When I was growing up, I lived in a little town next to a big city. This town, like many others, had blue laws. For instance, stores were not allowed to be open on Sunday. After washing clothes on Sunday, it was forbidden to hang them out on a line to dry. One could not mow grass on Sunday. Today we think these rather funny.
To paraphrase Solomon, of the making of many laws there is no end. I visited the University of Illinois law library with a friend. It was a library in its own building with several stories of law books. It is amazing the way more and more laws are made. I was told once that every time we get in our cars, we break a law. And of course there is that notorious IRS and the fact that even their own agents do not know it all.
God gave the Jews 10 Commandments based on two, love God and love neighbor, and then some 600 more; and that was all that was needed. By the time we get to the days of Jesus and Paul, we see numerous laws that various religious leaders followed.
I received the following from Grove Books, an English publisher. Since England has been around a little longer than us, they certainly have had more experience with "blue laws." Under the title of "The UK's top 10 most ridiculous laws" comes the following:
1. It is illegal to die in the Houses of Parliament.
2. It is an act of treason to place a postage stamp bearing the British king or queen's image upside-down.
3. It is illegal for a woman to be topless in Liverpool except as a clerk in a tropical fish store.
4. Eating mince pies on Christmas Day is banned.
5. If someone knocks on your door in Scotland and requires the use of your toilet, you are required to let them enter.
6. In the UK a pregnant woman can legally relieve herself anywhere she wants, including in a policeman' helmet.
7. The head of any dead whale found on the British coast automatically becomes the property of the King, and the tail that of the Queen.
8. It is illegal not to tell the tax man anything you do not want him to know, but legal not to tell him information you do not mind him knowing.
9. It is illegal to enter the Houses of Parliament wearing a suit of armour.
10. It is legal to murder a Scotsman within the ancient city walls of York, but only if he is carrying a bow and arrow.
This made sense to the politicians who created these laws and I am sure some cultural factors went into them, but then I wonder: some people just have too much time on their hands, even several hundred years ago. Maybe it is just being in a position to make such laws that causes otherwise rational people to think irrationally. Or maybe they are just irrational to begin with. Maybe we should just do away with the profession of professional politicians and go back to citizen servants, those who would live home and work for a couple of months a couple of times a year, make some decisions, and come home.
Friday, November 23, 2007
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Christmas music
William Studwell states that at least 10,000 Christmas songs, both secular and sacred, have been written and that number might be twice or three times more. He also said that most people, depending on culture, national and international fame, know between forty and fifty. That does say something.
Since this is my favorite time of the year, I enjoy listening to a variety of Christmas music from Acappella to Mannheim Steamroller, some country and some contemporary Christian. Among my favorites are some of the old folk music groups such as Peter, Paul and Mary, the Kingston Trio, the New Christy Minstrels and the Brothers Four. The two middle groups have had me researching a song from each of their cds. It is amazing what we can listen to over and over and then it captures our attention.
Another observation by Studwell is that good and lasting carols occur in groups. America had a group in the middle of the 1800s, England in the middle of the 1700s. However, the 20th century wasn't so good to sacred carols. Almost all the songs that became popular in the 20th century were secular songs around the Great Depression, World War II and shortly after. Considering that the 20th century was very secular, and that secular answers seem to be the ones most tried, the religious aspects of the holiday faded by the end of the century. It has made me think about this change and conflict between the religious and secular we know see.
Of all the songs of the 20th century, only two, in my mind, that were sacred managed to become somewhat popular here in the US. I Wonder as I Wander was one and Mary, Did You Know? was the other. The former can be sung congregationally but I haven't yet heard the latter sung that way.
I have my favorites throughout all of this. If you have any, let me know. We can compare notes.
Since this is my favorite time of the year, I enjoy listening to a variety of Christmas music from Acappella to Mannheim Steamroller, some country and some contemporary Christian. Among my favorites are some of the old folk music groups such as Peter, Paul and Mary, the Kingston Trio, the New Christy Minstrels and the Brothers Four. The two middle groups have had me researching a song from each of their cds. It is amazing what we can listen to over and over and then it captures our attention.
Another observation by Studwell is that good and lasting carols occur in groups. America had a group in the middle of the 1800s, England in the middle of the 1700s. However, the 20th century wasn't so good to sacred carols. Almost all the songs that became popular in the 20th century were secular songs around the Great Depression, World War II and shortly after. Considering that the 20th century was very secular, and that secular answers seem to be the ones most tried, the religious aspects of the holiday faded by the end of the century. It has made me think about this change and conflict between the religious and secular we know see.
Of all the songs of the 20th century, only two, in my mind, that were sacred managed to become somewhat popular here in the US. I Wonder as I Wander was one and Mary, Did You Know? was the other. The former can be sung congregationally but I haven't yet heard the latter sung that way.
I have my favorites throughout all of this. If you have any, let me know. We can compare notes.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
conflicted conservatives
I was reading one of my favorite Jewish commentators, David Klinghoffer, commenting on Republican politics. He said that there are two lines of thinking among those who follow politics. One, those who emphasize foreign policy, many who are Jews. Then there is the group who emphasize cultural politics, many who are conservative Christians.
He asks that both sides take a look at the Old Testament prophets and what they emphasized. He noted that Israel was in difficult times and the prophets were not concerned about Babylon and Assyria, knowing that God was going to use these nations as a means of judgment on Israel. Rather, the prophets spoke to the moral and cultural issues in Israel itself, seeking that the nation repent, and return to God.
In this thoughtful articles, he states, "Idolatry manifests itself in every age. Its essence lies in setting up moral authorities in competition with, or to the negation of, God. Today, aggressive secularism possesses all of the classic pagan hallmarks: relativism, nature worship, sexual corruption, and a willingness to sacrifice children for the cause."
That is a powerful statement, in light of what some on the religious left have been saying of late. All we have to do is look at what the political left emphasizes and see this. 1) It really doesn't matter what one believes. 2). Environmentalism, i.e., man is destroy the earth and is responsible for all the ills. 3) Free love and government as the parent. 4) Abortion.
It is something for us to think about. Others have expressed the idea that America is becoming more like ancient Rome and Greece that Israel at this point in time.
He asks that both sides take a look at the Old Testament prophets and what they emphasized. He noted that Israel was in difficult times and the prophets were not concerned about Babylon and Assyria, knowing that God was going to use these nations as a means of judgment on Israel. Rather, the prophets spoke to the moral and cultural issues in Israel itself, seeking that the nation repent, and return to God.
In this thoughtful articles, he states, "Idolatry manifests itself in every age. Its essence lies in setting up moral authorities in competition with, or to the negation of, God. Today, aggressive secularism possesses all of the classic pagan hallmarks: relativism, nature worship, sexual corruption, and a willingness to sacrifice children for the cause."
That is a powerful statement, in light of what some on the religious left have been saying of late. All we have to do is look at what the political left emphasizes and see this. 1) It really doesn't matter what one believes. 2). Environmentalism, i.e., man is destroy the earth and is responsible for all the ills. 3) Free love and government as the parent. 4) Abortion.
It is something for us to think about. Others have expressed the idea that America is becoming more like ancient Rome and Greece that Israel at this point in time.
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