A poem on original sin and the rejection of Jesus Christ.
© 2013 Tyrel Bramwell
Month: August 2013
El Capitan
Like many folks, I’ve been tuned into Yosemite’s Rim Fire, praying for the safety of those whose vocations put them in harms way as well as for those in the region facing polluted air and contaminated water supplies. I snapped this shot of El Capitan in August, 2012.
© 2013 Tyrel Bramwell
Occupation Of Alcatraz
Graffiti from the nineteen month long Occupation of Alcatraz (November 20, 1969, to June 11, 1971) by Indians of All Tribes (IAT) can be seen on the island’s water tower. What a history the Rock has… Soldiers served on it, inmates were detained on it, Native Americans occupied it, and tourists love to visit it.
© 2013 Tyrel Bramwell
Alcatraz Blacktop
What is it about a road that makes me want to travel? The yellow lines? The mystery of what may be just around the bend? Roads are mesmerizing, even on an island where they can only go so far. They capture my imagination and carry it to the unknown.
© 2013 Tyrel Bramwell
Schleiermacher and Gamers
What follows is admittedly too obscurely academic (and geeky) to be of any real value, theological or otherwise. While reading about Friedrich Schleiermacher’s abysmal (is that too strong of an adjective?) view of Baptism, I had a thought, a thought that consumed me into the wee hours of the morning. That alone compels me to share my geekdom…
Schleiermacher’s view of Baptism can be likened to having an Xbox Live account. Belonging to the fellowship of believers – being a gamer and having an online membership – is what gives particular benefits. It’s not Baptism that’s awesome. Nope. Baptism is nothing more than the doorway to Club Awesome where the real awesomeness can be found. Baptism simply is the sign-in process giving a gamer access to the interconnectivity of the gaming community. If faith is present before Baptism, that is, if you already have a Silver account on Live – well hidey ho! – then the baptized person gains access to a greater enjoyment of salvation within the congregation. Or, in other words, the gamer’s Silver account is upgraded to Gold where he can now play online with/against other gamers… which, of course, is way cooler than just being able to watch videos and stuff.
The City By the Bay
A view of San Francisco from Alcatraz Island (although, with all the rubble in the foreground I understand why you would think it was from Oakland).
© 2013 Tyrel Bramwell
Roof Line
A little orange, a little blue, and just a dash of green… The Alcatraz school house (left).
© 2013 Tyrel Bramwell
Outside the Officer’s Quarters
The decaying rock.
© 2013 Tyrel Bramwell
Officers’ Quarters on The Rock
What’s left of the inside of this building totally has me wanting to bust out some Lara Croft:Tomb Raider action, jumping from pillar to pillar before leaping to the ledge and busting a cap in a tiger.
© 2013 Tyrel Bramwell
The Yard
The structures surrounding the courtyard trap the cool air of the Bay, whipping it around and around, causing a guy to covet his mother’s earmuffs. A few minutes sitting on the steps, imagining where Al Capone and the Bird Man would’ve sat and one understands, despite clear skies and the bright sun, why the inmates wore their iconic pea coats.
© 2013 Tyrel Bramwell