I don't even know how to start this
ETA: Further sign of the Apocalypse? David Lee Roth performing with the Boston Pops. Deah. Gott.
Got downtown to 1st Baptist at 7 a.m. as requested. They did not have any women's shirts left above a size Medium, so I had to wear mine like a jacket, open over my black shirt. Every person made a crack about needing to hire a "skinny" cellist next time. Har de har har har, asshats.
We had a brief rehearsal of the music - nothing surprising, the usual patriotic fare. We needed to spend a LOT more time on the Carmen Dragon arrangement of "America the Beautiful" because it's frelling HARD, but oh well.
The minister, a Rev. Mac Brunson, got really wound up during the sermon. Some of his points were:
1. A giant poster of Uncle Sam on his knees next to the words of the Lord's Prayer, circa 1942. "Think we could have that TODAY?" shouted Brunson. "Not in our Godless country!"
2. A rant about how we think we're too wise to put the Ten Commandments in our courthouses.
3. A further rant about how children are denied the right to pray in the public schools. "And look how good our schools have become as a result!"
4. A rant about stuff in Jeremiah about the need for national repentance.
4a. An incorrect translation of the Hebrew word "chesed" in the passage.
5. Some shouting about how all politicians are evil and that it's time for good Christians to take back "their" country.
6. Truly horrifying remarks back to a sermon by their other pastor back in the 1980s, when he predicted that the next world war would be caused by "Islamists."
7. Praised his student youth groups for preaching the word of the Lord to "cultists" in California.
7a. Told a story of approaching some teenagers and having them shy away from him because they were "obviously" in a cult and not that he was just some random guy rushing up to them on the beach wearing a suit.
8. Read further prophetic stuff about how people who weren't ruled by God had the instincts of rutting horses. Yes, there were children present. Oh, homosexuals also have the instincts of rutting horses and should not be allowed to practice their abominations. In fact, the ONLY "good" sex is sex that's ruled by Christian teachings. (I don't suppose crying "Jesus! Jesus!" counts. [g])
9. Read some more about how one of the three things that would cause national destruction is "priests who put their words above God's - and that includes YOU, Rabbi Harry Kushner."*
10. A rant about how the biggest problem in the country is the ACLU.
He went WAY over time at the first two services, to the point where the orchestra didn't have time to go to the bathroom in between. So I was pretty cranky by the third service and left before the sermon (all the music except one hymn was played prior to the sermon and I told the contractor I had to leave - he probably knew EXACTLY why). Larry said the third was the worst of all, so bitter and hateful that he just wanted to shrink into his chair.
There was another Jewish musician there, a violinist named Marian I've known since college. She said she hadn't felt this "claustrophobically paranoid" since Mad Mel's Movie came out and her neighbors tried to foist tickets on her to save her soul.
I left the place feeling physically violated. In fact, I took a shower when I came home and I almost cried the whole time. This church has THOUSANDS of members (who are currently raising $44 million for "improvements" on their four square blocks of tax-free downtown real estate), and they all had their hands in the air, weeping and crying "AMEN! AMEN!" every time Brunson took a breath. This poisonous, vicious, hateful speech (that's protected by the very ACLU he denounces) just makes me want to run screaming into the night.
In contrast to the quiet, liberal-but-still-holding-you-accountable sermons Tom gives at St. Barnabas, it's just shocking.
In contrast to Rabbi H's sermon on Friday - about how ALL covenants with God are valuable, even the ones we don't understand, ourselves - it was like being dipped in battery acid.
I sent the contractor an e-mail: "You know I love you and I enjoy working with you, but please don't ask me to play at 1st Baptist for Sunday Services anymore." He hasn't answered yet, but I'm sure he will.
Larry wants me to write a letter to Brunson. I think it'd be a waste of paper and ink. And brain cells.
The performance of "God Bless America" that included the reading of "The New Colossus" really seemed to move him. He gave it the highest praise possible and set it at the most important place in the service.
I wonder if he has any idea that both of those works were written by JEWS.
Okay, I'm done ranting. Hope y'all have a restful and non-insane 4th. I love each and every one of you, especially the ones who respectfully disagree with me and make me consider new things.
*Harold Kushner is a Conservative rabbi and author of books including "When Bad Things Happen to Good People." His main point is that God, having created us, KNOWS how hard it is to do well all the time and loves us anyway. Evidently, the Rev. Mr. Brunson thinks that's all crap.
Got downtown to 1st Baptist at 7 a.m. as requested. They did not have any women's shirts left above a size Medium, so I had to wear mine like a jacket, open over my black shirt. Every person made a crack about needing to hire a "skinny" cellist next time. Har de har har har, asshats.
We had a brief rehearsal of the music - nothing surprising, the usual patriotic fare. We needed to spend a LOT more time on the Carmen Dragon arrangement of "America the Beautiful" because it's frelling HARD, but oh well.
The minister, a Rev. Mac Brunson, got really wound up during the sermon. Some of his points were:
1. A giant poster of Uncle Sam on his knees next to the words of the Lord's Prayer, circa 1942. "Think we could have that TODAY?" shouted Brunson. "Not in our Godless country!"
2. A rant about how we think we're too wise to put the Ten Commandments in our courthouses.
3. A further rant about how children are denied the right to pray in the public schools. "And look how good our schools have become as a result!"
4. A rant about stuff in Jeremiah about the need for national repentance.
4a. An incorrect translation of the Hebrew word "chesed" in the passage.
5. Some shouting about how all politicians are evil and that it's time for good Christians to take back "their" country.
6. Truly horrifying remarks back to a sermon by their other pastor back in the 1980s, when he predicted that the next world war would be caused by "Islamists."
7. Praised his student youth groups for preaching the word of the Lord to "cultists" in California.
7a. Told a story of approaching some teenagers and having them shy away from him because they were "obviously" in a cult and not that he was just some random guy rushing up to them on the beach wearing a suit.
8. Read further prophetic stuff about how people who weren't ruled by God had the instincts of rutting horses. Yes, there were children present. Oh, homosexuals also have the instincts of rutting horses and should not be allowed to practice their abominations. In fact, the ONLY "good" sex is sex that's ruled by Christian teachings. (I don't suppose crying "Jesus! Jesus!" counts. [g])
9. Read some more about how one of the three things that would cause national destruction is "priests who put their words above God's - and that includes YOU, Rabbi Harry Kushner."*
10. A rant about how the biggest problem in the country is the ACLU.
He went WAY over time at the first two services, to the point where the orchestra didn't have time to go to the bathroom in between. So I was pretty cranky by the third service and left before the sermon (all the music except one hymn was played prior to the sermon and I told the contractor I had to leave - he probably knew EXACTLY why). Larry said the third was the worst of all, so bitter and hateful that he just wanted to shrink into his chair.
There was another Jewish musician there, a violinist named Marian I've known since college. She said she hadn't felt this "claustrophobically paranoid" since Mad Mel's Movie came out and her neighbors tried to foist tickets on her to save her soul.
I left the place feeling physically violated. In fact, I took a shower when I came home and I almost cried the whole time. This church has THOUSANDS of members (who are currently raising $44 million for "improvements" on their four square blocks of tax-free downtown real estate), and they all had their hands in the air, weeping and crying "AMEN! AMEN!" every time Brunson took a breath. This poisonous, vicious, hateful speech (that's protected by the very ACLU he denounces) just makes me want to run screaming into the night.
In contrast to the quiet, liberal-but-still-holding-you-accountable sermons Tom gives at St. Barnabas, it's just shocking.
In contrast to Rabbi H's sermon on Friday - about how ALL covenants with God are valuable, even the ones we don't understand, ourselves - it was like being dipped in battery acid.
I sent the contractor an e-mail: "You know I love you and I enjoy working with you, but please don't ask me to play at 1st Baptist for Sunday Services anymore." He hasn't answered yet, but I'm sure he will.
Larry wants me to write a letter to Brunson. I think it'd be a waste of paper and ink. And brain cells.
The performance of "God Bless America" that included the reading of "The New Colossus" really seemed to move him. He gave it the highest praise possible and set it at the most important place in the service.
I wonder if he has any idea that both of those works were written by JEWS.
Okay, I'm done ranting. Hope y'all have a restful and non-insane 4th. I love each and every one of you, especially the ones who respectfully disagree with me and make me consider new things.
*Harold Kushner is a Conservative rabbi and author of books including "When Bad Things Happen to Good People." His main point is that God, having created us, KNOWS how hard it is to do well all the time and loves us anyway. Evidently, the Rev. Mr. Brunson thinks that's all crap.