Fences

In the rush of adrenaline caused by starting something new and exciting last night, I forgot to lay down a couple of ground rules. As someone who loves tickling sacred cows, I hate that legalistic term. But how can you break a rule if you don't know what it is? So here are the basics that, at least in my view, make for good conversations: Tolerate dissent. Avoid profanity unless you can make a reasoned, convincing and literary argument that it's totally neccesary to get your point across (I would go about as far as "damn" as in " he's a damned scoundrel"), Otherwise, as I tell my kids, it just makes us look, in that great Philadelphia term" ignorant." It also offends our more sensitive friends, and I want them to feel comfortable. Sex, politics and religion will probably all get some attention here, because our society is fascinated by all of them but please don't be too personal or graphic-there are plenty of other bloggers who are much more expert than I am on any of those subjects! Finally (for now)...play nice. Now that I've scared you off, here's something that puzzles me. Maybe you have an answer. Why is it, do you think, that people with the highest ideals, particularly religious people, can sometimes eviscerate, bloody and do unforgivable things to each another in the name of God? We get nailed for that by non-believers because it seems so blantantly hypocritical and rightly so. Any ideas? If you are a practicing hedonist, we want to hear from you, too.

Just a brief word of introduction and a welcome to all of you. I live in the wild western suburbs of Philadelphia with two exuberant kids who talk back to me and a cat who with an addytood. I'm a journalist, on the communications staff at a local educational institution, and an iconoclastic believer. I believe in God, and I respect those who doubt His presence. I believe in the power of love to change lives, and I know what its like to have been kicked in the teeth. I'm a liberal evangelical with a dislike for ideology of any sort, and a fierce devotion to human rights. I'm hoping that this spot on the blogosphere will be a place for kicking around the big questions and some of the smaller ones: who is God? why do men and women find each other so mysterious? Is there hope for politicians of any party? and...why do people around Philadelphia hate the Yankees so bad? So jump right in there. I love back and forth. I'm going to try to put my opinions out there, and I expect you to do the same. In churches I've attended, they call it speaking the truth in love. I'll try to respect you where our truths may clash, and I hope you will do the same for me and the others who will post to this 'blog. Ok! Anchors away!