I'm very happy to hear that you are home from the ER. I hope it was nothing serious (or at least that it's something that's fixable).
I hadn't heard "Hog Slaughter" before, but after Dan D.'s description, I had to look it up - I hope that he will be pleased to know that even in his retirement, he is still a good teacher. :)
I grew up on a farm, and every fall my mother would get out the axe and slaughter the meat chickens. I was a bit odd as a child (I guess I'm still a bit odd!), and didn't have many human friends, so I spent most of my time playing with the animals, including the chickens. Every year, I would beg my poor mother to not kill the chickens, but our family needed them for food. I apologized for my behavior once I'd grown up enough to understand - she hated the job, but it had to be done, and I just made her feel worse about it. However, I became a vegetarian the day I moved away to college - I was never able to disassociate memories of my animal friends from the neat little packages on display in the grocery store.
I understand that humans are omnivorous by design, so I have no animus for those who eat meat. I admire your uncle's attitude towards petty cruelty. If an animal is doomed to give up its life to feed us, it deserves to be raised with kindness and respect... but of course you know that already. :)
Thank you for posting these letters, you always give me something to ponder.
Re “ … for the first time ever, I’ve used the word ‘weaponize,’ which gives me some weird satisfaction. There should be an opposite term, for turning a sword into a ploughshare. ‘Disarmament’ is too weak. How about ‘implementize’? Or ‘forkify’? ‘Spoonerism’?”
Great question. Here are some other candidates, for those who find “pacify” too boring: featherize; dovefy; lovetate; conscientiously objectorate; unMAGAfy.
Post to the Host is such a treat, a conversation between good friends, frank and with gentle humor. I grew up Conservative Baptist, went to a small Christian college and lived in a most comfortable evangelical bubble for over 40 years after which the Good Lord directed my steps to marry an Episcopal priest. I adore him more each day, giving thanks for the gift of his love and exposure to new perspectives and regular lessons in the history of the Church and theology.
Thanks for your comment to Scott who wondered why you go to church; my faith is also weak at times and so I go. Marriage to the Rector is additional incentive - his sermons are even better now that he lives with a Baptistcopalian. Church is a family reunion, a time to be together, to receive spiritual nourishment and hugs, currently in the form of elbow bumps. It mystifies me why more of the family doesn’t show up each week.
Thanks, too, for not making fun of your fundie friends. So many are family, too. When I’m tempted to disparage, that tricky command to love my neighbor and enemy comes to mind. When look your enemy in the eye long enough, you truly see them and realize they are your friend, even if you vehemently disagree on the particulars.
May Our Father in heaven deliver us from evil, as we pray together each week.
Sharon, I have disparaged my fundie friends often and relentlessly and thank you for ignoring it. Peace to you and yours and God's blessings be scattered on your heads when you least expect it. GK
Dear Mr. Keillor,
I'm very happy to hear that you are home from the ER. I hope it was nothing serious (or at least that it's something that's fixable).
I hadn't heard "Hog Slaughter" before, but after Dan D.'s description, I had to look it up - I hope that he will be pleased to know that even in his retirement, he is still a good teacher. :)
Dan D. isn't the only one to have used your monologue as a teaching device. Temple Grandin refers to it an article that she wrote about humane meat processing in 1989 (https://www.grandin.com/welfare/hog.slaughter.commentary.html).
I grew up on a farm, and every fall my mother would get out the axe and slaughter the meat chickens. I was a bit odd as a child (I guess I'm still a bit odd!), and didn't have many human friends, so I spent most of my time playing with the animals, including the chickens. Every year, I would beg my poor mother to not kill the chickens, but our family needed them for food. I apologized for my behavior once I'd grown up enough to understand - she hated the job, but it had to be done, and I just made her feel worse about it. However, I became a vegetarian the day I moved away to college - I was never able to disassociate memories of my animal friends from the neat little packages on display in the grocery store.
I understand that humans are omnivorous by design, so I have no animus for those who eat meat. I admire your uncle's attitude towards petty cruelty. If an animal is doomed to give up its life to feed us, it deserves to be raised with kindness and respect... but of course you know that already. :)
Thank you for posting these letters, you always give me something to ponder.
Sincerely,
Jeannine
Garrison,
I have loved and been blessed by listening to you over the years.
Quiet,wholesome humour. Not found anywhere else.
I model my homilies after your story telling style.
I am honoured to say one of my parishioners said I sounded like Garrison Keillor after hearing one of my homilies.
I always wanted meet you and attend one of your live shows.
I was fortunate to do so a few years ago on a cruise on the CS Amsterdam.
Your comments on spiritual issues are always interesting.
You have touched my soul and I am sure that of many others
Sincerely,
Rev John T Tracey CSC
Re “ … for the first time ever, I’ve used the word ‘weaponize,’ which gives me some weird satisfaction. There should be an opposite term, for turning a sword into a ploughshare. ‘Disarmament’ is too weak. How about ‘implementize’? Or ‘forkify’? ‘Spoonerism’?”
Great question. Here are some other candidates, for those who find “pacify” too boring: featherize; dovefy; lovetate; conscientiously objectorate; unMAGAfy.
Dear Mr. Keillor,
Post to the Host is such a treat, a conversation between good friends, frank and with gentle humor. I grew up Conservative Baptist, went to a small Christian college and lived in a most comfortable evangelical bubble for over 40 years after which the Good Lord directed my steps to marry an Episcopal priest. I adore him more each day, giving thanks for the gift of his love and exposure to new perspectives and regular lessons in the history of the Church and theology.
Thanks for your comment to Scott who wondered why you go to church; my faith is also weak at times and so I go. Marriage to the Rector is additional incentive - his sermons are even better now that he lives with a Baptistcopalian. Church is a family reunion, a time to be together, to receive spiritual nourishment and hugs, currently in the form of elbow bumps. It mystifies me why more of the family doesn’t show up each week.
Thanks, too, for not making fun of your fundie friends. So many are family, too. When I’m tempted to disparage, that tricky command to love my neighbor and enemy comes to mind. When look your enemy in the eye long enough, you truly see them and realize they are your friend, even if you vehemently disagree on the particulars.
May Our Father in heaven deliver us from evil, as we pray together each week.
The Peace of Christ be with you and your beloved,
Sharon
Sharon, I have disparaged my fundie friends often and relentlessly and thank you for ignoring it. Peace to you and yours and God's blessings be scattered on your heads when you least expect it. GK
Garrison, If an a cappella singer accidentally sends a little spittle into the audience, is that hawkapella?
Only if it's deliberate, which of course would never happen. Accidentally, it's more like acaptui. Or depending on what singers drink, acapellagrino.