Author Archives: Jen

About Jen

Jen isn't quite sure when she lost her mind, but it is probably documented here on Meditatio. She blogs because the world needs her snark at all hours of the night... and she probably can't sleep anyway.

Friday Five

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1. If you had the chance to meet someone you’ve never met, from the past or present, who would it be?
Probably someone like St. Macrina or Emily Dickinson.

2. If you had to live in a different century, past or future, which would it be?
During the bringing of the Gospel to Ireland in the 5th-7th centuries

3. If you had to move anywhere else on Earth, where would it be?
Ireland or British Columbia or Washington State

4. If you had to be a fictional character, who would it be?
Either Anne of Green Gables or Hermione Granger

5. If you had to live with having someone else’s face as your own for the rest of your life, whose would it be?
I don’t know because the face wouldn’t be my own and I’m kind of fond of my face.

Jen’s Daily Fisking

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Some Thoughts on Democrats and Liberals and the War Protesting Going On

My response:
Re: your first paragraph: What we’re doing is also against the charter of the U.N., which governs disputes between nations. I see no reason why we shouldn’t be at war if all diplomatic efforts had been exhausted. However… they hadn’t. I have yet to see the Iraqis meet with *anyone* on this issue in talks. There’s also the fact that *none* of our tips to the weapons inspectors paid off, so unless Bush wants to argue human rights (which he really hasn’t mentioned in depth yet and this scares me because it *is* compelling — he just hasn’t looked at it yet), we have no legitimate reason for being over there.

Re: your comment that protestors are a bunch of psychos: Rush Limbaugh isn’t the best source to quote because he has an agenda. (Stick to news sites, not talking heads whose bark is bigger than their bite.) I’m protesting this war and I don’t support Saddam in the least. This ain’t a black and white issue.

Re; Rachel Corrie: Israel has committed quite a few human rights atrocities and it irritates me how people automatically assume that all Palestinians are Muslim fundamentalists when quite a few are Christians. (Tears down that “us” and “them” argument real fast, doesn’t it?) I applaud Rachel for standing up for what she believes in because she believed that the Israelis were wrong. *I* believe that the Israelis were wrong — I had classes on this conflict alone as a Religious Studies major in college. I’ve looked at both sides of the issue and both sides have made some big mistakes.

And for the record, I am a Democrat and a “liberal” (though back home I’m a “conservative” — interesting how labels shift depending on the company one keeps). I am morally certain, I don’t hate conservatism, I think capitalism has problems but we can work with them, I don’t hate people who have a clear idea of right and wrong, and I trust people who are confident in their faith and opinions… because I am one. I do, however, dislike those who generalize about others based on the rantings of people like Limbaugh, O’Reilly, Hannity, and their leftist equivalents.

So… I think I’ll echo Drina: quite a bit of unnecessary hostility going on here against Democrats and liberals. And you complain that I’m a little hostile toward Bush?

At least he didn’t say “they hate us because we’re free”.

Various Thoughts on the War

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Here are some people who have sentiments that I share on this issue:

Ron Silliman:
No message for today. I??m too sick at heart at the impending onset of the war. It really is the end of a United States that was conceived on the basis of some very grand ideas not so far from here 227 years ago, replaced by a thug state committed only to bullying the world into submission. Such an endeavor cannot long endure.

Krissy:
[Quote from CNN]: “At the White House, officials said that just before Bush addressed the nation, he pumped his fist, winked, and said ‘I feel good.’ He then delivered his address, which lasted four minutes.”

[Krissy]: I worry that his reasons for fighting this war aren’t the same ones he told us. I think he may be fighting this war for war’s sake, especially after reading that comment. How can you feel good about this kind of thing?

I just cannot feel good about this war. I will pray for the soldiers over there and I will pray for peace. I just really feel like Bush is telling us it’s to rid Iraq of Hussein because he has the weapons of mass destruction but I feel also like Bush wants a war to bring glory to himself. I mean… there’s another obvious reason for this war that he hasn’t mentioned: the human rights abuses by Iraq. Mike of This Classical Life actually *tells* about this here. [Warning, it is graphic and I chose not to post it on this site for that reason. Well… that and I really didn’t want to be seeing it every time I had to do archives.]

Kyrie eleison. Christe eleison. Dona nobis pacem. Amen.

Outrage

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Anyone else disturbed about this? I can’t think of anything more anti-Resurrection message than an Easter basket with plastic assault rifles in it, can you?

Prayer Time for Blogs4God

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Blogs4God Day of Prayer for the Impending War

For those who need some help praying, here are a few collects to get your started c/o the Lutheran Book of Worship:

Almighty God, all thoughts of truth and peace come from you. Kindle in the hearts of all your children the love of peace, and guide with your wisdom the leaders of the nations, so that your kingdom will go forward in peace and the earth will be filled with the knowledge of your love; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Almighty God, heavenly Father, guide the nations of the world into ways of justice and truth, and establish among them that peace which is the fruit of righteousness, that they may become the kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

O God, it is your will to hold both heaven and earth in a single peace. Let the design of your great love shine on the waste of our wraths and sorrows, and give peace to your Church, peace among the nations, peace in our homes, and peace in our hearts; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Lord, keep this nation under your care. Bless the leaders of our land, that we may be a people at peace among ourselves and a blessing to other nations of the earth. Help us elect trustworthy leaders, contribute to widecisions for the general welfare, and thus serve you faithfully in our generation to the honor of your holy name, through jesus Christ our Lord.

O God, the Lord of all, your Son commanded us to love our enemies and to pray for them. Lead us from prejudice to truth; deliver us from hatred, cruelty, and revenge; and enable us to stand before you, reconciled through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

And all God’s children said… AMEN!

Job Search

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I heard from the moderator of the church where I interviewed. They filled the position. Am I hurt? Yes. Am I pissed off? Yes. Do I understand why I didn’t get the job? Uh huh. I was honest and tried to paint the fact that I am outta here in 5 months as best I could; but the reality is that I’m only here for a short while more. They said I was the most qualified one to apply but they kept grilling me on how long I’d be there.

I’m printing and sending 5 more resumés today. Maybe I’ll get an interview granted for one and maybe that’s the job God wants me to have. I am not feeling called at this point to crawl back on my hands and knees to Drug Emporium, nor am I feeling called to apply to Wendy’s for 5 months.

Oh yes… the next person who says “Well… maybe God has something better for you” will be shot. Thank you.

The Food War

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I posted a link to someone’s comments on the whole “freedom fries” thing in my Livejournal. It’s a bit too crass to post in this journal but I still think it’s an interesting commentary on the subject.

France has joined in the food war. Go to Bretzel for Bush and donate pretzels (or “bretzels” — the root word of our English word) to send to Bush. It’s liturgically appropriate as they *are* Lenten food.

Canada has just announced that unless we get a U.N. Resolution to turn Baghdad into a glass parking lot, they’re not going to help us. I’m wondering this… are they going to re-name Canadian bacon something else…. like “ham”? They better not recall all their Tim Hortons from here! (We have two in Newark alone.)