nevermind the bricolage

Domesticated

Today is Pentecost--celebration of wind and fire--initiation rite for a small gathering of 1st century followers that led to a catalyzing into community--attend to the breath/wind/spirit in each other---too much has been made of individual 'experience,' individuality emerges via community I think--or let me say, a different kind of individuality. We talked a bit about domestication today--particularly when it comes to fire--we contain it, but Pentecost isn't candles on a cake, but the untamed life of spirit. The domestication of God, which seems to be a principle characteristic of religion, is a topic I have been giving much thought to lately. I was reminded of another facet of domestication when a friend reminded me, in his writing, that Jared Diamond (Guns, Germs and Steel) connects domestication to violence and religions of sacrifice. It is quite easy to see why this would be the case-our desire for certainty and surety can easily become a means to domesticate and tame (by naming?) God--in whatever form we might understand that conceptually.

Folk Center

The Folk Center is at the heart of Claremont 'village'--the old part of the town. It is a fantastic space, full of every imaginable stringed instrument and percussion from around the world. It has a real hippy- vibe to it. It was/is owned by Ben Harper's grandparents and it was here that he started his music career, building his gusty lap- guitar in the back of the shop I believe. I bought a really cool skull-shaker which I am sure will make an appearance on the blog at some point. The theology conference is going quite well, I missed the afternoon sessions yesterday because of the teenager's commencement exercises, but the morning was filled with some lively conversation. Although, as is always the case, the agenda outweighs the opportunity to get down and dirty with issues--too many people, too little time etc. An undercurrent is the malaise of the denominations although I am unsure that all of the attendees are willing to fully face the implications. One bloke from the United Methodists said that something needs to happen and soon and also said that money was not the issue, that the denomination had 'more money than it would ever need' but throwing money at the challenges was no real answer-- he just might be the person at this gathering who is honest enough, and blunt enough, to take this time into some fruitful directions... We'll see.

Graduation

Don't cry because it's over be happy that it happened--so says dr. Seuss, good advice for a teenager and a family embarking on the next leg of life's journey

Threat-Alert Jesus

Publc/private

I am at a quite interesting theological gathering--big denominational leaders and a sense of nervousness over public versus private conversations. It was sad to hear so many people are torn between their own opinions and the need to uphold party line views on certain issues--I'll report more as it unfolds.

EURO+CHAMPIONS LEAGUE!

The Euro-Cafe here in Beverly Hills is a 'soccer' outpost in these football deprived parts of the world. I have watched many a United game here, and will join a host of fans from around the city today as we watch United take on Barcelona for the Champions League Final. The proprietor is a big Chelsea fan, hence the troubling blue decor, but he makes room for his nemesis team...and the coffee is great.

Breaking Hearts

Jay Bennett, guitarist/multi-instrumentalist and former member of Wilco, died in his sleep this past weekend at the tender age of 45. I Am Trying To Break your Heart, the Sam Jones directed documentary about the making of Wilco's brilliant Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, also chronicled the tensions that led to his break with the band, a loss that I still don't think Wilco, in spite of leader Jeff Tweedy' phenomenal gifts, have fully recovered from. You have to believe that there was a lot of good music left in Bennett--a big loss to music.

Skull-cino

A delightful combination of two obsessions in my life.

Way Down

Lovely graphic work from the talented Sage Vaughn.

Bonnie+Clyde

Bonnie+Clyde, the bank-robbing lovers of the Depression-era died 75 years ago today in a hail of gunfire on a back road in Louisiana. Their story was turned into a 'romeo and juliet in a getaway car' tale of love and lust by Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway. It's only interesting in that Johnny Depp is about to star in a film called Public Enemies, about John Dillinger, another infamous criminal from America's past, and I have read a couple of comments by Depp essentially saying that he views Dillinger as a sort of Robin Hood figure, even though there is no evidence that he did 'steal from the bad and give to the good' (of course, I am not sure Robin Hood did either, if he even existed).
What to make of our fascination with making heroes of crime-figures (this is not exclusively an American thing--The Krays etc.)is worth some reflection I think. Richard Osborne posits that our fascination with crime is linked to a sense of victimhood and that our continual rehearsing of crime stories is "an hysterical replaying of the possibility of being a victim and staving it off." Another view is that crime involves danger and risk-taking and represents a conceptualized resistance, but more than that, it may also be an attempt to break free from restraining and demeaning circumstances. In a world where many people find themselves, or at least feel, over-controlled, and yet have no real control, crime offers the potential of both excitement and control. Crime as an act of self-expression--a high price to pay it would seem to me. Cultural theorists are also exploring the relationship between crim,e culture and media. The media influence upon crime, and the way in which media depicts crime, are certainly worthy horizons of reflection.