Must Be Santa by Bob Dylan
We’ve all gotten over, and perhaps forgotten Bob Dylan’s Christmas gift last year. Let’s be generous and thank him after all it’s Christmas and a time of good cheer.
Despite the misgivings of many about Dylan warbling on Silent Night, we’ve got to hand it to him for the awesome cover of Brave Combo’s Must Be Santa. Best polka Christmas song inspires Dylan Continue reading
Grammy award winning gospel group the Blind Boys of Alabama. Director of Photography Bobby Eras. “The Blind Boys showed up in LA and played two gigs one at a church and one at a blues club on the same day, we filmed the live shows, and some in between elevator rides with a boom box.”
For more Blind Boys of Alabama from this series, check out YouTube
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert @ebertchicago, the esteemed movie critic of the Chicago Tribune and the famed Siskel and Ebert show, has discovered Twitter in a big way.
A prolific journalist, Ebert has become an even more prolific tweeter who seemingly suffers from insomnia as do I.
It’s not so much insomnia as a life long desire to watch late night movies like the Ninth Gate on television. Continue reading
Jehovah's Witnesses supporting same sex marriage
The California decision by United States District Chief Judge Vaughn R Walker reversed Prop 8′s ban of same-sex or gay marriage in the state.
Part of the legal argument FOR gay marriage comes from a 65 year old Supreme Court ruling that granted freedom of religious expression to Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Walker said that the majority opinion does not eliminate fundamental rights for a minority.
Ironically Jehovah’s Witnesses ban same-sex marriage. They disfellowship or shun any member who openly participates in same-sex acts or relationships.
The reference by Judge Walker to West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette will have the Watchtower Society scratching their heads. “How did we help those wicked sons and daughters of Sodom and Gomorrah?” they will be asking themselves.
Jehovah's Witness, been there got the t-shirt
The right-wing protestant sect is more likely to participate in the break up of a family than holding it together contrary to their public relations messages.
Holidays that most people associate with family – Christmas, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Birthdays – are acutely painful for ex-Jehovah’s Witnesses. They are reminded each year that their family does not want them. In time, they learn to form new relationships and family groups but there is always a place in their hearts that hurts.
On Friday night at Churchill’s I ran into a young friend who was still nursing the hurt of being brought up in a Jehovah’s Witness family. When he decided to strike out on his own, his mother and father ostracized him. To add insult to injury, a Montague elder Gerry Deveau disfellowshipped him. Continue reading
Father George Smith, removed from his duties at a PEI (CBC)
The buzz around Charlottetown is about Father Smith and allegations he was sexually improper with a man two decades ago.
No allegations against P.E.I. priest brought to police writes the Guardian.
Priest allegations reported years ago: bishop on the CBC site is closed to comments.
Considering the notoriety of the story and the anguish this gives many Roman Catholics, the lack of a public forum on the CBC website is wrong. It smacks of censorship.
Manipulation of the public by the media is common. In this case it’s our publicly funded CBC who want to shut down public comment.
Jesus as depicted in 1st century catacombs
Today is Easter Sunday one of the holiest days for Christians. For the billion plus people who profess the Christian religion it is a day of reverence or at least remembrance.
Our image of Jesus is personal yet his importance is universal. Historian, cynic and Christian Paul Johnston says “all really good things we believe in the modern world – equality of individuals, care for the powerless, even respect for nature – can be traced directly to his teachings.” Jesus: A Biography, from a Believer
Even non-believers would agree with some of what Johnston says. Muslims for instance while holding Mohammad as divine respect Jesus and his teachings.
Jesus also taught us that there is good and evil although it is politically incorrect to express that.
Kevin Smith was asked to film a documentary for Prince. His commentary on the process of meeting and working with Prince are hilarious. Warning – contains cursing.
Part 2 after the break
Continue reading
Pimp My Ride girls you won't meet at the Kingdom Hall
By Spider Perez, GroupSRV.com – Ja Rule, The Notorious B.I.G., Krayzie Bone, Busta Rhymes, along with current hot Rap artists “K-OS” (pronounced “chaos”) and MTV’s Pimp My Ride host, “XZIBIT”, as well as DMX were all reared as Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Who would suspect that the Watchtower Society and Jehovah’s Witnesses was the religious and moral “spring” from which these Rappers “drank” during their formative years? Many, if not most of these Rappers once spent their Saturday mornings and Sunday afternoons peddling Watchtower magazines door-to-door.
This is a “phenomenon” which is begging to be researched and explained.
Ordinarily, most informed persons are surprised when they learn that a Jehovah’s Witnesses individual or even a JW family has/have attained celebrity status. Why? Continue reading
Serena Williams
Word is out, all over town, Serena and Rapper Common might be getting hitched.
“Rapper Lonnie Rashid Lynn, better known as Common, has fueled rumors that he will marry Serena Williams by going public with his love for the tennis champion.”
“Serena is a beautiful, fun and a strong woman. I love her heart and her strength. She’s a warmhearted human being. I think she’s incredible,” quoted Common, 38, as saying. (IANS London)
Look out – marrying a Jehovah’s Witness when you aren’t one of them is a case of the bad news bears. JWs, as they are known, have strict rules about marrying people “in the Truth” which is code for one of us.
Just like RC in the old days, the non-believer has to promise to bring up children “in the truth”, study the Watchtower diligently and pray for Armageddon to come soon destroying all mankind other than the strong “brothers and sisters in the truth”.
Rappers are generally the antithesis of what JWs preach will survive the coming cataclysm.
Rapper Common may be a betting man and figure the end isn’t coming soon. Just say the words man even if you don’t mean it.
James Gallant's North Rustico
The joy and wonder of Christmas comes alive in the children and the young at heart who experience the Christmas lights in North Rustico, PEI. People go to North Rustico by the thousands during Christmas to see the famous light display.
