I suppose it qualifies as an iconic photograph. Taken at Salem, Massachusetts, on July 16, 1952, it remains more than 50 years later a stock illustration for popular journalism on UFOs. The Guardian used it in 2011, Time magazine in 2015, the New York Times in 2019. Just this month, attractively … [Read more...]
Jesus and the Speaking Skull (Part 3)
(This is the continuation and conclusion of last week's post.) What do we know about talking skulls? First, that it's a motif found in traditions from many different parts of the world. Naturally. We all want to know what happens beyond the grave, don't we? And what better source of that … [Read more...]
Jesus and the Speaking Skull (Part 2)
(This is a continuation of my post last week, about the Muslim story of "the prophet Jesus and the skull.") "I am Lazarus, come from the dead, Come back to tell you all, I shall tell you all." --T.S. Eliot, "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" Eliot got the story a little bit wrong. More … [Read more...]
Pew Research Poll – Can Judaism Survive?
“Can Judaism survive assimilation?” proclaims the headline on the front page of this week’s The Week magazine (October 18, 2013). And, in the heading to the article itself (on page 17), “American Jews: Is intermarriage extinction?” Scary questions, at least if you’re Jewish. I remember them … [Read more...]
“Crucify Him!” – The Long Trauma of Easter
Easter. Not my holiday. In an earlier post I've written about how, as a Unitarian Universalist of Jewish heritage, I've taken to celebrating Christmas. Not Easter, though. Too much historical baggage there for me. The Christmas story is warm, inclusive, expansive. The poor Jewish shepherds … [Read more...]
