A bumper crop of proverbs.This past October I suggested that bumper stickers are an endangered species endangered species, any plant or animal species whose ability to survive and reproduce has been jeopardized by human activities. In 1999 the U.S. government, in accordance with the U.S. and asked you to report interesting bumper sticker sightings. Many, many e-mails from readers reporting a host of bumper stickers happily clogged cyberspace. Jim Berg James Arland Berg (b. 1952) is a writer on biblical topics, especially counseling, discipleship, and Christian growth. Berg was reared in a working-class home in South Dakota, where he did farm chores, worked in a restaurant, and learned to trouble-shoot machinery with his father. from Rhinelander, Wisconsin Rhinelander is a city in Oneida County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 7,735 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Oneida CountyGR6. Rhinelander is the home of the Hodag, a popular mythical creature that serves as the city's mascot. even sent me a real bumper sticker through snail mail Mail sent via a country's government-regulated postal system. (messaging) snail mail - (Or "snailmail", "smail" from "US Mail" via "USnail"; "paper mail"). Bits of dead tree sent via the postal service as opposed to electronic mail. : "Be of good cheer--be a merry Christian." He sports one in the back window of his car and gets many favorable comments. But is a bumper sticker in a back window of a car kosher? Susan Callaway points out that a "massive change in the character and shape of bumpers" has robbed car owners of flat surfaces on which to display stickers. "I miss them, but all good things must pass." Since I am still poking along in my 1985 minivan, Susan's e-mail raised my consciousness about newer car designs. Another Wisconsinite, faithful reader Father Ed Beutner, spotted a perfect response to the bumper sticker "Honk honk Pediatrics A widely-transmitted precordial whoop, described as a high-pitched, musical, late systolic murmur in some Pts with mitral valve prolapse–MVP, a sound attributed to resonation of the valve leaflets and chordae; non-honkers with MVP may be made if you love Jesus." This one read, "Tithe tithe Contribution of a tenth of one's income for religious purposes. The practice of tithing was established in the Hebrew scriptures and was adopted by the Western Christian church. if you love Jesus; any damned fool can honk." He also reports this one: "Hang up and drive." I'm beginning to wonder: Does Wisconsin lead the nation in bumper stickers? Mark Peters saw "If you were on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?" And Peter Emerson's favorite is: "Jesus is coming. Look busy." Imagine going to Home Depot and coming home with a rosary! From Florida, the state that held the presidential election hostage, Mary Ann Ganim tells me about her bumper sticker: "Pray the rosary." In a Home Depot parking lot a woman who noticed this missive approached her wanting to learn how to pray a rosary. Mary Ann travels prepared. She carries rosaries and a leaflet on how to pray the rosary in her trunk for just such occasions. Also from Florida, David Holcomb in Pensacola saw a real-estate developer's truck with the seemingly environmentally correct, "Earth First" bumper sticker. It was not until he got closer that he read the second line, "We'll build on other planets later." As we have always been warned: Read the fine print! Barring further manual recounts, maybe it's Florida, and not Wisconsin, that leads the nation in bumper stickers. Therese, writing through cyberspace, sports stickers that show a consistent life ethic The Consistent Life Ethic is an ethical, religious, and political ideology based on the premise that human life is sacred.[1] The ethic's adherents are opposed to abortion, capital punishment, assisted suicide, economic injustice, and euthanasia. , among them: "Abortion: A doctor's right to make a killing" and "Respect life: no war, no abortion, no capital punishment capital punishment, imposition of a penalty of death by the state. History Capital punishment was widely applied in ancient times; it can be found (c.1750 B.C.) in the Code of Hammurabi. ." Once when she noticed a "Teach peace" sticker on a car that passed hers, she then passed that car and both drivers simultaneously gave the thumbs up gesture. "Very cool," reflects Therese. Rosa Baker sent 44 Christian bumper sticker sayings she received from her brother. Two of my favorites from her litany: "Read the Bible ... It will scare the hell out of you" and "Don't wait for 6 strong men to take you to church." To all other readers who sent me bumper sticker sightings that I don't have room to print, please remember the words of another of the 44 bumper stickers: "Wisdom has two parts: 1. Having a lot to say. 2. Not saying it." Thanks to one and all who made me wise to the vast array of contemporary proverbs on today's bumper stickers. Endangered species they are not. PETER GILMOUR (Pgilmou@wpo.it.luc.edu) teaches at the Institute of Pastoral Studies of Loyola University Chicago Beginnings and expansions Founded in 1870 as the St Ignatius College on Chicago's West Side. In 1908 the School of Law was established as the first of the professional programs. . |
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