Subway Dancing for your weekend

It’s Friday the 13th, but I’m not superstitious. Are you?

Here are some reasons to smile:

Thank you to Gregg Brown for making me smile.

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UU AFFIRMATION

I believe in my right to search for the good, to choose it for myself, and hold it in my heart.

I affirm this right in you as well.

Together we share in the joy of community, the power of reverence, and the challenge of freedom.

This is the promise of my heart extended to you, as we walk on separate paths, together.

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Visit DiscoverUU.com for UU News, plus the best minister blog posts and sermon podcasts.

The democratic process

Our fifth principle as Unitarian Universalists is ‘The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;

“According to the Arizona Advocacy Network, almost 40,000 voter registration forms have been rejected since the state’s Voter ID Law went into effect.”

Voter fraud is where one voter votes illegally, either by voting multiple times or in the wrong location. Instances of voter fraud are low and the damage caused by the suspected practice is minimal.

Election fraud involves the purge, disenfranchisement, or altering of votes or voters on a massive scale. Turning away 40,000 new voters by a Republican Secretary of State (Jan Brewer) in a year when the Democrats have inspired a record numbers of new voters.

At best, this is xenophobia. More likely, this is election fraud. However, I’m sure it will be spun as an effective law to prevent massive voter fraud- though it shows a very ‘out of touch’ perspective to think that illegal aliens would voluntarily send the US government their information.

To be fair, sending a copy of one of the below acceptable forms of documentation don’t appear to be too impossible… so long as you were born in the state and have a driver’s license. But, you know, there are a lot of people who don’t fall into that category.   My guess is that a large majority of the rejected applications are from new voters are unaware of the new law.

• A legible photocopy of a birth certificate that verifies citizenship and supporting legal documentation (i.e. marriage certificate) if the name on the birth certificate is not the same as your current legal name
• A legible photocopy of pertinent pages of a United States passport identifying the applicant
• Presentation to the County Recorder of United States naturalization documents or the number of the certificate of naturalization in box 20 on the front of this form
• The applicant’s Bureau of Indian Affairs Card Number, Tribal Treaty Card Number, or Tribal Enrollment Number in box 16 on the front of the voter registration form
• A legible photocopy of a driver license or non-operating identification from another state within the United States if the license indicates that the applicant has provided satisfactory proof of citizenship
• A legible photocopy of a Tribal Certificate of Indian Blood or Tribal or Bureau of Indian Affairs Affidavit of Birth.
• ————————————————————————————————–UU AFFIRMATION

  I believe in my right to search for the good, to choose it for myself, and hold it in my heart.
  

  I affirm this right in you as well.
  

  Together we share in the joy of community, the power of reverence, and the challenge of freedom.
  

  This is the promise of my heart extended to you, as we walk on separate paths, together.

  ————————————————————————————————–

  Visit DiscoverUU.com for UU News, plus the best minister blog posts and sermon podcasts.

New York: Gay marriages recognized here too

Law.com reports:

Fairness and fear of legal liability convinced New York Gov. David A. Paterson to direct all state agencies to immediately recognize as valid same-sex marriages solemnized outside of New York, the governor said Thursday.

Massachusetts requires you to be a legal resident in MA to get married.

As far as I know, California does not.

You can’t stop the steady march of civil rights.

The first same-sex couple to get a marriage license in Massachusetts was a UU couple and it was issued by the UU city clerk.

Click for more UU BGLT facts:

Buddha Jokes

Hat tip: Daily Buddhism.com

Buddha Jokes, Round One

As I said, just some fun for the rest of the week. Next week, we’ll
get into some more of the serious stuff. Buddhists know not to take
life too seriously, and to realize the importance of a good laugh.

I don’t know if these are going to give you a good laugh, but they’re
guaranteed for a groan.

Q. Why did the chicken cross the road?
A. Asking this question denies your own chicken nature.

Q. What does Buddha say when he orders a hot dog?
A. “One with everything.”

Q. What did the Buddha say when the hot dog vendor asked him if he had
change?
A. “Change must come from within.”

Q. Why can’t the Buddha vacuum under the sofa?
A. Because he has no attachments.

A monk was driving in India when suddenly a dog crosses the road. The
car hit and killed the dog. The monk looked around and seeing a
temple, went to knock on the door. A monk opened the door. The first
monk said: “I’m terribly sorry, but my karma ran over your dogma.”

OK, I hope those weren’t too painful.

I just heard about Qigong for the first time

Anybody have any thoughts on this stuff? Anybody have any experiences? It seems sort of like the Force in Star Wars. Rock!

View the video.  I’m normally a skeptic. I’m starting to believe.

UULM: Big win! CA Supreme Court rules for same sex marriage

Email from UU Legislative Ministry:

Dear Aaron,

Alleluia! We won in the CA State Supreme Court! Loving same sex couples can now be treated with equal dignity and respect when we marry them in our congregations. Those same-sex couples who have been married religiously, but undocumented legally, will now be able to get legally married.

In the decision of the court, it is clear that the work of the religious community made a BIG difference. Thanks to all of you who have helped so many faith communities to stand on the side of love.

Here is a link to the court’s decision -the long list of names of clergy and congregations in support at the end is a wonderful witness of support for the freedom to marry.

Do join us at one of the wonderful celebrations tonight being held around the state this evening – you can find the locations of celebrations on our website, along with a link to the wonderful Interfaith Amicus Brief.

Blessings,

Rev. Lindi Ramsden
UU Legislative Ministry, CA

How I caught a mouse without a live mousetrap

My wife and I have had a mouse sharing our living space with ever increasing boldness.

At first we noticed mouse droppings in a cupboard. Then they were gone. Then we heard rustling at night. Then it went away.

Lately, our furry friend has been seen sneaking around the outer walls, ducking behind furniture, and zipping out of site far too often. The final straw was when I saw him exploring my shoes- the thought that a mouse might be in my shoe as I slipped in my foot…

Now I dislike killing mice. They’re pretty cute, for vermin. I also am on a spending freeze with my spouse, so the $15 for a live trap didn’t sound appealing either. So I did some searching on the internet.  The result?

Here’s how I caught the critter:

1. Get a toilet paper tube and crease two lines to form a flat sided tunnel.
2. Put a treat on one end of the tube: A cracker and dab of peanut butter works great.
3. Get a tall (at least 20 inches) bucket. A trash can works well.
4. Balance the tube precariously on the edge of a table or counter with the treat hanging directly over the tall sided receptacle.
5. The mouse will scurry to the treat (they like tunnels) and fall into the trap.

Set the fella loose at least a mile away from your abode.

Postnote: It worked two hours later while we were asleep in bed.

This morning, my wife and I walked quite a ways away and let him loose in a large tuft of grass.

Evangelicals finding their way from war

The Seattle Times is reporting the young evangelicals are leaving the GOP ranks over the Iraq issue.

Judy Naegeli, 25, who works at a Christian philanthropy, says easy access to information about the world via social-networking sites, YouTube and blogs is the reason her generation is more concerned with social justice.

“It’s changed our perspective. … Each generation chooses their cause, and ours is AIDs in Africa, or poverty or social justice,” she said.

Tyler Braun, 23, a Portland seminary student who opposes abortion and gay rights, said he’ll probably vote for Obama because, since he’d would like to see U.S. troops leave Iraq.

I’d like to highlight the impact of the internet on moving these young evangelicals away from their parent’s war and toward social justice issues. When I was growing up, my sheltered classmates took eye-opening evangelistic trips to New Orleans. Now, teens see slices of life in all corners of the world. They’re seeking and learning online.

UU’s need to put themselves in the path of those driving the information superhighway. Right now I feel like we’re wearing out the soles of our shoes marching along a cow path when everyone else has asphalt and a Hummer.

Please keep in mind, it’s not that the young evangelicals are voting Democratic. It’s that they’re in a political limbo… up for grabs. Waiting for someone to speak to the things they care about. And whatdoyaknow? They care about our issues!

Let’s grab ’em!

Or we could just keep walking along with these cows… see where they’ll end up.

McCain’s Spiritual Guide: Rod Parsley

McCain sought out Rod Parsley’s endorsement and called him “one of the truly great leaders in America,” “a moral compass,” and a “spiritual guide.”

I’m absolutely adamant about the need for the separation of church and state. But when politicians buddy up with religious leaders PURPOSEFULLY, as opposed to having their personal lives dragged out against their will… it’s worth taking a look at who they’re aligning themselves with and why.

For an obstinately pro-war candidate to align himself with a religious leader who speaks so much hate against the Muslim religion, one might question his true motives for fighting.

You think you’re so smart?

I saw this and thought it was amazing.

See how you fair.

.

UU’s need to be wary of the things we’re not paying attention to.

Dial down the rhetoric. See what’s around you.

You might learn that you’re not as smart as you think you are, simply because you weren’t open to something completely outside of our awareness bubble.