Reflections on the spiritual journey in today's world, from a fellow traveler...
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Bill Moyers interview with Jeremiah Wright
Rev. Jeremiah Wright, a gifted pastor, deeply committed to social justice and ministries of compassion to "the least of these" in our world, as many of us know, has become the target of right-wing (and even some left-of-center) sound-bite political flame wars. In the age of viral video, those couple of 15 second clips have been held up out of context, twisted and referred to ad nauseum by those trying to somehow pull Barrack Obama down through some sort of guilt-by-association scheme (if that is the standard to judge the next president, then McCain and Clinton are both in deep trouble, by the way). Anyway... enough of my commentary for now- The entire interview will air on PBS on Moyers show this week- (here in Philly it is Friday 4/25 at 9:30pm).
In the meantime, check out these insightful video interview segments of Bill Moyers' interview with Rev. Jeremiah Wright (or click HERE to view it at Moyers' PBS site):
This would be even funnier if it were not so close to the truth...
Here is Saturday Night Live's latest spoof of the 2008 presidential campaign, and the posturing for the media that occurred recently in General David Petraeus' recent report to congress...
Oh my...
;-)
Also- my apologies about the commercial at the end- please disregard the advertising...
Randy Pausch, distinguished scholar, professor and innovator of "virtual reality" technology recently learned that he has life-threatening pancreatic cancer, with likely 3-6 months to live. He is just 47 and has a wife and three very young children. Instead of feeling sorry for himself and sinking into self-pity, as many of us would, he is teaching us all how to live like every moment matters. Watch his "Last Lecture" and hear his powerfully moving story:
Randy Pausch's "Last Lecture"
Randy, as he mentions in his last lecture, did not do it for us, or to be courageous, or even for himself. Rather he did it (the last lecture) for his children, so they would better know and remember him and understand what he had learned in life and found to be meaningful and important.
The "Last Lecture" video has been out for a while, but there was a follow up story that appeared on ABC last night- here is a link:
Dr. King's Legacy of Social Justice: 40 Years later
As many of us may know, Friday, April 4th, was the 40th anniversary of that fateful day when Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, jr., civil rights leader, preacher, activist and pacifist was shot dead at a hotel in Memphis, TN while in town to meet with striking garbage workers- the very next day after delivering his "I've Been to the Mountaintop" message.
Then there is that courageously prophetic sermon in which Dr. King denounces the Vietnam War and boldly calls for peace, which I reflected upon last February:
I was not even born yet when this happened, but my parents have told me all about it- my father and his best friend drove from Philadelphia to attend Dr. King's viewing and funeral, and I have read many of his books and heard/watched a lot of his great speeches and sermons, as well as visiting his tomb, former church, Ebenezer Baptist, (where we worshiped that Sunday), and the national historic site in Atlanta, Georgia.
What are the books and/or speeches of Dr. King that have made the greatest impact on you?Here are a few of mine:
Several excellent books about Dr. King and his legacy that I have read are:
Pillar of Fire : America in the King Years 1963-65 (America in the King Years) Parting the Waters : America in the King Years 1954-63 (America in the King Years) At Canaan's Edge: America in the King Years, 1965-68 (America in the King Years)
And, of course, there is the U2 song "Pride: In the Name of Love," (featured above) that is dedicated to Dr. King
"One morning, April 4, shot rings out in the Memphis sky...these men that took your life, they could not take your pride. In the Name of Love- what more in the name of love?" (may not be exact words, but close- beside the point though)...What writings, speeches, or events from Dr. King impacted you, your life and your ministry most deeply??
I live in the suburbs of Philly, PA where I serve as a hospital chaplain. I am an avid reader, I love music in all its multitude of forms, and am an aspiring amateur jazz & blues guitarist. Thanks for stopping by!
