Yes, Rachel, We Are Repulsed

 

Speaking Truth to Power

From Joe.My.God.

https://www.joemygod.com/2025/01/trump-demands-public-apology-from-nasty-dc-bishop-who-urged-him-to-show-mercy-on-minorities/

Trump Demands “Public Apology” From “Nasty” DC Bishop Who Urged Him To Show Mercy On Minorities

January 22, 2025Trump Corruption, Trump Lies

Politico reports:

U.S. President Donald Trump hit out Wednesday at a bishop who directly called on him to show mercy to immigrants and LGBTQ+ people.

During the inaugural prayer service Tuesday at the Washington National Cathedral attended by Trump, Vice President JD Vance and their families, the Right Rev Mariann Budde delivered a sermon in which she appealed to Trump to be merciful to minorities, “some who fear for their lives.”

“In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy on the people in our country who are scared now,” Budde said, referring to “gay, lesbian and transgender children in Democratic, Republican and independent families.” Most “immigrants are not criminals,” she added. “They pay taxes and are good neighbors.”

Yahoo News reports:

Rep. Mike Collins (R-Ga.) heavily criticized statements made by the Right Rev. Mariann Budde on Tuesday at the inaugural prayer service held for President Trump.

“The person giving this sermon should be added to the deportation list,” Collins wrote in a post on X with a clip of Budde’s comments.

Collins’s statement comes after Trump’s promise to carry out the largest deportation in the country’s history. During the service, Budde begged for mercy over communities likely to be impacted by Trump’s new policies.

Yesterday shitbag Newsmax host Todd Starnes declared that the “National Cathedral has become a sanctuary of Satan.”

Here’s Trump’s post-midnight post:

The so-called Bishop who spoke at the National Prayer Service on Tuesday morning was a Radical Left hard line Trump hater. She brought her church into the World of politics in a very ungracious way. She was nasty in tone, and not compelling or smart.

She failed to mention the large number of illegal migrants that came into our Country and killed people. Many were deposited from jails and mental institutions.

It is a giant crime wave that is taking place in the USA. Apart from her inappropriate statements, the service was a very boring and uninspiring one. She is not very good at her job! She and her church owe the public an apology!

Trump has never once criticized the countless evangelicals who brought their “church into the world of politics” by declaring that he was literally chosen by God.

As someone brought up Catholic pre and post Vatican II, but no longer an adherent, I can say the words of Bishop Budde express exactly the values we were taught. These modern day Catholics (like Cardinal Dolan) who criticized her are closer to evangelicals and Christian nationalists and, in my humble opinion, are heretics.

Also: this Bishop was speaking well within the purview of her Christian ministry. If that seems too political, well, so be it. 

Christ too, was political.

Am I an Atheist?

 I recently posted the video of Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood singing John Lennon's Imagine at Jimmy Carter's funeral. In one of the comments the song was referred to as the "atheist anthem" (I'd never heard that before) and it got me thinking. Am I really an atheist?

First of all I find the song Imagine to be deeply meaningful and even spiritual. And yes, I am "a-religious", if not entirely "anti-religious" although I can find plenty of reasons to be anti-religion. I probably have a deeper understanding and appreciation of religion, particularly Catholicism, than most who profess to be anti-religion and that, I think, gives my opinion some authority.

As for the "theos" or the "theoí" - there is little I can add to the millennia of preponderance on the topic. I've said before that I don't necessarily not believe in the same god that many who call themselves atheist don't believe in or for the same reasons. My disbelief or non-belief is more sophisticated than not believing in the god that a six-year old believes is watching them while they steal a piece of candy at the 7-11.

But with that said, what I will offer is a re-post of something that appeared on this blog back in December, 2011. It was my Christmas entry (I did not do one this 2024 holiday season as I have less and less to say on this platform and fewer to say it to.) Anyhow, for what it's worth:

Saturday, December 24, 2011

I Can Say Nothing Of God Except...

Last year my sister, who is a Sister of Mercy, sent me a prayer she had written about the things and people in her life that gave meaning to the celebration of Christmas.

Each line began with the words, "I can say nothing of God except..."

This prayer reminds us, whether theist, atheist or agnostic, that we can really say little meaningful about God.  That perhaps our belief in God's existence is about as meaningful as another's belief in God's Non-existence. The fact that so many people today claim to know "God", the "will of God" or who or what or which country has "God's favor", is, if nothing else, awfully self-righteous and arrogant.

Perhaps we can say nothing of god except ... what is available to us in our own unique, concrete, quotidian experience. This year I offer my version of my sister's prayer:

I Can Say Nothing of God Except... (c 2019, edited 2025)

I can say nothing of God except the serenity of a walk in the woods on a clear December morning

I can say nothing of God except the surprise that the Bird of Paradise gave me when, after fifteen years, it bloomed in the sun room one February

I can say nothing of God except skiing down a mountain on a sunny winter day

I can say nothing of God except the good food we have to eat and share with whoever enters our home

I can say nothing of God except the seniors who think it is a miracle to make digital photos appear on the computer screen

I can say nothing of God except the shared company of long-time friends

I can say nothing of God except airplanes have taken me to fascinating places

I can say nothing of God except the memory of my mom and grandma and aunts makes me happy when I make manicotti or escarole with beans or cookies

I can say nothing of God except the paintings on the wall that my dad made when he was seventeen

I can say nothing of God except walking up to the rim of the Grand Canyon very early one morning and being speechless for fifteen minutes while my tears flowed spontaneously

I can say nothing of God except sleeping on the beach while listening to Sergio Mendes

I can say nothing of God except an old Valentine from my honey I came across while cleaning drawers

I can say nothing of God except the vastness of the sea and a sailboat against blue sky

I can say nothing of God except the touch of, and touching another man 

I can say nothing of God except I am sitting in the living room with the man I love while the dog sleeps on the couch and Christmas music plays softly

 

One More Netflix MUST SEE - Five Star Movie

Hubs and I just watched a wonderful movie on Netflix this afternoon. This is a movie I think every American should see, should be required viewing for every politician, every congressperson and all military personnel. 

This made me aware of the fact that our country is so close to going backwards while it has barely stepped forwards.

Six Triple Eight has left me practically speechless. It brought tears to my eyes more than once, more than twice, practically throughout the movie. Superb acting throughout. Excellent screen play, directing and filming. Kerry Washington and a great supporting cast.

If you watch anything on Netflix, put SIX TRIPLE EIGHT at the top of your list.

Some Wintertime Netflix Pics and Network TV

I started this post Tuesday but then I wasn't feeling well....Except for aches and pains that come with age, I haven't had so much as a cold or flu since 2019.  But my luck ran out (or I let my guard down) and tested positive for COVID yesterday after one really miserable night. Leon and I were very careful when traveling a month ago and always wore masks in the airports and on the plane. But I was getting over confident back here in New Mexico...even then I can't figure where I picked this up...an uncrowded restaurant? the grocery store? Friends? I was able to get the Paxlovid Rx yesterday and I am feeling tolerably miserable today.

And I just want to share this before getting to the main topic of my post. One of my favorite songs of all times performed by Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood at President Carter's funeral. How fitting and appropriate.

 

Anyhow here are a few suggestions for entertainment on cold winter evenings. All are on Netflix except Brilliant Minds on NBC network TV. I think some full seasons or episodes can be seen on YouTube.

KAOS - A very creative retelling of Greek mythology, set in modern, contemporary times. Defying Zeus is a theme here. The serious story plots are interspersed with macabre humor. No one seems able to escape their "prophesy" or their fate. The gods communicate with land line phones, the Furies ride motorcycles. If you know something about Greek mythology, you may find KAOS entertaining.

 

No Good Deed - House for Sale with secrets. The first few episodes are a bit slow and you're kind of like "Where is this going?" But it gets better.

 Man on the Inside - A little contrived but entertaining. No violence.

 

 The Diplomat - Suspenseful, good acting, international relations and political intrigue.

The Resident - Has to be one of the all time addictive medical soap operas. Blood gushing everywhere. Some very unlikely scenarios - like surgeons staffing the ER and preposterous medical procedures. Did I mention blood gushing everywhere and that it's addictive? We questioned our taste and sanity but couldn't stop watching. Interesting characters. Some socially redeeming story lines around serious issues.

White Collar - Convicted felon and white collar criminal Neil Caffrey (Matt Bomer) works with the FBI to catch other white collar criminals. The first few seasons are good but I kind of lost interest after a while.

 

Lincoln Lawyer - Some interesting story lines and good acting. Legal stuff that lawyers do (on TV). The trailer is not a very good sample:

 

 The Sinner  - I would call it a kind of dark investigative/mystery series. The first episode, from what I recall was a bit difficult to follow.

 

 Made in Italy - A "feel good" movie with nice scenery of the Tuscany region of Italy. I think the story has been done in various versions before.

Dark Winds - Intriguing, disturbing western native American crime series set in the 70s. The scenery is what I see every day so maybe that's part of what I find disturbing.

 

Network TV - Brilliant Minds - Somewhat eccentric Dr Wolf (Zachary Quinto) plays a gay doctor who along with his exceptional team of doctors diagnose and treat mysterious diseases and conditions with exceptional skill and sensitivity. Episode 7 was excellent. Hubby and I both cried.

 

 

Unfrosted - Don't waste your time. Competition between Kellogg and Post Cereal over Poptarts. Silly. Stupid.  Every possible cliche from the 50s and 60s. I fell asleep.

Some Past Recommendations:

I Care A Lot

Turn of the Tide

Nuovo Olimpo

Inventing Anna

Fire Rages in California.

 Incredible what's happening in California. Almost apocalyptic.

https://apnews.com/article/california-pacific-palisades-wildfires-los-angeles-4b67b7f29d0d6eb7321a52ef60c17d60