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After the feast comes famine?

By the time you're reading this, you'll most likely be recovering from the excesses of way too much tryptophan-filled turkey, whipped potatoes and cranberry relish. Add to that chunks of pumpkin pie drowned in whipped cream and you were destined for a big snooze in front of the TV, watching your favorite football game.Yes, it was a good day for many of us who were fortunate enough to be able to afford a feast fit for a king. But now it's time to move on to the business of Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa.Of course, the "business" of at least Christmas started as many "celebrated" ...

Do turkeys have souls? Some food for thought

Animal spirits often personify moral lessons of good or evil in Native American cultures. Turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) are "Give-away eagles" because of their agreeable taste and "great kindness" (or uncanny ability to be fooled by hunters imitating their calls).Altruistic humans (Homo sapiens) often sacrifice their bodies for the benefit of others, as Christ died for our sins. He said, "Greater love has none than this: to lay down one's life for another."People have even trained dogs to lay down their lives for us, but it's hard for me to imagine a dog, let alone a turkey, sacrificing ...

Do atheists ‘worship?’

Evidently they do, according to recent reports of the tremendous rise of "atheist mega-churches" across the world. How can this be when by common definition an "atheist" is one who does not believe in God? The agnostic is one who questions God's existence and, for the most part, simply ignores the issue. But not so with atheists, who have become increasingly aggressive and even militant in recent years.Significantly, Madalyn Murray O'Hair, the crusading atheist in the 1960s, was responsible for removing the Bible and prayer from the public school arena. The results of that "legislation" ...

Churches on the front lines

When tragedy strikes a community, it's commonplace for government officials to "call on members of the clergy" for their participation and input in responding to the crisis. The recent acts of violence in our city are not an exception: In an article last week in the Tribune, various government officials invited clergy to be part of a program that has been proven to curb gun violence significantly in other cities and is now being brought to Warren.When this happens, I often feel a mix of emotions. I at first feel, on behalf of clergy and the church, honored, humbled even, to be invited to ...

A case of judicial success

The verdict is in! The jury is recommending that Louis Mann "serve the rest of his life behind bars for murdering his parents two years ago." This was met with varied reactions, for some wanted the death penalty, which would have been warranted; others wanted imprisonment with possibility of parole in 25-30 years. Two "expert" psychologists with faulty evidence tried the "mental illness" and insanity route. But the jury spoke.Some two years ago, I wrote a Tribune column called "Life is Fragile, Handle with Care." My thoughts were instigated by the above incident where the precious lives ...

Address takes on new meaning today

Today, in addition to the usual November events, holidays and seasonal commemorations, we celebrate the 150th anniversary of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. On Nov. 19, 1863, the president spoke very briefly, but powerfully, those words which have been memorized by many school-aged youngsters and honored by just about every writer of the English language.Our Tribune offered us articles about the history of both the speech and its significance.However, I wish to give a modern "take" on some of the famous lines in the address.For instance, its extraordinary conclusion includes this clause: ...