WWJD: Not What You Did

     A Baptist Church in Mississippi recently turned away a couple and refused to marry them, citing that the couple were black and that there had never been a black wedding in the church since its founding in 1883.
     Despite the fact that the couple attended the church frequently, according to ABC News, some congregation members felt so opposed to the wedding that they threatened to oust the pastor if he did not cancel the wedding, which he then did.

     So, let me get this straight ... you'd rather choose to not marry a black couple then to stand up to your clearly misguided congregation with the possibility of losing your job? Hey, here's a thought ... Isn't your job as a pastor to teach those who are misguided!? --- It seems to me like most of your 1883-thinking congregation are a bunch of misguided fools who are stuck in the past and are hanging onto a bunch of clearly racist traditions.

Charles and Te'Andrea Wilson, c/o abcnews.com

     This couple wanted nothing more than to marry in the church that they frequented. It's a sad state of affairs when people are turned away by those that they feel are the ones that have accepted them into a house of worship. This was a disgrace and shines a bad light on religion, overall. It makes those who follow any faith seem close-minded and backward in their thoughts.

      Here's hoping that the congregation of Crystal Springs First Baptist Church learn a little lesson in inclusion as time goes on and as the shit begins to hit the fan in this media frenzy it has created ... Too bad it had to come to that.

I am colorblind. Coffee black and egg white. Pull me out from inside. I am ready. I am ready. I am ready. I am ... (Colorblind, Counting Crows)

Ramadan Mubarak

     Today begins the Holy Month of Ramadan for billions of Muslims around the world and I would just like to take a moment and wish all those observing a very joyous month ahead.

He gave the day and night. He gave us our sense of sight. He created the sun so bright and the moon so pure and white. He saved us from our plight. He led us towards the light. He led us to the straight path through his mercy and his might. (The Creator, Sami Yusuf)

BSB in NYC ... Don't pretend it's NBD.

    So I'm currently in Lake George, NY for a little vaca but as always when it comes to BSB there is no waiting ... and yesterday BSB announced that they will be performing TOGETHER in Central Park on August 31 for the Good Morning America concert series.
     Now I have tried in the past to attend these concerts and it never works out because they start at 7 am and getting to the city is a hassle but I don't care if I need to sleep next to a hobo in Central Park overnight in order to make this happen ... because there is no way this can be missed. This is the concert to begin the next phase of BSB greatness. (And, yes, I say "next phase" because I choose to believe that they will never, ever stop making music for their fans even if they are 80 and attached to oxygen tanks).
     So ... I just needed to share that bit of news with everyone ... and here are the boys with the announcement, in case you missed it.

     (Did anyone else get chills and tear up when they just sang a little bit of "I Want It That Way" ... Because I certainly did ... and that's coming from a die hard fan who goes by the notion that "I Want It That Way" is the worst song they ever released. Yeah, I'll say it. Pshhhh ... Whateva.)

Guess who just got back today - them wild-eyed boys that had been away. Haven't changed, haven't much to say, but man, I still think them cats are crazy. They were asking if you were around. How you was, where you could be found. Told them you were living downtown, driving all the old men crazy. The boys are back in town. The boys are back in town. (Boys Are Back In Town, Thin Lizzy)

They're Going To The Chapel ... Or Getting A Ring ... Or Having A Baby ...

     I recently returned from a destination wedding of a friend ...

     And before that I had five weddings in the month of June.

     Let's not count the number of engagements that happened in between the weddings ... or the list of people having babies ... or moving in with their significant others ... It's gotten to the point of no return. It's gotten to the point where I cannot sign onto Facebook without seeing another hand-over-hand, shiny engagement ring finger picture thing or sonogram that I feel the need to congratulate people on ... It's getting a little crazy.
     And I know I'm at the age where this is going to happen ...
     Let's face it ... mid-twenties ... It's like people begin to pair off and find their own special spot in the wild.

     But can't they keep it to themselves so that the rest of us ... the ones just chillin' ... trying to get our lives together and find jobs and scrape together enough money to pay car payments and buy Ramen don't need to be consistently reminded of the fact that we are doing it alone.

     I mean I can take solace in the fact that I have a whole freakin' savanna to search and meet potentials ... while the others are stuck with their one and only ... But other times it might be nice to have that one and only, so quit reminding us gazelles of it.

If we could talk with the animals, learn their languages, maybe take an animal degree. We'd study elephant and eagle, buffalo and beagle, alligator, guinea pig, and flea. (Talk To The Animals, Bing Crosby)