I write this reflection on Adolf Hitler’s one hundred and twenty-first birthday. It triggers in my mind that telling and unsettling remark from Bertrand Russell, “the whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts.” There should be little doubt about one thing. We live in perilous times. Our republic is sharply divided. Those unhappy with the current administration are waving signs with messages like “this... Read more

On this day in 1927 Mae West was sentenced to serve ten days on a charge of obscenity resulting from the production of her play Sex. Read more

GOD IS NOT YOUR UNCLE James Ishmael Ford 18 April 2010 A sermon delivered at the First Unitarian Church of Providence, Rhode Island Text Then the Divine answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, who is this who despairs without knowledge? Pull yourself together. I have questions for you, and you must answer. Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you understand. Who measured out the universe; do you understand? Who gave... Read more

According to some people on this day in 1397, before the king, James II and his court, Geoffrey Chaucer first tells his Canterbury Tales. People have run with it ever since… Read more

Brad Warner at his blog posts a standup sending up religion. Pretty funny. Even a real point, if perhaps not the strongest of ’em. Made me think of Eddie Izzard, who also takes on religion in interesting ways… And to even things up… Read more

It has been two years since the subject of revisiting our church’s covenant was raised. This year the Prudential Committee charged a committee to gather the views of our congregation. The results of that project were handed off to a writer’s group. The group was charged to distill the collective wisdom found both in the gathered reflections and in the historical covenants of the church.A draft was presented to the congregation on Sunday the 11th of April at Worship. Immediately... Read more

William Wordsworth and his sister took a walk on this day in 1802. When he returned home, he penned this… Read more

For me the signal moment in the miracle of Helen Keller’s astonishing life journey takes place years before she is born. Of course there are several. For instance this marker could be when Dr Samuel Gridley Howe decided he could teach a deafblind person, finds Laura Bridgman in the far northern reaches of New Hampshire, and for the first time in history, does. It could be Charles Dickens’ account of meeting Laura Bridgman, which will be read by Helen Keller’s... Read more

On Sunday after worship as I was making my way to my office to change for the congregational meeting about our draft covenant, one of our leaders came up to me and said there was a young woman in the “newcomer’s cafe” who was weeping. She said she was a Polish national. I changed direction and went into the parlor we reserve as a bit less busy spot for newcomers on Sundays. We spoke a bit then walked to my... Read more

It’s been a week and a day since I tumbled into the depths of flu-life. After a nasty, nasty twenty two or three hours, I thought I was well. But in fact I went through a couple of relapses. The week has been on the yuck side… Including yesterday afternoon and into the evening and to a very early to bed. But today, while a bit shaky, I think the world is much better. At least my little corner of... Read more