Calvin and Garrison

Smokey and I have been church shopping. I know, that sounds funny. But you try living in Alaska, being a scientist, and believing in God. Not a good combination for finding a group that is not extremely offensive. This endeavor has included such fun as a beautiful young lady asking Smokey to coffee when I sent him on his own, and me leaving in the middle of a service when I went on my own (what? they were talking about abortion and politics).

A couple weeks ago we found a new one, near the house we are sitting. Welcoming people at door - check. Singing not horrible - check. Pastor endurable - uh, he's putting a Calvin and Hobbes carton on an overhead projector at the start of his sermon and he looks like Garrison Keillor. Huh, I guess this is a check. A roaring successs actually.

And then the bubble bursts. The other pastor gave the sermon for a couple weeks after the new year. Wow. I don't even know where to start. How about with a quote "...if they don't like it here then they can go back to the third world rat hole country they came from!" Nice demo of Christian love and charity, buddy. He likes to take every opportunity to let us know he is a professor too. I suspect it's at the Wayland Baptist College across town. I don't think my blood pressure can handle telling you what he said about climate change. I was good and didn't embarass Smokey or anything. Mostly because he begged me to keep my mouth shut during the question and answer session that usually occurs after the sermon (I know, right!). That was the first week it didn't happen. Good thing too, or I think I would have started with a request for a citation of the data showing the earth is cooling. He would get along well with my boss.

Garrsion Calvin pastor's wife's name is Happy. And she is and remembers us (not a tiny church like the island) and now she knows I'm a scientist and I'm doing my thesis research partially on climate change. We'll see if she's still Happy to see me this weekend. What? She asked, I swear!