In the year 2090, America has walled itself off from the rest of the world!
Order The Seclusion at Amazon or browse the list of retail stores at Good Reads.
Listen to the author, Jacqui Castle, discuss and read from her timely new book at the launch party in Asheville, North Carolina. This event occurred on September 4, 2018 at Malaprop’s Bookstore and Cafe.
One thing is certain. When it comes to protecting our children, there are no easy answers. Sure, we could do a better job of flagging those that are correctly or incorrectly perceived as a danger to themselves and others. Although the powers that be would likely do so with the kind of coercive labeling that may outcast them for life. We could arm our teachers and administrators. That is until such time as one of them, holding a gun, is shot by a uniformed and adrenaline charged police force bursting into a chaotic active shooter situation. Then, of course, there’s always the solution of making it more difficult to obtain guns, as if someone blocked from buying one won’t be able to 3D print one.
We could home school our kids. But just how do we do that without depriving them of healthy socialization challenges? And, on that point, just what is a “healthy” socialization challenge? Our schools clearly have other problems. There are the mean kids whose chief delight is bullying the most awkward, socially challenged, or vulnerable of their peers. There are teachers that are fond of saying “There is no such thing as a stupid question.” Then, a small percentage of these very same teachers give condescending answers in ways that embarrass or shame a student before their classmates.
There are parents, so marginalized through a lack of education, a loss of legal standing, or some other impediment to participation, that they fail their kids in ways not thoroughly understood. There is a counterfeit wisdom that pervades the judiciaries, the legislatures, and the executive mansions. It is one that angers our youth while also offending the finely tuned hypocrisy detector that is an integral part of the critical thinking skillset essential to the process of education. We have taught our children well. And we can be assured that, when they call BS, it is because the Emperor has no clothes and that the prostituting politician is a BS artist first and foremost.
By contrast, statesmanship demands that the problem solver is precisely focused on mitigating the causes and not just the effects. Joseph Malin’s 1895 poem, The Ambulance Down in the Valley, underscores the kind of shortsightedness that costs lives. There’s no shortage of politicians advocating for the inclusion of anyone, who suffers from any form of mental disharmony, in a database that is designed to operate at the core of, what is in essence, a sophisticated shunning system. These same politicians have not come to grips with the fact that their efforts to gut every promising health care initiative, one that might even chance to include comprehensive mental health services, weakens the fence at the top of the cliff.
During the dark ages human knowledge and most of its derivatives were largely under the control of other retardant forces, at that time operating in the name of an institutionalized church. During the enlightenment, a great humanity began to view the fresh flow of information as trifurcated. Facts, meanings, and values as they are effectively streamed through the complementary intellectual disciplines of science, philosophy, and religion are surprisingly synergistic. It became readily apparent, the technique of isolating one’s self from the totality of objective reality is a dead end.
The Humanist Societies of England, as well as Humanist Manifestos One and Two, defined their value proposition as “Religious Humanism.” The secularization hypothesis denies this provable fact and thereby places its own value proposition on a plane of unreality. It resides at the heart of chaos. The faulty belief, that as societies progress through modernization and rationalization, faith loses its authority in all aspects of social life and governance, relies on revisionist history and a definition of religion that betrays the reality of its etymology as well as the great majority of contemporary use cases.
The term religion stems from the Latin religiō, meaning conscientiousness. Regina Westcott-Wieman, in her 1935 book Normative Psychology of Religion, wrote “The characteristics of religious behavior find their differentia in the basic definition of religion: Religion is devotion to what one holds to be supremely worthful not only for himself but for all human living. As has been pointed out, the two elements which persist and stand out strongly are devotion and supreme value. Where religion is genuine, we shall find these two elements in the functioning relationship between the devotee and his operative situation.”
As the term is used today one can be religious about auditing their bank statement, washing their car, and clipping their toenails. To the secularist and the materialist, religion refers almost exclusively to a stained glass faith. Although, it is only the religion of final value that asks the question “Is there a God? And, if so, what is my relationship with this God?” Whether or not one embraces a religion of final value, religion is the domain of values and the substance of goodness. The religionist advocates something.
The intellectual disciplines feature a triune relationship that is indissolubly linked. This intellectual triad has been knocked off balance, in the minds of some, through the attempted transformation of our society away from close identification and affiliation with religious values. True religion is always personal and always positive. Materialistic counselors that fail to recognize this fact are self-limiting to the point where they can offer very little of value or be, for that matter, truly effective.
The remedies we often depend upon are not only half baked, they are half baked without leavening. They fail to differentiate between gravity laden physical realities and the uplifting value of spiritual realities. The brain is an electrochemical mechanism. The mind is en-circuited on a higher level. It is a spiritual endowment that precisely interfaces with a healthy material brain. Whether one’s concept of spirituality refers to the collective consciousness of a great humanity, or it places its faith in an approachable God, the Latin term spīritus, refers to an activating and breath imparting force.
When spiritual growth is stunted, maladjustment occurs. Emotional cascades are often the result of rumination which focuses attention upon the symptoms of one’s distress. This may be accompanied by a fixation on the possible causes and consequences, as opposed to the search for a solution. Often one becomes self-loathing or directs their hatred towards others. At this juncture certain cognitive distortions may also come into play such as dwelling on the negatives and disqualifying anything positive. A de-facto preference for faulty perception could result with what psychometrician Renée Grinnell described as leading to systematized delusions constructed to protect the coherence of a single central delusion.
A unified personality is dominated by love and that promotes a fermentation of those things that serve to nourish the soul. A loving person tends to cultivate an appreciation for the enduring value of individual advancement in one’s self as well as one’s friends. The qualities of a spiritual person include loving service, enthusiastic appreciation, enduring peace, forgiving tolerance, sincere fairness, unfailing goodness, courageous loyalty, merciful ministry, unselfish devotion, undying hope, confiding trust, and enlightened honesty.
Just why do you suppose such a predictable array of positive qualities presents whenever spiritual growth occurs? Could it be that such a maturing individual is exhibiting an affinity for the same golden rule that is embraced by each of the world’s major religions? How would you like to be treated? True wisdom is not dependent upon a stagnant collection of negative injunctions. It is rather, continually refreshed through experiential growth complemented by a series of positive admonitions.
Health, mental health, is always dependent upon continual growth. Such growth may occur independent of intellectual understanding, philosophic acumen, social level, cultural status, or other acquirements. But it must be conversant with reality. Accordingly, growing individuals inevitably seek to align themselves with their highest and best understanding of reality. Such trueing only takes place in light of actual conditions. For only then can an individual become the arbiter of their own destiny and become effective in improving those conditions.
When politicians are focused upon funding their next campaign, they turn their attention to special interests while catering to their every indulgence. A self-serving, money grubbing politician exemplifies all that is wrong within a seriously diseased system of governance. As with any cancer, such interstitial malignancies must be excised if altruistic service, in the form of true statesmanship, is ever to take hold.
As we examine causes and effects, it becomes abundantly clear that there is no positive change in the absence of that spiritual idealism that serves to advance an individual or group from one level of attainment to the next. At the heart of true statesmanship is a fervent desire to serve a greater good. The true leader must be service motivated. The statesman is occupied exclusively with the highest and best interests of a broad constituency. By this means, he or she becomes a remedy for a variety of concerns, an emissary of social uplift, and a leavening that serves to inspire the next generation of leaders.
Our cabin fever is soon to break and, as our minds turn to thoughts of spring, these hills are very much alive with the sound of music. Julie Andrews taught us the “Do-Re-Mi” song as children. If we can understand that, we’ve already learned the basics of an Appalachian tradition akin to what was carried by the circuit riding singers and preachers of the early 1800’s. It is known as either sacred harp or shaped note singing where the “harp” is the voice you were given at birth.
Notation for Shaped Note Singing
In shaped note music notation, each interval of the standard musical scale has a different name and shape. It’s easy to memorize the shapes and the intervals they represent which makes old time music more accessible, while its enthusiasts are more agile, able to sing and read music in any key.
The late Quay Smathers was born in 1913, just west of Asheville. He is remembered as a fine example pointing to the lasting legacy of shape note singing. Family and friends recall that Smathers exuded a warmth through his music. One reminisced “It’s as if each note came with a flickering tongue of the Holy Spirit . . .”
This spring, on April 14, 2018, the Quay Smathers Memorial Singing School will hold its third annual gathering in Clyde, North Carolina devoted to carrying on Quay’s work of raising up shaped-note singers. The school teaches using The Christian Harmony songbook. This book, published in 1866, featured additional notation that effectively upgraded the “fa so la” system of four syllables and introduced the seven-syllable “do re mi” system that is used throughout Western North Carolina. The Seattle Voice Lab is where one can go to get help with their voice training.
It is for those who long to sing in the traditional style, originally heard throughout the Blue Ridge mountains.
The singing school is taught by leaders in the Blue Ridge style of shaped-note singing. The faculty includes Quay’s daughters as well as his son-in-law. They will be joined by the Christian Harmony Singers. Those who attend will gain a deeper understanding of the sacred harp tradition plus a proficiency in singing shaped-notes as they were originally sung in the Southern Appalachians.
When we align our objectives with the Divine will, when we strive for the attainment of a worthy goal, when we begin our work with a well defined plan, and when we have ability to work together with others effectively, we have already achieved the trajectory for success. For we know that “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
The Lost Chord performs at Jubilee on Friday, May 26, 2017. Pictured left to right: Sherman Hoover – bass and vocals, Todd Byington – acoustic guitar and vocals, Kate Barber – flute and tambourine, Paul Quick – acoustic and electric guitar and vocals. Behind them are Garry Byrne – keyboards, James Wilson – drums and percussion. Nathan Ebanks provides immersive visual effects via digital projection. – Photo by Bob Kalk
“Gazing past the planets, looking for total view.” With this lyric from the popular sixties album To Our Children’s Children’s Children, a Moody Blues tribute band opens a unique celebration of creation spirituality with the Jubilee Community in downtown Asheville, North Carolina. It was on a warm night in late May last year, that Jubilee hosted the debut performance of The Lost Chord. And the band would sing on. “Wonders of a lifetime, right there before your eyes.”
Mike Parvin attended the Friday night gathering and said “At the end of the concert I found myself standing, applauding and cheering this band.” I then realized that I was also standing, applauding and cheering the sounds and songs of the Moody Blues. This is what a tribute band is for – celebration! Were they good? Yes. Did they succeed? Yes…YES!”
The group performs in and around Asheville carrying a message that resonates with the Jubilants as well as anyone else looking for a brand of spirituality that is a bit more cosmic in scope. To contact the band visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/thelostchordmoodybluestribute/
While a Sunday morning celebration within Jubilee’s diverse community draws liberally from the Judeo-Christian scriptures for inspiration, participants might also enjoy insights from the Beatles or Dylan. At times the congregation is held, enraptured, by the sound of a Buddhist bowl. At other times they will engage with a highly versatile house band that offers a little something of everything, from Bach to Zulu. For any newcomer, it quickly becomes apparent the Jubilants are a wildly independent lot. But, when it’s time for celebration they are all in, just as they were admonished to be as the Moody Blues and the Lost Chord sang “Baby there’s no price upon your head, sing it, shout it!”
“Eighty percent of what we do is music” according to Howard Hanger. It was this same Reverend Hanger who, in May of 1984, commenced a gathering of creative people to develop an artistic interpretation of eight “Seeds of Celebration.” The group shared stories, songs, dance, poetry, paintings, and other expressions in a highly interactive, participatory way. From these humble beginnings the Jubilee Community was born.
From the time of its inception, Jubilee has enjoyed the support of area Baptist, Buddhist, Jewish, Methodist, Episcopal, Unitarian-Universalist, and United Church of Christ congregations. It has borrowed from these traditions together with Sufi, Native American and others while fostering a “Creation Spirituality” that honors all of creation as a “Holy Gift.” Among the many affirming messages displayed within Jubilee’s Earth friendly building is the statement that “Diversity of faith enriches our community.”
During the thirteenth century Thomas Aquinas wrote “We can and do relate to the universe as a whole since we are a microcosm of that macrocosm and this relationship “intoxicates” us.” Jubilant’s clearly believe that Aquinas was on to something. While this way of thinking is, perhaps, as old as humanity, it may have been best articulated in text that a scribe in ancient Egypt produced as a legacy for his son. The Instruction of Amenemope dates back to the the Ramesside Period, during which the tribes of Israel first became a unified nation. For anyone who tends to view our universe of universes in a creation spirituality context, there is one line from this text that sort of jumps out at you:
“For from the greatness and the beauty of created things their original author, by analogy, is seen.”
Pastor Hanger describes a personal awakening of sorts in this way: “I studied under Margaret Mead. She was an anthropologist.” He goes on to say: “One of the things that turned my head around when I was twenty years old was when she said “Go to any archeological site, anyplace in the world, and one of the first things you will find are sacred artifacts. We’ve always sought to connect with that which we do not understand.”” At that point Hanger recalls that he thought to himself “Yes, yes! That’s it, that’s it, that’s it! Were yearning for that.”
“So that’s really what we try to do at Jubilee We don’t try to give anybody any answers. But, we try to open them up to ask better questions about their life, about life on this planet.” Hanger goes on to say “Music is . . . We all know it’s a social lubricant. But I say it’s a spiritual lubricant too. It gets you out of your set kind of ways of thinking and being. It opens the door to other possibilities.”
“The whole western church is built on music.” Hanger said. “The only reason we have Bach is because he was hired by a church and he had to write all these things. And so, music is crucial, absolutely crucial in Jubilee. Many people are attracted to Jubilee because of the the music. It offers such variety.”
Pastor Howard Hanger rings a singing (Buddhist) bowl during a Sunday morning celebration on November 26 at Jubilee on Wall Street in Downtown Asheville. – Photo by Bob Kalk
At one point in our interview, Pastor Hanger described the way he came into possession of a Buddhist bowl saying “A guy at Jubilee had a store, called Far Away Place. He told me “I want to give you a Buddhist bowl, but you’ve got to come in and let it pick you.” So I go to his store and he says “Now shut your eyes and I’m going to start playing them and you’ll know when it’s your bowl. You’ll just know that.” So I’m thinking, ok, I can play this game. I close my eyes and he plays fifteen or twenty of them and I’m like, this is not working. I’m getting kind of embarrassed, you know, for him. And he tells me “Just keep on, your bowl may not even be here.”
Hanger continues: “So he gets one, gets one, gets one and then, all of a sudden I said “That’s it!” Well, I don’t know. It sounded like all the other bowls, but there was something about it, the overtones that just, whew! And so, maybe the tone of that just spoke to me, cut through the crowd. That’s the bowl we use on Sunday. I don’t know if it speaks to the other people there, but it gets me there.” He said.
Pastor Hanger is in awe of the musical talent at Jubilee “We have wonderful drummers.” He said. “And there’s something about that drum. I’m a big student of ritual and, as far as we know, our first human ritual was done with drum and dance. That was our first connection to the Spirit world.” Jubilee’s schedule of celebrations is available on their website at www.JubileeCommunity.org and they will host an International Conference on Creation Spirituality in April.
In a world of competing ideas we are each searching for answers. And, there is no shortage of people with good ideas they hope will go viral, folks who sincerely believe their idea is the one whose time has come. Even so, there are many highly diversified groups like these, composed of people thoroughly jazzed by diversity and what now appears to be a new unification of contrasts, people who seem to value spiritual unity over any form of theological uniformity.
They have brought a powerful contagion into our midst. It is through this enthusiasm (en-theos), that they are truly united as they strive to be ever more responsive to the Divine leading that brings us together. Some will hum along as they find resonance in the cosmos and each other. Some will sway as they share the sound of singing bowls. Still others will raise their voices heavenward in a full throated expression of gratitude. When all is said and done, it is the common quest of searchers that make us a house undivided for, and far beyond, itself. “I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder, Thy power throughout the universe displayed.”
When we align our objectives with the Divine will, when we strive for the attainment of a worthy goal, when we begin our work with a well defined plan, and when we have ability to work together with others effectively, we have already achieved the trajectory for success. For we know that “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
Left to right: Youth Choir members Danaysia Franks, Taniya Riley, and Taryn Riley lead the congregational singing at Hill Street Baptist Church on January 14, 2018. – Photo by Bob Kalk
“Hill Street, it’s time to break open the doors and take to the street.” This was the message delivered by the former pastor of Hill Street Missionary Baptist Church in Asheville. North Carolina on Oct. 18, 2015. Throughout his fourteen year tenure, Reverend Keith Ogden was a well known advocate of a biblical world view in and around Asheville. Now the church is engaged in the search for a new pastor, one that can “Articulate a clear vision for spiritual growth, Christian Education, and personal development” according to its search committee.
The Church was formed in 1915 moving from Stumptown to the Hill Street location in 1949. These and other neighborhoods would face tumultuous change in the decades to come. Sarah M. Judson with the Department of History at UNCA, wrote in 2010 “urban renewal was a continuous experience for Asheville’s African American community for almost thirty years. Beginning with the Hill Street neighborhood in 1957. ”She continued “The fabric of each of these historic African American communities was torn apart.”
Hill Street Baptist weathered these ravages of time gracefully, just as their faith was informed and reinforced by lessons such as this: “And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.” — Jesus (Matthew 7:25) Today, when one enters the sanctuary for a Sunday service, the warm reception and the music speaks volumes about a congregation that is steadfast and centered on the Gospel of Jesus.
Music contributes mightily to the congregation’s sense of continuity. Terry Letman, the Minister of Music was originally retained as an interim for three months. That was seven years ago. Speaking of the thirty voice adult choir, Letman said, “They love what they do. And I get truly excited by the fervency.” Letman’s own feathery touch on the keyboards also contributes to an understanding of why the group receives requests to sing at other area churches. He tells us that a city wide choir is in the works and that we can look forward to their first concert in the near future.
When we align our objectives with the Divine will, when we strive for the attainment of a worthy goal, when we begin our work with a well defined plan, and when we have ability to work together with others effectively, we have already achieved the trajectory for success. For we know that “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
“Gazing past the planets, looking for total view.” With this lyric from the popular sixties album To Our Children’s Children’s Children, a Moody Blues tribute band opens a unique celebration of creation spirituality with the Jubilee Community on Wall Street in downtown Asheville. It was earlier this year, on a warm night in late May, that Jubilee hosted the debut performance of The Lost Chord. And the band would sing on. “Wonders of a lifetime, right there before your eyes.”
Mike Parvin attended the Friday night gathering and said “At the end of the concert I found myself standing, applauding and cheering this band.” I then realized that I was also standing, applauding and cheering the sounds and songs of the Moody Blues. This is what a tribute band is for – celebration! Were they good? Yes. Did they succeed? Yes…YES!”
The Lost Chord performs at Jubilee on Friday, May 26, 2017. Pictured left to right: Sherman Hoover – bass and vocals, Todd Byington – acoustic guitar and vocals, Kate Barber – flute and tambourine, Paul Quick – acoustic and electric guitar and vocals. Behind them are Garry Byrne – keyboards, James Wilson – drums and percussion. Nathan Ebanks provides immersive visual effects via digital projection. – Photo by Bob Kalk
The group performs in and around Asheville carrying a message that resonates with the Jubilants as well as anyone else looking for a brand of spirituality that is a bit more cosmic in scope. To contact the band visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/thelostchordmoodybluestribute/
While a Sunday morning celebration within Jubilee’s diverse community draws liberally from the Judeo-Christian scriptures for inspiration, participants might also enjoy insights from the Beatles or Dylan. At times the congregation is held, enraptured, by the sound of a Buddhist bowl. At other times they will engage with a highly versatile house band that offers a little something of everything, from Bach to Zulu. For any newcomer, it quickly becomes apparent the Jubilants are a wildly independent lot. But, when it’s time for celebration they are all in, just as they were admonished to be as the Moody Blues and the Lost Chord sang “Baby there’s no price upon your head, sing it, shout it!”
“Eighty percent of what we do is music” according to Howard Hanger. It was this same Reverend Hanger who, in May of 1984, commenced a gathering of creative people to develop an artistic interpretation of eight “Seeds of Celebration.” The group shared stories, songs, dance, poetry, paintings, and other expressions in a highly interactive, participatory way. From these humble beginnings the Jubilee Community was born.
From the time of its inception, Jubilee has enjoyed the support of area Baptist, Buddhist, Jewish, Methodist, Episcopal, Unitarian-Universalist, and United Church of Christ congregations. It has borrowed from these traditions together with Sufi, Native American and others while fostering a “Creation Spirituality” that honors all of creation as a “Holy Gift.” Among the many affirming messages displayed within Jubilee’s Earth friendly building is the statement that “Diversity of faith enriches our community.”
During the thirteenth century Thomas Aquinas wrote “We can and do relate to the universe as a whole since we are a microcosm of that macrocosm and this relationship “intoxicates” us.” Jubilant’s clearly believe that Aquinas was on to something. While this way of thinking is, perhaps, as old as humanity, it may have been best articulated in text that a scribe in ancient Egypt produced as a legacy for his son. The Instruction of Amenemope dates back to the the Ramesside Period, during which the tribes of Israel first became a unified nation. For anyone who tends to view our universe of universes in a creation spirituality context, there is one line from this text that sort of jumps out at you:
“For from the greatness and the beauty of created things their original author, by analogy, is seen.”
Pastor Hanger describes a personal awakening of sorts in this way: “I studied under Margaret Mead. She was an anthropologist.” He goes on to say: “One of the things that turned my head around when I was twenty years old was when she said “Go to any archeological site, anyplace in the world, and one of the first things you will find are sacred artifacts. We’ve always sought to connect with that which we do not understand.”” At that point Hanger recalls that he thought to himself “Yes, yes! That’s it, that’s it, that’s it! Were yearning for that.”
“So that’s really what we try to do at Jubilee We don’t try to give anybody any answers. But, we try to open them up to ask better questions about their life, about life on this planet.” Hanger goes on to say “Music is . . . We all know it’s a social lubricant. But I say it’s a spiritual lubricant too. It gets you out of your set kind of ways of thinking and being. It opens the door to other possibilities.”
“The whole western church is built on music.” Hanger said. “The only reason we have Bach is because he was hired by a church and he had to write all these things. And so, music is crucial, absolutely crucial in Jubilee. Many people are attracted to Jubilee because of the the music. It offers such variety.”
At one point in our interview, Pastor Hanger described the way he came into possession of a Buddhist bowl saying “A guy at Jubilee had a store, called Far Away Place. He told me “I want to give you a Buddhist bowl, but you’ve got to come in and let it pick you.” So I go to his store and he says “Now shut your eyes and I’m going to start playing them and you’ll know when it’s your bowl. You’ll just know that.” So I’m thinking, ok, I can play this game. I close my eyes and he plays fifteen or twenty of them and I’m like, this is not working. I’m getting kind of embarrassed, you know, for him. And he tells me “Just keep on, your bowl may not even be here.”
Hanger continues: “So he gets one, gets one, gets one and then, all of a sudden I said “That’s it!” Well, I don’t know. It sounded like all the other bowls, but there was something about it, the overtones that just, whew! And so, maybe the tone of that just spoke to me, cut through the crowd. That’s the bowl we use on Sunday. I don’t know if it speaks to the other people there, but it gets me there.” He said.
Pastor Howard Hanger rings a singing (Buddhist) bowl during a Sunday morning celebration on November 26 at Jubilee on Wall Street in Downtown Asheville. – Photo by Bob Kalk
Pastor Hanger is in awe of the musical talent at Jubilee “We have wonderful drummers.” He said. “And there’s something about that drum. I’m a big student of ritual and, as far as we know, our first human ritual was done with drum and dance. That was our first connection to the Spirit world.” Jubilee’s schedule of celebrations is available on their website at www.JubileeCommunity.org and they will host an International Conference on Creation Spirituality in April.
Elsewhere and else-when, on a porch in Pensacola, North Carolina, David Green would play guitar and, along with neighbors and friends, sing “ol’ timey” Gospel hymns. Over the next ten years, the neighborhood gathering grew larger and the sing-a-long became a full-fledged community event in greater Burnsville. When David became the pastor of Grace Methodist in the shadow of Newfound Mountain, he brought his guitar, considerable talent, and a variety of lessons learned to a nearby community center in that rural valley.
Ol’ Timey Gospel Hymn Sing at Newfound Community Center featuring Three Men and a Tub. Pictured left to right are Sam Smathers, Pastor David Green, and Charles Ballew. – Photo by Bob Kalk
Pastor Green told us that one of those lessons learned underscores the value of holding these hymn sings in a neutral place. “The community center allows us to attract people who may not be inclined to cross denominational lines or others who may be reluctant to even enter a church.” He said.
According to those who regularly participate in the Friday evening events that also feature a potluck dinner, the number of area churches represented has now topped out at seventeen while it usually hovers at twelve to fifteen.
Charles Ballew and Sam Smathers joined David in leading the songs a little over a year ago according to the pastor. Charles plays a standup washtub bass of his own making. To change pitch he pulls a crank originally used to draw the shades in a chicken coop. His other hand is free to pluck the single string, that looks a lot like a clothesline, as the old metal washtub resonates, shapes, and amplifies the sound.
Sam plays the lead guitar parts while David plays mostly rhythm as he sings. Pastor Green says that Sam has a real talent for covering most of the pastor’s mistakes while weaving them into something beautiful. “You couldn’t ask for a better complement.” David says.
Judy McGargle regularly attends these first Friday of every month sessions. She says she enjoys the banter and the opportunity to sing the hymns she knew as a child and highlighted the interactive nature of the sessions saying “ I love how everyone participates.” Patty Reichstad agreed with that sentiment saying “These are the songs that we grew up with.” She continued “ I grew up in the Catholic Church where we would only sing the first and third verse. Here we sing all of them.” Speaking of those who join from all the different area churches she said “I was impressed by how good they sound together, it’s as if they practiced together.”
Francie Green, David’s wife, added this observation: “ Even though they come from fifteen different churches, they already know most of the songs. The song leader loves old hymns and just has this library in his head of beautiful old hymns, so . . .” When asked about how this event became so successful, she said that “David knew some people from church and the welcome table lunches in Leicester. We had a banner and we put up some flyers. People just started coming.”
Francie continued “We have a great variety of people that come and just worship the Lord. Where else can you go, on a Friday night, and sing praises to God. It just warms your heart. Doug May joined the conversation saying “The people in this little valley are just as friendly and welcoming as can be.” Doug has been participating in these events since they first started. The event is held at 7:00 PM on the first Friday of every month at The Newfound Community Center.
In a world of competing ideas we are each searching for answers. And, there is no shortage of people with good ideas they hope will go viral, folks who sincerely believe their idea is the one whose time has come. Even so, in and around Asheville there are many highly diversified groups like these, composed of people thoroughly jazzed by diversity and what now appears to be a new unification of contrasts, people who seem to value spiritual unity over any form of theological uniformity.
They have brought a powerful contagion into our midst. It is through this enthusiasm (en-theos), that they are truly united as they strive to be ever more responsive to the Divine leading that brings us together. Some will hum along as they find resonance in the cosmos and each other. Some will sway as they share the sound of singing bowls or a washtub bass. Still others will raise their voices heavenward in a full throated expression of gratitude. When all is said and done, it is the common quest of searchers that make us a house undivided for, and far beyond, itself. “I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder, Thy power throughout the universe displayed.”
How do geologists date rocks? Radiometric dating!
Radioactive elements were incorporated into the Earth when the Solar System formed. All rocks and minerals contain tiny amounts of these radioactive elements.
Radioactive elements are unstable; they breakdown spontaneously into more stable atoms over time, a process known as radioactive decay. Radioactive decay occurs at a constant rate, specific to each radioactive isotope. (Different forms of a single element that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons in their nuclei. Some radioactive isotopes are unstable and shed nuclear particles over time until they become stable. For instance, unstable isotopes of uranium break down to become lead.).
Since the 1950s, geologists have used radioactive elements as natural “clocks” for determining numerical ages of certain types of rocks.
Radiometric clocks are “set” when each rock forms. “Forms” means the moment an igneous rock solidifies from magma, a sedimentary rock layer is deposited, or a rock heated by metamorphism (a changing that occurs due to heat, pressure, or the introduction of chemically active fluids) cools off. It’s this resetting process that gives us the ability to date rocks that formed at different times in earth’s history.
A commonly used radiometric (relating to the measurement of geologic time) dating technique relies on the breakdown of potassium-40 to argon-40. In igneous rocks, the potassium-argon “clock” is set the moment the rock first crystallizes from magma. Precise measurements of the amount of 40K relative to 40Ar in an igneous rock can tell us the amount of time that has passed since the rock crystallized. If an igneous (rock that has solidified from lava or magma) or other rock is metamorphism (changed), its radiometric clock is reset, and potassium-argon measurements can be used to tell the number of years that has passed since metamorphism.
Carbon-14 is a method used for young (less than 50,000 year old) sedimentary rocks. This method relies on the uptake of a naturally occurring radioactive isotope of carbon, carbon-14 by all living things. When living things die, they stop taking in carbon-14, and the radioactive clock is “set”! Any dead material incorporated with sedimentary deposits is a possible candidate for carbon-14 dating.
Radiometric dating has been used to determine the ages of the Earth, Moon, meteorites, ages of fossils, including early man, timing of glaciations, ages of mineral deposits, recurrence rates of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, the history of reversals of Earth’s magnetic field, and many of other geological events and processes.
The Earth is a constantly changing planet. Its crust is continually being created, modified, and destroyed. As a result, rocks that record its earliest history have not been found and probably no longer exist. Nevertheless, there is substantial evidence that the Earth and the other bodies of the Solar System are 4.5-4.6 billion years old, and that the Milky Way Galaxy and the Universe are older still. The principal evidence for the antiquity of Earth and its cosmic surroundings is:
The oldest rocks on Earth, found in western Greenland, have been dated by four independent radiometric dating methods at 3.7-3.8 billion years. Rocks 3.4-3.6 billion years in age have been found in southern Africa, western Australia, and the Great Lakes region of North America. These oldest rocks are metamorphic rocks but they originated as lava flows and sedimentary rocks. The debris from which the sedimentary rocks formed must have come from even older crustal rocks. The oldest dated minerals (4.0-4.2 billion years) are tiny zircon crystals found in sedimentary rocks in western Australia.
The oldest Moon rocks are from the lunar highlands and were formed when the early lunar crust was partially or entirely molten. These rocks, of which only a few were returned by the Apollo missions, have been dated by two methods at between 4.4-4.5 billion years in age.
The majority of the 70 well-dated meteorites have ages of 4.4 to 4.6 billion years. These meteorites, which are fragments of asteroids and represent some of the most primitive material in the solar system, have been dated by 5 independent radiometric dating methods.
The “best” age for the Earth is based on the time required for the lead isotopes in four very old lead ores (galena) to have evolved from the composition of lead at the time the Solar System formed, as recorded in the Canyon Diablo iron meteorite. This “model lead age” is 4.54 billion years.
“Since the 1950s, geologists have used radioactive elements as natural “clocks” for determining numerical ages of certain types of rocks.”
The evidence for the antiquity of the Earth and Solar System is consistent with evidence for an even greater age for the Universe and Milky Way Galaxy. a) The age of the Universe can be estimated from the velocity and distance of galaxies as the universe expands. The estimates range from 7 to 20 billion years, depending on whether the expansion is constant or is slowing due to gravitational attraction. b) The age of the Galaxy is estimated to be 13.7 billion years from the rate of evolution of stars in globular clusters, which are thought to be the oldest stars in the Galaxy. The age of the elements in the Galaxy, based on the production ratios of osmium isotopes in supernovae and the change in that ratio over time due to radioactive decay, is about 12 billion years. Theoretical considerations indicate that the Galaxy formed within a billion years of the beginning of the Universe. c) Combining the data from a) and b), the “best, i.e., most consistent, age of the universe is estimated to be close to 14 billion years.
The rubidium-strontium method is based on rubidium-87, which decays to stable strontium-87 (87Sr) by emitting a beta particle from its nucleus. The abundance of the radiogenic strontium-87 therefore increases with time at a rate that is proportional to the Rb/Sr ratio of the rock or mineral. The method is particularly well suited to the dating of very old rocks such as the ancient gneisses near Godthab in Greenland, which are almost 3.8 × 109 years old. This method has also been used to date rocks from the Moon and to determine the age of the Earth by analyses of stony meteorites.
The potassium-argon method is based on the assumption that all of the atoms of radiogenic argon-40 that form within a potassium-bearing mineral accumulate within it. This assumption is satisfied only by a few kinds of minerals and rocks, because argon is an inert gas that does not readily form bonds with other atoms. The K-Ar method of dating has been used to establish a chronology of mountain building events in North America beginning about 2.8 × 109 years ago and continuing to the present. In addition, the method has been used to date reversals of the polarity of the Earth’s magnetic field during the past 1.3 × 107 years.
The uranium, thorium-lead method is based on uranium and thorium atoms which are radioactive and decay through a series of radioactive daughters to stable atoms of lead (Pb). Minerals that contain both elements can be dated by three separate methods based on the decay of uranium-238 to lead-206, uranium-235 to lead-207, and thorium-232 to lead-208. The three dates agree with each other only when no atoms of uranium, thorium, lead, and of the intermediate daughters have escaped. Only a few minerals satisfy this condition. The most commonly used mineral is zircon (ZrSiO4), in which atoms of uranium and thorium occur by replacing zirconium.
The common-lead method is based on the common ore mineral galena (PbS) which consists of primordial lead that dates from the time of formation of the Earth and varying amounts of radiogenic lead that formed by decay of uranium and thorium in the Earth. The theoretical models required for the interpretation of common lead have provided insight into the early history of the solar system and into the relationship between meteorites and the Earth.
The fission-track method is based on uranium-238 which can decay both by emitting an alpha particle from its nucleus and by spontaneous fission. The number of spontaneous fission tracks per square centimeter is proportional to the concentration of uranium and to the age of the sample. When the uranium content is known, the age of the sample can be calculated. This method is suitable for dating a variety of minerals and both natural and manufactured glass. Its range extends from less than 100 years to hundreds of millions of years.
The samarium-neodymium method of dating separated minerals or whole-rock specimens is similar to the Rb-Sr method. The Sm-Nd method is even more reliable than the Rb-Sr method of dating rocks and minerals, because samarium and neodymium are less mobile than rubidium and strontium. The isotopic evolution of neodymium in the Earth is described by comparison with stony meteorites.
The rhenium-osmium method is based on the beta decay of naturally occurring rhenium-187 to stable osmium-187. It has been used to date iron meteorites and sulfide ore deposits containing molybdenite.
And lastly, if you know how long it takes for potassium-40 to become argon-40, and you measure the amounts of each in a sample, you can work out how old a material is.
Sometime in 1953 a fellow named Clair Patterson announced a definitive age of the Earth. He estimated the Earth was 4.5 billion years old. He was the first to come to this conclusion after much studying and after making many measurements.
Paul Berkow is a member of the Open Table at www.OpenTable.fun You can join in our ongoing discussions; conversations that are truly commensurate with the spiritual, intellectual, and societal development of a great humanity. To obtain a login and password. Please use our Contributor Enrollment form.
When Scientists Dissect the Brain, They Find Different Distinct Parts.
The Cerebellum which is located at the base of the brain, receives information from the sensory systems, the spinal cord, and other parts of the brain and also regulates motor movements. It is only 10% of the brain. This part of the brain is also found in primates that came along before humans. Scientists are sure this is the oldest part of the brain.
The Temporal lobe which is located just above and forward from the Cerebellum. This lobe is involved in processing sensory input from the eyes to a small extent, it processes our language, and our emotions.
The Occipital lobe is the major visual processing center of the brain.
The Frontal lobe does the planning, organizing, and problem solving. This part of the brain also runs the higher cognitive functions including behavior and emotions.
The Parietal lobe regulates all of the sensory information that comes into the brain.
The reason we know what each part of the brain does, is because neurosurgeons (doctors that operate on the brain) have been able to probe different parts of the brain and while the patient is conscience and they can tell the doctor what is happening.
Scientists believe, because of the much smaller skulls found in the beginning of the evolution of humans, that in the beginning we were very primitive. And as time went on and we progressed, we added more advanced parts, until it is what we carry around today.
As a side note, I believe, that, one day, we may evolve a part of the brain that will allow us to communicate with other humans by way of telepathy thoughts which will be sent from one person to another without talking one work. Who knows, we may evolve to not needing our larynx and lose it because we no longer have the need to talk to one another. I hope not.
What is more fascinating, is the fact that some salamanders living in caves where there is no light, have actually lost their eyes. We see the socket, the primitive eyeball, but the eye has turned itself off, because it has no use in the total blackness of a cave. That’s evolution for you.
Interesting Things That Happen In The Sky
Auroras appear when solar electrons excite oxygen and nitrogen atoms in the Earth’s upper atmosphere. The ionosphere (which includes the upper part of the mesosphere, and most of the thermosphere) is approximately 250 miles up. That’s 1,320,000 feet over our heads.
The aurora (both north and south poles experience this action) mostly happens near the magnetic poles. When the charged particles from the sun (mostly electrons and protons) slam into air in Earth’s atmosphere, the air takes on glows in pretty colors which makes the aurora.
Buy the way, the magnetic poles are far away from the geographic poles. WHAT. Yes, our earth is tilted on its axis. These are the points (north and south) where the earth spins around. But the magnetic poles where the magnetic field comes out of and goes back in are not in the same place as the axis poles. Because the Earth’s outer molten core is swirling around the Earth’s inner core (which creates the magnetic field) there is a fluctuation of where the magnetic fields come out of the earth and then goes back into the earth. This fluctuation causes the magnetic poles to move sometimes around 25 miles per year.
Paul Berkow is a member of the Open Table at www.OpenTable.fun You can join in our ongoing discussions; conversations that are truly commensurate with the spiritual, intellectual, and societal development of a great humanity. To obtain a login and password. Please use our Contributor Enrollment form.
What Is Heavy Water and What Is It Used For?
As far as I know, heavy water is used for three things. But first, what is heavy water. It is water that has a lot of deuterium in it. It is an essential component in some types of nuclear reactors that generate electricity. It is also used in producing nuclear bombs. And lastly, it is used in old abandoned mines where a underground chamber is placed way down deep in the mine with the heavy water in it to trap tiny neutrinos that come mostly from our sun. This research allows scientists to come a little closer to understanding the fundamental properties of the universe.
Paul Berkow is a member of the Open Table at www.OpenTable.fun You can join in our ongoing discussions; conversations that are truly commensurate with the spiritual, intellectual, and societal development of a great humanity. To obtain a login and password. Please use our Contributor Enrollment form.
