So, you can read his biography on wikipedia: (WIKIPEDIA - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roberto_Clemente), so I won't go into too many details about that.

Here's some of the ways that he has influenced me.

When I play, I tend to play all out.

I try to be as selfless and generous as he was.

I want to be personally involved in my efforts to make a difference in the world, as he was.

I want to break down barriers, the way that he did.Maybe I will write about Dietrich Bonhoeffer later.

After talking with (e:Tinypliny) about Roberto Clemente, I got to thinking about heroes, and I thought it might be fun to share some of the people I look up to, as well as invite others to do the same.

I'll get the ball rolling with a post about Clemente (a little later--I should be writing a sermon right now), but I am putting out the invitation:

Who is a hero of yours? Why? What do you wish to emulate about them? How has their life affected yours?

I categorized this post "heroes." It would be nice if every participant did the same.

Good to see (e:Tinypliny) and her friends, as well as (e:Jason) and of course (e:janelle) at the symphony at Bidwell parkway. Also saw some other friends who don't blog and thus don't get mentioned!

Music was good. Beer was good. Company was great.

I even shook down people for money on behalf of the association.

Afterwards, Jason and I stopped in at Essex street.

When I got home, I saw I missed a text from (e:Vincent). My apologies.

Maybe Chris Rock has the answer:

Jim looks forward to our first openly atheist president. Given the rhetoric, I can understand why (even Luther said he would rather "be ruled by a wise Turk than a foolish Christian." I think we could easily substitute "atheist" for "Turk." In Luther's Germany, to be a Turk was as bad as it could get).

I think we have probably already had at least one atheist president, who went along with American civil religion (which calls itself Christianity, even when it doesn't look much like Jesus) in order to get elected. This, of course, is difficult to prove, but given a politicians' willingness to say what is necessary in order to get elected, it seems likely.

And, for most of our history, a show of faith has been necessary to get elected in a country where the majority of people make a show of faith.

That, of course, is changing. With each generation, the number of Christians, and the number of Theists, is declining. If these trends continue, we (I consider my self both) will be in the minority very soon. According to some counts, we are already (although not among voters, which is key to this post).

So based on that, the USA may be electing its last Christian president this election cycle. If the president serves 8 years, this is quite likely (especially if young people start voting).

There is a possible mitigating factor, however. More and more Latinos and Latinas are growing as a percentage in this country, and will eventually become a majority. This demographic, while far from monolithic, is far more likely to be Roman Catholic.

Either way, it looks unlikely that Protestants and Evangelicals will remain a force in politics. This will be quite an adjustment for those who are used to running the world. Democracy is a kick in the pants, sometimes.

It may be, that Theists hang on for a while and we have another Roman Catholic president. It depends on whether young Latinos and Latinas keep the faith and/or vote.

My guess? Jim, your wish will come true. We will have an openly atheist president within 20 years. (Provided the nation holds on that long, but that's another post and another time)

And I don't think it will be bad for the Christian church, either. We're better off without power.