Monday, June 29, 2009

Steve Sprinkle's Open Letter to Mayor Moncrief

Let's help Dr. Steve Sprinkle spread the word!

"My Open Letter to Mayor Mike Moncrief on the Rainbow Lounge Raid of June 28.
Published from Christopher Street on this Stonewall 40th Anniversary from NYC NY


Hon. Mike Moncrief, Mayor
City of Fort Worth
1000 Throckmorton Street
Fort Worth, Texas

June 28, 2009

Dear Mayor Moncrief,

The news of the raid carried out at the Rainbow Lounge on South Jennings Street this morning around 1 AM is reaching around the nation. I was disturbed to hear of it from a distinguished graduate of Brite Divinity School by phone while I was on pilgrimage to New York City for the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion that began the world-wide movement to secure equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender human beings. It is incredible to me that a Stonewall-style raid, roughing up and arresting customers at Fort Worth's newest LGBT bar and lounge, would be carried out on the very anniversary of the birth of the LGBT rights movement. Sir, as a minister, professor, and gay man of conscience, I appeal to you to carry out a full investigation of this outrage against LGBT people and our allies everywhere, to issue an apology to the world LGBT community immediately before any more damage is done to Fort Worth's reputation, and to take steps to see that basic human rights and dignity are upheld in our great city.



You are a man of conscience, Mayor Moncrief. I have gladly met and worked with you and your administration in the past. You must know how personally distressing this act is to me, and to the thousands of LGBT citizens of Tarrant County. That is the reason I am writing this open letter to you and the public, to make my voice heard. I find it difficult not to believe that this raid was deliberately carried out on the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion to create fear and consternation among gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgender people. Mayor Moncrief, this sort of heavy-handedness cannot be tolerated in a modern Texas city like ours. You know that. Please act deliberately and quickly to address the LGBT community. We must have personal action on your part as leader of Fort Worth.



As a minister, I must uphold the highest standards of justice for all people. This is not an act that any religion can condone or justify. At the very heart of the Golden Rule, observed in one form or another by all the world's great religions, is the holy standard to "do unto others as you would have others do unto you." The Fort Worth Police Department, the State Police, and whoever else planned, approved, and executed this act of humiliation and violence against God's LGBT children in Fort Worth have transgressed that ethical, spiritual, and religious boundary. LGBT people have come a long way since Stonewall, Mayor Moncrief. I am here today with millions from all around the world thankfully remembering that human rights are hard won. Our city has some hard work ahead, and some powerful explaining to do to the children of Stonewall.



Yours sincerely,

Dr. Stephen V. Sprinkle

Associate Professor of Practical Theology

Brite Divinity School

Fort Worth, Texas

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Holy Hollywood Rapture!


David Carradine, Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett and now Michael Jackson! Can you imagine the party that's going on at the pearly gates??

Used to be, we thought about that part of theology that describes this thing called "the rapture," so I've used the term loosely in this case, but it as always seems strange that celebs file into Heaven three at a time....in this case four. This time it looks like Heaven couldn't wait.

As one who likes to look at the sunny side of life, I imagine the rafters must be shaking with the latest Hollywood death toll. I mean ONE BIG PARTY.

What do you want your passing to be like? Think of it....A party with all your deceased relatives, friends and (why not?) favorite celebs there to usher you into the next realm....seems an awful lot like a the finest, swankiest party with only the best, except this time, YOU are the real star.

In some ways, I can't hep but think these deaths seem premature in some ways, if only for the number of years the aforementioned folks had lived their paparazzi-filled existence. Ed McMahon being the one exception as one who lived the fullest. I must also believe regardless of age, I would wager all the others were not short of living life to the fullest, with all the trimmings.

We have been entertained by you. Godspeed to you all!

Image of Heaven © Jim Warren
http://iasos.com/audioclp/

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Favorite books and teachers

The Power of Now, Bob Burn's Basement, Night of the Tiki, I-Ching, The Secret, Change Your Thoughts; Change Your Life, Tao, California in the 50s, The Bible,Blast Off, The Art of the Incredibles, Tiki Road Trip, The Power of Intention, The Secret Language of Birthdays, (currently reading) Don't Get Too Comfortable, Excuses Begone, anything Wayne Dyer writes changes me.

Dan Peeler teaches me to learn AND retain new information about God, theology, thinking. Further, the things we "choose" to see in this world are tainted; they become our very own custom-made, personal doctrines which are as diverse and plentiful as there are people.

My partner Alvaro, teaches me to live as much within my means as possible and do what you must do, no matter what others say or think. Work hard; make sacrifices.

And finally, everything Dr. Steve Sprinkle writes enlightens me and changes my perspective; in that the reality of our world sometimes isn't happy or upbeat, as I like to be. Bad things happen to good people. I learn why humankind must evolve or we will all die horribly as so many young people have and about whom he writes and honors daily.

In all things we must "do the right thing" which is different for everybody.

Favorite music

Another ever growing list.....So I'm stopping... in light of better things to do:

Jazz, Classical, New Age, Exotica, 50s/60s lounge, Ultra Lounge, Yma Sumac, Les Baxter, Martin Denny, Danny Elfman, John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, The Tikiyaki Orchestra, Adham Shaikh, Nelson Riddle, Michael Giacchino, Claude Debussy, The Eagles, Chicago..........

Favorite movie list

Just a list....ever growing. But today.....I'll stop typing this and know that basically I love movies and the movie experience.

Harvey, The Day The Earth Stood Still-1951, Star Trek (2009), Pixar's Up, Field of Dreams, Star Wars Original Trilogy, The Bucket List, The History Boys, The Illusionist, The Secret, Sunset Blvd., Jaws, The Fugitive, Spider Man, Superman, Dogma, Undercover Brother, Austin Powers, All Pixar movies, The Dark Knight, Superman 2 (Donner Cut), Some Like It Hot, Psycho, Rope, (most Alfred Hitchcock), Hollywoodland, Men In Black, Men In Black II, Casablanca, The Birds, Close Encounters Of The Third Kind, Rear Window, Mildred Pierce, The Addams Family, North By Northwest, Harry Potter, Raiders Of The Lost Ark, Back To The Future, American Graffiti, Willy Wonka (1971), Snow White, Pinocchio, Peter Pan, Little Mermaid, Sleeping Beauty, King Kong-1933, War of the Worlds, Earth vs. The Flying Saucers, Creature From The Black Lagoon, Bride of Frankenstein, Young Frankenstein, What's Up Doc?, Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein, The Wolfman, Alien, Aliens, Gidget, Batman (1966), The Producers (1965), Postcards From The Edge, The Women, Dracula, Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid, Bowfinger, The Wizard of Oz, Lord Of The Rings Trilogy, The Pink Panther, Best In Show, Burn After Reading, This Is Spinal Tap, Blast From The Past, Gods & Monsters, Kids In The Hall: Brain Candy, Now Voyager, Whatever Happened To Baby Jane, Kontiki (documentary), Singin' In The Rain, The Mask, Bringing Up Baby, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Alfred Hitchcock movies, A Christmas Story, Get Shorty, Kill Bill Volume 1 & 2, The Glass Bottom Boat,

Believe and Manifest etc. NO Excuses!


Okay, Wayne Dyer....what's with the bald head thing?

Never mind you're cool....cooler?

Watched Wayne Dyer on PBS last night called "No Excuses." I am a believer.
How many times in my life have I placed custom-made obstacles in my path so I could defeat my plan BEFORE I even started. Answer: Plenty.

So today, this is my gratitude blog. A way of saying "thank you" to the Universe, God and whatever you call your higher self or highest power. I am thankful to say the least that I know this method works. I come from a place of heavy doubt and low self esteem. This side is WAY better.

The first thing you have to do is decide...rather CHOOSE one thing over another. In this case it may be happiness over depression, best health over ailing health and so on.

I have chosen success....S-U-C-C-E-S-S in all things. The flow of success begins as the natural course of what you decide to change happens in this moment. I was successful at delay, derailment, and other methods of procrastination that add up to zero. Not anymore.

Life has turned around to this new spiritual awareness that finds you exactly where you are today and just by doing, acting asking for what you want to change it happens. The catch...good things come with a price......you must believe with all your heart and soul it's happening to you right now, not tomorrow. Today, in this moment.

"As a man [woman, child] thinketh, so shall he be."

"Ask and you shall receive."

It does not take being creative, being an artist, or anything but sheer will. The belief that you control your destiny.

Step into your future. Know that every second you think about doing something, or not, a feeling surrounds you, it encompasses your belief set and you wallow in it. Good or bad....you are wallowing.

If you think about losing weight, being healthier, doing something you've always dreamed of doing, June 4 2009 is that day you have changed the course of your life from this moment forward.

Thunderbirds are go.

What will you do now?