An East Village Studio Apartment
“The East Village Studio renovation addresses the client’s desire for multi-purpose living space. While the footprint of the apartment is minimal, meticulously detailed millwork conceals extensive amounts of storage and shelving; thereby maximizing floor space.” – vectroave
Without doubt, this is the coolest studio apartment I have ever seen, personally. I lived in a studio in Hollywood, CA for a year or so and it was not even close to being as cool as this East Village Studio Apartment. In fact, I hated that little box I occupied in Hollywood. It was terrible. I hated it. That said, I would love living in the East Village version! It’s such a creative use of space and simplicity. It’s cool.
I never thought I would actually say that I would live in a Studio apartment ever again, but I would move into this studio without hesitation. What more would you need, really?
You can see more photos of this creative and classy studio at vectroave.
Injustice Cannot Defeat Injustice
Leading Islamic scholars are speaking out against terrorism, extremism, and violence in a YouTube video titled “Beware Believers: Injustice Cannot Defeat Injustice”. Sure, there is a fanatically violent and terroristic expression embedded within Islam, but that doesn’t mean that Islam itself is violent and terroristic. In fact, all faiths are at times misinterpreted, misrepresented, and maligned by extremists who call themselves devoted adherents of the faith.
We would do well to not stereotype entire faiths as a result of the unfortunate actions of a few extremists who call themselves people of faith.
Watch and listen to the Muslim Scholars make their case against extremism, violence, hatred, and terror within Islam.
“Islam teaches a balance in all of our affairs, so it’s not a religion that’s amenable to extremism and because of that you don’t see Allaah, subhana wa ta’ala, giving success to the advocates of extremism, to the advocates of indiscriminate violence, to the advocates of killing civilians. Where are they successful? Where are they successful? You just see one mess after another, one mess after another. And it’s time for us to start cleaning up those messes, and even going beyond that, it’s time for us to begin to contribute to the construction of something beautiful.” – Imam Zaik Shakir
Don’t Shop for Figs at Best Buy!
Why do we waste so much of our precious time looking for the important things in life in all of the wrong places when what we really need to do is acknowledge the fact that we often look in the wrong places for the things we need?
Some places don’t have what you are looking for and some people don’t have what you need. Got it? Good.
We would save ourselves much time, energy, and personal frustration if we would only acknowledge and act decisively upon this everyday truth. Continue reading
Desiderius Erasmus’ Praise of Folly
Could God have taken on the nature of a woman, or the devil, or an ass, or a cucumber, or perhaps a piece of flint? I wonder then how the cucumber would have preached, performed miracles, and been nailed to the cross?
The late medieval period of the Catholic Church can be best described with two words: severely fraudulent. Writers during this unfortunate period in Christian history were seeking a drastic and absolutely necessary reformation from the top down. In other words, they desired an ethical change in ecclesiastical leadership which would benefit the masses by making authentic faith – or what they thought was a more authentic expression of Christianity – available to them once again. These writers were not afraid to speak out against ecclesiastic indulgence, injustice, corruption, and folly. So, it goes without saying, much can be learned about late medieval Christianity through a perusing of the works of its staunchest critics.
Desiderius Erasmus, the prince of Humanism, as he is sometimes called, and Christian, launched a 1509 satirical masterpiece titled “The Praise of Folly” against those whom he believed stood between the masses and an authentic Christianity. Erasmus, in his “Praise of Folly” unleashes his biting social commentary and rebellious wit against the contemporary Catholic Church’s piety, superstition, theology, priesthood, and hierarchical leadership.
Erasmus’ writing concerning the theologians of his day is particularly poignant, if not seriously entertaining. Continue reading
Young and Fearless Prophet
We sang a song called “Young and Fearless Prophet” this morning at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Lancaster City. It is an incredibly well thought out tune, theologically and philosophically speaking.
1. O young and fearless Prophet of ancient Galilee,
Thy life is still a summons to serve humanity;
To make our thoughts and actions less prone to please the crowd,
To stand with humble courage for truth with hearts uncowed. Continue reading
The Catcher in the Rye
J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye is as classic a novel as it is controversial. Catcher’s literary value is almost totally invested in the symbology that is Holden Caulfield. Holden’s seemingly misguided adventures and expressed apathy with unavoidable phonies points towards a much larger human condition that all readers can appreciate in varying degrees.
The character is a familiar one, especially to young angsty adults who are only just beginning to experience a so-called real world and the difficult quest for authentic individuality. This sort of appreciation practically guarantees future relevancy to a novel that has already been deemed a treasure in an original context that can best be described as bland industrialized-american, prosperity-minded, and heavy on assumed social codes/norms. Catcher in the Rye – and more importantly Holden Caulfield – is a biting indictment of the American social context of the 1940s and 1950s. The counter-cultural revolt of the 1960s was an unavoidable reaction to the context created by previous generations, as was Catcher. This, and other events, led to much controversy. The novel was granted much critical acclaim, but more than a few critics characterized it as less-than-serious literature largely in part to the style/tone in which it was written. The book was of course banned by groups and schools because it contained cuss words and sexual themes and situations that everyone experiences but none talk about openly. Controversy also followed the novel because of the connection between it and John Lennon’s assassin, Mark David Chapman. The attempted assassination President Ronald Reagan by John Hinckley, Jr. also has been connected to Catcher, as was the murder of an actress committed by Robert John Bardo. Continue reading
Faith-based Resources for SB 1070
I just received the following e-mail concerning the National Day of Non-Compliance with SB 1070. I was asked to share a few of the faith-based resources that offer a different perspective on the immigration law in Arizona. So, rather than reinventing the wheel – an act for which I have zero free time – I’ll just share the e-mail, in its entirety as a resource.
Hi Shawn,
I noticed that you blog about Unitarian Universalists and thought you might be interested in an update on what is happening on the ground in Arizona. I am writing from Standing on the Side of Love (SSL), a campaign of the Unitarian Universalist Association, that challenges violence, oppression, and exclusion based on identity.
Almost 200 Standing on the Side of Love supporters from across the country are on the ground in Phoenix today, and dozens of communities across the country are hosting prayer vigils and similar actions to stand in solidarity with immigrants and people of color against SB 1070 and a broken immigration system. Two dozen ministers, including UUA president Rev. Peter Morales have already been arrested today in civil disobedience in Phoenix.
We feel that the Arizona bill and others like it are anti-immigrant, anti-family, and anti-love. That is why Unitarian Universalists are joining immigrant rights, interfaith, labor, and civil rights organizations in protest and witness as part of the National Day of Non-Compliance with SB 1070. Continue reading
Holy Turf Wars @ Ground Zero
You know, I think it’s a shame that people have to behave in such silly, stupid ways. What is it about over-zealous religious people that blinds them so? Why can’t they see the rich opportunities for deep healing and reconciliation available to them in this situation, especially at Ground Zero? No. They can’t see anything beyond their own thick and sticky ideology, unfortunately. They would rather busy themselves with pissing matches and skip the healing embraces; they prefer ownership claims over the sharing of life and living. Like a dog, they lift a crooked hind leg and recklessly spray their foul scent all over a plot of simple rocks and dirt just so they can lay claim to it. Fine! You win! It’s all yours! Just know that that’s all you will ever own in this world and the next.
In response to the controversial plans to build an Islamic mosque in New York City near the place where Muslim terrorists killed nearly 3,000 people in 2001, an Internet evangelist is planning to establish what he calls the 9-11 Christian Center at Ground Zero.
Bill Keller of LivePrayer.com, an Internet ministry that claims over 2.4 million subscribers, is planning on opening the Center at a temporary location near Ground Zero this September before announcing a permanent home beginning in 2011. Continue reading
The Universality of The Ethic of Reciprocity (AKA The Golden Rule)
u·ni·ver·sal·i·ty [yoo-nuh-ver-sal-i-tee] – noun,plural – ties. 1. the character or state of being universal; existence or prevalence everywhere. 2. relation, extension, or applicability to all. 3. universal character or range of knowledge, interests, etc.
Bahá’í Faith: 1. “Ascribe not to any soul that which thou wouldst not have ascribed to thee, and say not that which thou doest not.” “Blessed is he who preferreth his brother before himself.” Baha’u'llah; 2. “And if thine eyes be turned towards justice, choose thou for thy neighbour that which thou choosest for thyself.” Epistle to the Son of the Wolf.
Brahmanism: “This is the sum of Dharma [duty]: Do naught unto others which would cause you pain if done to you”. Mahabharata, 5:1517
Buddhism: 1. “…a state that is not pleasing or delightful to me, how could I inflict that upon another?” Samyutta NIkaya v. 353; 2. Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful.” Udana-Varga 5:18 Continue reading