WHAT HAPPENED?

WHAT HAPPENED? (5/31)

This is a review from memory and a few notes of the interview of Scott McClellan former White House Press secretary and one of the few direct insiders to the Bush administration. This is not new that former insiders tell all about their experience in a political administration that they served. McClellan dates back to his days with President Bush in Texas up to about 3 years ago when he left his position. The interviews that I saw were on NBC, MSNBC, and CNN. As this is being written he will be on an hour on Monday with Chris Mathews and HARDBALL.

One of the first questions deals with the money from the book. McClellan indicated the timing was to be earlier but there were complications with editing and the WHITE HOUSE had a chance to review it for any top secret material that was to be omitted.

Second, what is the Bush administration like? Unlike the Clinton administration that was constantly in a mess, Bush’s folks are organized and highly segmented. It is harder to get information from other departments. Bush is smart but not in terms of vision, seeing other options, or introspection. He is a very concrete thinker. Once his decision is made, information is garnered to support it. Others then make adjustments to those observations. Vice President Cheney is incredibly powerful, but it is hard to see him making direct commands to anyone. He is powerful and invisible. Secretary of State

Condi Rice enables and is able to keep her finger prints off of decisions.

Third, how can he have direct knowledge of some of the charges when he was likely not to be there? He was there in many instances, he replies and the rest is second hand but verified by more than one person.

Fourth, the law and the constitution were violated for higher purposes of 9/11. By the end of 9/12 Richard Clarke noted in a post interview after McClellan, the administration wanted to hit back hard. It first went to Afghanistan and was successful. HOWEVER, Iraq was raised and many were puzzled because WMD’s would not likely kill off the United States with its numerous nuclear war heads.

Fifth, the Liberal media was weak and not inquisitive enough. Although he didn’t say it, they were afraid that any question from them could elicit a great deal of financial loss or physical harm.

I plan to read the book and will make a more complete review at that time.

U.U. WORLD (SUMMER/ 2008)27-30

This Present Paradise/ Brock and Parker

Christianity has changed over 2,000 years. Around 300 CE, the trinity was established. Sometime in the last of the 1st thousand years, Christianity became a church of peace to a church of peace and war. Charlemagne conquered the Saxons and in their bitterness, Jesus became crucified. Before that he was the son of God who worked miracles and brought about peace among humans. Large Catholic Churches built before 1,000 years did not have the crucifixion rather a 3 tiered wall with the earth, heaven, and the great beyond. There was a universalist approach that making the best of the earth was a way to open the gates to heaven for oneself and others.

After Charlemagne, there was the glorified body and blood of Christ and some statues were indeed so bloodied that a new impression came about. Life and the earth were to be suffered and one looked to the afterlife for any paradise at all. Christianity could now back the Crusades.

3 in 1.000/Higgins

U.U.’S are rare. In the U.S.A.  Pew Research noted that those claiming to be U.U.’s were about 650,000. However, there are only 130,000 who maintain any contact with a church or the internet or the Church of the Larger Fellowship. The very nature of being a doctrine less church allows for solo worship and hyper-individuation.

Overall, Unitarian-Universalisms have members with the most money per annum, highest education level, and an older population.  U.U’s are not into proselytizing. They would prefer to stay within themselves.

Further, new studies show that Americans are religious in terms of being more religious that other western democracies, but they are fluid. They may switch denominations or change to another world religion. Even among evangelicals, there are switches. Doctrine in the strictest sense is less important than the minister and her ability to attract members.

One of the things that are over looked in this article is that many people do honor the Sabbath at home. Both wife and husband work all week and they want to nest on the week end.  They may watch a service on cable or the internet or have a home service. Most pray to God for help and inspiration. However, they may avoid church because they want to withdraw from people.

Other than certain churches, cable and the internet, may be the best investment in terms of members. Additionally, short homilies or sermons with just one idea could serve many churches. Thus a morning service or mass is taped with the pews perhaps empty, but the masses who watch are also part of the congregation. A half an hour service is prefereable to an hour service.

There are many latent functions of church going that do not appeal to suburbanites. First, many years ago in Agrarian America, church was one of the few places you saw other people. Additionally, many community functions were centered on the church. Today, it is the reverse.

Wilson/ 56-57

Transcendentalism is the major force that changed Unitarian- Universalism from a Christian church to an eccelectic church. However, when the crosses came down so did membership.