I’ve been discussing God again with Bret. Not really a “both sides of the coin” kind of guy. I get in a ranting mood after talking with him. The blind... The sheep… They are frustrating.
I was about to come on and just vent. But I calmed down a little. Very little. I think I’ll post a quick summary of my opinion of God instead, which, be forewarned isn't very high. So those of you who are thinned-skinned Christians, you might want to stop after the Mathew question. I’ll leave my organized religion vent for later.
Anyway, I was thinking about this while in the shower…
Mathew 10:25 NIV
“…it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
If in fact it is material things that we need to be rid of so that we can ‘enter’ the kingdom of God… Heaven… Wouldn’t it be more likely that Heaven is a state of mind, and the word experience, a better choice than ‘enter’?
Just a thought.
Just a thought.
No, I don’t believe in a Heaven with streets of gold and pearl gates. Not any more. Wouldn’t even want to go to such a place. But tacky accommodations for my soul aren’t my beef with God. (Incidentally, I don’t believe in souls either).
Thin-skinners, sensitive types, better stop here; I don't want to loose the few friends I have.
I have a hang-up with the Exodus. More specifically the method God chose to finally convince the Pharaoh to let his people go. The good ol’ Archangel of Death, who, by the way, is speculated to have been Uriel, the same chap left to guard the gates of Eden... Bit of trivia for ya.
It’s not like God didn’t kill thousands upon thousands of innocents, (2,270,365 recorded victims), but this little slaughter in Egypt chapped my ass. Enough to make me say, “F this Dude”.
It’s not like God didn’t kill thousands upon thousands of innocents, (2,270,365 recorded victims), but this little slaughter in Egypt chapped my ass. Enough to make me say, “F this Dude”.
Look at it this way: You have Joey-Omnipotent who is perfectly capable (so he claims) to I Dream of Jeannie his people right out of slavery. Tinkle tinkle tink. You’re in the Promised Land!
But that doesn’t happen. To top it off, it’s the damn Pharaoh who’s holding his people, and instead of snuffing the Pharaoh, what does Boy-Wonder do? Kills all of the first born. Animals too. What the hell?! These were probably people who had as little contact with or knowledge of Israelites as the people in the Twin Towers had of the Taliban. Yes, I went there. It’s the same damn thing. Murder. You are high if you can’t see that God made a conscious decision here to take lives over saving lives.
But that doesn’t happen. To top it off, it’s the damn Pharaoh who’s holding his people, and instead of snuffing the Pharaoh, what does Boy-Wonder do? Kills all of the first born. Animals too. What the hell?! These were probably people who had as little contact with or knowledge of Israelites as the people in the Twin Towers had of the Taliban. Yes, I went there. It’s the same damn thing. Murder. You are high if you can’t see that God made a conscious decision here to take lives over saving lives.
And please, start with me on how we can’t understand the will of God. I understand this decision clearly…
I better stop; I’m getting a little venomous. Besides, these days, I don’t even believe a God exists, so really this is a pointless rant… nearly pointless. It bothers me that people are so misinformed, so empty, so brainwashed, etc. that they cuddle up to this killer. Hell, that we glorify his "victories". It bothers me that I did that very thing for so long. What a waste.
Pure Love and the God of the Old Testament cannot exist in the same heart. There is too much blood on his hands. A lot of wires got crossed, either in translation, or on purpose.
Pure Love and the God of the Old Testament cannot exist in the same heart. There is too much blood on his hands. A lot of wires got crossed, either in translation, or on purpose.
Anyway…
On the off chance that I am wrong, and there actually is a God, I’ll gladly stick to my guns and weather the fire, brimstone and my gnashing teeth, over spending eternity with a murderous scab.
On the off chance that I am wrong, and there actually is a God, I’ll gladly stick to my guns and weather the fire, brimstone and my gnashing teeth, over spending eternity with a murderous scab.
The bible is an interpretation by a bunch of white men that didn't understand what they were interpreting. What they were interpreting was something someone else said they heard about. It's already a little thin for me.
ReplyDeleteSome things I believe: You do not have to believe in gods punishment or reward to be and do good.
No being that I would rate as an all seeing omnipotent god would allow it's subjects to act like or suffer like humans.
No real god would require worshiping. How degrading that would be.
Last but not least we all came from where Jesus came from and we will all go to where he went. Think about that and tell you christian friends. Most will accept it without any understanding of it.
You are not a god but you think and that's good enough for me.
Thanks for the opportunity to say this for this I believe.
Not a problem boss. I've kept a lot of this crap bottled up, not wanting to offend folks... piss off my dad. I'm not what you would call pro-active, but I'm convinced religion and God are doing far more harm than good. Certainly not the good Jesus intended/wanted...provided he actually existed ;)
ReplyDeleteIt's time for salvation.
People repeat endlessly that muslims should revise the Koran, that it was a book written ages ago with useful thoughts and laws in that period but that they should stop using it as a unchangeable rules for modern life.
ReplyDeleteIn the mean time, they do exactly the same with the bible. That too was written ages ago, with useful messages for ages ago. I believe a lot of things written in the bible were understood differently by people then, also because they lived much more by symbolic messages while now we interpret everything literally.
Plus no doubt a lot of stuff actually was translated badly.
I like the idea of Heaven being a state of mind, I like it a lot.
And, a bit like the Oldfool, I've always said that christians don't have the monopoly on 'christian values'.
They are 'human values'.
And it's always easier to believe something higher is responsable for misery falling on your head than to accept it's in your own hands or, worse still, that misery comes with no reason or justice and we really are utterly alone.
Which, in my view, we are.
stephanie
That's been my biggest problem with Christianity in general. I just can't make myself worship a God who could even dream up something like Hell.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, as always.
Dream up Hell and then make it the alternative to worshiping him. "Hey, love the TWO 'free will' options buddy, but um....no thanks."
ReplyDeleteGreat comments you guys... Thanks.
How'd I miss this?!
ReplyDelete1. No God nowhere no how. Not Western, Eastern, or any other direction. No Jehovah, Yaweh,Isis, Osiris, Set, Ra, Oexeotl, Kali, Shiva, Great White Buffalo, or even Robert Plant. No such thing as a God. Man-made creations, all.
2. Souls are extant. Not religious, not spiritual. They don't last forever. But they are there. in every living thing, if you ask me.
3. Organized Religion is another word for Political Entity. Or Organized Crime. Or both. Fuckin A the things man does in the name of Religion.
4. No afterlife. Souls don't last that long.
5. Bible: political tool. How was it created? By VOTE. How many times has it been altered to suit political or royal agendas? too many to count. Word of Man. Ptui.
I don't know Ed... God's will?
ReplyDelete1. It has always been funny to me, how Thor is mythical, but God is 'real'.
2. I'm not so sure about the soul. I think the idea, or need for, anything remotely metaphysical is a human vanity, weakness or both.
3. And it amazes me the perks they still get... Tax them.
4. When you're dead you're dead. I'll save this one for a full post.
5. I know... Now if I can convince the rest of the world. Get out the hammer and nails.
I think a souls exist and I don't think they are a human-only trait. But I don't think they last too long after the physical body dies. I think they go back to some energy well and become one with the hive or whatever. Not in any supernatural way, but physical energy somewhere. Ashes to ashes,etc. Animals , bugs, trees, they have souls too. Well, ok, maybe not Howard Stern.
ReplyDelete