A few perhaps random thoughts rattling around inside my cranium.
There has been much commentary on the fact that the persistent conservative majority on SCOTUS seen in things like the recent Hobby Lobby case consists of 5 Catholic men, four of whom apparently have connections with Opus Dei. Yet their decisions are empowering the more extreme evangelicals and fundamentalist "Christians" (more about the use of "Christians" anon) who do not consider Catholic to be Christians, with some of the those evangelicals and fundamentalists viewing Rome as the "whore of Babylon." They also show a remarkable lack of historical understanding because one reason for the development of a Catholic school system was the imposition of Protestant Christianity through public schools. That Opus Dei Catholics agree with extreme fundamentalists and evangelicals on abortion and birth control and homosexuality shows how out of touch they are with many of the rank and file congregants in Catholic churches, particularly younger people. Worth noting that the one non Opus Dei among the 5, Anthony Kennedy, is a consistent supporter of gay rights.
More beneath the fold
"Christians" - man ascribe to themselves that term, and exclude its application to those who disagree with them on a variety of issues. At the most extreme, I can remember an occasion on my first visit to Mount Athos in 1981. Athos is a monastic republic more than 1,000 years old. Its status is supposedly protected by international treaties (Lausanne), and on paper at least it is international - among the 20 "ruling" monasteries and dozens of other establishments are places that are Russian, Bulgarian, Romanian, American, etc. There are monks of dozens of different ethnic backgrounds (although I never in three trips encountered one with a black skin). On one occasion I was visiting a smaller house (a skete) where two of the other visitors were from a nearby place that consisted of the spiritual father and his three disciples, two of which were like me guests at the skete. The were polite, but made clear that in their minds their little establishment of 4 was all that was left of the true church, and everyone else had apostasized - abandoned the "true" teachings of Jesus.
As a sometimes student and teacher of religion, as one who has wandered through a variety of religions tradition and studied the literature and history extensively, I remain amused at how some people will studiously and/or willfully ignore anything that contradicts what they want to believe. The same phenomenon applies outside religion - in areas of scientific dispute and of economics, to cite the two areas where we most frequently encounter it.
Much of what is relied upon as "authority" in Biblical material is problematic, starting with the fact that many in this country are using translations that are inaccurate or distorting what the original Greek, Hebrew, or Aramaic (parts of the Book of Daniel) actually say. It also ignores the fact that the received text is often based on or in response to other material that is not included in the Biblical literature, in the case of Hebrew scripture earlier traditions from other cultures, in the case of Christian scripture from non-scriptural sources both Christian and other and from material excluded from the canonical corpus.
On other topics, I see lots of argumentation on our side on a number of issues, including people who claim they will never vote for Hillary, on political tactics, on questions of gun control, on whether Reid should move to totally abolish the filibuster. For my part perhaps it is my age, it is the number of battles through which I have already lived. I start with this notion
- the nation is at major risk of losing our democracy
- there are no perfect politicians. If I insist upon someone who agrees with me on every issue my only possible choice would be to run for office myself. Except that I have no desire to do what is necessary to get elected, even for my local school board (where there is a vacancy) and would have little chance of getting elected even were I to run. Thus in any political contest or series of contests at one time I am confronted with decisions for the use of my time. i used to be able to say in Presidential contests that my vote did not matter because if the issue were who won Virginia, for a Democrat it would be an added bonus.That is no longer true, as we are for all purposes a swing state where my vote might matter. I will vote in all general elections, and I am hard put to think of a case where I would not vote for a Democrat in a general. The issue becomes how much of a commitment do I make beyond voting, and given a wide range of possibilities in any year (in Virginia we have the House of Delegates and three state-wide offices the year after the Presidential, and the State Senate the year before, and in Arlington VA we have at least one County Board and one Board of Ed race every year) do I devote time and money. I get many requests for both - for some weird reason people think my support might matter.
I just checked my AP scores from May. They were very disappointing but also not surprising given a number of factors: the disruptions 2nd semester due to weather, the turmoil in the STEM program in which a lot of my students were enrolled, the fact that a good number of them would not listen to me on how to approach the test. Still, I cannot help but feel that to some degree I failed them. I know they told me after the exam that they felt well prepared. I know that the practice tests they did showed they had the necessary knowledge But the 22 students who got 2s (a 3 is passing with the possibility of credit) is really frustrating, both for them and for me.
I will be in a different school come August, in a different system. While I realize the importance of this election cycle, there is no meaningful contest for my house seat - Don Beyer will be elected to replace Jim Moran. No matter how much Republicans spend it is hard to imagine that Ed Gillespie will be within viewing distance of Mark Warner, especially with a Libertarian candidate drawing a couple of percent. My responsibilities will be first and foremost to my students, teaching Government and Economics at gifted and AP levels.
Which brings me to some of the realizations I have achieved in the past few weeks, when I have been somewhat absent from this site.
I am fond of quoting Clint Eastwood as Dirty Harry: "A Man's got to know his limitations." I am 68. I tire more easily, although I have found a regular practice of yoga, hand weights, and running as well as the dietary changes I have made are giving me more stamina and strength as well as flexibility.
I am, for better or worse, a teacher.
That is my primary function.
That must be my primary focus, other than my relationship with Leaves on the Current (who is doing very well health-wise).
I will blog when I think I have something of value to offer. Perhaps others will agree, perhaps they will not. This place can do very well without my constant presence here.
Some of what I write will probably draw little traffic. I suspect that will be the result of this posting.
Other pieces, will speak to people and start important conversations, yet even these will not require my constant presence and attention - that was clearly shown when I reposted an older piece pointing at something my friend Sara Robinson had written a few years ago.
I will continue to read even when I do not post or comment. I will use my reach on Facebook and Twitter, such as it is, to try to amplify the good work of others that I see here.
But I also may go days or even weeks without posting.
That does not mean I am not here.
For a second consecutive year I will not go to Netroots. Last year the conflict was with my 50th high school reunion. This time, as was the case in the 2nd Las Vegas convention, the conflict is with my volunteering at the free medical-dental fair in Wise Virginia, which after my teaching is my most important commitment.
I am honored that some of what I write is valued by others.
I value my participation in this community over a period of more than a decade.
It is summer.
It is time to catch up on things for which I do not have time during the school year.
Yesterday I started pulling up the 40 year old carpet upstairs. I have largely completed the effort in one room. I slept in that room last night. I had far less breathing and allergy problems. And besides, there is a very nice hardwood floor that we are seeing for the first time!
Today I will begin purging things, starting with materials for teaching at a middle school level, Tomorrow is trash day, and there will be many bags along side the trash and recycling cans.
As a Quaker, I want to simplify my life.
As someone who was drawn to the notion of non-attachment even before I began a serious yoga practice, I want to be less possessed by my possessions.
I am 68.
I am still on a journey whose final destination I do not know. It does not matter.
Each day is a chance to grow.
Each moment is an opportunity to experience something new, or to perceive something in a new way.
Each person I encounter is a chance to find myself stretched.
Another sunrise, or sunset, or smell of fresh rain, or a cat who decides that the most important thing in the world at that moment is for me to surrender to a cat cuddle.
Life is good.
I have been blessed
Which is why I want to give back.
Which is why I write.
Which is why I teach.
Peace.