Three Former Leaders of Exodus Apologize

As the "ex-gay" ministry met nearby in Irvine, CA, they cited the psychological harm they caused through their activities.

Three former leaders of Exodus International, often described as the nation's largest ex-gay ministry, publicly apologized Wednesday for the harm they said their efforts had caused many gays and lesbians who believed the group's message that sexual orientation could be changed through prayer.

You can read the entire article over at the LA Times website.

[thanks to Jared from Scribere Orare Est]

Texas Flood

Pray for us here, as there are eleven dead in Texas floods, and more rain expected [via CNN.com].

Well theres floodin' down in Texas....all of the telephone lines are down
Well theres floodin' down in Texas....all of the telephone lines are down
And I've been tryin' to call my baby....Lord and I can't get a single sound

Stevie Ray Vaughan's Texas Flood

How Open Minded Are You?

Well, since Eileen seems to be on a blogthings kick today...

You Are 72% Open Minded

You are a very open minded person, but you're also well grounded. Tolerant and flexible, you appreciate most lifestyles and viewpoints. But you also know where you stand firm, and you can draw that line. You're open to considering every possibility - but in the end, you stand true to yourself.

How Open Minded Are You?

Mmmm...Baaaacon

Is there anything which smells better than bacon frying in the morning ? (esp. if you're out camping ?) Do you miss the way bacon used to taste ?

Well fear not! The best bacon available can be yours. The New Braunfels Smokehouse has their Comal Co. sliced bacon available to ship anywhere, and it's even on sale right now (as of June, 2007).

The Smokehouse has been a mecca for me since childhood, when we timed our trips from Austin to visit my grandmother in San Antonio so that we'd hit New Braunfels for breakfast. The town is in that part of central Texas called the Hill Country, which was settled by German immigrants in the 19th cent., and the whole area is known for its excellent smoked meats and sausages.

So do your Atkins Diet a favor, or just pamper your inner carnivore, and head on over to the Smokehouse for some sublime bacon, smoked sausage, jerky, or other meaty treat.

How Republican Are You?

You Are 12% Republican

If you have anything in common with the Republican party, it's by sheer chance. You're a staunch liberal, and nothing is going to change that!

How Republican Are You?

[via MoCat]

The Five Things I Dig About Jesus Meme

Eileen tagged me with the latest blog "meme," Five Things I Dig About Jesus.

1. Those tagged will share 5 Things They Dig About Jesus.
2. Those tagged will tag 5 people.
3. Those tagged will leave a link to their meme in the comments section of this post so everyone can keep track of what’s being posted.

So here goes, I dig that...

1. Jesus was fully human, as well as fully divine. That gets overlooked way too often.
2. Jesus was a radical ! As opposed to the religious hierarchy of his day (the Pharisees), the occupying foreign power in the region (the Romans), and to the "we want a warrior king" expectations the Jews had of the Messiah.
3. Jesus spent an awful lot of time telling us things that are in opposition to the modern day Religious Right. Like "judge not, lest thee be judged," and "take care of the poor, the widow, the orphan" (Ooooo! a social gospel! how awful ;)
4. Jesus had a sense of humor.
5. Jesus spent so much time showing outsiders that they weren't excluded from the Kingdom. Prostitutes, the chronically ill, tax collectors...heck, he probably even welcomed Lberals! (mercy!)

OK, I tag:

Fr. Jake
Fr. Bill Carroll
Dennis
Jared Cramer
Fr. Mike from my parish ;)

Hillary Equals France ?

New rule: conservatives have to stop rolling their eyes every time they hear the word France. Like just calling something French is the ultimate argument winner. "Aw, you want a health-care system that covers everybody and costs half as much? You mean like they have in France? What's there to say about a country that was too stupid to get on board with our wonderfully conceived and brilliantly executed war in Iraq?"

---Bill Maher in Newsweek International's
Hillary Equals France

You need to read the whole thing. It's a wonderful screed by the comedian behind Comedy Central's Politically Incorrect.

QotD for 18 June, 2007

In the spirit of the Mad Priest's Thought of the Day posts, may I offer...

With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion.

---Steven Weinberg,
Nobel Prize winner (Physics),
in The New York Times, April 20, 1999

How Nerdy are You ?

96% scored lower (less nerdy).

(sigh)... But at least I clean up fairly well ;)

[via Eileen]

QotD for 9 June, 2007

I am particularly unconcerned with the sexual activities of my fellow human beings as long as nobody is being hurt. But the fact I have just eaten a chicken sandwich at the same time as somebody died of starvation scares the shit of of me.

--- the Mad Priest