Welcome to the second ever "shut-in service" for the First DailyKos Unitarian Community Fellowship or DKuuF.
This is where those of us unable to make our own congregrations will have an opportunity to take part in churchin' on sunday.
Any and all new comers are indeed welcome, in fact the first two rows of bandwidth are open for you and your diversity. I ask you to stay for coffee and conversation afterwords, unfortunatly you'll have to provide the coffee.
Don't forget your order of service...
(also join us over at MichiganLiberal)
Welcome to the second service for the DKuu. We welcome all to commence drinking
coffee, or what ever religous beverage of choice you may have.
I light this chalice to begin our worship service.
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Let's begin with a recitation of our Mission Covenant. (please stand, as you are able)
We the First DailyKos Unitarian Community Fellowship agree to:
# Promote the spiritual, intellectual, and personal growth of each member without excessive snark;
# Minister to each other in an atmosphere of welcome, acceptance and caring and not to flame on;
# Be a positive force for social, environmental and economic action without cussing;
# and to promote the wider understanding of our purposes and principles within blogtopia (y!sctp!).
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Please sing with me:
From all who dwell below the skies;
Let faith and hope with love arise;
Let beauty, truth, and good be sung;
Through every from every tongue;
De todo bajo el gran sol;
Surjan esperanza fe amor;
Verdad, Bellisa cantado;
de todo tiera, todo voz
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Our reading and response comes from various White House Press gaggle:
Q Does the President stand by his pledge to fire anyone involved in the leak of a name of a CIA operative?
We cannot comment on an on going investigation.
Q Excuse me, but I wasn't actually talking about any investigation. But in June of 2004, the President said that he would fire anybody who was involved in this leak, to press of information. And I just want to know, is that still his position?
We cannot comment on an on going investigation.
Q Scott, if I could -- if I could point out, contradictory to that statement, on September 29th, 2003, while the investigation was ongoing, you clearly commented on it. You were the first one who said, if anybody from the White House was involved, they would be fired. And then on June 10th of 2004, at Sea Island Plantation, in the midst of this investigation is when the President made his comment that, yes, he would fire anybody from the White House who was involved. So why have you commented on this during the process of the investigation in the past, but now you've suddenly drawn a curtain around it under the statement of, "We're not going to comment on an ongoing investigation"?
.
We cannot comment on an on going investigation.
Q So could I just ask, when did you change your mind to say that it was okay to comment during the course of an investigation before, but now it's not?
We cannot comment on an on going investigation.
Q Scott, I mean, just -- I mean, this is ridiculous. The notion that you're going to stand before us after having commented with that level of detail and tell people watching this that somehow you decided not to talk. You've got a public record out there. Do you stand by your remarks from that podium, or not?
We cannot comment on an on going investigation.
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A moment of silent reflection.
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Now it is time for Joys and Concerns, where we light an ethernet candle for each Joy and Concern.
I will light the first candle of concern for all of our friends, families, and allies in London.
Please place a comment for your joy and concern, but remember the last ethernet candle is for all joys and concerns that go without comment.
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Now join in singing "Michael Row Your Boat Ashore" (please stand, as you are able):
Michael, row the boat ashore,
Hallelujah.
Michael, row the boat ashore,
Hallelujah.
Sister, help to trim the sails,
Hallelujah.
Sister, help to trim the sails,
Hallelujah.
River Jordan's deep and wide,
Hallelujah.
Milk and honey on the other side,
Hallelujah.
River Jordan's chilly and cold,
Hallelujah.
Chills the body, but warms the soul,
Hallelujah.
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Please greet your neighbor as we pass around the plate.
Peace be with you.
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Today's sermon comes from the Detroit Free Press of all places. It is a opinion piece by Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi. He discusses the real causes of terrorism, specifically how to eliminate them. He does not make note of hating freedom or christianity, but talks of understanding as the solution.
He calls out Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, and calls for education:
We are sick and tired of being called kafirs (infidels) by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, and "us" and "them" by some of our Christian neighbors, while in Europe our mosques and innocent communities have become the targets of a blind backlash. To save the world from the nightmare of extremism, we all must open our hearts and work together through more interfaith efforts and social education.
But communities also need help of the government, and he sees no help from GW:
Communities can't win the war against terrorism without the government's help.
The first question is, how Iraq despite our invasion and our huge military presence became a training center for so-called jihadists, and how the British became bombers? Where do the terrorists get their money and weapons from? Is it true that wealthy people from some Persian Gulf countries have sent hundreds of millions of dollars to al-Qaida in Iraq?
The current issue of Time magazine quotes Sir Ivor Roberts, Britain's ambassador to Italy, as saying "the best recruiting sergeant" for al-Qaida was none other than President George W. Bush.
Some unthoughtful words by the president and some irresponsible statements by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld -- combined with the scandals at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq and the Guantanamo detention center -- helped al-Qaida recruit more extremists to its army.
In our national discussion about Terrorism, some people bring up the wrong headed idea that Islam is a religion of violence. But actually, Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi brings up a very UU idea:
To win the war against terror, force alone is not enough. Honesty and openness come first. The double standard on democracy and human rights doesn't help.
One thing I have been wanting to tell George Bush et al, besides the fact they broke Vizzini's rule of "Never start a land war in Asia", is when you point fingers you have three more pointing back at yourself. How much national self reflection have we had in regards to terrorism, very little in my opinion.
It is time for all of us to take a stand against terrorism and eliminate its causes.
