On Guilt, Paint and Muslims...

aIt looks like we might get some rain today. I hope so. Then I’d have an excuse for staying in and writing all day. Yes, I need an excuse, otherwise I feel guilty for sitting inside when it’s beautiful out. I guess I can thank my parents for that, “You need to go outside and play, get some fresh air, it’s beautiful out!”

Maybe not. I feel guilty when I don’t run one night of the week, or if I eat two bowls of cereal, or don’t gather the eggs or pull weeds. How does this happen to a hermit?

Anyway…

So, Bret and I are going to be painting this coming week. I know, “Painting Mr. Le Corbusier?” Hey, it pays well. Besides, I like to paint. Except for the brush cleaning. I hate cleaning brushes (mind you, mine are all pristine), it's ranks right up there with stirring the natural peanut butter. Ugh. 

But, thus ends my little vacation and I have to gear up for the right-wing, Obama, gay and Muslim bashing. Not that I’m for or against any of those things… it’s the bigotry I can’t deal with.

Speaking of ignorance: Bret, staunch supporter of the Bible and Church (by which I mean Catholic, because there is only one Church don't you know), and trigger-happy debater of theology, has never read the Bible. But that's not my point...

My point  is, when I told Bret he should back off the Muslim bashing (let alone the gay bashing, and by Muslim bashing I mean constantly insinuating or flat out saying that all Muslims are prone to murderous violence, because of some hype he heard on conservative talk-radio), and that he doesn’t know shit about Muslims, or what they believe in, which happens to be his god, and the little black book (kind of) that he hasn't read, Bret says,“How do you know, have you read the Qur’an?”

Touche'.

“No, but you can consider it done Bret.”

I’m half-way through. I have yet to see anything other than, “help people in need and don’t stir up mischief in the land.”

Mischief? What is this, Dennis the Menace?

Anyway...

I don’t agree with women being their man’s tilth… but hey, it's not really violent. They certainly don’t advocate turning the other cheek. But the ass-whooping can’t start until you’re backed into a corner. Can't say I disagree there either.

Bret’s big thing is that Muhammad was a violent guy. Or so he's heard. So naturally (in Bret’s head) Muhammad is going to promote violence. Need I remind you Bret, of Saul… Paul. Or did you not read that part. That’s what I thought. Done and done.

It’s a little premature of me to say, since I haven’t finished reading the book, and no, I am not talking about the wacko extremists, but it seems the only hang-up (and so far it's a non-violent hang up) Muslims have with the Jews and Christians is that they took the Word of God that was given to Moses… on stone… and fudged it quite a bit when they put it on paper. Possibly to avoid copywrite infringements, who knows, those Jews are a tricky bunch, ain't they Mel? (Wink. Good luck on that comeback buddy).

Honestly… I agree with the Muslims on this particular point. Man got involved... there is no questioning that. Actually, I think man was involved from day one, and he's a mischievous little creature. But then again, what do I know. I’m a painter this week, who tends to be very slanted (translate: wrong) with my observations.

Tilth. He said tilth.

The sun is up and out. I don’t see any rain.