The War on Peace

It looks like some people are waging war on peace this holiday season. According to the Associated Press, "a homeowners association in southwestern Colorado has threatened to fine a resident $25 a day until she removes a Christmas wreath with a peace sign that some say is an anti-Iraq war protest or a symbol of Satan." Link to story

Happy Holidays and
Peace on Earth!

Abbey of Gethsemani and Thomas Merton

My wife and I visited the Abbey of Gethsemani in Trappist, Kentucky for a silent retreat in April 2006. I totally reconnected with God and myself, and I highly recommend this journey for anyone who needs to refresh his or her spirit or would like to get away from the hustle and bustle of modern life.

It was a wonderful spiritual experience, and I truly admire the men and women who can devote such a life to God. I also believe that Thomas Merton, a monk who once lived at the monastery, was a modern-day prophet. It was so peaceful and refreshing, and I would love to spend one Christmas there if possible.

For more on the Abbey of Gethsemani and Thomas Merton, please visit the following links:
Abbey of Gethsemani
About Thomas Merton
Books by Thomas Merton

bell hooks

My wife and I heard bell hooks speak at a multicultural event at Marshall University on November 28. We also attended her lecture at the University of Georgia in 2002.

bell hooks is a cultural critic, feminine theorist, and social activist who "focuses on the interconnectivity of race, class, and gender and their ability to produce and perpetuate systems of oppression and domination. She has published over thirty books and numerous scholarly and mainstream articles, appeared in several documentary films, and participated in various public lectures." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_hooks) She is currently teaching at Berea College in Berea, Kentucky, which participates in an Ecological Sustainability Education Program designed to reduce the footprint of humans on Earth. Berea was founded in 1855 by John Gregg Fee, an abolitionist.

I've just started to explore the books and other writings of bell hooks, but I thoroughly enjoyed her speeches, and I admire her ability to educate and inspire others to think critically and take action.

For more on bell hooks, please visit the following:
http://www.allaboutbell.com/home.html
List of Books
Selection of Writings