When I was a little girl, my Dad would walk with my friend Sandy and me to the local fireworks display, where we would listen to the volunteer town band play patriotic songs. The night was all about fireworks, popcorn, watching the pre-teen boys watching us, and the fun walk home in the dark with a flashlight for light surrounded by fireflies and the sweet hum of a New England sultry summer night.

I recently saw the film "Bucket List" -- in which two men with terminal illnesses decide that they will embark on a quest to fulfill as many items as they can from their "Before I die I want to..." lists. The film is worth watching. Morgan Freeman's character really got my attention when he said that the ancient Egyptians believed we are asked two questions before entering the afterlife -- “Have you found joy in your life?” and “Has your life brought joy to others?” I wondered what I would say.

The world is on fire. This is always the case. There are forever wars and rumors of war, famine and strife, brother turning against brother -- and sometimes all of them happen at once. This week, with the floods, and the fires, and the political upheavals, my heart has been heavy. I've wanted alternately to act and to hide, to write checks and to dive under the blankets. But the blankets are no place for revolution, and if you don't at least carry the water you have been given, the flames will never dissolve.

Last week, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal signed a bill (.pdf) that will alllow science teachers to introduce "supplemental materials" on contentious subjects such as evolution and global warming. While supporters cheer the new law as a victory fo academic freedom, critics see it as a pretext for allowing teachers to bring their religious beliefs into classrooms.

This has been an interesting news week for discussions of politics and religion. First we have James Dobson, evangelical leader, criticizing Barack Obama's view of scripture because he is not a literalist. Dobson is the host of the popular conservative, evangelical radio program "Focus on the Family". His scathing denunciations of liberals are legendary. But this time, as my aunt used to say -- "the one finger that pointed out was on a hand with four pointed back at the sender." Translation: backfire.

The Pew Forum on Religious and Pubic Life has released Part II of the US Religious Landscape Survey. There are some surprising results. The majority of Americans affiliated with a religion do not believe that their religion is the only path to salvation. Generally, Americans believe that there are even multiple ways to look at their own religion. The over 35,000 persons surveyed showed a surprising openness to differing beliefs and faith practices.