If no Saint, Peace Pilgrim Still Worlds Apart

BlogDecember 24, 2018Dan BodineLeave a comment

By Dan Bodine

Peace Pilgrim as seen walking along a roadway in her Ministry for Peace. From 1953 to 1981, when she was struck and killed by a motorist in Indiana, Peace Pilgrim had crisscrossed the U.S. almost seven times — walking over 25,000 miles — to speak at community churches, civic assemblies and such on merits of peace — not just with yourself but with others, too. (Wiki photo)

This piece about nominating personal saints (idea arose from an internet story I’ve lost) first started out about Peace Pilgrim, an older but vibrant, white-haired woman I met in the mid-’70s at an Austin church who seemed to be walking everywhere wishing peace. Continue reading →

Dark Depression to Latino Party a Spiritual Trip

BlogDecember 12, 2018Dan Bodine2 Comments

When falling into dark loneliness isn’t safest place!

By Dan Bodine

EL PASO — Nada! Leave me alone! it was. I don’t feel like wishing Happy Birthday to anyone! Ah, my old friend, Dark Depression, had returned. And as usual, it wanted the run of the house!

One recent Saturday evening was one of those times when I just didn’t want to go anywhere! To see no one! At whatever the cost! Only my wife said no. Continue reading →

Student loans creating new indentured servants

BlogOctober 13, 2018Dan BodineLeave a comment

By Dan Bodine

University’s hallowed halls (Courtesy Google Images)

Glossing over some news stories yesterday about a coming meltdown in the economy (yeah, us pessimists are always looking for it) coupled with the nation’s ballooning student loans, suddenly it dinged me — about why we’ve lost confidence in what once was a rock-solid belief in higher education. In the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave, a disgusting new term has arisen again — indentured servant! Continue reading →

‘Trumped-Up’ Prosperity is GOP’s game plan

BlogSeptember 15, 2018Dan BodineLeave a comment

Economic Plan 101 — I got mine; you get yours!

By Dan Bodine

Dear Readers, it’s taken a while to grasp the GOP’s game plan, but here it is I think, staring us in the face — swept upon us by revolutions, no less! Past as well as ongoing ones. It seems the worst President Trump gets, morally, far-right Christians in Republican Party still swear he’s the best thing since popcorn! This is actually diversion politics! So, first, let’s call any short-term gains in his economy a Trumped-Up Prosperity! Continue reading →

On Dementia and Sleuthing the ‘Gray Ghost’

BlogAugust 18, 2018Dan Bodine3 Comments

Noemi and I celebrating her birthday two years ago.

By Dan Bodine

OK, friends, admittedly throwing dementia into the above title won’t rock as a mystery thriller. But it’s personal, though. So here goes.

And I’ve been quiet for a long while, also. Retirement writing just isn’t working out the way I’d figured, let’s say. So a reality check is more what this is for me, maybe. Finding a slower groove. Continue reading →

Searching for God in an LSD “going-crazy” tale

BlogJune 1, 2018Dan Bodine2 Comments

By Dan Bodine

Anyone want to take a psychedelic trip? (Courtesy DEA)

Any other old hippies out there remember the psychedelic drug, LSD, and all the commotion it stirred back in the ’60s and ’70s!? Even in those of us searching for God!?

Before the Willie and Waylon scene — Maybe it was the Beatles who catapulted this mind-expansion drug onto the public scene! Maybe a Ticket to Ride? Continue reading →

Hysteria in Trump’s provincialism just sign of our times

BlogFebruary 2, 2017Dan BodineLeave a comment

By Dan Bodine

Daring to make a few Facebook observations about hysterical real estate magnates running amok now in today’s provincialism climates — e.g., with our newly elected President Donald Trump and gang — reminded me of a time in Cleburne, Tx, early to mid-’80s, when feathers all but flew, too, at a certain P&Z hearing. Over this same word I’d used to describe some local, restless natives then — e.g., “hysterical.” Continue reading →

U.S. Cultural War crosses Rubicon in 2016 Election

Blog, UncategorizedNovember 8, 2016Dan BodineLeave a comment

By Dan Bodine

Whoo! Beat-up some, but I’ve new strength, too!

What vocificious angst of a cultural war among us Election 2016 has delineated is everybody‘s got something to say now. And is saying it! Which means, Yes, we’re here, folks! We’ve crossed the Rubicon! Open the champagne bottles! Empire-building of biblical literalism is getting a shorter lease again!

Conservative white Christian Americans — especially the deep-pocketed, radical, Anglo fundamentalists who wish to strangle the Bible with literalist interpretations (for their own riches) — no longer dominate our voting electorate. Continue reading →

“Fields of Force” can raise some campus eyebrows

BlogAugust 27, 2016Dan BodineLeave a comment

It's best to remember the different fields of forces involved before jumping into an argument about your neighbor's ratty daughter. [Photograph by Dayna Mason on Flickr]

These are lines of force between two opposite charged objects, visible only because of thousands of tiny iron filings flung out randomly atop the table have moved into alignment with the unseen lines of force below. It’s best to remember the different invisible fields of forces involved around you before jumping into any heated argument — say, about your neighbor’s ratty daughter, i.e. Things can become convoluted and hot very quickly when entering new energy fields! [Photograph by Dayna Mason on Flickr]

By Dan Bodine

You the kind who spent hours as a kid wondering how hairs on a cat would stand up while the animal was rubbing itself against your leg? Or how running a comb thru your hair could generate enough force to instantly suck a small bit of tissue paper to it sometimes?

Hee, hee! This magnetism stuff (and its correlated charged energy fields) use to blow my mind so much I’d climb walls! Sorta. Growing up as a Baptist fundamentalist in rural North-Central Texas has a way of making one instinctively map the territory before ever stepping out anywhere! The Good Lord Above wadn’t the only one with unseen hands! Continue reading →

Human rights vs. new wave of Christian persecutions

BlogMarch 30, 2016Dan BodineLeave a comment

Remember the violence of the Crusades? Is this the answer for it? In unprecedented numbers since the 9/11 attack on America, Christians are being slaughtered around the world. But with all the other news upheavals, are getting relatively little publicity for it. What does the collective conscious of the West say? And is there an answer to stop all the religious violence? (Images above, below right, from http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2016/03/the-war-on-christians.

Remember the violence of the Crusades? Is violence against Christians the answer for it? In unprecedented numbers since the 9/11 attack on America, Christians are being slaughtered around the world. But with all the other news upheavals, are getting relatively little publicity for it. What does the collective conscious of the West say? Is there an answer to stop all the religious violence? (Images above, below right, from http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2016/03/the-war-on-christians.)

By Dan Bodine

Progress? Sí, we’ve made some. Maybe the world is ready then for a universal human rights declaration permitting people to be different. Even in religious beliefs!

Waddaya think?! Would it ease large-scale tragedies by political and religious fanatics? And possibly even ease the world’s burgeoning refugee crisis!? Hundreds of thousands even fleeing Christian persecution! Continue reading →

danbodine.com

On Life, Politics and Gardens — from a retired judge, former newspaperman

Category Archives: Blog

If no Saint, Peace Pilgrim Still Worlds Apart

Dark Depression to Latino Party a Spiritual Trip

Student loans creating new indentured servants

‘Trumped-Up’ Prosperity is GOP’s game plan

On Dementia and Sleuthing the ‘Gray Ghost’

Searching for God in an LSD “going-crazy” tale

Hysteria in Trump’s provincialism just sign of our times

U.S. Cultural War crosses Rubicon in 2016 Election

“Fields of Force” can raise some campus eyebrows

Human rights vs. new wave of Christian persecutions