A good ol’ Texan feast 2010!

Today is the last day of The Festival season of Sukkoth or best known to this audience as The Feast of Tabernacles, or technically The Eighth Day (Last Great Day in XCG circles).  It is ironic that after the Worldwide Church of God (now Grace Communion International) aggressively rooted out their own festival celebrations in their own denomination (and I have discussed my own objections about it many times), it is interesting to see other denominations getting interested in The Feast of Tabernacles.  Also, there are those who STILL want to endlessly argue  the fact that keeping the festivals and Armstrongism go together. Well ask this Nigerian based group about the origins of their group or label them Armstrongite. Not a wise idea. The following clip is from a Torah observant Messianic Jewish group in good ol’ Texas celebrating the Feast, country style. You might not agree with everything they say theologically but I, for one admire their enthusiasm and dedication. I wish all those who are ending their celebrating today at sunset, that they had a joyous and wonderful feast.

Forget apatheist, employ the word “atheist”.

Those from fellow Canadian astronomer and astrophysicist Hugh Ross to fellow current and former bloggers James Pate and very conservative Catholic Daren Carrey were telling me all along about Bill Maher.  The terminology “apatheist” was just cover for his atheism they all argued.  On Larry King Live last night he has actually confirmed their argument. He said to Larry King, “I’m against building mosques, churches, synagogues, temples anywhere, because I’m an atheist and I think these are places that perpetuate mass delusion.” Does this mean no more watching him on Real Time (bootlegged from Youtube)?  Does this mean I will end tags on this blog  called “Bill Maher’s war against religious stupidity?” NO!!!  I don’t agree with Bill Maher on everything and there some things that  I do agree with him deeply that we can be considered almost “soul mates”. I don’t do groupthink from anybody, left,right, radical Islam or millitant atheist. Period. Deal with it. Same goes with Bill. For those who read this blog almost a couple years ago, I even backed up Andrew Sullivan’s rebuke on Bill Maher’s approach to religion warning him that he was being a bigot.  Still to this day, I believe Andrew Sullivan was and is right.  For over 13 years actively watching Bill Maher on television (and online during the late 00’s and 2010), I have seen his position evolved from that he believed in God, hated organized relgion and seen the clergy as middleman or bureaucracy (a similiar, note not identical position I have) from his coined term of being an apatheist in which he described, “I’m not an atheist, though, because the belief that there is no God only mirrors the certitude of religion. No, I’m saying that doubt is the only appropriate response for human beings.”  Now he has come out and says he’s an atheist. I hope he can learn from the school of The Old Atheists, in which the old school atheists beieve that not everybody can be an atheist and it’s not in the best interest for everybody to hop on the bandwagon (The New Atheism, of course is in the opposite view). A friend of mine who I would classify in that school of atheism made a strong suggestion that I needed to go to church. Not to be indoctrinated but to be molded in character and continued direction. A person like that is a very good friend. Bill Maher would do better if he followed that approach and understand the concept of good faith vs. bad faith as Andrew Sullivan suggested. He’d be a better person for it.

Rosh Hashanah – 2010

I have been for years made strident and yes sometimes harsh statements on CBN’s Pat Robertson (and I still believe the statements were very necessary), I have liked his son Gordon (at least he gives the appearence of saneness and kindness) but for the purposes of the blog post, that is strictly neither here nor there.  The real point of the post  is how if any Christian desires to celebrate the Biblical Holy Days  given to God to Israel in Leviticus, this is how it  should be done. With joy, thanksgiving and thanks. In addition, it is never complete without  the Messianic music of Paul Wilber to add to the  mix. As I said, I have made stern comments against Pat Robertson but I must also be bold and congratulate him condemning Pator Terry Jones proposed Quaran book burning, saying that he wants Muslims to be saved (which I find this a more Christ-like attitude this time. Keep it up Pat!). I wish all who celebrate this festival and the other festivals to come (Atonement and Tabernacles) a joyous and blessed season to all.   Click on this link to see this splendid concert of Rosh Hashanah – 2010.