my appreciation....

On Sunday, March 27, I tried my best to express my appreciation for the Hindu tradition.

The service ended with kirtan, led by John Calabria on harmonium and dhotara (sometimes spelled "dotara").  John is pictured above with his dhotara (which means "two strings").  It was wonderful to have John's music and gentle spirit there with us.

Here's a picture of the sanctuary space on Sunday. You will notice a banner with Hanuman, and John's harmonium. You will notice that we used orange, too, as an important color in Hinduism.

Below is a close-up of the altar, where you will see Hanuman, Krishna, Ganesh, Lakshmi, Saraswati (very small) and Shiva... On the floor are Lakshmi, Ganesh, and Ram and Sita and Lakshman with Hanuman.

There should be nothing casual about it.

Right now, our country is in the midst of the two longest wars in our history.  And with our actions in Libya, we are now fighting on a third front.

Why is it that so few people seem deeply concerned?

I commend this piece ("The Normal of War") by John Cory.

There should be nothing normal about it.

UUA's Japan Relief Fund

If you would like to make a gift to Japan through the UUA, click here.  Thank you for your generosity!

Thank you, bishops

I've been thinking a lot lately about liberation theology, a Christian theology that started with Roman Catholic priests in Latin America in the 50s and 60s. At the heart of this theology is the idea that God has a "preferential option" for the poor and oppressed. I've always thought this theology was beautiful and elegant.

Today, I see something in the Boston Globe that reminds me of this great tradition. Namely, "The state's four Roman Catholic bishops are urging Congressional leaders not to cut funding for a program that helps low income families pay for heat."  Read the whole article at this link.