Lutheran Liberalism Down The Tubes?

The instructions read: Bring in a photo of someone who has been a saint to you in your lifetime. These photos would then be posted on a display in the narthex. I thought about it quite a bit. Family saints? Nope, sorry. Friend saints? Some are close but then who wants to be one? So I grabbed a picture of His Holiness the Dalai Lama (HHDL) because. . . I took it to choir practice on Wednesday and gave it to my friend who was in charge of putting the display together. Being a Liberal Lutheran he took the photo. Karma works in wondrous ways. The photo disappeared. The display on All Saints Sunday was of, guess what, family and friends. A new set of rules appeared. The photo had to be of a dead person! The person had to be a Christian! The lady in charge of All Saints Sunday went into hysterics. She thought she was being set up. The pastor had to unhook his boat and cancel his fishing trip. A letter surfaced that challenged the Conservative Right Lutheran Faction (CRLF) to produce the photo. I remained complacent, content to sing songs of praise and thanksgiving. Meanwhile the wheel of Karma advanced further. The photo was deemed inappropriate. It suddenly materialized in my choir notebook. I took it home and restored it to its place. Meetings were held. I was more or less condemned in absentia. Was my salvation at risk, I thought? Should I recant. I remembered Luther, “I will not recant!” The pastor met me in the handshake line. “We need to talk,” he said. I waited in his office flashing back to Viet Nam and the chaplain who offered me a cookie. I vowed not to take a cookie. He came into the office, peeling off the alb and becoming human again. I notice a copy of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge in his bookcase. What is his intent, I wondered. He was very kind. He told me about the rules. I said that the rules had changed. He didn’t contradict me but indicated that no they hadn’t, only the level of naiveté and ignorance of the congregation had changed. I agreed that under the new rules the photo was inappropriate but that I had played by the rules. I defended HHDL as a man of compassion and lovingkindness. He stated that although that is true, HHDL is not dead. I said no he isn’t but he has been more than once. I told the pastor that I was upset about the recent elections and the swerve to the Christian right and I used the word extremism, which, in hindsight, was a poor choice of words. In these days of branding I am now branded. The L on my forhead? Is it for Luther? Is it for Liberal? Looney? Time and Karma will tell.

Backwards Is The Sky

Driving down the Kaw River Valley,
Bob Dylan screaming through my mind,
We hit mach one just this side of Lawrence,
I plugged myself into the universe
And it started to rain,

Boring into the Flint Hills,
Avoiding Sac and Fox, Kickapoo, and
Prairie Band People of the Fire,
"Warp Factor Five, Mr. Zulu?"
The Grateful Dead singing "Backwards Is The Sky",

Leaving all the trails behind us,
"Houston, go for throttle up?"
"Roger, Challenger, go for throttle up,"
You know it was the last words we ever heard,
The Mudra of Perfection on the Great Wheel,
Tolkien's Ring to rule them all on my finger,
Driving the trail of flesh and tears,

Singing the Song of Solomon through the
Fields of sunflowers,
Thinking about the trip, the Subterraneans,
And if they ever saw Blake's Albionic nightime visions,

Red fields of milo hide deer and pheasants, terrapins,
And an occasional corpse,
Nobody listens to Jefferson Airplane any more,

"Backwards Is The Sky" (Lyrics)

Backwards is the sky,
When you're driving in the rain,
Through the Flint Hills of Kansas
And the nightmare visions of Albion,
Kerouac and Cassidy, Subterranean Homesick Blues,
Desolation angels on the run,

Backwards is the sky,
On our way to Babylon,
We raise our voices up to the sun,
Dancing bears and terrapins, keep us company,
Sunshine daydream children on the run,
Rainbow dancing children of the sun.

(Written for Katrin and Ann, 1997)

Wraith

I heard a whisper in the air as we stood in the pasture,
Just a whisper overhead as we planned our future vineyard,
We looked up horrified to see
The black death-wing slowly glide over us,
A Wraith slicing Heaven in two,
Past the twin towers of the LaCygnes power plant,
Dipping a wing ever so slightly toward them,
On the way back to Whiteman Air Force Base.

I and Emily

We sat out on the porch, Emily and I,
It was just about evening time,
In the porch swing swinging rhyme to rhyme,
I looked out -- the pine trees had grown a bit,
The dogs had raised their heads to the moon,
As the fog rolled in, Emily and I traded rhyme for rhyme,
Then sitting still and calm and laughing from time to time,
At Death -- and which one of us knew more than the other,
And which the closer,
And which afraid,
Not Emily and not I, we said as we sat there at the edge of time,
I and Emily, two dogs, and a couple of rhymes.

Heruka Dance

Heruka dances in a log cabin,
Throwing kerosene lanterns,
Setting the place on fire,
Uttering strange sounds to the clatter of skulls
And the breaking of glass,

The background hum of Karma tells of the gathering of souls,
The dead cry out to the collapse of the burning walls
And the glowing embers of desire,

Outside the cabin door, honeybees dance on the prairie flowers,
We watch them in the burning sunlight,
Gathering nectar for their long flight home,
In the peacefulness of the log cabin, you are the consort of my desire,
You lift a bowl of red wine to my lips,
And wrap your arm around my neck,
I notice the skin on my hands and how old it is,
And how they have survived the wrathful dance of Heruka
And the stings of bees.

2nd Class Citizen

Insanity eyes look at me from the street,
Your face freezes in the glare of neon,
Try not to look too hard at the brilliance of my face,
You could be blinded by your own imagination,
Try not to stone me with your credit card denials of poverty,
You already wasted me on suburban nightmares
When you exiled me to shadows of lonliness and despair,
And broke me on the wheel of compassion with brass-knuckled dexterity,

If you look around the corner
You might see the disappearing tail of my coat,
You might hear the shuffling of feet in the alley,
The twist of a screw-on cap and the crackling of a paper bag,
Cats jumping out of trashcans,
You might even look into my insanity eyes
As I vanish into the glare of neon obscurity.

Dream Seminar

I arrived at the seminar and you took me by the hand,
“Hurry, I saved you a seat next to me, sit down before Alan gets here!”
I sat next to you,

You had on:
A white blouse, your long red hair blazing,
A pleated blue plaid skirt, knee length,
Black and white oxfords,
White ankle socks,

I had on:
Buddy Holly style horn-rimmed glasses, short black hair,
A cream colored Izod,
A light yellow jacket,
A pair of white Levi’s,
Penny loafers, no socks,

We held hands.

(Later, at your apartment)

We laid on the floor,
You said “I like to keep mine on,”
I looked into your green eyes,
You intertwined our legs,
Pulled our bodies close,
We kissed each other,
With mouths wide open.

Dream of 54 year old,
Analysis to follow.

Quote

We're not going to dance with it, we're going to eat it.
-- Walt Bodine (The Walt Bodine Show)
In reference to how "pretty" the Thanksgiving turkey should look.

Quote

We cannot establish spirituality without cutting through spiritual materialism.
--Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche

A Paranoid Moment

Darjeeling walked into the men’s restroom at the municipal facility in Olathe. The newness of the building was impressive with all of the latest public building innovations. He walked up to the empty stall after checking the room out for other persons and, seeing none, unzipped. He hated stalls because what else is there to do but look either down or straight ahead. You don’t dare look sideways or try to start up a conversation. You could sing or whistle but why? So Darjeeling preferred to look straight ahead. Sometimes he chuckled to himself about the age old joke of the pissoire, “What are you looking at, the jokes in your hand.” He wasn’t really worried about that though, he just preferred to look straight ahead. He noticed the small round area on the newly painted wall. It was just a shade off color from the rest of the wall, like it had been put there recently. Like a hole in the wall that had been replastered. “About the size of a 44 Magnum slug,” he thought to himself. The urinal was one of those new ones with the automatic flush mechanism. This particular brand name caught his attention, Toto. He laughed. Toto, the little Kansas dog who has been referred to whenever anyone looks around and finds themselves in strange circumstances, was now relegated to the name brand of a urinal. “Final flush” it said beneath the Toto logo. Toto logo he thought. Sounds Spanish sort of like “todo loco.” Sort of like he himself. He was about to finish his business when his attention was drawn back to the round hole patch and all of a sudden he froze. The hole was the same size as a 44 magnum slug. Things began to click in his mind. Toto, Final Flush, 44 Magnum. As he slowly rezipped, he noticed the wire coming out of the wall. It connected into the back of the auto-flush sensor. He looked at the stall next to him. No wire. His mind flashed back to the days of the booby traps as he slowly reached for his Leatherman tool that was always on his belt. He deftly opened the tool to the wirecutter function as he finished the zip. Leaning to the side, out of the line of fire he maneuvered the cutting jaws toward the wire, sweat now beading up on his brow. He knew about these things. The wrong cut and you were dusted. He heard the door behind him opening as he clipped the wire in two. Nothing happened. He breathed again for the first time in what seemed like hours. The janitor saw the Leatherman in his hand and the cut wire. As he stepped back smiling, Darjeeling felt good about what he had done but two questions gnawed at his insides, “Who is trying to kill me and how did they know I would be here?” As he walked out he noticed that the auto-flush feature failed to work. “You need to fix that thing.” he called out as he left.

Dust Devils

The wind kicked up dust and sworled it around in the old farmyard. It chased leaves up against the side of the empty house and whistled across the clothesline pole. Nobody heard it because there was nobody there. The Western Kansas wind kept on blowing anyway. It blew against the wire window screens that had holes stuffed with cotton to keep out flies and mosquitoes. It banged the old screen door on the back porch where the cistern was. It tore through the front yard, past the dried up yellow and blue Iris and on out to the old barn where it went in the open front and exited out the top of the metal sheet roof causing the corner of one sheet to flap back and forth, its metallic holler rolling over the flatlands with the wind. It blew through the creeky old Aeromotor windmill, stopped dead by the brake and the rust, never to pump again. It didn’t matter, there wasn’t anything to pump. No water, no oil, no nothing. It blew through the skeleton eye sockets of the cow skull which lay by the wind dried pond, gazing forlornly and forever at the cracked mud. It blew and blew and blew. With the wind came the dust, and with the dust came the dust devils that laughed and danced across the Kansas prairie.

Quote

I try to stay as busy as I can so that I can keep from going sane.
---Darjeeling

Darjeeling in Puerto Vallarta 2004 

Darjeeling At The Tropic Of Cancer 1975 

Theorem

Darjeeling’s Theorem of Irrelevance

Theorem #1
We are traveling at the speed of light. Einstein either did not know this or he was afraid to tell us. We therefore become the e in the equation e = mc squared. The summation of all the e’s is cosmiosis or the cosmic constant.

Theorem #2
Time is a function of distance: t(d) such that as d approaches infinity, t approaches 0 or the null set. As Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead once said “The faster I go, the rounder I get.” Or to put it another way: The farther I travel, the faster I go. We already know that time is relevant to position, therefore if your position is irrelevant, so is time. Time is merely a convenient method of cosmic bookkeeping.

Theorem #3
There is no such thing as order. There is only a varying degree of chaos. The degree to which chaos exists depends on the fractal boundary between entities. Entities can be physical, spatial, psychological, or cultural. Boundaries can be nebulous or dramatic; and even the most seemingly rigid boundaries are in a constant state of flux.

Notes on Theorem #1

Consider that astronomers have measured the speed of galaxies at the known edge of the universe. First of all, the “edge of the universe” does not represent a boundary between universe and non-universe but between known and unknown. This boundary is a psychological and physical fractal boundary that is in flux. It is psychological in that it represents the degree to which we are able to comprehend and create methods of measurement that verify our comprehension. It is a mental construct of a physical entity. It is a physical boundary in that the galaxies and solid matter that are known to exist near us are used as cosmic markers that agree with our mental construct and are logically asserted in the form of “such as these are, so it must be with respect to the boundary.” The physical boundary moves in what appears to be a solid line that is receding from us in every direction. As our capability to comprehend and measure the boundary increases, so does the distance from ourselves to the boundary, and likewise, the speed at which the boundary recedes from us. However, it should be apparent that, rather than drawing a straight line from galaxy to galaxy as those exist at the very edge, linear regression analysis shows that this straight-line concept is merely a useful analytical tool. The true boundary is fractal in nature, obeying, or disobeying if you will, only chaotic existential tendencies. (Existential, in this instance, refers to simultaneous existence and non-existence.)

Astronomical analysis of the velocity at which the fractal boundary is moving indicates only a red shift in the spectral analysis with a value for this velocity at approximately “c”, the speed of light. There are no measurements either “ahead”, “behind”, or “laterally” that indicate a blue shift that would mean that a galaxy (and therefore the fractal boundary) is approaching or traveling at the same velocity as we are. So, if we pick any particular “edge galaxy” and assign it a velocity value, we fall into the microcosmic particle vs. wave argument. We also set up the Ptolemaic centrist cosmological system that serves to define and reiterate our position.

So, let us then redefine our position, that is to say the position of our own galaxy, to be at the fractal boundary and that, positioning ourselves at a point equally far away as we now are from the perceived edge of the universe, we are able to take measurements of our now perceived distant position and velocity. We would then find that our galaxy, too, obeys the parameters of our own system and that we are moving away from our current measurement position at approximately the speed of light.

How did Einstein come up with the idea of squaring the speed of light? This is purely a mathematical construct. Or is it? The idea of a physical entity approaching the speed of light is all that we usually consider when we contemplate his theories. But what about velocities that exceed the speed of light and the overwhelming function of the speed of light multiplied by itself in this equation?

BLOWOUTS IN TIME AND SPACE

Physical entities traveling in excess of the speed of light exist within our own cosmological construction. Einstein and others defined these as black holes. In reality, these warps in the cosmic weave are the residue of galaxies at the “edge of the universe” which are traveling away from us in excess of the speed of light. As we point our measuring devices and systems directly at these receding galaxies, the results of our measurements exceed our known existential parameters and thus we perceive a blow-out of the cosmic fabric. It should follow that the true “edge of the universe” would be where no black holes are found to exist. Whenever we detect a black hole, we are then assured that we have potential measurements in excess of the speed of light. Currently we are not able to arrive at the true value of these velocities because there are no reference points from which to begin or end our measurements. (One method in observing and measuring the recession speed of black holes would be to use a mathematical construct of galactic triangulation where simultaneous measurement from two galaxies could pinpoint position and velocity.) To reiterate, we have already discovered astronomical entities that are traveling in excess of the speed of light, but we have yet to measure one accurately to prove this phenomenon. The physical mass characteristic of galaxies and matter in general (i.e. all physical matter, us included), then yields Einstein’s equation and we, along with all physical matter, equate with pure energy.

THE COSMOLOGICAL CONSTANT

To look for the cosmological constant in the realm of gravitation as we now understand it is a mistake. That would be like saying that a particle of sand is the constant factor in defining a beach. Gravity as the progenitor of the cosmological constant is an oversimplification of our understanding of the cosmos in that it is an attempt to place that understanding in terms of particle physics. Rather, it would be more appropriate to direct our efforts at determining the cosmological constant within the realm of physical matter as its velocity exceeds the speed of light and it ceases to become particulate matter. For those who would continue the argument that “nothing can exceed the speed of light” we only have to look again at Einstein’s famous equation, E=mc2, to see that there is no limit to the speed of light when it is used in reference both mathematically and physically to define and describe pure energy. In order to comprehend the existential state of this energy, our comprehension of the concept of energy as a cataclysmic event (i.e. mushroom cloud) must be refined to account for lower level states of energy that are spread over the vastness of the universe. We therefore perceive of two levels of comprehension for the phenomenon of energy: (1) Cataclysmic energy on the macro scale, and (2) Primordial energy on the micro scale. An example of Cataclysmic energy would be a supernova. An example of Primordial energy would be the dissolution of physical matter through its acceleration in excess of the speed of light and its subsequent distribution onto the background of the universe. The total energy in the cosmological system remains constant through a continuing process of dissolution and redistribution. The background energy along with the absence of it, is the cosmological constant and is available for whatever processes may occur and act upon it. Recreation of matter then becomes relevant and the constant state of energy redistribution fulfills the cosmic process of stellar generation and disintegration. However, this system is “structured” in a totally chaotic and random manner so that the process is everending.

Notes on Theorem #2

Consider your birthday celebration and think about where you are. (It helps if you visualize the time and place where you were born.) Each year at the time of day when you were born, you reach the same point in the Earth’s orbit where you began. (I call it Point Alpha). Years are therefore a construct of distance as are hours, minutes, nanoseconds, and so forth. Velocity is also a construct of distance as a representation of spatial relevance. It would be just as appropriate to say (when asked how old you are), “Oh, I have traveled 80 trillion miles,” and let the person that asked do the math. This reminds me also of the traveler to Mexico who, when asked how old he was replied, “Yo tengo 54 anos,” pronouncing the word “anos” without using the proper morph (n with tilde=enya). He had just made the statement that he had 54 assholes instead of 54 years. Using the distance attribute of the time construct would have avoided this linguistic mistake.

Note on Thorem #3

JELLY BEANS AND RAINBOWS

Consider two jars of jelly beans. In one jar all of the jelly beans have been segregated and placed in the jar in layers and in an orderly fashion based on color. The jelly beans that have been picked represent only the colors of a rainbow, the intent being to put them in connection with a greater physical structure other than being mere randomly selected jelly beans. In the other jar, jelly beans have been poured in out of a bag with no respect to color or distribution. Which jar best represents order and which best represents chaos? The jellies in the first jar are screaming with chaos, resisting not only the layered structure, but also the color selection. The rainbow parameter also creates a higher level of cosmic excitement in that if either the color or the layered structure is changed, there is a direct relationship to the structure of rainbows in general and a consequent flux in energy throughout the local universe. The local universe must readjust and reaffirm the “true nature” of its own reality with respect to the way things really are with respect to jelly beans and rainbows. The jellies in the other jar rest peacefully in random chaotic order. Picking one jelly bean out of the second jar does nothing to establish chaos or another random order other than the mathematical factor of -1. Neither does adding more jelly beans even if you use a mathematical factor of +1 or +infinity. You can literally reach to the bottom of the jar and pick a jelly bean without disturbing the chaotic constant. The very last jelly bean in the jar is still representative of the original jelly bean structure.

Cosmiosis

Cosmiosis: Cosmic osmosis. The event horizon where there is a flow of consciousness from a point of greater concentration to a point of lesser concentration, the former being the deification locus for whatever spiritual or non-spiritual entity or non-entity that exists or does not exist on the existential plane of consciousness, the latter being a sentient being, most likely in a human form. The result of the flow can be minimal or of great magnitude and can have any effect, physical or mental. The resultant is then determined to be a cosmic event by the receiver.

Example: Minimal Cosmiosis: You go to the grocery store to get milk. For some reason you go through the dog food aisle. Your pooch’s favorite brand suddenly comes into view. You grab a bag and head to the check-out. When you get home, your wife sees you have dog food. “Oh, good,” she says, “I was hoping you would get some dog food because we are out, and I didn’t think about it until you had already gone to the store.”

Example: Medial Cosmiosis: You sometimes seem to be cognizant of what someone is going to say before they say it. This does not happen on a regular basis, but when it does you are aware that you knew beforehand what someone was going to say.

Example: Maximal Cosmiosis: You are running like mad in a thunderstorm, lightning crashing all around and you call out in fear to St. Ann to be saved. After you realize that you are not a piece of toast, you begin to formulate your ideas and philosophy on a grand scale. Although your actions are deemed subversive and your life is in peril, you continue to be protected and to outdistance those who are against you. Later you nail 95 points of interest to the door of your church.

Penultimate Cosmiosis: Darjeeling brushed the dirt off of his Indian Motorcycle Replica Boots as he stepped off of the extraterrestrial craft. By Cosmiosis, he had communicated his intent to land at the Art Garfunkel concert in Kansas City, Missouri on Friday night. “These boobs will think it’s all a part of the act,” he thought to himself as the ET Craft hooovered among the palm trees. The Garf looked a bit surprised as Darjeeling bounded onstage whistling the whistling bridge to “Me and Julio down by the schoolyard” and swigging a Mickey’s.

Mondo

A Zen monk who had lived in a monastery high on Mt. Meru decided to come down from the mountain and experience what the world was like.
“Enough is enough,” he said, “I will go down the mountain today.” And down he went.
As he was going down the mountain he met a young lady selling flowers. “Would you like to buy some pretty flowers, Honorable Sir?” she asked.
“Thank you, young lady, but I am but a poor monk and have no money for such luxuries.”
“They’re only flowers, Sir, and hardly a luxury. Besides, they will make you feel good,” the young girl insisted.
“No thanks,” the Zen monk said and on he went. Soon he came upon another monk who was going up the mountain.
The two greeted each other and the monk going up the mountain asked the other, “Say, you didn’t happen to see a young girl selling flowers, did you?”
“Why, yes I did about half way up the mountain,” the down-monk replied.
“Did you buy any of her flowers?”
“No, I am only a poor monk and have no money.”
“Those flowers guarantee enlightenment to anyone who holds them.”
“I have no need for flowers, nor holding, nor enlightenment,” The monk said and went on his way.
About a fourth of the way down the mountain, the monk met a man selling shoes.
"Venerable Sir, would you care to buy a pair of my nice shoes?” the man asked.
“No thank you sir, I have no need for shoes and anyway, I am but a poor monk and have no money,” and the monk proceeded down the mountain. A little way further, he met a fellow monk going up the mountain.
“Say, did you happen to see a man selling shoes?” the monk asked.
“Why, yes I did about a fourth of the way up the mountain,” the monk answered.
“And did you happen to buy a pair of his fine shoes?” the monk questioned.
“No, I am only a poor monk and have no money, and besides, I have no need of shoes.”
“Too bad,” the other monk said, shaking his head, “Those shoes guaranteed the path to Nirvana.”
“I have no need for shoes, nor path, nor Nirvana,” said the monk and he continued on down the mountain toward town.
When the monk came to the edge of town, he ducked behind a big rock and pulled out a satchel. Acting quickly, he changed from his monks clothes into the clothes of a well-off traveler. He had a new suit of clothes, new shoes, and a bouquet of fresh flowers. He made straightaway for the first tavern he could find. There, he gave the bouquet of flowers to the proprietress and engaged in several days of drinking wine, carousing with women, and won a small fortune in gambling at dice. Then, when he had had enough, he left out the back door and headed out of town. When he got to the big rock, he changed back into his monk’s habit and headed up the mountain to the monastery. When he got to the gates of the monastery, he was greeted by all of the monks who resided there.
“Master,” they called out, “We are very glad to see you have returned safely from town. What did you find there?”
The old monk walked past them with head bowed down. “Nirvana,” he said.