12 Years a Slave – an 8 out of 10 on the JayWo Scale

An unbelievably powerful movie.  It tells the story of a free African American who was kidnapped and sold into slavery. I think the fact that he was a once a free man, is poignant as it reminds us how easily freedom can be eliminated. His freedom though is not the key to the power the movie has. The movie shows us a glimpse of life in slavery. It is something we need to constantly be reminded of.  We cannot understand the present and build toward a just future without understanding the past. And too often our school systems and politicians want to “whitewash” the past.  Through the movie, one could imagine the emotional pain of being separated from families, and having individual desires, knowledge and will subverted by others. Even upon being freed, there was a pain in leaving the other slaves behind.  My only two complaints about the movie were about the ending.  The movie seemed to end abruptly. Secondly, why Brad Pitt? I really admire Brad Pitt’s acting and he did a fine job in this bit part. But there were no other “stars” in this movie. It just seemed out of place to all of a sudden to have this big Hollywood star come out of no where and become the savior (ally).  It was jarring to me (which perhaps says something about me and stars). It took me out of the story towards the climax of the story. I think the climax showed the human ability to trust in the face of despair, and also the need for those with power to be allies to those without power.  I just think it would have been more effective if a character actor was used.  It was also an interesting style of movie making. I particularly liked the effect of having the music continue as it moved from one scene to another.  I am sure this will be an Oscar Winner. A well made movie about a significant topic.  

A Walk On The Beach

            It's been fourteen years since I visited Ft. Myers Beach and Sanibel Island.  I remember it so well because it was where we chose to spend New Years Eve 1999. People don't think about it today, but there was a real fuss about the turn of the century, as I suppose there is every 1,000 years.  The turn of this past century was heightened by the worries over the potential Y2K computer failure. We thought if the world is going to end, what better place to spend it than at some place that had fond memories and majestic beaches.  Not much has really changed over the 14 years since we last visited. Some of the restaurants have new names. Some of the hotels have fresh paint while others have worn out paint.   It is a beach town, like many other beach towns. With cheesy tee shirt stores, tattoo parlors, plenty of happy hour bars, and a long sandy stretch of beach. The beach is the reason we are here. Everything else is a moot point. 

            There are two major changes to the beaches that I noticed.  The first major change is that there were a lot of dead fish (and even a couple of ducks) washed up onto the beach. I assume this is due to the rising toxicity of the waters due to pollution and oil spills. The second major change is that they no longer allow live shelling.  Many may not realize that the beautiful shells at the sea shore are live creatures.  Similar to hunting other animals, shell seekers would get up all hours of the morning, waiting for the  low tide, which was the perfect time to find live shells.  After collecting these live shells, people used special techniques to kill and clean the shells. Now I did not understand why someone on vacation would wake up early to do this. However my wife, Jan and  her family loved this ritual, which is why I now have a shell mirror, a shell lamp, and a diversity of other shells in our house. 

            As I walked down the beach which was now strewn with dead shells, fish, and ducks, I would periodically find a live shell.  I could not just pass by and let it die due to my inaction, so I would  pick it up and throw it back into the gulf to give it a chance at further life. As I came towards the end of the beach, there were two Comarant birds sitting, unflinching on pylons. They watched over all that was happening, unworried about the throngs of humans passing by, or dead fish around them, as if watching was their purpose in life. 

            So I ask you to consider, what is our Congregation's purpose in life?  Will we sit by inactive, watching, or will we take action to further the life of the Congregation? Will we be able to look towards the future and see what will damage the Congregation like the toxic dirty water that killed the fish, or will we maintain a clear vision that allows us stay a healthy, vibrant Congregation?  Will we worry about perceived dangers of the future, or will we put our energy  towards building something lasting and impactful? We must first answer these questions because everything else is a moot point. Let us create such a legacy, so that when the next millennium comes,  this Congregation will be the place where fond memories are made, and  where something as majestic and lasting as the beach is created

From the Heart of the Minister - Creating Community

               Although this is our second year of being at two services, I still sense a certain anxiety from some members about having two services.  I have heard people comment, “that we no longer feel like a  family”, or “we wont know everyone.”  I understand that this change can be challenging, and I believe both those statements are true. However I believe they have been true for a long time, well before we went to two services.  I believe if we are to fulfill our vision and mission we need to change how we think about our Congregation Life and face what are our real concerns.  

It is true it will be hard to know everyone if there are two services. I would contend that even when there was only one service, we really don’t know everybody. Worship time is not the time when we get to know someone deeply.  I am hoping you are not busy talking during the service but listening and contemplating.  I assume those I see on their smart phones in service are tweeting to the world about our service and not playing games or chatting with friends.  We don’t know someone merely by sitting in the same room with them. We get to know others by spending intentional time with them. If you have not seen someone recently that you know, give them a call and plan to get together with them.

 We usually get to know new people deeply at the Congregation through our interactions with them in the many other programs of the Congregation. If you want to know others that you do not know well, then I encourage you to participate on a team, a connection circle,  a social justice task force, one of our various fellowship events,  or attend one of the many adult religious education classes.   If you want to see old friends, or meet new people there is always the opportunity to meet during the coffee time between services or after the second service. Building deep relationships require intentionality. That is true whether there is one or more services.   

I would agree we are not like a family. Other than my nuclear family, I only see some of my family once or maybe twice a year. In a family, many members often do not make an intentional choice to be part of the family.  I would say what we are creating is an intentional religious community,  not a family.  We are here to come together to walk with each other on our religious journey.  Our mission asks us as part of that religious journey to embrace searches for meaning and to devote ourselves to community good. People have continued to come to this Congregation for generations because it provides meaning to them and their family’s lives.  If this Congregation is meaningful to you why would you not want to share our religious message with others in the Quad Cities. Families can become insular, religious community should be expansive. Sharing our message will allow us to achieve the part of our mission which asks us to be vibrant and welcoming. Many of us would not be here if not for our welcoming theology. Let us make it easier, not harder for others to feel welcomed here.

Despite what I have said above, I am cognizant that this change is difficult for some of you. I am, as I have always been, here to listen to your concerns.  If you have questions or concerns, I encourage you to make an appointment to see me.  If you have specific questions about the two services, I will also be available between services and after the second service in the lounge on Sunday November 3^rd.  Let us work together to find solutions to build this religious community based on our highest values and as our best selves.

with a grateful heart

Rev. Jay

Unpacking

       As most of you know this summer we FINALLY sold our house in Florida and purchased a house here in Davenport.  When I first moved here two years ago, I brought with me just the minimal amount of things I needed to live.  There were a few pieces of furniture and many, many books.  It was enough, but it wasn’t complete. When we sold the house, we started sorting through the many boxes in the garage. Some of those boxes hadn’t been opened since we had purchased that house 9 years earlier.   In some of the boxes we found some fond memories, including drawings our children had done when they were in grade school.  In some boxes I found paid bills that were 10 years old. And so the process began of sorting. We shed unneeded things. We took a moment to appreciate nostalgic things and then we took pictures of them before throwing them out. There were some things which we couldn’t decide what to do with or agree on whether to throw out. For those items we deferred our decision and decided to continue to discern about them in Iowa.  We threw out a lot of stuff. And now that everything has been delivered to our new house, as we unpack, we are deciding where everything fits in our new location.   Everything old seems new again, and now each item will create new memories in our new house. In addition we have had to purchase a few new things to fit our new environment.

     Much like moving, our religious lives often include ideas we have collected over the years.  Some of them need to be shed.  Some hold nostalgic value to us. There is nothing wrong with nostalgia. It can bring us comfort particularly in times of stress. But we need to remain aware that it is nostalgia, and not necessarily our current religious belief. There might be religious ideas we are just not sure about whether we believe or not.  Discernment of religious belief is part of our journey here, where we provide the environment for a free and responsible search for truth and meaning.  Part of that journey also includes being open to finding new awareness and understanding. New ways of thinking and being may come in the form of old ideas in a new environment, or with new ideas that we hadn’t encountered before. Some of you may come with many ideas to unpack, and others may have come here with minimal religious background looking for depth to build a complete religious life. As we enter into Fall there are numerous opportunities, including many Religious Education programs and Connection Circles,  to help you unpack the past, discern the future, and live in the present moment.  I hope to see you all there.  If there is some form of religious education or spiritual practice that you are longing for that you have not found here, please do not hesitate to contact me. 

Coming Home Again

When I was a teenager, and would be out at night, I often had to walk long ways to get home.  I remember the comforting feeling the closer I got to home.  Just knowing that I was coming home, out of the cold, away from potential danger, into the warmth, into safety, was comforting. I read somewhere selling and buying a home are in the top ten stressful events of one’s lifetime. I can understand that. I am doing both right now, and I am working at being calm and not getting attached to outcomes.  I know that I am blessed to be even able to have a home, when so many are homeless, and when so many cannot afford a down payment for a home.  I have lived long enough now to experience two housing bubbles and the bursting of those bubbles.  Housing markets can be fickle. One lesson I have learned is to be sure you enjoy living where you live. Houses have a history, and we create history in our houses. But as society has become more transient, as jobs are less secure and as housing markets ebb and flow I have learned not to become too attached to a house, but to the people within it and the memories we make in the house. The house I owned in Florida was the longest I had ever lived in one house, other than my parent’s house which I grew up in.  We experienced my children’s adolescence, and to some degree their independence within its walls. I have very fond memories of this house.  Sitting by the pool, barbequing, (I have to admit it is harder to barbeque tofu and salmon then hamburgers and ribs, but it works and my cholesterol is the better for it.) watching my children and then later my granddaughter play in the pool.  Our house always tended to be the house where all my children’s friends would congregate.  I was happy with this because then I knew where my children were. (my parents never knew where I was.) I wrote many a seminary paper sitting at my kitchen table with earplugs in my ears to help me concentrate with all the activity going on in the house.  As with houses, relationships and Congregations, as the book of Ecclesiastes says “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven”. So it is time to move on from the house in Florida both mentally and physically.   Although I have been here for two years, and completely present to my ministry, I have to admit that it has been a hardship being separated from my family.  I am happy to announce that we received an offer on our Florida house (we still need to close – I will accept prayers and crossed fingers) and my wife Jan (and maybe even my younger son Kyle) will be moving to Iowa this summer.  She will visiting in July as we look for a new home to start making new memories in.  It feels like yet another new beginning for me.  It feels like coming home again.  

A couple of mini movie reviews - Zero Dark Thirty/Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Zero Dark Thirty a 5 out of 10 on the JWO scale –

I really just don’t understand the popularity of this movie. If people think this is Academy Award material, either we have sunk to a new low in movie making or I am really out of touch.   If you take out the context that this related to Bin Laden, this was just a slow, boring, poorly filmed assassination caper movie.  Of course you cannot ignore the context, it was a major part of our psyche for the last 12 years. But my point is that doesn’t make it a good movie. Perhaps the movie gives closure to some people who want a visual as to what happened. I didn’t need that. I like Jessica Chastain as an actress, but her range was limited here, with equal bouts of pouting and anger.  There was such a build up about the torture at the beginning of the movie.  I have seen harsher depictions of violence on Saturday morning cartoons.  So what redeeming qualities does the movie have.  It shows how morals are transient in our society.  It also shows how the single-mindedness and commitment to something can lead to success but also can leave you empty.  Sort of like how I felt after watching this movie  gave me 2 hours of emptiness in my life.

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. – an 8 out of 10 on the JWO scale

Just a delightful movie (although slightly predictable). The story has adventure, dreams of a better life,  relationships and second chances.  Some older people choose to move to India to retire/visit and it explores their stories.  What I liked so much about this movie is the message that the most important thing in a relationship is honestly sharing your thoughts and feelings with another. We so often imagine what others are thinking, that we imagine the negative. Only by opening up to others will we experience growth and deepening relationships.  There are many layers to this movie that deal with class and love, but ultimately for me it is about honesty. And there was also some great scenery of India. 

Church reflects on message of ‘Two Who Dared’

Church reflects on message of ‘Two Who Dared’

Movie Reivew - Everything Must Go - 7 out of 10 on the Jaywo scale

Movie Review – Everything Must Go with Will Ferrell. A 7 out of 10.

It was late last  night and I was tired from a very long day and checked on Netflix to see if there were any new movies that might be of any interest to me.  I saw this and thought oh, Will Ferrell, that would be a nice light comedy to fall asleep to.  WRONG!!  This was a nice little flick.  It is a slice of life movie about a man’s descent, and hitting rock bottom, and his search for why it all went wrong and to remember the core of who he is.  It is a reminder of the suffering that we go through, and the suffering past on from generations past. Yet within the message was a hopeful reminder.  Through connections with others, we can overcome our own adversity and help others through theirs. “Everything is not yet lost”  Not light fare but very glad I watched it. Actually it was a good Easter message. My only problem with the movie, is that Ferrell always seems like he is playing a straight man in a comedy even when it is a drama. 

Who's Got Next?

From the Heart of the Minister – January 2013   Who’s Got Next?

I often like to say that everything I learned, I learned on the schoolyard.  That is of course a bit of an exaggeration. However I learned many core values through those experiences.  I was not very athletic as a youth, but after school the main activity that my friends and I participated in was playing sports in the schoolyard.  When we would play basketball, two captains were picked and then they would each choose 4 other players. Often I was the tenth person picked or if there were more than 10 people, and if I wasn’t picked, I would shout “next”, meaning I would be the captain of the next team to choose four players and play the winning team.  And thus the last became the first.  The lesson I learned was patience, and by watching others play I learned the ability to spot talented players to choose for my team.  When the game was over someone would shout “Who’s Got Next”

It never bothered me if I wasn’t chosen, as I knew I would get a chance to participate.  I knew I wasn’t as good a shooter as the other players in the schoolyard.  But when I got on the court, I was tenacious, playing full court defense, and using every ounce of ability I had.  I learned the value of hard work. I learned the value of teamwork by learning how to pass the ball to others who were better shooters.  I learned the value of both humility and perseverance when I would drive to the basket and take a hard foul, and get back up and keep going.  It taught me when you are in the mix of things, sometimes it isn’t easy.  It also taught me to stay engaged even when things didn’t go my way.  The most important lesson I learned was not only to understand what my limits were but that my limits could grow over time.  I knew I would never be a great basketball player.  What I learned was playing with other more talented players made me a better player, and that I could win by just playing my part.

I took this wisdom into the world with me as I helped build organizations.  Any organization is only as good as the people participating in it.  Some individual’s talents are more suited to different areas but everyone is welcome to try something new as a way to learn and grow.  I found that for an organization to be successful,  all the people involved needed to work together, making each other better, and keeping the focus of the organization on its mission and vision. 

First and foremost, I want to take this space to thank our paid staff for everything  they do and to let them know how much I appreciate their hard work.    As well  I want to thank all the volunteers  who without which this Congregation could not function in the manner that it does. Even when I forget to plan for something, I know people will jump in and help.   For years, we have had many of the same people doing a tremendous amount of the volunteer work.   We have worked hard this past year to encourage newer and different members to participate in various volunteer opportunities.  I am grateful for the many who have answered that call.   For those who have been sitting on the sidelines, now is the time to step forward. We need you.  For those who have questions about how things work and how to get involved, now is the time to ask.  Your participation in Congregational Life will impact in a positive way your experience in helping build this beloved community.  In order to sustain and continue to add more programs, to have our message reach others who desperately need to hear it, and to have our values impact the larger community,  we need everybody to participate in whatever part you can play.  So I have one question: Who’s Got Next?

A Tale of Two Movies

When I was on vacation, I spent some time catching up on movies.  Of the movies I viewed I will mention two big productions.  Les Miserable - an 8 on the JWo movie scale and Life of Pi, a 7 on the JWo scale.  Two very different movies and both worth the price of admission.

Of course I had read the reviews for Les Mis and they were decidedly mixed.  I will not go into detail about the storyline.  Its themes of redemption, faith, commitment and hope are right in my wheelhouse.  But really the story is irrelevant, it is about the music.  Having seen the Broadway show 3 times,  I knew I would be predisposed to like the movie.   Almost all the reviews panned Russell Crowe, and although his voice is not operatic as the Broadway productions. since my expectations were lowered it was nowhere as bad as I was led to believe it was going to be.  My biggest disappointment was Sacha Cohen.  Let me say this, the movie was not great film-making, but it was a great film.  Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway were just superb. The movie brought actual tears to my eyes numerous times.  Not in some manipulated way, but for empathetic joy and sorrow of the characters, noticing within the story symbolic echoes of my own life.   This is what a good film should do.  I could go on about the negative technicalities of the movie, but the raw emotion of its music is the stuff of legends.  It is a must see movie.

The Life of Pi, is a very different movie.  Whereas Les Mis was a good film but poor film-making, Life of Pi was just a beautifully made film.  The Cinematography was superb.  It was just a visual delight to watch this film.  The film's religious content was also intriguing.  Its discussions about pluralism vs. mono-theology were interesting.  The question about surrendering to God at our deepest point of suffering is always challenging.  As well, how we tell stories about God and why that can be meaningful was insightful.  Although enjoyable to view, I found the movie unsatisfying.  Much needed to be inferred  and so much of the movie's explanation happened in the last five minutes of the movie that it felt rushed. Of course the need to use an author talking to the main character as a mechanism to explain the story also seemed a bit contrived. But I loved the animals and the ocean. Worth seeing, but as much as I appreciate good film-making, I will take a good film over film-making any day.

Why we should eliminate assault weapons and high ammunition clips immediately and other thoughts on gun control.

Ok, I have been thinking long and hard about gun control.  I know many people who are opposed to gun control, but usually we don’t talk about what is meant by “gun control” vs. regulation, and when we dig deeper we have a more complex conversation. As with most things, I believe there needs to be a balance. A balance between complete restriction and unregulated gun ownership (which is what we have in America today).  I hear several arguments against gun control of any sort and thought I would address them here. At the very minimum, I see no reason why we should not have a ban on assault weapons and high ammunition clips.  I know some of you may think I am not going far enough, but lets get the low hanging fruit.  The issue of our culture of violence and guns is much wider and will take longer.  Lets start with doing what we can immediately do to protect the citizens and the children of this country.  I welcome your feedback

The Hunting Argument –

Although it is not my preference to murder Bambi, (ok, I admit a bias here) I have no problem with Hunters owning guns.  I find that people who hunt tend to be knowledgeable about guns.  But one doesn’t need to have hand guns, assault weapons or high capacity ammunition to hunt, so this is a fallacious argument regarding gun regulation.  If all you are using your gun for is to hunt, then I do not see why regulation concerns you.

Just the bad guys will have guns and I have the right to protect myself argument

So first, the statement just the bad guys will have guns is not completely true, as law enforcement will have guns as well.  This argument revolves around hand guns.  The reality is, most hand gun deaths in America are at the hands of a family member, usually in the heat of passion or by accidental death (usually mistaken identity).  This is a fact.  The number of hand guns that are used to actually deter crimes by citizens is very small.  In the Gabrielle Gifford shooting spree:

Joe Zamudio who did have a gun at the event said "I came out of that store, I clicked the safety off, and I was ready,I had my hand on my gun. I had it in my jacket pocket And I came around the corner like this." Zamudio demonstrated how his shooting hand was wrapped around the weapon, poised to draw and fire. As he rounded the corner, he saw a man holding a gun. "And that's who I at first thought was the shooter," Zamudio recalled. "I told him to 'Drop it, drop it!' "But the man with the gun wasn't the shooter. He had wrested the gun away from the shooter. "Had you shot that guy, it would have been a big, fat mess," the interviewer pointed out. Zamudio agreed:

We have a wild west mentality, which I personally think as a culture we need to change, but again, this argument about protecting oneself from "bad guys" does not have anything to do with limiting assault weapons and high capacity ammunition clips.

2^nd amendment and overthrowing the government argument

“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed”

I am not a historian, but clearly this relates to creating a militia, which was needed as we really did not have a national armed services at the time it was created.  If there really is a concern about a tyrannical government, and the need to overthrow it, well lets just be honest, if things ever get to that point, we are totally screwed as a country.  I would suggest that people worried about a fascist government should get involved in government to make the country work for all people instead of assuming it is going to go down the toilet. My question would be, why do you not want to help other citizens instead of trying to defend yourselves against them.  And here is the reality, no matter what weapons you have, if the scenario of a fascist government does happen, whatever side our military is on will win this conflict, not some militia in the woods.   Spend your energy making the country equitable for all people. Instead of thinking of better ways to kill each other, let us use that energy to think of ways to lift people up and to heal people. I understand the intellectual argument of the second amendment, which I believe is based in fear not freedom, but if we are honest, we often give up certain freedoms to secure our safety.  The question is how many freedoms, which freedoms, and what are the corresponding benefits. I think banning assault weapons and high capacity ammunition is well worth the benefit. This is very utilitarian I know, but the scales have been tipped too far to the side of violence.  We do have deal with the underlying root causes, but we can first deal with some of the symptoms which are guns.   Which brings me to the final argument I often hear which is:

Guns don’t kill people, people kill people –

Yes, people can find ways to kill if they really want to (and they have).  But they would have to find those other ways to kill.  Having a gun is an easy way to kill.  Having assault weapons and high capacity ammunition is an easier way to kill a lot more people.  And guns are easy to obtain.  Other methods of mass killing are not so easy to obtain.   Many people may not figure out a way to kill others if it is not easy.  Or maybe they will not be able to kill as many people.  We have to start somewhere. There are many other things we can do to help people, but we can also take action to limit their options to cause harm.

Some final thoughts

We as a society have to choose what our values are. How many more children have to be sacrificed so that gun companies can continue to make profits, or to support the idea that every individual freedom taken to the extreme is superior to the common good.  Yes the Connecticut shooting was worse because they were young children, but any life senselessly lost, is not acceptable.  We should start talking and thinking about what we can do as a society to change our culture of violence, but we can start today by eliminating the completely unnecessary sale of  assault weapons and high ammunition clips.

The Company Men – a 7 out of 10 on the JayWo scale of movie ratings

The Company Men - A great cast in this 2010 movie including Ben Affleck, Tommy Lee Jones, Chris Cooper, and Kevin Costner among others.  It tells the story of a large company and upper executives who get laid off and how they deal with it.  I think it very importantly shows how people’s identity are very connected to their job, and their loss of that job leads the loss of their identity and a complete sense personal failure. One executive who is fired says “You know the worst part….My life ended and nobody noticed.”   It showed clearly how connected we become to material things.  Even at the end, one of the  protagonists says,  I like $5,000 hotel suites. (never been in one, but I imagine they are nice).  But ultimately he realizes that there is not enough compensation for the loss of the creation.  For the best part of the movie for me, was the concept of work being good for the soul, work being about creating something, and building something worthwhile.  Work, whether it be remodeling a house, or building a tanker ship, or building a company was given equal value.  This resonated for me as for most of my career that is how I felt.  I was always part of a management team building companies and now part of a great team building a Congregation.  The one major negative about the movie, is in the way most of the women are portrayed.  Not one executive was a woman, and the spouses of executives (with one exception – Ben Affleck;s spouse) were portrayed as materialistic, petty, and out of touch.  The one female character in the company that was of any substance was also sleeping with one of executives.  I think perpetuating these stereotypes just diminish the movie, and perhaps if it addressed a female executive, it could have been a deeper story.  But it did show how Business executives think, making decisions worried only about potential legalities and not ethics, and serving their own interests over the interests of the company, the employee and the greater community. Good issues to address.  Bottom line.  Worth seeing.

From the Heart of the Minister

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times” – Charles Dickens (a Unitarian)

This summer has brought large contrasts in my consciousness.  I have been blessed to be able to go to Chicago with my wife Jan, to view various museums and the zoo.  I have gone to Arizona for the Unitarian Universalist General Assembly where among other things, I attended a vigil for undocumented workers who are being held in deplorable and I would argue illegal conditions.  As of this writing I am preparing to travel up to Wisconsin to visit with an old friend and to attend a Meditation Retreat. There was the shooting death by a father of his three children who were members of one of our Minnesota Congregations.   I have had time to read and ponder and plan for the upcoming year.  Then the news came out about the Colorado shooting at the movie theatre. These events forced me to travel on another journey, the farthest and most difficult destination of the summer.  This journey, filled with obstacles and wrong turns, was the journey inward.  The journey was a reminder for me to maintain compassion in the face horror.

The Buddha said the first of the four noble truths is,  “the recognition of suffering”.  These events are a jolt, a reminder to us that there is ongoing suffering in the world.  Often the amount of suffering within oneself and in the world can be overwhelming, and we all react differently.  Some look the other way. Some distract themselves. Some strike back in anger. Some decide to live in a nihilistic manner trying to cut themselves off completely from the interdependent web of life.  Some take action to find ways to alleviate their suffering and the suffering of others. 

There is something wrong in our culture that creates the conditions that allows such tragedies as these shootings to occur. We are all trying to deal with the question as to why? I am reminded of the story told by Rev. William Sloane Coffin at the funeral of the death of his son who died in a car accident.  One of his parishioners said “Sometimes I just cant understand the will of God” Sloane replied “I'll say you don't…God’s heart was the first to break”  All of our hearts are deeply saddened for the people who died and those who loved them.

Let these tragedies be a reminder as to why we come together. We build community.  We walk together with each other on this journey of life.  It is a journey that is filled with thought provoking conversations, eating, singing, dancing and much joy.  But it is also a journey for walking with each other in times of challenge and suffering. It is a journey of opening our hearts and being a presence in each other’s lives.  It is a journey to create a culture of love and compassion.  So let us take pause for a moment and recognize how our hearts break with the suffering we experience in our lives and in the world. Then let us remember that we are not alone, we have each other.  We can make a difference in each other’s lives. And we can make a difference in the lives of other people in our community who are suffering. 

I invite you to take that inward journey of self-awareness and then let that journey lead you to make that outward journey of making a difference in the lives of others. 

with a grateful heart

Rev. Jay Wolin

Ted – a 6 on the JayWo Scale of movie ratings

So it is very simple – if you like Family Guy, you will love Ted.  If you hate Family Guy, you will Hate Ted.  Think of Brian the dog and transfer that to the character Ted. Actually much of the voice cast for Family Guy is in the movie (Alex Borsetein, Mila Kunis, voice of Seth MacFarlane). Giovanni Ribisi is a really convincing creepy character.   I loved the “homage” to the Flash Gordon television show.  Oh and by the way, you will also need to like fart jokes.  I like Family Guy (and fart jokes in small doses)  and found it hilarious.  Not a deep movie, but if you need a hearty laugh (and this humor gives you a hearty laugh) you will love it.

Moonrise Kingdom – an 8 on the JayWo Scale of movie rating.

I really liked this movie.  It is a multi-layered, beautifully aesthetic movie that has deep metaphorical meaning.  I admit I tend to like these sort of movies that speak to a time of coming of age, where youth speak what they think, and act on their emotions despite their fear.  I am also sentimental about camp movies (although I was only a boy scout for 3 days) as I went to sleep away camp for about 5 years and it was a very formative experience for me.  This movie speaks to the sadness, loneliness and pain in the world along with the  wonder, adventure and hope in the world. It speaks to how we can be bold, how we have to take risks to achieve what we need, but also that we can help others find what they need, and in doing so help ourselves.  There is so much more to this well made and intelligent movie, but I will leave the rest for you to see and think about as I think about it some more.

Abe Lincoln - Vampire Hunter

Movie Review – “Abe Lincoln Vampire Hunter” 4 out of 10 on the JayWo scale of movie ratings.  I don’t know, maybe I am just tired of vampire movies.  Ok, I am really tired of vampire movies. You may ask, Jay if you are really tired of Vampire movies, why do you go to them? That would be a good question.  We have a rule here since our tastes in movies are so diverse, that each time we go to a movie, we trade off on who gets to choose the movie.  Each of us has the right to veto the others choice, but as in politics, we have to be careful not to use the veto power too often lest we build up animosity around movie choices.  So I like Lincoln of course, and thought it a clever twist on mixing history with fantasy so I agreed not to veto the movie.  To give you an idea of the historical movie I like, would be the 2010 movie “Conspirator” about Mary Surratt’s role in the Lincoln assassination.  

What I really objected to about this movie was that it blames this country’s history regarding slavery and prejudice on vampires. I know you are thinking no one will really believe that.  But on a subconscious level, this country does not want to believe we could do such things.  We don’t want to take responsibility for the errors we have made in our past (let alone our present).  On some level, we can look at this and say it was not humans who caused us to do this.  Is our culture’s obsession with vampires a way of seeing the dark side of ourselves as something other worldly, caused by something outside of ourselves?   We need to look at ourselves in our entirety, with all our good and evil and work to reconcile those with the world.  That would be an interesting movie to me, although I am sure Jan would veto seeing it (and I would have to wait for the DVD or go alone once she returns to Florida).

Poem - True Understanding

True Understanding

I feel the wind whistling by

I watch grass shake as the wind blows it.

I hear the waves crashing on the shore

Cold breath invades my nostrils

The sun blinds my computer screen

The computer blocks my view of the beach

I put away my computer

and write with pencil and pad

my thumb hurts from writing

due to a injury long ago forgotten

so I put down my pencil

and pick up my head

and admire and enjoy

all the sights

and sounds

and smells

around me

I still notice

Life in all its abundance

I still live

I move my sunglasses on and off

To see with different perspectives

I see the sand on the bluff

with the vast blue ocean behind it.

As if climbing reaching upward

Trying to get to the water

And pool clearers cleaning

And leave blowers blowing

And I, writing exploring, wondering

Like the sand trying to reach the ocean

Not ever realizing it is on a bluff

But still I reach

Still I wonder

Knowing true understanding

Is beyond my reach

But I am closer

than if I didn’t try

And I have learned some things

And I have experienced some things

As I dream

And reach for

The ocean of understanding

Just over the bluff.

Movie Review Golf In The Kingdom - 4 out of 10 on the JWO Scale

An adaptation of the book by Michael Murphy, it might get such a low rating due to my high expectations of the movie.  The book is I believe one of the greatest books that expresses the spirituality of Golf. But no, it gets such a low rating because it is a poorly made movie.  I am not sure if the movie was just done amateurishly due to a low budget, or if they were going for a Terrance Mallckesque type surrealistic vision.  However the cinematography was just poor.  The movie screen was mostly dark throughout the movie.  And although one could see this metaphorically that humans are living in darkness, it doesn’t make for an engaging movie.  The movie also suffered from characters with deep sometimes non understandable Scottish accents. So although this might have made it more authentic, it made it non understandable.   If one didn’t know the book, they would not gain even a modicum of the depth of its meaning from watching the movie. The only saving grace of the movie is that at many points it quotes the book and it was a good reminder as to why the book held such meaning for me.  Read the book, ignore the movie. 

My thoughts on the Tim Tebow Phenomenon

A recent article in the New York Times entitled "Tim Tebow’s Gospel of Optimism"  http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/11/opinion/sunday/bruni-tim-tebows-gospel-of-optimism.html  and the response to it, has really forced me to go deep about my feelings about the Tebow situation and evangelicalism in general.  So here are the facts. His team was losing when he took over, and they are winning when he became the starter. With the exception of Green Bay, the quality of the teams they were playing at the beginning of the year were the same as after he became starter.  The facts that his stats are not good doesn’t interest me.  I have often said, “stats are for losers.”  Results are what matters, but even more so than results are how we relate to others, are we taking right actions in our professions.  I think Tim Tebow scores well in both of these areas.  Now I have to say that not being a big college football fan and living in Central Florida during the Tim Tebow era, his followers and supporters can be insufferable for their god like praise of him.  It may be deserved, but that doesn’t make it any less annoying to a non college football fan.  But now he is in the pros, and even thought he beat my Jets, and he often wins in unorthodox fashion, I have to say I actually looked forward to watching the game last Sunday against the Bears to see how it would turn out.  I have to respect the way he handles himself on and off the field, his competitiveness, his optimism, and his wins (although for all you conspiracy theorist, do we really believe that no offensive lineman on Denver held opponents the whole game vs. the Bears).  So as far as football goes, I am glad Tebow is playing and winning. I don’t know if it will last.  All I know is that it is fun to watch and it makes for good entertainment (which let us remember is what football is)

It is how Tebow handles himself off the field though that seems to bother more people, and I admit that I have had to reflect on why that is.  On the one hand, every interview I have seen of him, he seems like a likable guy, with a good sense of humor, and a deep faith.  I am not opposed to someone with a deep faith. He speaks to his faith, and how it has helped him throughout his life achieve what he has, and he gives credit to God for all his success.  Again, I would hope everyone’s faith could provide that for them.  I haven’t heard him say that God is causing the Broncos to win, but rather his beliefs and belief in God allows him to do his best and gives him resiliency and optimism in all that he does.    Again giving ones all, having resiliency and optimism are all good things.  I think it is important to note these traits can be obtained in ways other than the Christian Faith, but if that is what creates it for Tebow good for him.  If we don’t believe something is possible, then it more than likely it will never happen, or we will not even  attempt it. Optimism doesn’t mean we should be naïve, and cant be realistic.  (So I hope Tebow works on his throwing motion and practices more with his receivers)   Yes, Tebow’s success (as the author points to) goes against conventional wisdom and even logic.  But we can learn something from that.  I often have values that lead me in directions that others would consider illogical.  Yet internally they create a wholeness within me and my relation to the universe.

The thing I struggle with in this story though is the exclusivism.  The article states that Tebow has said that heaven is reserved for devout Christians.  I have never heard Tebow say this, although it is something I have heard many evangelicals say.  When people do say this I often ask them if they believe that Ghandi or the Dali Lama (clearly holy people) are not going to heaven?  Some say they are not, and some do religious gymnastics and say, that even if they don’t profess it, somehow, the spirit of Jesus is within them.  My religious beliefs lead me to accept the right of others to believe differently than I do.  I try to inform others about my religion as well, as it has helped me transform my life and helps me lead my life in accordance with my values. Due to this, I do not object to Tebow sharing his beliefs. (Are there any Unitarian Professional Athletes though)   So I guess the thing that I struggle with is do I have to accept someone whose beliefs are, that due to my beliefs I am going to hell. This exclusivism leads some Christians to cause others (even in their own religion)  extreme pain.  So I must stand up and speak truth when people of any religion use their religion to cause others pain.  I cant control what others think, but I can control how I think, and how I act towards others. 

I recently read a quote/poem by Edwin Markham in Eboo Patel’s book Acts of Faith which was

            “He drew a circle that shut me out

            Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout,

            But love and I had the wit to win

            We drew a circle that took him in!”

So in addition to optimism, I will preach the gospel of love, love even for those whose beliefs are different than mine. I hope Tebow does well, and gives all underdogs in the world a reason to believe.  But if Denver faces the Jets again in the playoffs, I will be rooting against Tebow.

Movie Review - "The Concert" - A 6 out of 10 on the JWorld Scale

So I had mixed emotions about this movie.  I think this movie had and made a very important point.  However the plot was entirely implausible.  Now that would be okay, if it didn’t really try to have a plot….such as “Tree of Life”.  But this movie tries to have a plot.  It tries to play as a farce, but it is somewhat a tragic story of what suppression of art does to a person and a society.  I find farce and tragedy don’t always mix well especially if you want an inspirational ending….I wont even bother going over the plot, since it is ridiculous, but suffice it to say, I think a better ending would have been if he had been imagining the whole event from the Soviet Gulag. Ok, one point.  The story involves this ragtag group of musicians, who haven’t practiced together. playing a major symphony in a major venue. Dont ask how they got there.  So perhaps the message is that creativity finds a way to express itself. That may be true individually, but I think especially not with groups of people working together, like a symphony.  But perhaps I am looking at this too literally.

So having said all this, let me indicate the power of the movie. First, if you like the symphony, the ending of the movie has a wonderful symphony concert piece that makes the movie worth watching. In some ways, I think the movie is structured just for that very purpose.  The important point I think made in the movie is that creating art (in this case music) is transformational. It is not only transformational personally, but also societally.  And the stifling of art or the creative impulse, leads to self destruction, individually and societally.  When I think about the movie in a big picture way, I liked it a lot.  I just wish the story could have been told a little more creatively.