Jonestown confusion remains even after 30 years

Even thirty years after the mass murder and suicide in Jonestown, few details and reasons are any clearer. The sadness only lessens because of the natural fading of memories. Hopefully, history will keep enough of the story to prevent a repeat of the tragedy.


This article in the Washington Post gives a profound a personal reflection on Jonestown from 2008 perspective.

Modern politics and early Puritans

I greatly appreciate the wit and viewpoint of writer and commentator Sarah Vowell. A recent interview of hers was introduced this way: "Vowell's work investigates how American history is intertwined with our popular culture, often to amusing effect. Vowell recently sat down with Smithsonian Magazine to discuss her newest book, The Wordy Shipmates, which focuses on Puritan settlers in New England."

Vowell compares the early religious colonists of America with current political and religious issues. As she puts it, there is something in our "DNA" that we've inherited from those early settlers.

Christian reflection on the 2008 election

Jim Wallis, of Sojourners, shares his thoughts on the role of religion in the recent elections in this San Francisco Chronicle/SFGate interview.

Here is part of Wallis' comments, reflecting on his religious upbringing and his current outlook on religion and politics:

They basically said that Christianity has nothing to do with racism - "that's political, and our faith is personal." And that's the night that I left, when they told me that. They had a very privatized [notion of] faith, whereas I thought that the faith I was taught as a kid was for the world, not just for our inner lives, not just for our relationship with God. The kingdom of God breaks into the world and can change everything - spiritually, personally, socially, economically, and politically.

I came back to [Christianity] after many years in the civil rights and anti-war movements. I didn't have words to go around that then, but I do now, and they would be that God is personal but never private. And so my faith is very personal, but it's also public.

(Photo by joebeone; used by permission.)

Episcopalians continue to divide over gay issues

According to the New York Times, " the Fort Worth diocese amended its constitution to shift allegiance from the Episcopal Church to the Anglican Communion, its parent body." By doing so, the group of Texas Episcopalians has now affiliated with a more conservative province in South America until a similarly conservative province can be established in the U.S.

Suing God

Reading about suing God was just the impetus I needed to finally begin blogging about religion. (What else do you expect from someone with a religion degree and a law degree?)

Many people get angy at God for one reason or another during their lives. But isn't this taking it a bit too far? Slate.com reported of a former state senator in Nebraska suing God to end natural disasters. The case was dismissed on procedural grounds because the plaintiff did not serve notice on God. (In turn, the plaintiff claimed that God did indeed have notice because God is omniscient.)

This reminds me of a similar case from 1971 (United States ex rel Mayo v. Satan), where a man tried to sue Satan, alleging that Satan had "placed deliberate obstacles in his path and has caused plaintiff's downfall." Predictably, this case was dismissed on procedural grounds--the court did not have jurisdiction over Satan.

(Photo by Hrychowian; used by permission.)