May/June 2003 Newsletter

THE RELIGIOUS LANGUAGE NEWSLETTER
Volume 4, Issue 3 -- May/June 2003
==========================================================
The Religious Language Newsletter is written and published every other month by Suzette Haden Elgin, Ph.D. (linguistics), from the Ozark Center for Language Studies (OCLS), PO Box 1137, Huntsville, AR 72740-1137 USA; e-mail OCLS@madisoncounty.net. It's available by e-mail only, in plain text, and is free to members of the Lovingkindness Network; thanks to generous donations, all issues are posted at http://www.forlovingkindness.org. To join the network and receive its newsletter, send $5.00 (annual dues for each calendar year) to OCLS; please be sure to include your e-mail address with your check, money order, or credit card information. (Supporting Memberships are $15.00.) Donations to Lovingkindness are tax-deductible. For more information, or to request a free sample issue, e-mail OCLS.
==========================================================
IN THIS ISSUE: Editor's Note; Network Input; More About Micrography; Quotes & Comments; Cyberspace; Announcement and Request

EDITOR'S NOTE

There's a great deal of Network Input this bimonth, so much that I hesitate to repeat the items (from earlier issues) that are being responded to; please let me know if that causes problems for you in following the discussion, and I'll try to find a way to get around the difficulty. Thank you for all the interesting and useful materials that you've been sending; I'm grateful. A quirk in my schedule (everyone I work with off on spring holidays!) has let me send this issue a few days early; it may never happen again, but I decided to take advantage of it this time.

NETWORK INPUT

1. From Claudia Camp:

"On reading the Bible aloud: On occasions when I perform this function in worship, people often say (and, yes, I'm flattered) how wonderful it was, or how meaningful. Certainly this is partly because I'm used to speaking in public, and I know the Bible well. But I think it's also because I do not, as many do, (mono)intone Scripture because it's scripture, but rather read it as I would do a dramatic reading from any text. Even without memorizing it, I have to work out the choices of intonation that Ben Patterson mentions, and it does make a difference. Favorite subversive moments: when God asks a question (e.g., to Adam: "where are you?"), and you get to make it sound like God really doesn't know the answer already. On the other hand, this does not seem apparent to all. I've recently started assigning oral readings (not memorized, but prepared in advance) to students in my intro classes, for precisely this reason. I ask them to notice what they notice as they prepare a recitation. So far, not a lot of response to that question, though very occasionally someone will mention that they became aware of something in the passage that their eyes had skipped over."

**I think that -- perhaps usually at a level well below conscious awareness -- people who are reading the Bible aloud in English use a monotone because they're afraid they'll add the wrong emotional messages to the words. They're trying hard not to commit themselves to _any_ emotional message, for fear of making a mistake. Because they've never been "taught" that nonverbal communication carries most emotional messages in English, they can't explain what the problem is, but they do know. I often wish that clergy would either follow that same practice or else explain the motivation that lies behind their choice of emotional message. I'd be interested in hearing them explain how they _know_ whether the words actually spoken were the equivalent of "If you love me, you will keep my commandments," or "If you LOVE me, you will KEEP my COMMANDments!", or at least I'd like to hear them say they're only guessing. (You can't imagine the reactions I get when I ask theologians to talk to me about Jehovah's tone of voice.)

It would be interesting to know whether native speakers reading the Bible aloud in languages where the intonation doesn't carry that heavy load of emotional messages (Navajo, for example, or Lao) have a different strategy.

2. Hal Davis sent me Mark Twain's famous war prayer; I suspect that you're familiar with it, and I'll quote only an excerpt here:

"O Lord our God, help us to tear their soldiers to bloody shreds with our shells; help us to cover their smiling fields with the pale forms of their patriot dead... Lord, blast their hopes, blight their lives, protract their bitter pilgrimage, make heavy their steps, water their way with their tears, stain the white snow with the blood of their wounded feet! We ask of one who is the Spirit of love & who is the ever-faithful refuge & friend of all that are sore beset, & seek His aid with humble & contrite hearts. ... Amen."

**No; please, no. That sort of thing (as Mark Twain intended readers to understand) isn't praying. It's cursing, and it's asking God to join you in your cursing. The just war doctrine specifically requires that the killing and maiming be the accidental byproduct of an intention to do only good; that can't include asking a God who is "the ever-faithful refuge & friend of all that are sore beset" to help with the killing and maiming. The war prayer, supposing you are so unfortunate as to find yourself unable to avoid taking part in a war, has to be along the lines of "O Lord our God, help us to win this war while at the same time causing as little pain and doing as little damage as possible. Amen." [The April _Sojo News_ ran the prayer, and cited it this way: "Mark Twain, after viewing a pre-emptive war in the Philippines a century ago. Cited in the March 30, 2003, New York Times magazine."]

3. In response to my question about whether language used in Quaker meetings today is still like that described in _Albion's Seed_ for the 1700s, a number of you wrote to say that it isn't. Three samples:

Wib Smith wrote: "I have been to about 12 different Friends meetings... LA to Boston, and I have not experienced Albion's Seed meetings. Speakers are sometimes barely understandable, with much hesitation Pauses between sentences of more than a minute[real or perceived] are unusual. It is presumed that speaking from the silence is inspired, or even directed, and sometimes there is great emotion with difficulty in expression [which is perfectly acceptable]. Small meetings have many First days [Sundays] of complete silence during the worship time."

Elizabeth Barrette wrote: "What intrigued me was the quality of the Silence. I've never experienced anything else quite like it. The Silence of a gathered Quaker meeting ... is a perceptible phenomenon. It touches the linguistic part of my brain. Listening to Silence is like listening to language, only without the word part; that's the best I can explain it."

And Sally Lloyd, herself a Quaker and a theologian, wrote: "The form of religious expression described in the account of the 1750 Quaker Meeting is not used today. The physical reaction to a leading to speak (sometimes, literally 'quaking' because your knees shake, or trying to speak through tears) can produce odd vocal effects, but there is no formal speaking style as described. As a fairly new Friend, my grasp of Friends' history is not extensive, but I have not heard that this was ever the custom, and it sounds contrary to the testimony of simplicity. On the other hand, Early Friends got up to some pretty strange things (Naylor's reinactment of Jesus' arrival in Jerusalem, complete with donkey, for instance) before they developed the testimony of community and settled in for the long haul."

4. I had asked for comment about the "double effect" doctrine -- the claim that an act that has both good and evil consequences is allowable if (a) the person who does the act intends only the good effect, and (b) the goodness achieved by the good effect is greater than the evil that would be achieved by the evil effect." Douglas Dee responded with...

"The usual Catholic understanding of the issue (if I have this right) is that if an act is itself (intrinsically) evil, then it can never be done under any circumstances for any reason. On the other hand, an act that is not intrinsically evil may have both good & evil consequences, and under the right circumstances it might be right to perform such an act in spite of the evil consequences. This might seem to be hairsplitting, but it avoids falling into either of two undesirable extremes: either (1) claiming that anything, no matter how evil, might be justifiable; or (2) claiming that one may never do anything that has any evil consequences, a claim that sounds good but is useless as a guide to decision-making, since it may happen that in some circumstances no possible action is free from evil consequences."

**Doug went on to discuss the example in which there are twin infants whose bodies are joined in such a way that both will inevitably die if they are not separated surgically, while separating them -- which gives one twin a chance to survive -- will inevitably kill the other twin. And there is the heart-harrowing example from a recent Ethiopian famine, in which a mother of three children is able to carry only one to an aid station for food and medical help; if she doesn't take one of the children, they will all die -- but she cannot leave two of the three without their death as the result. There is the type of example that soldiers face in Iraq as I type: Ahead of them are armed men prepared to kill, holding children in front of them as shields. If the advancing soldier doesn't fire, a number of advancing soldiers will die; if the advancing soldier does fire, the children will die.

Suppose that in every such example we agree to assume that the person who makes the decision and carries it out intends only the good effect. That I can understand. But I still do not understand what criteria can be used to decide whether the goodness achieved by the good effect is greater than the evil that would be achieved by the evil effect. The usual approach, in my experience, is the claim that the decision can be made numerically -- ten soldiers saved is more "good" than two children saved; it was morally justified to drop the atomic bomb because of the number of lives it saved; and so on. I don't think that numerical claims have any validity as long as we know nothing but the numbers. One of the lives allegedly sacrificed "for the greater good" may mean a death that is a terrible and irreparable loss to humanity; we have no way of knowing.

One act that in my opinion is without question "intrinsically evil" is voluntarily getting into situations in which decisions like these have to be made.

5. From Jim White, in response to my claim that I can envy you something you have (which for me means that I covet it) without wanting to take it away from you......

"Now envy and coveting something are different things, and I disagree with this informal use of 'envy.' As a sin, 'envy' doesn't just mean I would like to have something like yours -- it means I resent you having it at all. 'Envy' is closely related to pride; that is, it is pride that makes me feel like you shouldn't have something desirable that I don't have. My envy can be satisfied (insofar as any of the ugly feelings can really ever be satisfied) by you losing whatever I envy you having, whether I get it or one like it or not. 'Covet' doesn't mean I want something like what you have. Deuteronomy forbids me from coveting my neighbor's stuff, so in context 'covet' means I want yours. Now that doesn't necessarily mean I plan to steal yours, but it I'd argue that long-standing religious tradition treats covetousness as sinful because when you covet you have already committed theft (or adultery) in your heart."

**This is a splendid example of people using the same words and meaning something entirely different by them; clearly, if Jim and I were trying to have a serious conversation about sin we'd get nowhere at all.

MORE ABOUT MICROGRAPHY

Jonathan Jones sent me much useful information about micrography, including: "In my experience Islamic calligraphy is usually either "pure" calligraphy (the emphasis being on the beauty of the brushstrokes, much as in Japanese calligraphy) or the use of calligraphy to decorate very simple geometric forms. [However,] I have been searching and have just found a bird at http://www.al-islam. org/gallery/photos/q30.gif and a mosque at http://www.al-islam.org/ gallery/photos/pr13.gif. ... Most of the micrography I have seen has been Jewish. A small amount has been Christian, obviously inspired by and imitating Jewish work. A small amount has been secular, usually to make a point as in Hofstadter's 'Holism/Reductionism' pictures. ... You said that there wasn't much on the net about micrography; I just typed 'hebrew micrography' into google and got loads of stuff, some of it quite good."

There you go; My thick-headedness -- not even _thinking_ of typing "Hebrew micrography" instead of "Jewish micrography"! -- was the problem. I followed Jonathan's good example, and it led me down interesting paths (including the amazing "Ascii Art and Its Antecedents" website at atar.mscc.huji.ac.il/~msdanet/ cyberpl@y/asciiart.html). Here are a few samples from Leila Arvin at http:// www.jhom.com/topics/letters/micrography.html (which I recommend reading in full):

"Micrography is minute script written into abstract patterns or formed into the shape of objects, animals or human figures. ... The uniqueness of micrography as a Jewish art form lies not only in its origins, but also in its continued existence. Handed down from one scribe to another, generation after generation.... "

"In Europe from the 18th century, micrographic pictures portraying biblical or symbolic subjects related to holidays or prayers were written on parchment or paper and were intended to be hung in homes. Small bodies of benedictions for special occasions were also commissioned from scribes. In the 18th century micrographic portraits of royalty began to appear; in the 19th century rabbis, authors and leading Zionists were popular subjects, as were biblical scenes and holy sites in Jerusalem. Micrographers began to appear in England, France, Holland, Russia and Poland as well, and toward the end of the century the art was brought to America and North Africa... Scribes and printers quickly began to realize the potential of the lithographic press for inexpensive reproduction and dissemination of micrography. In the late 20th century Jewish scribes and calligraphers continued to practice the art, introducing new subjects and finding creative applications of this ancient art form."

I haven't yet had time to go to the "Ascii Art" set and follow the links to find out whether the ascii (computer) characters have been/are being used to create religious art -- but I will. I see no reason why they shouldn't be.

QUOTES & COMMENTS

1. From _Terror in the Mind of God_, by Mark Juergensmeyer (Univ. of CA Press 2000), on page 149:

"...[I]f one's goal is not harmony but the empowerment that comes from using violence, it is in one's interest to be in a state of war. In such cases, war is not only the context for violence but also the excuse for it. War provides a reason to be violent. This is true even if the worldly issues at heart in the dispute do not seem to warrant such a ferocious position."

_War provides a reason to be violent_. Precisely. And that is one of the problems with metaphor of "spiritual warfare"; it's so difficult to avoid the semantic contamination from nonspiritual warfare.

2. From "My Word," by Mark Oppenheimer, writing about Zondervan's _Teen Devotional Bible_ on pp. 50-51 of the 5/01 _Harper's_, on page 50:

"This Bible is made especially for teens. The translation itself is not new; the biblical text used here is the New International Version.... The 'teen' element asserts itself in the bewildering visuals -- including a psychotropic color scheme, and a freaked-out, bell-bottomed icon (visible on the spine) -- and the pandering supplemental material. For each biblical book, a two-page spread introduces the 'Cast of Characters' and gives 'Snap Shots' of the major elements of the story (Genesis Chapter 1-5: 'God creates a really cool world'; 'The humans mess it up bad'). Explanatory sections called 'What's Up with That?' and 'Huh?' use excited teen slang to gloss scriptural passages -- like the Song of Songs, which, we are told, is a dialogue between 'Solomon and his love-muffin.' "

Mercy; ten points to Zondervan for not providing a _translation_ made up of teen slang. But I am surprised by that "Solomon and his love-muffin." When I was a child, our Bible study at my Baptist church skipped the Song of Songs entirely, and you got in trouble if you asked why; when I was a teenager, we were told that the Song of Songs was a dialogue "between Christ and his Church." Shows you how old and quaint I am.

3. "Critics who insist the church is full of hot air finally have their proof: British entrepreneur Mike Gill has introduced the world's first (and hopefully last) inflatable church. Forty-seven feet high and complete with blow-up organ, altar, pulpit, pews, candies, and 'stained glass' windows, the bouncy house of worship is meant for weddings and can be rented for $5,700."

This is from "Hyperventilating for the Lord," a sidebar from Rose Marie Berger and Kate Bowman on page 11 of the 3-4/03 issue of _Sojourners_ ; the authors think the inflatable church is also "suitable for street theater." Thanks to Pat Mathews for the copy.
4. Douglas Dee sent me the Fall 2002 issue of a publication called _The Latin Mass: A Journal of Catholic Culture_. It has an article by Leo Darroch on pp. 6-11, titled "Men: The Great Casualties of the Liturgical Reform." Darroch's thesis is that the reason most Catholic parish congregations now consist mostly of women and small children (few boys among them) is the language -- verbal and nonverbal -- of the contemporary mass. Samples...

"Is it not ironic and tragic that our Church was founded by a man (the Son of God), was led initially by 12 men specially selected by the Son of God, that its priesthood is open only to men, that its seminaries were built to house the training of men for the priesthood, and yet its modern liturgy is so anathema to men and boys that they want nothing to do with it?" (page 7)

"Men are uncomfortable with a touchy-feely type of liturgy. The male of the species is more at home with things that are formal, historical, and classical. ... Men and boys react positively to the dignity, order, and inherent respect that are embodied in the traditional liturgy. Denying them this liturgy... is a cruel and vindictive policy that is deliberately emptying our churches of a male presence...." (page 9)

The details of this controversy aren't familiar to me, so I went to Google for more information; I found a number of links to documents at http://olrl.org/new_mass.html. [The most surprising item (to me) was this line from "Why in Latin?" at http://olrl.org/new_mass/whylatin.html: "Variety of languages is a punishment, a consequence of sin; it was inflicted by God that the human race might be dispersed over the face of the earth."] Your input would be welcome, especially if you can shed some light on the claim that the new liturgy is driving men away.

5. From "Laws Concerning Food and Drink; Household Principles; Lamentations of the Father," by Ian Frazier, pp. 89-90 of the 2/97 _Atlantic Monthly_; on page 90:

"O my children, you are disobedient. For when I tell you what you must do, you argue and dispute hotly even in the littlest detail; and when I do not accede, you cry out, and hit and kick. Yes, and even sometimes do you spit, and shout 'stupid-head' and other blasphemies, and hit and kick the wall and the molding thereof when you are sent to the corner. And though the law teaches that no one shall be sent to the corner for more minutes than he has years of age, yet I would leave you there all day, so mighty am I in anger. But upon being sent to the corner you ask straightaway, 'Can I come out?' and I reply, 'No, you may not come out.' And again you ask, and again I give the same reply. But when you ask again a third time, then you may come out."

Always worth reading again, in the entirety thereof.

6. My thanks to Sally Lloyd for "The Healing Power of Prayer Is Tested By Science," by Joseph Pereira, in the 12/20/95 _Wall Street Journal_. We've already mentioned and discussed in this newsletter most of what Pereira says (not suprising, given the date), but one thing caught my eye as I was reviewing the file -- this closing paragraph:

"Even if this and other studies indicate the efficacy of prayer, some of the faithful will be unimpressed. Samuel Solivan, a conservative Christian and professor of theology at Andover Newton Theological School... says, 'Many people from my school of faith will say this type of healing is not from God but from the devil.' "

Now that surprises me. I'm sorry Prof. Solivan didn't go on to explain what he meant and why. Your input would be welcome.

7. Many years ago, in an earlier version of this newsletter, I asked the Network for a clear definition of the spiritual practice known as the "negative way" (via negativa); the responses that I got then were all of the "I can't define it, but I know it when I see it" variety. (And I understand why.) I was therefore very pleased to see this more useful explanation in the Winter 2002-3 issue of _Image_ ["The End of Language: Art and the Ineffable," by Wayne L. Roosa, pp. 97-112; on page 108]:

"By a thorough saying of what God is not, the senses and mind ultimately shed every image based in the physical world... Saying all that God is not brings one to the end of knowledge; one has nothing left except what God is, and that cannot be spoken."

Roosa then goes on to write about the opposite practice, the via positiva, on the same page:

"It operates not through the elimination of images because each is weak, but rather through the embracing of a veritable 'republic of images.' While no single metaphor can bear enough richness, a plethora of metaphors achieves a kind of critical mass, a certain calculus of signs which, in their abundance, evoke what is greater than they."

8. Here is one final item from that same issue of _Image_ (from a poem about Adam and Eve and their fall titled "This World, Not the Next," by Lance Larsen), on page 60:

"...and when they fell
into knowing, God folded the garden and hid it
deep inside the woman, but commanded
the man to tend it. ...."

_Image_ is wonderful; I recommend it. You can see what it's like, read excerpts, see art, and more, at its website: http://www.imagejournal.org.

CYBERSPACE

1. _PCA News_ for 3/13/03 had a brief note about military chaplains (commenting on _National Review's_ 3/10/03 cover story, "God and Soldiers: On the Power and Faith of the Chaplain Corps"). It includes this line, quoted from Father Vincent J. Inghilterra, military chaplain for 34 years: "We chaplains bring the presence of God into every situation, so that wherever our soldiers find themselves, they are not devoid of God."

Notice that wording -- "so that... they are not devoid of God." It seems very strange to me, but I can't decide why.

2. And from _PCA News_ for 3/26/03, a very interesting item titled "Europeans Debate God's Place in Future Constitution":

"After sparring over Iraq, European countries have stumbled on another roadblock toward forging a larger, more integrated union: God. Or, more precisely, God, religion and spirituality -- three words that may, or may not, be included in the continent's future constitution. The matter has cobbled strange alliances among European Union members and candidate countries. Delegates from Poland and Germany -- at odds over military action against Baghdad -- are united in pushing for a religious reference in the text, which Islamic Turkey and Roman Catholic France oppose. ... 'There's no need for the future constitution to mention our religious heritage,' a French diplomat said. (From Religious News Service)"
3. _Religion Bookline_ for 2/19/03 reports that Tyndale House has contracted with Tekno Books to create "a three-book military thriller line and a three-book political thriller series based on Left Behind" with "a possible third series with a supernatural/angels angle" under discussion. The first military installment will be called 'Apocalypse Dawn,' the first political title will be 'State Secrets,' and each of those titles will have a first printing of 250,000 copies.

In the same issue: "For the millions of Americans who do believe in the Rapture, there's 'Are You Rapture Ready?' (Dutton, June), a self-help handbook that offers advice about how to prepare for it ... by Terry James, a frequent writer about biblical prophecy, and Todd Strandberg, creator of the Web site www.RaptureReady.com, which receives more than 300,000 visitors per month."

4. The 1/21/03 issue of _Religion Bookline_ also devoted a great deal of space to the _Left Behind_ publishing phenomenon, and -- considering what's reported -- it's no wonder. The _Left Behind_ website, it says, has 575,000 registered users and gets half a million visits per month. There's now a Left Behind Prophecy Club, a $3.95-a-month subscription site offering "a weekly e-newsletter analyzing world events in relationship to biblical prophecy, with commentary from prophecy experts."

Co-author Jerry Jenkins has set up a Christian Writers Guild, the goal of which he states as follows: "We're trying to re-seed the pond of Christian writers." Which leads me to believe that however much Jenkins may know about biblical prophecy, he knows nothing at all about ponds.

5. I've mentioned the "Bible Code" books and controversy a number of times in this newsletter; I only just learned (at BibleCodeDigest.com) that there is an International Torah Code Society, with an annual conference in Jerusalem.

6. Kate Gladstone sent me the address for a webpage on "Frontier Theology," by Wes Seeliger, at http://servant.org/pa_ft.htm. Seeliger divides Frontier Theology into two metaphors -- "Settler" and "Pioneer"; then he develops parts of the metaphors (the church, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the Christian, the clergyman, the bishop) and contrasts them. For example: In Settler Theology, the church is the courthouse, it runs the town, and it is "the settler's symbol of law, order, stability, and most important -- security." In Pioneer Theology, the church is the covered wagon, always on the move, "where the action is," off to explore a new world. In Settler Theology, God is the mayor; in Pioneer Theology, God is the trail boss. (Seeliger is the author of a book on this topic -- a book I haven't seen.)

Because (a) metaphors operate as perceptual filters and affect human behavior directly, and (b) bringing up any substantial part of a metaphor brings all the rest of it to mind, this sort of analysis is almost always useful. When done thoroughly and applied to real-world circumstances, it can clarify behavior that would otherwise be difficult to understand and might lead to communication breakdown. Disagreement within a religious group is almost sure to arise if some members perceive the church as the embodiment of stability and order and security while others perceive it as the embodiment of action and adventure and exploration. Such situations are more easily understood and discussed by using metaphors as a framework for "reasoning together" than by any other method.

While I'm here, here's someone who perceives the Catholic chuch as more like a courthouse, writing on pp. 63-64 of the 6/17/02 _Time_. Andrew Sullivan titles his essay "Who Says the Church Can't Change?" -- but this is what he writes:

"For those of us who grew up in the techno-accelerated modern world, the church has long been a source of stability, permanence, transcendence. I remember the feelings of my childhood, when my local Catholic church was the only place I felt connected to something truly profound. ... [It was] a refuge and a beacon, a rebuke to the chatter and trivia and destabilizing noise of the world outside and beyond. And the knowledge that these rituals, these words, these miracles, had been going on for centuries and centuries, reaching back to small groups of confused followers in the aftermath of the Resurrection, only intensified the awe I felt and still feel." (on page 63)

7. From linguist George Lakoff's _Metaphors of Terror_, online at http://www.press.uchicago.edu/News/911lakoff.html:

"The use of the word 'evil' in the [Bush] administration's discourse works in the following way. ... Evil is inherent, an essential trait, that determines how you will act in the world. Evil people do evil things. ... There can be no social causes of evil, no religious rationale for evil, no reasons or arguments for evil. ... Good and evil are locked in a battle, which is conceptualized metaphorically as a physical fight in which the stronger wins. Only superior strength can defeat evil, and only a show of strength can keep evil at bay. Not to show overwhelming strength is immoral, since it will induce evildoers to perform more evil deeds because they'll think they can get away with it. To oppose a show of superior strength is therefore immoral."

This set of reality statements is the contemporary worldview of spiritual warfare. Lakoff fits it into the meta-metaphor "Moral Is Up; Immoral Is Down," plus "Immoral People Are Animals," animals "that live close to the ground." I don't think that's good enough. Not while puppies and kittens live low to the ground and museums put snakes on display for their beauty. Not while tornados come swooping down out of the sky. I think "Immoral People Are Vermin" is closer, but it's still not right. (The fact that I can't figure out what it ought to be is not surprising, perhaps, since I'm a pacifist)

8. _Religion Bookline_ for 10/23/01 had a brief review of the _African-American Heritage Hymnal_, edited by Delores Carpenter and Nolan E. Williams. The hymnal is described as "the first ever to offer musical notations that reflect African-American styles of worship. The music is written the way it is characteristically sung, resulting in some unusual harmonies, rhythms, and responses. The hymnal has a strong liturgical focus, laying out a new sacred calendar that begins with Emancipation Day (January 1) and carries worshippers through the year, including special Sundays to celebrate African-American martyrs, literature, achievements in science and families. The liturgical calendar ends with Kwanzaa and a Watch Night Service."

9. This is "Sacred Instructions," by Frank Decontie and Spiritual Elder William Commanda, online at http://www.nativevillage.org/InspirationSacred%20Instruct ions.htm:

"A. To Take Care of Mother Earth and the other 3 colors of Man.
B. To Respect this Mother Earth and Creation.
C. To Honor All life, and to support that Honor.
D. To be Grateful from the heart for All life. It is through life that there is Survival. Thank the Creator at All times for All life.
E. To Love and express that love.
F. To be Humble. Humility is the gift of wisdom and understanding.
G. Kindness. To be Kind with oneself and with others.
H. Sharing. The Sharing of feelings and personal concerns and commitments.
I. Honesty. To be Honest with oneself and with others.
J. To be Responsible for those Sacred Instructions and to administer those Instructions to other Nations."

10. From _Religion Bookline_ for 4/22/03, "In Today's World, the Spiritual Is Political," by Marcia Z. Nelson:

"As war and global issues dominate headlines, new and recent books on religion and international politics are timely enough to make not only current affairs tables in bookstores but the warehouse aisles at Costco." [Among the titles mentioned: _Spiritual Perspectives on America's Role as Superpower_, by Ira Rifkin; _Subverting Greed: Religious Perspectives on the Global Economy_, edited by Paul Knitter and Chandra Muzaffar; _God's Rule: The Politics of World Religions_, edited by Jacob Neusner; _The Sacred and the Sovereign: Religion and International Politics_, edited by John D. Carlson and Erik C. Owens.

11. The 4/22/03 _Religion Bookline_ also had a very positive review of _The Islamic Year: Surahs, Stories and Celebrations_, by Noorah al-Gailani and Chris Smith:

"Finally! ... Aimed at school-age children and their parents, it is loaded with activities, crafts, recipes and stories to help children understand the meaning behind holiday traditions. ... The book is imaginatively structured around the life of the prophet Muhammad, with holidays arranged as they relate to the prophet's life and work: his birth, his ascension, etc. ... Not just for Muslims, this book offers helpful and accessible information for non-Muslim educators and parents who are interested in interfaith understanding. The appendices include a glossary and a section of suggestions for teachers."

12. Internet sites to check out: The Center on Conscience and War (CCW) site, devoted to the needs of conscientious objecters, at http://www.nisbco.org; the Relevant Magazine website, at http://www.relevantmagazine.com, described as "a daily updated website covering God, life and progressive culture"; the "Jainism: Jain Principles, Tradition, and Practices" site at http://www.cs.colostate.edu/ ~malaiya/jainhlinks.html (Jainism has over 4 million adherents and is one of the oldest religions).

ANNOUNCEMENT AND REQUEST

Announcement:
I'm now writing a free (and brief) e-mail-only Peacetalk 101 Newsletter, as an experiment for 2003. The first issue was mailed April 2, 2003; the rest of this year's issues will be arriving around the first of June, August, October, and December. I don't pretend to know how this newsletter will develop or if it will continue into 2004; that will depend on its readers and on Providence. If you'd like to be on the mailing list, just send me an e-mail saying so, and I'll add your name and send you the April issue.

Request:
Many of you read _Peacetalk 101_ while it was available on the Lovingkindness website, or have read it now in the print version. There is something that you could do for me that would be very helpful: You could post a review of the book at amazon.com. A review doesn't have to be lengthy or detailed; just a sentence or two -- positive or negative -- would be fine. Thank you.

TO JOIN A NETWORK AND RECEIVE ITS NEWSLETTER: Send newsletter title, your e-mail address, and your check, money order, or credit card information (for Visa or Mastercard) to OCLS, PO Box 1137, Huntsville, AR 72740-1137 USA. The newsletters are: _The Linguistics & Science Fiction Newsletter_; _The Religious Language Newsletter_; and _The Verbal Self-Defense Newsletter_. Each $5.00 a year ($15.00 Supporting) for the six issues of the calendar year, by e-mail only, advertising-free. For more information or a free sample issue, e-mail OCLS@madisoncounty.net.

Return to Content Page