Desert Correspondence

I'm always very happy to see something new posted here, always picks me up a bit.
What's Peter's specific birthday? I can remember no problem that it's right about now but the exact day escapes me. Anyway, Stacey and I keep seeing stuff we want to get for his birthday but haven't pulled the trigger on what exactly yet. Our problem is that we have way too much fun shopping for young children and spend too much time having a good time with that.

That's too bad about the promotion, Walker. I echo Jeff in saying that you make really good points in talking about yourself and the military and such. I wouldn't doubt but what you'd find at least a bit more congruity with yourself and officers, though I suppose you'd know much better than I would, hehe!

I found this article that references Marley's conversion (at the end of the piece). I read through most of it, it's pretty interesting. Discusses Rastafarianism and Orthodoxy (and a couple imitators) from what claims to be an Orthodox point of view (and appears to be so). Mentions The Abyssians, a group I know you burned a disc of for me a long time ago, Jeff, as being Orthodox. Very enlightening. I feel like today was worth getting out of bed because I learned a ton from that article, actually. This gives me the idea that it'd be a cool idea for an Orthodox church to maybe have a session for the community on all this. I also think that the whole thing is a study on the delicacy with which one must approach evangelism and young churches. Some of what I read about in there reminds me of some of the difficulties written about in the New Testament (and of course we see these struggles even to this day).

While reggae's on my brain...Jeff, are you much familiar with Jackie Mittoo? I think he's a reggae keyboardist or something. I use Launch Radio pretty often at work and tracks keep popping up from a tribute to him that was recently released. I gave all the tracks a pretty high rating so they'd play often, actually. Sometime I definitely want to check out his work and probably will once I've got a viable computer in the house.
Speaking of the computer situation...we do have one old one that we use, so at least I can get on once in a while at home. I think Stacey uses it more than I do, actually, which is just fine...I spend all day on a computer and so when I get on at home it's usually just to get quick updates and info...once I have one where I can actually do more than I can do at work, I'm sure I'll be on it more, plus I need to get writing again.
I do hope you're able to fix that one you just got, Jeff...sounds like a crummy situation. Too bad they don't offer better support. Oh, and as far as the deductible goes...don't worry about that. I'll say this buried within a long post: a bass guitar was stolen and the money from that is enough to cover the deductible, I don't necessarily need to replace that. I hesitated to say it before but don't really see the harm in it now. So yeah, we'll be fine...I'll definitely be praying that the best thing possible happens for Jon.

Here's something interesting that showed up in my email while typing this.
http://www.sojo.net/index.cfm?action=sojomail.display&issue=040922#3
I mean, it's not terribly surprising or shocking for those familiar in the least bit with Jimmy Swaggart and his views on homosexuality and general approach to life, but worth at least nothing, I guess. Pretty crazy shit.

I hate to end a post on that note so I'll add here that things in general are pretty good. Stacey and I are busier than we wish we were but the house is slowly getting into decent shape. We're done with going to catechesis on Tuesday nights, so that frees some time up, anyway. I think our "choir" is going to be meeting regularly on Thursday nights, which sort of ties things up, but at least it's for something good. : ) The Sunday School classes are going very well so far, I'll detail those more later.

posted by Joel # 6:24 AM

Tuesday, September 21, 2004

Well, here's first an update on the computer situation. I finally got some cooperation on the police end and got a report filed Wednesday night. By Friday night I was talking with an insurance agent. Got forms in the mail yesterday and should have those ready in the next day or so (have to go get a copy of the police report). So...things are moving along. The deductible is still a pain but we'll maybe find a way to deal with that. I'm still not sure what the timetable is like on all this but hopefully if they've got my paperwork by week's end, we'll see reimbursement next week sometime? I have no idea.

I do like Sojourners quite a bit. I always intend to subscribe but never do. A couple people on the board have worked for them...Kate Bowman (kebbie) and Rachel (rocko). Rachel actually just got back from Constantinople and this internship or something. Turns out they met with Patriarch Bartholomew a few times and she got a ton of exposure to things Orthodox. I'll let you know when she's posted some pictures. Anyway, Sojourners...I've been following them for a couple years now and am pretty impressed by what I see. I'd LOVE to write or work for them sometime. They have a really good balance of dealing with political things while at the same time focusing a ton on the poor, human rights, etc. Then again, those things go hand in hand with politics, but I think you know what I mean. I was hoping to see the CNN piece where their head guy goes up against Jerry Falwell...maybe they stream it from their website or something. I'm not particularly down with where they take some things (in that sometimes I think legitimate morals get lost in the spirit of ecumenicism and acceptance/tolerance) but in general I think they're doing some really great things, have some terribly good and observant writers, and hopefully can make an impact. I think they're very good at keeping their tone accessible to Christians who may run across them and not have been exposed to a more compassionate, progressive pool of thought. That's something I could probably learn from them, hehehe.

I'm definitely going to have to go and read that piece. The part you quoted looks pretty dead-on, wow.

As far as the rest of your post (Alexandria discussion, Copts, and so on)...
I'll be the first to admit that I have a ton more learning to do as far as history and especially in regards to Alexandria. Fr. Stephen has touched on it a good bit and it's pretty well known within Orthodoxy that Africa was at one time very much one of the centers of intellectual and philosophical thought, learning, and so on, and that many many saints and Christian writers came out of there. It really does sort of fly in the face of this whole idea of "missionaries to Africa" and the idea that all of Africa has always been this primitive, backwards culture and that (as was thought in years past) those of African descent are inferior in areas like intelligence and such. Obviously much of Africa IS primitive and such, but the fact that parts of Africa have been in the past places of strong Christian influence and intellectual thinkers is something totally lost on Western culture. I really do want to learn more all about this. I think that one reason so many young black people are drawn to Islam is that it runs contrary to Protestantism, which is either overwhelmingly white in appearance and culture or else tends to segment African-Americans into this almost tribalistic emotion-driven (and usually anti-intellectual) section of "Christianity." Videos of American missions in Africa ALWAYS show a bunch of little kids getting fed and natives jumping around enthusiastically shouting "JESUS!" over and over. It still all feeds into this mentality of the primitive/animalistic black man (and as a result, a sort of inferior position) that just isn't true. Islam, on the other hand, gives a better sense of intelligence and power...no wonder it's a big appeal. I've been thinking for a while now that there's got to be some way to drive a movement of academic, well-spoken black Orthodox. Anyway, just scattered thoughts.
As far as the Copts go....yeah, they're not technically in communion with the rest of Orthodoxy, but there's a lot of feeling that reconciliation and a better understanding should be on the way in not too long. I talk once in a while with a guy who is (or was at one time) a Coptic monk of some sort. He's explained to me their position on things and how it's all more or less a misunderstanding now, that most Coptic Orthodox don't differ on the doctrines that originally split things up. I can't really remember the exact issue at this moment but it was a legitimate thing for them to be split...however, if that's not really what's believed at this point, hopefully the two sides can reach understanding soon.
I'm pretty sure there's a Coptic church over in Council Bluffs. Our area gets a huge influx of Sudanese and some of them attend over there.

I know I've mentioned this before, guys, but I'm kind of on the outlook for a new job. I'm not being shoved out of this one (but encouraged to be looking, if that makes sense) so I'm not just going to jump on anything that comes along...but I'm really hoping to find something that puts my actual talents and interests to use. Just please pray that I'm able to do so soon...and that I have the energy and motivation to do it. Sometimes I'm lazy or legitimately tired and it keeps me from working at what I need to do as far as writing or job-searching. Some of it, too, is that with the parking situation (or just plain car-pooling some days) here and my position being what it is, there's only so much I can do as far as taking off to drop off resumes or do interviews. Anyway, just wanted to toss that out there.

Okay, talk to you both later...

Joel

posted by Joel # 5:37 AM

Monday, September 13, 2004

Hey Jeff, thanks for posting that article. I skimmed through what I didn't read....really interesting stuff.

The whole computer theft thing is sort of stalled. I kept going to the downtown police station to get the report number and whatnot, not so much to speed up any investigation (obviously in a big city they've got more to do than track down small time thefts immediately) but more to get my whole insurance situation rolling. The police downtown couldn't ever find any mention of it. I left a message for the cop who came out and took down the report...a week later he still hadn't called back so I called and talked to his shift sergeant, who couldn't find anything either. So...more than two weeks later now, I have to go to the station and file the whole thing again. Meanwhile, that former roommate has moved out and never did pay Ben his rent (or another bill he owes me). I'm not going to press him for it given that he's sort of a violent person anyway, claims to keep a gun in his car, that sort of thing. I do have his phone number, license plate number, and place of employment so I can track him down if I need to (and better yet and more likely, can give all that info to the cops). There is still the matter of the $250 deductible but hopefully we'll be okay. I really need a decent computer again soon, though, so hopefully we can get things rolling pretty quickly this week.

Here's some other news. The patriarch of Alexandria died in a helicopter crash near Mt. Athos late last week.
I don't really know much about him other than his position, but obviously this is a big deal within Orthodox Christianity. We're having a requiem mass for him tonight, hopefully I can go.

posted by Joel # 1:23 PM

Desert Correspondence

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