Both personal and scholarly in tone, this book encourages readers to think theologically, ethically, and politically about the statement that declares: "God loves diversity and justice." The multi-religious, multi-ethnic, multi-disciplinary, and multi-gendered identities of the eleven contributors and two respondents deepen the conversation. It considers questions such as: Do we affirm or challenge this theological statement? Do we concentrate on "God" in our response or do we interrogate what diversity and justice mean in light of God's love for diversity and justice? Alternatively, do we prefer to ponder the verb, to love, and consider what it might mean for society if people really believed in a divinity loving diversity and justice? Of course, there are no easy and simple answers whether we consult the Sikh scriptures, the Bible, the Qur'an, the movies, the Declaration of Human Rights, or the transgender movement, but the effort is worthwhile. The result is a serious historical, literary, cultural, and religious discourse that fends against intellectually rigid thought and simplistic belief systems across the religious spectrum. In our world in which so much military unrest and violence, economic inequities, and religious strife prevail, such a conversation nurtures theological, ethical, and political possibilities of inclusion and justice.

Both personal and scholarly in tone, this book encourages readers to think theologically, ethically, and politically about the statement that declares: "God loves diversity and justice." The multi-religious, multi-ethnic, multi-disciplinary, and multi-gendered identities of the eleven contributors and two respondents deepen the conversation. It considers questions such as: Do we affirm or challenge this theological statement? Do we concentrate on "God" in our response or do we interrogate what diversity and justice mean in light of God's love for diversity and justice? Alternatively, do we prefer to ponder the verb, to love, and consider what it might mean for society if people really believed in a divinity loving diversity and justice? Of course, there are no easy and simple answers whether we consult the Sikh scriptures, the Bible, the Qur'an, the movies, the Declaration of Human Rights, or the transgender movement, but the effort is worthwhile. The result is a serious historical, literary, cultural, and religious discourse that fends against intellectually rigid thought and simplistic belief systems across the religious spectrum. In our world in which so much military unrest and violence, economic inequities, and religious strife prevail, such a conversation nurtures theological, ethical, and political possibilities of inclusion and justice.

I was born on March 17, 1932, in Seattle, Washington. My family traveled from place to place trying to find work, and finally landed in California. I graduated from Visa High School in 1950 and went to work for Pacific Telephone Co. In 1967 I earned a modern executive management degree from International Correspondence School. While working part-time for the telephone company, I received an A.A. degree from Los Angeles Valley Jr. College in 1970 and was elected to "Who's Who among Students in American Junior Colleges" in 1970-1971.

I continued to earn a B.A. degree in communication from California State University in Los Angeles in 1973 with a GPA of 3.8. I was on the Board of Directors of ADEPT (Assisting Disabled Employment Placement Training) and president of Telephone Pioneers of America Council with 5,000 members. While working part-time, I taught at California State University and held a management position for the company where I taught equipment and other business subjects until I retired in 1988. I was elected President of Homeowners Association, President of Ladies Golf Club, and President of Gold Equity in the community where I lived. I moved to San Clemente, California in 2002 and am very active in my community today while trying my hand at writing a little poetry.

Silent Power and Control is a collection of twenty-four short stories divided into eight different subject areas: Family, Men, Women, The Love of Animals, Lighthouses, Trains, The Ocean, and Science Fiction. It offers a wide range of stories from humorous fictional stories, to sad stories, and to stories with endings that may surprise you. They have been written for all ages, and hopefully will encourage readers to think about everyday life.

We always think that we are in control of situations, but are we? Is the silent power that surrounds us a good thing or a bad thing? The answers to these questions may be surprising to all.

You will have questions about the control issues that govern your life. After reading this book, you will have a new awareness of Silent Power and Control. It is important to think about how this affects your life no matter how young or old you may be. After you have finished reading these various stories, you must ask yourself about the environment that surrounds you and realize that in many instances you and only you can do something to change it for the better.

In the year 2056, Wanda Roland, 13, is accidentally put on the spaceship taking her 23-year-old brother, Glen, and his companions, Mark James and Jim Rudolf, to Mars. Glen is angry to find his sister instead of a boy, scheduled to come with them. Wanda is convinced that it is all right to go to Mars, even though her parents object because of her migraine attacks. She is determined to find water on Mars

Thirteen-year-old Estelle lives with her cousins, Ray and Harry, under the care of their guardian, Uncle Graylon. In the year 2300, Estelle enjoys living at the beautiful Lakeside apartments on Mars. The air has been breathable for almost fifty years. She has fun, playing with the fish in their beautiful lake. Estelle and her cousins are always ready to travel to different parts of Mars. Once they visited the "face" formation. They didn't even know the formation until they saw it from an airship - with the light shining on it in just the right way. Estelle even tolerates the Sun-Storm drills that they have every week. She remembers, four years ago, a Solar Wind only dug up a few bushes and snapped a few trees. This one is different. Now they must begin a new adventure - how to get out of Mars, with no airships.