Storytime Tapestry Newsletter

The newsletter devoted to spreading love and cultural awareness around the world.

August 18, 2007

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Helen Dowd

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Today’s Stories

~**~**~

POPE: CATHOLICISM IS ONLY TRUE CHURCH

Duane Bates

Pope Benedict XVI, reasserting the primacy of the Roman Catholic Church, has approved the release of an document that states that all other Christian denomination are either defective or not true churches.  He left to our imagination what he thinks about all the other non-Christian religions in the world. Last week the Pope also approved the revival of the old Latin Mass, a move that attracted concern and criticism because it includes a prayer calling for the conversion of the Jews.

As an agnostic living in Greenville, the home of Bob Jones University and a strongly religiously and socially conservative area, I am continually amazed that at the criticism and accusations leveled by one religion against another.  As a person who wants respect and tolerance for my views, I know that I can only get that by freely and consistently giving the same to every other person, by judging their behaviors, not their beliefs.

My wife and I are close friends with a family of evangelical Christians who we have known for twenty-five years. The husband has a degree in Bible from Bob Jones and the wife graduated from a Christian college in Florida, but we get along just fine by respecting each other’s beliefs.  We have concentrated on how we can help and support each other and what we can agree on as opposed to what we disagree on.  The subject of religion rarely comes us between us; we have no need or interest in converting each other to each other’s way of thinking on the subject of religion or belief.  As Thomas Jefferson said “An honest man can feel no pleasure in the exercise of power over his fellow citizen”. This is what is great deal of religious conflict is over, the control and domination of another’s religious beliefs, thereby proving the inherent rightness and superiority of your beliefs.

Our two families are fortunate to live near each other and this physical closeness makes it easier to maintain a close relationship is most aspects of our daily lives.  Although we do not have a close social life, most of their social activities occur within their church, we see each other on a regular basis.  They are younger than us, our two girls are successful adults, and they always seem to need some kind of help with their five kids.  Recently we loaned their two older boys money to buy their first cars so they could get some jobs and the parents would not have to drive them everywhere.  I have tutored one of the younger boys who is home-schooled.  The wife has a cleaning business, she cleans our house, and I have helped her organize she business.  Most of the help has flowed from us to them, but that the way it should be; the older generation should try to help the younger generation whether they are family or not.

We have to ask ourselves why this kind of mutual support and respect cannot operate on larger scale.  Many of the world’s religion have excellent records of extending a helping hand to the less fortunate of the world.  Religious charities operate everywhere in the world where there is need, but the need to assert that your religion is the only right one always lurks in the background.  Right now the Christian and Islamic world seem to be in conflict over this issue.  Some followers of Islam, which reveres Jesus as a Prophet, assert that their goal is a world where Islam is the only religion.  Some Christians believe their goals should be to convert the world to their particular view of Christianity. Currently, both Islam and Christianity are dealing with religious conflicts and differences within their own ranks, Shiites against Sunni, Catholic against Protestants, and with some Protestants denomination, splits over theology, acceptance of homosexuals, gay marriage, female ordination and the relationship between religion and government.

Even though we understand that it is natural for a leader of a religion to assert that his church is the only path to truth and salvation, it is not helpful, given the massive social and economic changes that are occurring in the world, for any religion to further roil the waters by being perceived to move toward a less tolerant view of the thousands of other world religions. Of course, none of the religions of the world have any conclusive proof or evidence of the rightness of their beliefs, but all try to convert beliefs into facts by their claims of primacy. Just because you have a right to do something, that doesn’t mean it is wise to exercise that right.  Sometimes silence is truly golden.

It is time for all humans, believers and non-believers, to recognize that tolerance and respect are vital survival skills in a world full of weapons of mass destruction. The need to dominate, on a personal or any other level, can be deadly. These religious disagreements and conflicts present a disturbing parallel between the civil wars and other conflicts that are caused by the need for domination and control by men that have a vision for their part of the world, regardless of the cost in human lives and suffering.

Thomas Jefferson also said “But it does me no injury for my neighbor to say that there are twenty gods or no God. It neither picks my pocket or breaks my leg.”   It is time for all of us, believers, and non-believers, to understand that making tolerance and respect for other belief systems an important part of the way we think and behave on a daily basis if we are to improve the quality all of our lives.   

Duane Bates

batesduane@yahoo.com

~**~**~

Rainbow Bridge Gang, Murphy
by Bill Walker

Tink, Poo, and Gang
tinkerpoo2000@yahoo.com

We were all bunched up telling old worn out war stories to one another, when up the lane came this little golden Cocker Spaniel. We woofed her over, and did some talking. She said she was looking for her family, Mitzi and Max. We got the computer cranked up and after a bit found them in another group. We sent Rowdy, and Gracie to fetch them, well Festus tagged along.

You remember Festus, one of Ma Bakers gang? He is kind of like that guy on Gunsmoke.
After a bit we had Murphy joined up with her family again. They talked for quite a while. We got them fixed up with their own dishes, and blankets. We all set around and heard the family talk, how well and what a good life they enjoyed on earth days. It was quite a
nice thing to hear after all the sad cases we have had come this way of late. You know the victims of mean things done like the Vick cases, and many others.

We found out that Murphy left Sparky, Dakota, Maggie, and Peanut, and don't forget Mitch. Mitch of course is the guy who thinks he runs the outfit. We figured it out this Mitch fellow must be quite a fellow. Murphy said he was all heart, he took the best of care for his little people, did every thing to make their life a joy. She told us many
stories so far, and the stories seem to all run together. We figured he gave much love to each of his little people, and hated to see them have to leave.

Do not stand and weep, you see we are here, alive, and well, happy to be here. We will watch and wait till the others come up the lane, then there will be the rush to meet them. And the good times is here again. The real sad thing for us is the waiting. But no matter how long, we will wait. We all know, those of us that was loved, the ones that is still there does miss us. Some day, we will all be together once again in the land of no pain, no sickness, and move on to the Mansion On The Hill. We have the Angels to care for us, and they do a real good job of that. We get brushed, and combed every little bit, and some running, and playing together.

Whats the movie tonight? Why, it is Murphy comes home. She and her
gang have front row seats.

Tinker and Poo; The Boys Write

http://www.iuniverse.com/bookstore/book_detail.asp?&isbn=0-595-35741-5

~**~**~

A Day at the Hospital

Dianna Doles Petry

As you know, I believe that everything has a purpose and yesterday, I think I saw the purpose. Chris has been experiencing a full blown flare up of his Ulcerative Collis (UC). He has been in pain, passing blood and constantly fatigued. His body has either become immune to the medication or else his system has become overloaded. I had to contact his doctor this past Monday and yesterday, he had to have another Remicade infusion and a couple of shots.

Chris is bitter with all of this and with good reason. He is seventeen-years-old and should be enjoying the best time of his life. Instead, he is tired all the time, has to carefully monitor everything he eats, has a heart full of dreams and a mind that tells him they may never become reality. Still, he smiles at simple things like music and movies. He offers his hand of friendship and help to anyone who needs it or accepts it and he follows his heart. He hates to hear angry words and is soft spoken unless he is forced to defend his honor or that of his family.  He is a half-man, half-child with a need to push his mother out of his immediate circle and still keep her within arms reach at the same time.

He gets through these infusions by carrying his Walkman and his headphones with him along with a variety of music. The nurses have grown fond of his visits and often ask him to sing for them or perform a skit. It is typical of Chris to do whatever he can to make those around him smile and yesterday when he heard a child crying in the cubicle next to his, he asked the nurse about the child. We learned that the next cubicle was being occupied by a five-year-old boy who has Leukemia. The little guy has a terrible fear of needles and his mother is normally the only one who can talk him through his plasma infusions. This time, however, his mother could not be there for she was hospitalized herself. His father was in the room with him and although he offered the child a lot of love and patience, it was apparent that he did not have the magic touch with the little boy that the mother used. The little boy's grandmother was also there in the room and was making matters worse because she could not stand to see the little boy so upset and she begged the nurses to find another way to treat him that didn't use needles. Chris asked, "So what is his name?"

"His name is Lance," the nurse replied.

"How long will this machine run once I unplug it?" Chris asked.

"You have about twenty minutes, Chris, after that, you'll start to hear a beep every thirty seconds for about five minutes." A look passed between the three of us, Chris, the nurse and myself, because we all knew where he was headed.

Chris unplugged his drip machine, rolled it along with him and went to see Lance. The little boy was so scared and I could not hold back the tears as I saw his little round head with only a few tufts of black fuzz here and there where his hair should be. His face was unnaturally bloated but it could not distract from his beautiful dark eyes that glistened from the moisture of his tears. I stood there in total amazement as my son knelt down and held out his Walkman to Lance. "Do you like music, Lance? I listen to my music and I don't feel the needles so much. Here, let me show you."

He put the set of headphones over Lance's ears and adjusted them to a perfect fit. He turned on the music, Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen, and then Lance said, "No, you sing it."

So there was my son, an IV pole at his side, a drip line in his hand, kneeling to be eye level with a five-year-old boy as he sang along with the music until Lance was smiling and content. Lance's father was teary eyed, I was teary eyed, the nurses were smiling and Chris didn't think it was any big deal. At that moment, I knew exactly what the purpose was for Chris to be there yesterday. God bless his heart, he was so miserable but he made that child feel better.

Before he left the room to return to his own cubicle, the IV pump started to beep. "Lance, look at me, I have a port here in my hand just like you have there in your arm. I grew up and I have to get special help and you will grow up too. The nurses and doctors want to help you so you can be a teenager someday." Okay, that did it, no holding back this mother's tears at that point.

Lance looked at Chris and without missing a beat asked, "When I grow up, can I have one of those music things too and learn to sing like you?"

"Sure, buddy, and if you like, I'll sing right along with you." Now there wasn't a dry eye in the place. Nurses scampered to get busy and each of them stopped at the desk to pick up a Kleenex. I had to use the restroom in the worst way and had to stay long enough to dab a cool paper towel to my eyes. Yes, we were meant to be there in that hospital yesterday. Chris was meant to help that child and I was meant to see that my child is a man in every real sense of the word.

We never know what tomorrow will bring or even if there will be a tomorrow but for one moment in time, we left the hospital feeling happy that we had made a little boy feel better about his terrible ordeal and give him a new dream even if it seems like a very simple thing to strive for. Who knows, maybe someday that little boy will become a rock and roll star because my son sparked his interest in music during the worst of times.

Today, Chris felt good. He was able to eat without pain, he was playful and took a walk with his friends. He mentioned that it's hard to believe that one treatment did him so much good when it normally takes a lot to stop a flare-up of his illness. I smiled because I knew in my heart that he just didn't have a need to serve today so he was free to be a normal teenager.

Love,

Dianna Doles Petry

 dianna59@suddenlink.net

http://diannapetry.tripod.com

www.myspace.com/diannawv

Readers Feedback

Thank you, Carol, for Storytime Tapestry Newsletter!

The story about Trinity Shawls is so very special and I thank you and Tanja from the bottom of my heart. 

Tanja has woven a beautiful story on the canvas of paper.  The story weaves the knitting  and praying in a way that is so humanly spiritual and has capture the essence of Knit-to-Pray!

Publishing Tanja’s story is an incredible way to help more people knit in prayer in an ever deeper way through Sacred Scripture.

There are now links on TrinityShawls.com that link to the 8/14 newsletter.  Bless you and thank you for publishing this story on the Storytime Tapestry Newsletter the day before Trinity Shawls first anniversary – what an anniversary gift!

Am praying, Carol, for you and Storytime Tapestry,

Suzanne

________________

Suzanne M. Harker

Founder/Director

Knit-to-Pray

Knit-to-Pray Online Retreats

Carol,
    Thanks for sharing my article today.  Being in storytime is always a pleasure to my soul.
I really enjoyed being included with Joe's wonderful story and Bill's words of wisdom today.
Thanks for making Storytime such a joy to us all.  wising you every happiness, Joe Mazzella

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