----- Original Message ----- From: "Jeffrey Miller" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Brin-L" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, September 14, 2001 3:45 PM Subject: Re: Songs > [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > > > The full text of The Battle Hymn of the Republic was sung in full at the > > Memorial Service in the National Cathedral today. Very few people are > > familiar with the full text. I call your attention in particular to the > > third verse. I should also note that the _first_ sermon delivered at that > > service was by a Muslim cleric. I was at the Harvard memorial service > > today - sermons were delivered by Baptist, Catholic, Methodist, Islamic, > > Hindu, Buddhist, and Jewish clerics. That is how _we_ live up to our > > ideals in a crisis. > > What, no wiccans? > > Seriously, though, as someone who's not a member of any of the religions > you listed, I'm pretty well used to being ignored, but in a ceremony > very carefully orchestrated and choreographed (who ISN'T surprised they > had the Muslim cleric's service first?) I can't help but feel cynicism > about the whole thing - plastic packaged redemption and healing, > mass-marketed and targeted at the correct demographic. > > -j- > > Discount 95% of what I'm saying. I'm tired, cranky, and cynical over > the warmongering, the jingoistic press, the mosques being > vandalized/marched on, the fact that the US government is using the fear > in the air to grab at power... > > What power? Having Federal uniformed personnal instead of minimum wage folks at security? It was definately targeted, but I strongly favor that. How better to counter the vandalism at mosques than to have an imman give the first sermon. The real message that was given, is that we are all together in our pain and loss. Also, our confirmation class goes to Winsor Village Methodist church every year to experience their enthusiastic expression of faith. Dan M.
