ODing on Libertarianism

Okay, I love my podcasts in that it's like I'm programing my own radio format. But I've discovered that certain things should not run close to one another. One song in between isn't enough, one daily prayer between them isn't enough either. The thing I speak of is the libertarian podcasts.
Russ Roberts of George Mason University puts out Econotalk podcast and has a blog Cafe Hayek. The last one I listened to was on why supporting local businesses is short sighted. I thought he was being facetious when making some of his arguments and failed to recognize another value of supporting local businesses, such as quality of life issues in regards to neighborhood living. But the other points made were decent, in that spending money locally doesn't mean the money stays local.
Fine. This is okay when followed by some report from the University of Florida, a random NPR podcast, or Vatican Radio focusing on some sadness somewhere in the world. It should not be followed by Acton Institute podcasts. Acton seems like a bunch of Christian Libertarians, and I swear my head nearly exploded after a cast on morality and capitalism. The speaker was Fr. Robert A. Sirico, Roman Catholic priest.
So maybe today more make you wanna shake yo booty mash-ups, a few prayers, the odd Lutheran or Anglican sermon, and one, just one, libertarian podcast.

Brides of Christ

Okay, this is one of those random thoughts that wander through my head. So the Church, capital C, is the bride of Christ. Which Church are we talking about? The whole Christian world or the RC or the OC, both, all the above?
Then I wondered, if the RC is the bride of Christ and constantly thinks of herself as such, and maybe the OC is the same (dunno, but I'm sure someone would be more than happy to set me straight), then are oddball Christian sects that really don't proclaim Christ as Lord the occasional girlfriend of Christ? Calling on Christ only when she's drunk and lonely at 2AM after breaking up with Krishna after an arguement about hamburger helper? And cause Jesus is a stand up kind of guy, with open arms, all that good stuff, is willing to forgive, but the problems remain cause she won't settle down and be a bride. Then 6 months later she's run off with some Wiccan earth spirit or some such demigod, 'cause that whole one true G-d thing, too restrictive. She thinks Jesus is a great teacher and all and maybe they can just be friends.
Oh yeah, I'm so going to hell.

Call me Peter

Right now I'm thinking about Peter. St. Peter. Simon Peter. The guy who loved our Lord, but when the time came followed but when confronted denied knowing our Lord ( see Luke 22). Oh, how many times have I downplayed my Christianity? Distanced myself from appearing to know and love the Lord? Like Peter at the time, I have a healthy sense of self preservation. I do run in crowds that can be hostile to the Christian message or aspects thereof. I do think I cam getting better about excusing myself from the room when confronted with anti-Christian, anti-Catholic (not that I am one, but some days I might as well be), or anti-religious sentiments.

Sometimes the answer is no

I have heard that you may pray to G-d looking for an answer. And then he does answer, and the answer is 'no'.
This is not brought on by anything particular going on in my life, it is just a thought that has been jingling around in my head for a while. And not even as a theological thought, but a philosophical one.
What if you encountered an alien race, people from the future who knew what the answers to the secrets you wanted to know, who had the answers, and when they told you, you were disappointed. What if the cure for cancer would require you to nearly wipe a species out? What if ending poverty for 5 generations meant the death of a few billion people for a 'great leap forward'? What if ending weird climate changes in the weather had an unthinkable cost, a trade off that would ask far too much of mortal man? And what if the answer was strictly no, there is no cure, it won't end, that's the way it is and has to be?
What if the answers to some questions were staring us right in the face and because it was too negative, we don't see it? The answer to me getting thin is exercising and possibly banning all sugars (processed and natural) from my diet. That's not going to happen. I like sugar.
So back to theology, when praying and the answer is no, then what? I have heard it may mean no, not right now, later or no, not this but that.

A response

Today at the Mission has a wonderful Christ centered reaction to the incident at Virginia Tech.
Not getting a regular paper, barely watching the news, I am aware of it, but avoiding the media-fest that this is sure to come.

Tear down the temple

What if every Anglican/Episcopal Church in the world, every single one, was found the next day, in neat little piles of building materials. Kings College's huge churchy thing in Cambridge in several piles. A pile of stained glass. A pile of stone. A pile a wooden planks. Turo, same thing. A lovely, neatly packed pile of stone, another pile of glass, and carpeting, wood, and all the items contained in boxes clearly labeled with an inventory list tacked on to each one?
Imagine the news headlines. How would people interpret, if such a thing ever did happen, this miracle? How would the RC and other Christian groups react to such special supernatural attention given to the Anglicans? How would the Anglicans who really don't give much truck to that whole G-d/ Jesus thing react? What would the ABC do and what would he say?
How would KJS take the news? The property you've been suing for is in a neat pile. Do you still want it because if you take it now, you'll have to find a place to store it. And no, you can't store it in the rector's residence.
Three days after it happens, what will stand in its place?