Anne W. FTW!

In so many ways, really.

Anne's fruitcake..FTW!

Anne's perfectly executed bob...FTW!

Anne's presence alone raising the prettiness level in St. Louis...FTW!

I can't take it seriously because it's too loony. Besides, further down, it comes out that she really just hates atheists because apparently we're spending all of our time trampling on her "freedom of religion".

Ah. Don't you hate it when people's religious freedom to decide what other people believe gets trampled on?

Christmas aside, I am just boggled at the concept of someone being offended by someone else wishing them joy on any day, for whatever the reason. You seriously have to go out of your way to be offended by an earnest sentiment for your happiness, you know? And what's funny is that my original "Merry Christmas" post was in a separate thread, said to people I've known since 1995. But she posted her weird "I'm offended" thing in the politics thread, where we're discussing Obama and Rick Warren. So, she really had to have cared enough to carry over her concern and mention it in the politics thread. Craziness.

But, again, mostly I'm boggled. I guess next June when someone says "Happy Birthday" I should be offended because since it's not their birthday (unless it's Jess's Dylan wishing me happy birthday, in which case it is), they're only "pretending" to be happy for me.

Oh, this is so cool! The Fox Theater in Oakland, a huge moorish Art Deco theater that's been closed since 1965 is reopening in February.

Minor disappointment: it won't be showing films.

Plus coolness: it will house the Oakland School for the Arts!

Salvation Army Moves Towards New Apostolic Reformation Theology

...in 2003 the New York City social services division of the Salvation Army began a purge of gay, and Jewish and all other non-Christian employees. The religious purge triggered a New York Civil Liberties Union lawsuit that was eventually dismissed in a victory for religious nonprofits receiving public funds which practice religious discrimination in their hiring practices.

Now, the Salvation Army appeared to have developed a working relationship with C. Peter Wagner's New Apostolic Reformation. The War College, a recent Salvation Army creation with campuses in Chicago and Vancouver, British Columbia...

...As the website for the War College's Chicago branch declares, "You may have heard of The Salvation Army's bold foray into radical battle schooling. The War College has been created to train this generation's warriors to win the world for Jesus." Peter Wagner's doctrine includes the expectation that the drive for world conquest will, if necessary, be fought with guns and bullets rather than prayers and evangelism.

...

This new alliance between the Salvation Army and Peter Wagner's New Apostolic Reformation network, only one out of hundreds and possibly even thousands of Apostolic networks that have sprung up worldwide in the last several decades, is notable for, among other things, writings by Peter Wagner stating that the "spiritual warfare" doctrines Wagner has helped develop and popularize--which attempt to free cities, towns and geographic regions from alleged possession by "territorial demons"--are strategic attempts to reduce the loss of life in an actual war Wagner expects may well be necessary at some point in order to complete the New Apostolic Reformation's program of global conquest.

That's nice.

Aw, thank you, Hec!

I wonder if that Fox theater is connected to this one. (warning: if you go to the front page of the site, it makes noise at you.)

Salvation Army Moves Towards New Apostolic Reformation Theology

Well, that's why I have my book "We Shall Fight Them in the Streets". I bet I'm a better shot than most people at their War College, too.

Read All About It… Please!

The most literate cities in the US:

1 & 2 (tie): Minneapolis and Seattle
3: Washington, DC
4: St. Paul, MN
5: San Francisco, CA

Chicago is #34. Boo, Chicago.

Happy Birthday Jesse and Theo!! I hope you're getting to do some non-Christmassy celebrating.

I hope it's not bad form to bring up another board; I don't make a habit of it and I apologize if it's going to get stompy attention

OMG. How DARE YOU. Clearly your HORRIBLE ATHEISM and WISHING OF CHRISTMAS is BLEEDING OVER into OTHER SPHERES of HORRIBLEISM. I don't know how you can EVEN STAND to be here when you are CHEATING ON US with OTHER BOARDS and are so bold as to TELL US THAT. Oh my god. I feel so USED. Please, won't someone delete her post so it's not OUT THERE, HUMILIATING us with the EVIDENCE of her TAWDRY behavior?? You know, Java, if you really LOVED us, you'd be able to keep it on your keyboard, if you KNOW WHAT I MEAN AND I THINK YOU DO.

... wait, there are other places on the internet?