God don't make no junk, by Sam Martin - This essay really makes you think. It is the account of a man and his experiences as a homosexual man who also believes in the teachings of Jesus.

A few years ago, if I had read this I would have given a very snap response, "this man is just deceived by the devil." But now, I don't know. Maybe it is that I've come across so many good and sincere Christian men and women who struggle with understanding their sexuality. Several guys in particular that I've talked to, have shared how that they didn't want to be gay, and prayed and prayed that God would take away their orientations, but the feelings didn't go away, and then finally gave up. Some of those folks still believe in God, but not in the teachings of scripture against homosexuality. Others walk away from their faith all together.

Frankly, I don't understand it. I don't why the Bible teaches against homosexuality so stridently, but yet at the same time some people do seem to be born with homosexual inclinations.

Of course, I have met several men and women who claim to be delivered from homosexuality. Some of them I believe, others I don't. I guess when it comes down to it, I believe with all of my heart that God can do anything, including changing a person's sexual orientation. However, for whatever reason, very often (maybe even most of the time), God does not change those people.

I don't know what the answer is, but I lean towards saying that the Catholic view of homosexuality is better than that of Evangelical Protestants. My understanding of Catholic doctorine is that it is not a sin to have homosexual feelings, but it is a sin to engage in any kind of sexual behavior (hetero or homosexual) outside of marriage. So in effect, a Catholic homosexual would remain in full communion as long as they remained celibate.

OK, I know that opens up another big kettle of fish, but I'll leave it there for now...
posted by J.M. Branum at 3:44 PM | link

Familysearch.org - This is the new website developed by the LDS (Mormon) church which has much of their vast genealogical records online.
posted by J.M. Branum at 10:37 AM | link

I wonder if any of these Branums might be kinfolks.
posted by J.M. Branum at 10:32 AM | link

posted by J.M. Branum at 10:27 AM | link

posted by J.M. Branum at 1:53 AM | link

Now, I'm listening to a little ditty called "Teenage Imigrant Welfare Mothers on Drugs," played by The Austin Lounge Lizards. Boy howdy! This is funniest politcal comedy I've heard in a long time.

This band and Molly Ivins makes me proud to call myself "one of those **** Austin liberals."

14 more days and I'll be back to the city I should have been born in. :-)

Also, while I'm thinking abou itt, listen to the PSA produced by Austin's own Willie Nelson for the good folks at NORML.

You gotta love Willie.
posted by J.M. Branum at 1:34 AM | link

If you would like to learn more about yourself, and those around you, take a Meiers-Briggs-Keirsey personality test.

The best online version of the test

The Four Question MBTI - obviously not super-accurate, but a useful tool when trying to guess other people's MBTI

Dmoz.org's MBTI listing

posted by J.M. Branum at 1:24 AM | link

I found some blogs by fellow Austinites tonight:

Arthurvanderbilt.com - talks a lot about music

Ribbit - mostly news of the wierd type of stuff

Tornadomagnent.com - "And "Free the Kittens!" became a rallying cry, especialy given that I was moving to Austin at the time. This city, as I have noted previously, has no shortage of causes, political and otherwise, to get behind. And it's not unusual for public displays of homage to take place, and as such, my friends and I sat down to make a list of the kittens who were striving for freedom out from under the unrelenting thumb of The Man."

Also here's some wierd news items (links jacked from Ribbit):

Man nabbed for pumping gas naked

Mom arrested after driving drunk to register kid in school

posted by J.M. Branum at 1:14 AM | link

Listening to Pedro the Lion tonight. Music so beautiful it hurts. This song, "Amazing love" oh my.

Love is such a wonderous, painful thing. This song is probably speaking of the love of God to his creation, but maybe I'm thinking of love in every fashion.

Well, I'll start with love for God. There are moments that I love God so much, like when I get home late at night and look up at the stars and they are so, so... I can't even describe it. The closest thing I could say (the metaphor really doesn't do it justice) is of a handful of tiny diamonds strewn across a piece of black velvet cloth.

Yet, most of the time I don't love God like that. When I see the stars, or some other magnificent part of nature, I love Him. Passionately, I love Him. But most of the time it isn't like that. It's there I suppose, but it's pretty dim.

As far as other loves, I think of the love for my family. Parental love is sometimes too complex to wrap your head around, but the love I have for my brothers (four in all) is... well it's hard to understand too. Sometimes it's good, but most of the time there is all of this confusing baggage that makes it hard to know. Sometimes it seems real and reciprocal, other times either I or my brother(s) treat each other like the other one is ****. Why is this? Where does this competive jealous emotionalism come from?

Then, I move to romantic love. An equally perplexing notion. In one sense of the term, I guess I've "fallen in love" a few times in my life. Let's see, I guess really at least four or five times. Sheesh! You would think, that I would learn, but I don't. AND I DON'T WANT TO! I guess I like being in love, even if the one I love doesn't love me back.

But, I'm not sure if this rollercoaster experience that I'm addicted to like crack is really "love." At least not the life-long commitment love. In my romantic state of mind, I would like to think it is, but reality smacks me in the face and says it probably isn't. Who knows though, maybe one of these days the rollercoaster will turn into "true love" as the character on The Princess Bride would say.

OK, enough talk about love. This stupid emotional Pedro the Lion music is doing it to me. I think I'm going to find me a glass of red wine and drown in my sorrow. (I wish.)

posted by J.M. Branum at 12:37 AM | link

If you're ever in Oklahoma, be sure and visist Newcastle. It's a swell town.
posted by J.M. Branum at 11:24 PM | link

Theendofree.com - chronicles a sad phenomenum (shoot me, I don't have time to spell check) where once free services are becoming fee-based. I'm sure all of my Libertarian readers will see this as a good or at least inevitable thing, but I frankly think it sucks.
posted by J.M. Branum at 11:01 PM | link

I was a big far of Bear Share for mp3 sharing, but lately I have had less and less success actually being able to use it. Today though, on the recommendation of a friend I tried out Audio Galaxy and man oh man, I like this. Of course, it will get taken down like Napster, but until we have to use the gnutella programs (i.e. Limeware, Bearshare, File Navigator, etc.) I would recommend Audio Galaxy. It's very tight.

posted by J.M. Branum at 7:45 PM | link

It is the The End of the World as we know it - very good story that speaks about what is truly worth remembering about the internet. It's not about money. Let's say that together... it's not about money. It's content. It's community. It's constructive dissent. It's not money.

posted by J.M. Branum at 5:25 PM | link

ok, now I have that stupid timezone thing fixed. So, if you're reading anything before this post, the times were Pacific time. Starting with this post though, they should be good ol Central time.

Also, if you're bored check out the new JMBzine.com public blog
posted by J.M. Branum at 2:06 PM | link

Gore Inspired Spacecraft to be stored - This seems sad to me. For all of the fun folks poked at Gore on this, I thought it was a good idea. Especially now that the thing is built, I don't understand why they don't launch it.
posted by J.M. Branum at 2:07 AM | link

I came across a very amazing discovery on another blog Life in Two Languages. Follow the link and scroll down to where the author talks about a man in her class who was in a paramilitary death squad in El Salvador that was trained by the School of the Americas. Reading that post reminds me of two things...

First, that the horrors that went on were real. I've read about what the US School of the Americas did in training assasins and masters of torture in Latin America from School of the Americas Watch, but somehow coming across this account of a man who bore the scars from this military days who was actually trained there, puts a very real face on things.

But, secondly and maybe more importantly, I am reminded that it is ALWAYS wrong to dehumanize our enemies. In reading the account, the blog author says, "...Whichever was the truth, he's here now trying to make a better life for himself and his family. Whether he's finally escaped a cycle of poverty and violence, or whether his new life is an attempt at redemption for his sins, he's sitting across the table looking at me and hoping I'll help. " Reading this reminds me that even those we tend to revile our human beings, just like you and me. They may have done bad things, but so have we all.

Enough late night thoughts. Read the blog. It's very compelling.
posted by J.M. Branum at 1:43 AM | link

Here are a few of my favorite music zines...

Vagrantcafe.com - music, culture, art, etc. Good message boards (also some of my poetry is published on their poetry section)

Fineprintmag.com - founded by the staff of Bandoppler, R.I.P. A good, artsy music zine.

Exitzine.com - it sucks, but I love it because me and my friends run it

posted by J.M. Branum at 11:33 PM | link

Greens.org - a good source on the world-wide Green movement
posted by J.M. Branum at 7:04 PM | link

Here's a NY Times story on what happened in Genoa.
posted by J.M. Branum at 3:51 PM | link

A Place of Terror and Fear: Inside a Jail in Genoa - Look what when on when Dubya and the rest of his rich cronies were in their closed door meetings in Genoa.

posted by J.M. Branum at 3:06 PM | link

Greetings all,

Sorry I haven't done a good job of keeping this thing updated, but that will change as I've gotten all fired up reading a Mediachannel story on blogging.

So anyway, here are some of the latest links of interest...

First, Austin sites that I should mention include The pedi-cab petition, which I must admit is a shameless plug for a petition I've started to help all of my fellow pedi-cab drivers; Austinfast.com, a comprehensive (but rather cluttered) Austin portal site, and Michael Bluejay's Austin Bicycling website, the definitive source for Austin bicycling info.

If you're interested in following the upcoming NYC mayor's race, check these sites out:

Kramerformayor.com - This is the campaign site from the real guy that the Seinfeld character was based on. He got the Libertarian party's nomination for mayor of NYC and from what I can see is running a decent campaign.

Politics1.com - NY - a good resource for researching all of the candidates on the upcoming NYC city election. They have all of the candidates, even those of 3rd parties.

NY Green Party newsletter

If you have any thoughts, gripes, etc email me at jmb@jmbzine.com
posted by J.M. Branum at 2:06 PM | link