I Double-Dog Dare God to Please Phone Home
I’m up to my armpits in religion and I’m drowning in dogma.
Attempting to read the newspaper this morning, I was struck at how many articles focused on the rights of this or that religious group. How this or that religious group was offended by this or that law, concept, menu, hairstyle, television program or weather predication.
Religion has now taken up residence in the body of the world and is seeping out of everyone’s pores. It’s being forced down throats, worn on sleeves, plopped right down in the middle of one’s forehead and up-chucked nightly on the cable news channels.
Best of all, because there’s more than one religion, there’s constant fighting over whose religion is the best. Whose god is the true god -- and then millions of words written thousands of years ago --about what each one of the gods have said about contemporary subjects, no less.
So I’m putting a stop to it right now: Will the real God -- whether God is a Christian God, Jewish God or Muslim God or any other type of God, please stand up, phone home, make an appearance on Oprah, do an infomercial, write an Op-Ed article for the Times, star in a reality show or appear somewhere other than on a taco shell, tree bark, piece of sheet metal or grilled cheese sandwich!
God, for a couple of thousand years now, you’ve been hiding. The only people who swear they have seen you or talked to you in person have stopped taking their meds.
It’s time to show up and stop the wars, the hate and the poverty. It’s time to unite all religious people under one religion, which of course, is your religion God.
So what is that religion? Come on spill! Should we all be Jews? Christians? Muslims? Scientologists?
It’s time to whip our world back into shape. What are you waiting for, God?
Come on out of hiding.
Come for lunch today and we can sit down over a crisp Pinot Grigio and hash things out. I’ve got home-made turkey soup in the fridge and a most delightful loaf of Ethereal Bread for toasting.
Cappuccino and raspberry tarts for dessert. Sounds good doesn’t it?
It’s time for an appearance; too many years have gone by and you need to make a pit-stop on Earth and quickly.
I dare you, double-dare you and double-dog dare you, God.
posted by mary bishop | 10:54 AM
9 Comments:
Have you seen "Oh, God" with John Denver? They are making a remake of that. I thought it was pretty thought-provoking for a comedy.
No Irina, I haven't. I'll have to mark that one down...!
Old friend, I think God is in our lives everyday. We may not recognize him every time or be aware, but when I reflect, I can see his work. When I ask him for help, it may not always be my exact wishes, but things have a way of working out. People since the beginning of time have called out to God. He has been there all along. I wrote a letter to my Dad 2 days ago, thanking him for the changes that he has made in his life. A 64 year old man that has been sober for 4 years now. He lost everything twice in his life. My kids now have a grandfather who is there at every moment they need him, without asking anything in return, he is there to help everyone always. He has turned his life totally around. He is an example of heartache and prayer that I had for 20 years. He hit his bottom, Walked some with God and turned his life around. This is one but many things when I think about it of God at work daily in my life. Take care now. Jeff
Hey Jeff!...so glad your dad was able to kick his addiction in the ass and let the good father and grandfather he always was inside, rise to the surface. How dear of you to write to him and let him know what that means to you.
So you see god as a he...like a man, or he as in "he who hesitates is lost"...kind of neutral gender?
Personally since I was a little boy I always pictured God as a bearded old man in the clowds. I guess it is from my perceptions from the bible when God is referred to as "Our Father" I dont remember exactly the context, but I believe that heaven is referred to as sexless at some point in my readings of the bible. I guess time will tell. 15 years back I had a friend on his deathbed with lung cancer that swore to us in his final moments the night before he had witnessed the virgin mother comforting him. He in those moments had no reason to mislead anyone. He believed to his core what he saw. Call it high fever, the morphine drip or true intervention from above it always is a curious mystery to me. By the way, Dad called me yesterday acknowledging he recieved the letter and thanking me. We both got pretty emotional with the event. This is not something we have shared easily. Dad said it meant a lot to him because he recieved the letter on the 4 year anniversary of his being sober. I knew it was late winter but I did not remember the day. I just felt a stong emotion to write it. There were literally tears of happiness falling on the pages as I did. Most old drunks seem to know right to the day that they have been sober. That speaks to me the power it must have had over him. MB, I can see the point of your writing, and it is hard to rationalize why bad happens in the world. It must be very difficult for clergy to explain to thier flocks. I have a brother in law that is genious at many things in his world. He is a doctor, has a masters in Music from a top school, believes stronly in evolution and has a remarkable faith in God. With his many accomplishments, clear critical thinking and rational though processes he is a firm believer. He questions biblical interpretations as we all should. He also believes that the odds of our random being are the same as a websters dictionary being shredded, thrown into the air and coming down in perfect order, page after page from start to finish. If he can come to grips with faith, it is easy for a simple guy like me!
I once saw on PBS a play -- have no idea of the name, but god was a Puerto Rican guy who worked in a steam room passing out towels. In his supply closet, however, he had a machine where he'd just press buttons to cause chaos and mayhem at will...that's the picture of god that's always stuck with me...wish I could remember the name of that play!
Doc, Like father like son-of-a bitch. Wasn't "Billy" also anti-Semitic and a believer in the X-tian Nation?
From the ADL website:
Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director, issued the following statement:
We were shocked to learn that a man of the cloth and stature of the Rev. Billy Graham held anti-Semitic views and freely shared them with President Richard Nixon, as revealed on the just released Nixon tapes. Rev. Graham's assertion that Jews had a "stranglehold" on the country and that a second Nixon Administration "might be able to do something," is chilling and frightening, even today, 30 years after the statements were made.
It is shameful that one of America's most respected religious leaders and a spiritual advisor to Presidents believed and espoused age-old classical anti-Semitic canards.
grrrrrrrrrrrrr
As long as it's not the mean-spirited god that Jerry Falwell believes in. If that's the case, then um...stay good and hidden, God.
Oui Oui Marie...the "rip them limb from limb" god can stay in its cave...so glad you're back I missed reading all the news that's fit to print (your blog!)
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