Grandma Aggie
Our dear Grandma Aggie died. Grandma Aggie Pilgrim, revered local elder of her Takelma Tribe and of Natives in general, also loved, and was loved by, people in general. Humanity was her family. Life on Earth was her larger home. How often we assume we'll have more chances to be with our dear ones, only to find those chances have ended. I've seen Grandma Aggie many times over the years. I always liked her and felt she liked me too. She had good vibes. Just…
Be Embodied
(This was my entry into the recently published book, Awakening Starseeds, by Radhaa Publishing. While most of the entries of this international assemblage deal with soul shaking/awakening experiences, mine goes to the bare bones of our matter and what matters.) Barely beyond high school, I came face-to-face with death and birth working for a funeral home that also ran the local ambulance. I dealt with old dead bodies, and on the ambulance, watched some die, saved a few from death, and helped deliver a slippery…
Worry, Wonder, Warnings, and Wishes
(Be sure to see the four impending services I'll be offering in October and November, found at the bottom of this blog post.) Worse than the illness I suffered this summer was the reality reported in my summer's reading and viewing. My health challenges are not much compared to what native and other marginalized people have endured. I suppose it's the big brother and preaching pastor in me that draws me to the ugly reality of how cruelly some would treat others, and it makes…
To all my subscribers
All three of you! Or maybe there's 116, which Mail Chimp says is how many checked this website last month. I was down and out much of last month, barely alive, and now glad to be alive while getting better. In any case, I feel like earthlyrelgion is my labor of love preparing for even more labor and more love. I hope to make earthlyreligion far more public and trafficked this coming month. So, loyal readers, all two or more of you, bless you for…
New York Burning – a Review
Burned at the StakeNew York City, 1741 Worse than the Salem Witch Trials were the reactive trials and horrid executions of slaves in New York city in 1741. Oh, how thoughts can be twisted to justify unjust cruelty! I got attracted to this topic and author when finishing up my talks on Thomas Jefferson. Slavery was far more varied and widespread than I had known. While reading an article by Jill Lepore, professor of History at Harvard, I was so attracted to her easily-readable, comma-laden…
An Atheist Embalmer Prays for the Pope
https://youtu.be/IZ-wJMIPXX0 I gladly welcome you, Pope Francis, to this video of my prayer for you. Although I wish to speak into your eyes, I know others may tune into this if only for the provocative title, and if so, welcome! What follows is a reenactment of a sermon I presented to a mall Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Grants Pass, Oregon. I was hoping to send a video copy to the pope. However, the camera didn’t work, so I’m reconstructing it here for his and your…
Thomas Jefferson Then and Now
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9526P6UlcJY&t=26s A video of my presentationThe text version is available below Thomas Jefferson Then and Now I am honored to speak to the Jefferson Center here in the State of Jefferson, entertained by Jefferson Public Radio – on the topic Jefferson Then and Now. The Jefferson Center takes its name from Thomas Jefferson. Among many ideals associated with him, we are especially drawn to the ideals of curiosity, reason, inquiry, learning, and freedom of thought. Jefferson opposed intellectual or moral authoritarianism of any kind, advocating…
My shortened version of Pope Francis’ 2015 papal letter on the environment and the poor.
ENCYCLICAL LETTER LAUDATO SI’ OF THE HOLY FATHER FRANCIS ON CARE FOR OUR COMMON HOME This is my (BBC’s) paraphrased (shortened) version of Pope Francis’ 2015 Encyclical Letter. This summary is in preparation for my impending sermon “An Atheist Embalmer Prays for the Pope." Key: My paraphrase of Francis’ letter are written in blue, while the copy/paste sentences are all black. When Pope Francis quotes another, I try to keep the quote marks apparent. My rare comments will be in bold. “Laudato si’, mi’ Signore”…
My Crash and Ours
Three weeks ago, I had a bike crash I can’t remember. I’m finally able to walk and cough without too much pain, but other than some scrapes and bruises, I’m okay and grateful. I’m mostly grateful that I don’t seem to have lasting brain damage (my concussion left me with no memory of the crash, ambulance trip, and most of the hospital). For the first week I could barely walk. Rolling over in bed was an ordeal. Thinking was slow. But the crash left me…