It is a strange world that we live in, isn't it? There is so much that cannot be explained by " science " yet we drag out the " science " word with such ease and dismiss God with equal ease.
I have pondered this often of late and come to the conclusion that the reason mankind hates God so much is because He has - and He always has been - tainted by a man made thing called Politics. It is NOT God's fault that we screw things up: it is NOT God's fault that we manipulate, distort and sully everything. It is mankind's fault.
Life is not that flash. But we - for whatever reason, as a populace, seem to gravitate to the Bible when things get tough.And our old women and men give us that strength when we need some hope.
And do we need, just a window of hope, right now.
Never have I felt that need as much as I do right now.
Back in the 1990's I read a book called " Pillars of the Earth " by Ken Follett. It remains one of the finest books I have ever read.
How I became hooked from that very first sentence " The small boys came early to the hanging." and I knew, immediately, that I would have a very late night indeed.
It is an extraordinary tale about the building of a cathedral, the power of the church, the turmoil that beset England following the death of King Henry I. The sinking of the White Ship had left King Henry I of England without a clear heir, and The Anarchy that began upon his death tore the country apart. Henry's nephew Stephen of Blois and Henry's daughter Maud fight for the throne. Ambitious nobles and churchmen take sides, hoping to gain advantages. The novel explores the development of medieval architecture, the civil war, secular/religious conflicts, and shifting political loyalties.
Our so called political leaders may well hang their heads in shame, but life is not something God would care for right now.
They speak of God yet do everything God would despise.
The take away theme of this fine piece of literary brilliance from Ken Follett is that politics has always played a role in religion and how, for me anyway, God sometimes seems inconsequential to the church, which is a man made invention. We witness it every day from the mouths of men who are hypocrites and use God as their witness and their reason for being.
I say No.
I hasten to add that, just as there are good men and bad men, there are good churches and bad churches. Good religions and some... well, not so good.
God has been dragged into many a fight over the eons.
What has always seemed strange to me is that no matter who started the fight and who " won " the fight , God always gets the blame.
It doesn't seem fair to me.
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One only has to look at the appalling fiasco over the pillory of Cardinal Pell which has been written about here in the past. Here was the man who was appointed to audit the Vatican finances and was starting to discover some very peculiar happenings; all of a sudden imprisoned on dubious evidence and a rather nasty campaign to sully his name.
We hear and see so much these days done in God's name.
Allah ( God ) is shouted when someone is blowing himself up and taking others with him to " paradise. "
Horrifying. In god's name? Not my God.
God's name is used when people are expressing astonishment when they see a home makeover.
" Oh my god! "
I sometimes wonder how God must feel, looking down on His creation and shaking his head and thinking to himself " Why did I bother? "
We murder our little ones, and thank god for abortion clinics and so called justice.
For myself, I suspect that God has little to do with this and he is being used to promote mankind's preoccupation with power and politics - because, after all, a big name sponsor always gets the votes.
I am not a religious freak. Yet I find God a pretty decent bloke and I am sick of hearing Him misquoted, maligned and blamed for things that he has nothing to do with.
As the anniversary of September 11 approaches, I cannot help but wonder what was done in the name of God was done in the name of politics. Religion. Under the name of God.
I suspect that God was not that well pleased.
When we metaphorically left the garden of Eden, we were on our own. As Shaydee wrote
"when they ate the apple God was pretty disappointed because He had asked them not to.
But he forgave them and He knew that they would have to learn for themselves.
He offered His love and protection but He knew that He could no longer save them from the real world.
Parents today are a lot like God.
They want to protect their children. God taught us, through Adam and Eve, that even when they left Eden, God never left them.
Just like your parents never leave you. "
But he forgave them and He knew that they would have to learn for themselves.
He offered His love and protection but He knew that He could no longer save them from the real world.
Parents today are a lot like God.
They want to protect their children. God taught us, through Adam and Eve, that even when they left Eden, God never left them.
Just like your parents never leave you. "
Even when you are in pain.
There are many people who blame God when things go wrong. Some time ago, I heard the " joke " about the pastor in Vietnam who was under threat of being killed. His tent was in danger of being bombed by the enemy. A young soldier raced up in a jeep and yelled " get in! You are in danger! "
and the pastor replied " I have put my faith in God and I will be safe. "
The jeep sped away.
Some time later, the bombing had increased.
Yet another jeep approached and another soldier yelled " get in! You are in danger! "
and the pastor replied " I have put my faith in God and I will be safe. "
Things got worse.
A helicopter hovered overhead and a young soldier descended on a lifeline and yelled " Come up! You are in danger! "
And the pastor said " I have put my faith in God. I will be safe. "
The helicopter sped away.
A few minutes later, the pastor was blown up and found himself at the Pearly Gates. He shook his head and said
" God. I put my faith in you. How could you let me down? "
God replied " I sent you two jeeps and a helicopter. What more could I do? "
You see, that is our problem today.
People want their government or God or both to do something. People think that their governments have the answers or are suspicious of the answers that the governments give.
Churches too often become so preoccupied with playing politics that they have forgotten their true purpose: that of the worship of God.
Religion has become so much part of Mankind that it has walked away from God.
When politics and mankind interfere with science; when politics and mankind interfere with religion; when religion and mankind interfere with God; it seems only natural that God is going to get a bit cheesed off.
Have we gotten to a stage where it is religion vs God and mankind vs God?
If so, I suspect that religion, science, politics and mankind are going to lose...… big time. We had our chance, when we left paradise and we blew it.
God has been around a lot longer than us and I suspect that this time, we are not going to be let off so easily.
My worry is, how big is God's shovel when he finally sends us to the naughty corner?
Somehow, I think it will be rather big.....
Yes, God works in mysterious ways.
