Crisis of Faith

It just hit me that here I am, within 5 or 10 years of the end of life and I have yet to experience a good old crisis of faith. Oh, my religious/spiritual notions have changed over the years. I now laugh at some of the things I thought I believed or thought I should believe. But there was no drama. No big crisis. I made just one denominational change and that was no big, family busting thing. Not like I quit Christianity and became a Hindu or something. I wonder if I should put a crisis of faith on my to-do list. Maybe that would put some sparkle and pizzaz in my otherwise dull life.

Crazy For God

Just finished reading Frank Schaeffer's book. Fascinating. It would be interesting to get a local discussion group going. I'm not sure I want to get into an online group. There's something about the anonymity of the internet that makes people write things they would never dare say in person. I suppose those who believe all conservative Christians are dangerous nutcases love the book, while Schaffer's former evangelical associates believe the devil has got hold of him. I accept neither of those positions.

Funeral Styles

I attended a traditional funeral yesterday. .. hymns, prayers, bible readings, a nice eulogy, the whole thing. I liked it. Some of the contemporary memorial services where they play the deceased's favorite music can be prettty uncomfortable to those who don't share an interest in that music. If I wanted to hear ear-busting rock or twangin' country I'd go to a concert, thank you. Maybe they have all kinds of music in heaven and the dear departed is already listening to his or her favorite. So don't subject me to it down here.

Father Groeschel's fan club

I don't know if the Franciscan Friar who shows up Sunday Nights on the EWTN Catholic channel actually has a fan club. Probably not. If he does, I want to join up. He is my kind of practicing Christian. He gets mail and contributions from Protestants, Atheists and even a Jehovah's Witness or two. If it matters, I'm not Catholic and I have no plans to go that way. There's just something grand and loveable about the good Father. He's pretty smart, too.

How inter is your faith?

I was way into the ecumenical movement when that was the hot (or was it cool) thing. The cool thing these days is to declare yourself spiritual but not religious and move from Christianity to one of the Eastern Religions. I'm too old to get excited about today's interfaith movement. My only contribution is eating Hebrew National Hotdogs.

Patsy Cline, Bettie Page

Patsy and Bettie?? Now there's as unlikely a combination as you will find. Let me explain.I think I'm in love with Patsy and I have the notorious Bettie Page, legendary pin-up girl to thank for it. I always liked Patsy's "I fall to pieces, " "Crazy" and some other songs but never paid a whole lot of attention her music. Then her most unusual treatment of the old gospel song, "Life's Railway to Heaven" showed up on the soundtrack of the Bettie Page film. I didn't recognize the voice but I had to know who that was. So I ran through the credits at the end again, and there it was. Patsy Cline. That song took me back to my Methodist Sunday School days. Usually sung quite fast in country gospel style, Patsy did it slow, plaintive, almost ballad-like with a backup vocal group making chugging train sounds.Gives me major goosebumps. Turns out that the Grand Canyon Railroad used her recording on their commercial. Thanks for the memory and the music, Patsy. And thanks to Bodacious Bettie.

Rick Warren, Billy Graham

It's reported that when Billy Graham was asked about Rick Warren, founding father of the purpose driven movement. pastor of Saddleback mega-church that hosted the presidential debate, he said "Who?" I hope it's true. I suspect that there are some contemoporary clergy who would answer that way if somebody asked them about Jesus.

Denny Crane and "The Secret"

Boston Legal, the wonderfully quirky TV show, did a grand send-up of "The Secret," the latest positive thinking, magnetic power of your mind book and movie that's being shown in many churches. Goofy Lawyer Denny Crane tries to conjure up a visit from Raquel Welch but his vibrations don't work quite right and Phyllis Diller shows up. The so- called secret law of attraction gets discovered anew every ten years or so and makes a ton of money for its promoters. Too bad it has become a religion.

Church Musicians

Church musicians and clergy are notoriously at odds. Ever it shall be. I'm not crazy about the buzzword "agenda" but maybe it works here. Clergy are where they are to lead a team. They need their music-makers to be on their team. But the musicians are there to play or sing. Music is their passion. They couldn't care less what church they do it in. Because of my interest in pipe organs, I joined an online group. It turned out to be full of church organists griping about the dumb-ass ministers and priests they worked for. If you want the other side, ask a clergyman about the musicians he has fired because they insisted on doing it their own way and had no interest in team play

Nice Muslim Folks

Alright ... for the sake of argument, or to avoid one, let's agree with the interfaith people that the majority of Muslims are nice, peace loving folks who are not interested in wiping out infidel Christians. Should we not then be just as charitable toward Christianity and its nutcase minority?

Great Radio Preachers

I'm putting together a talk about early 20th century preachers who made brilliant use of the new radio medium. From the infamous rabble rouser demagogue, Father Coughlin to the first great female evangelist, Aimee Semple McPherson. (She was the first woman ever to own a radio station) There's so much fascinating stuff about those two bigger than life characters that I might have to short change Harry Emerson Fosdick, Ralph W. Sockman, Fulton Sheen and some others with just a brief mention.

Unterfaithism Gone Mad

What's next for the local interfaith movement ... a Christian/Scientology dialogue?

Prots still hell- bound, Scott Hahn?

Good old Scott Hahn is in my town this weekend. You remember Scott, don't you? The militant Protestant preacher who is now a militantly Catholic teacher. Wrote a book, "Rome Sweet Rome." Said "All Prots go to hell." Wish I had the guts to ask him if he still believes it ... or if he did when he said it shortly after his conversion. He did admit that he likes to shock people. You can catch him on EWTN TV.