Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday tv_elf and marag, although, really, I'm guessing you don't need my wishes to make it happy for either of you!

(And Happy Birthday wiliqueen and cyberchezza, whose birthdays it will be in a day or so...)

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Looking through the news, I'm impressed by both McCain's concession speech and Obama's acceptance speech - beautiful statesmanship on both sides.

Sadly, it takes more than a speech to heal the rifts between partisans. Last I checked, it was the United States of America, not the Divided States of America, but the way tensions seem to be running, I'm not sure you'd know.

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And something to make anyone laugh:

is that a galaxy? FIRE IN THE HOLE!

kismatt? Did you see this? Isn't it awesome?

faith, certainty, and presidency

Faith, Certainty, and the Presidency of George W. Bush

The final paragraphs stood out to me:

''Faith can cut in so many ways,'' he [Jim Wallis] said. ''If you're penitent and not triumphal, it can move us to repentance and accountability and help us reach for something higher than ourselves. That can be a powerful thing, a thing that moves us beyond politics as usual, like Martin Luther King did. But when it's designed to certify our righteousness -- that can be a dangerous thing. Then it pushes self-criticism aside. There's no reflection.

''Where people often get lost is on this very point,'' he said after a moment of thought. ''Real faith, you see, leads us to deeper reflection and not -- not ever -- to the thing we as humans so very much want.''

And what is that?

''Easy certainty.''

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Amen to that.

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All Men Are Created Equal: Ratified Nov 4th, 2008