002, after the ouster of the hard-line Taliban regime.
Police arrested him last month after discovering him in possession of a Bible during questioning over a dispute for custody of his two daughters. Prosecutors have offered to drop the charges if Rahman converts back to Islam, but he has refused.
The witness of the martyrs stands strong in the face of the falsehood of Islam.