Gottesblog

To no Lutheran's surprise, the Billy Graham evangelical machine has rolled over for the Mitt Romney political machine. The two Grahams, Billy and Franklin, met with Mr. Romney and, voila, Mormonism is no longer a non-Christian religion on the Graham website.

Today I was listening to Father Petersen's favorite NPR show but only because his favorite NPR interviewer was not doing the interview. This comment on titles and names from character actor Stephen Tobolowsky caught my attention when it came to the Pastor First Name vs Pastor Last Name question:

Because if your Lutheran pastor gets to his final shut in call of the day and realizes he is a few pieces of altar bread short in his Mass kit, he can ask the chaplain if he has some spare Cavanagh 1 1/8" in the sacristy.

We don't abolish the Mass, but keep it religiously. That's what we claim in our Confessions. We are not sectarians. Not in doctrine, not in liturgy, not in ceremonies.

Everybody loves to give advice. It makes one feel important. It also lets one think of oneself as an expert, tell stories of one's success, etc. I know this because I am a chronic advice giver. I am the stereotypical, Deborah Tannen-studied male: if you complain to me I will offer you advice to fix your problems. I assume that is why you are complaining.