Love, God and all that stuff..

Alot has been written over the past few months on politics, and religion, angst and hypocrisy, bullying and priviledge, you get the point. Sunday mornings are usually my time for reflection and it's been my habit over the past several weeks to read a friend's blog, his Sermon, for brain-food. His name is John Harrison, tragic_pizza on Twitter, and i want to share some thoughts on this man and also just some ramblings of my own.

Let me say that I joined Twitter at the begining of the summer to research the Outlaw Preachers after being somewhat disenchanted with this group on Facebook. I wanted to see if there was a human, a personality somewhere behind all the arguments and pomposity, a person that i could ask what the hell was all this new stuff I was reading. I happened on to John's Twitter along with several other Outlaw Preachers.

I have not been impressed with this loosely- gathered group as a whole. Egos abound and basic questions aren't acknowledged or distainfully answered with as few words as possible as tho the question itself isnt deep enough to bother with. If there is one thing I despise is being treated as if I'm a child. At the age of 52 years old, I have actual scriptural knowledge but also life knowledge that counts for a great deal. I don't like being dismissed or patted on the head when I am on a quest for answers.

I am a stubborn sort, and honesty is what i just wallow in. I don't care if it is startling or shocking or subtle, i just love the Truth. I love people that tell the truth. Hence my mention of John, and I hope he doesn't mind me writing this about him.

When i ask a question, often times, especially with the Outlaw Preachers Inner Sanctum, I get a lot of gobble-de-gook of OT versus Nt, platitudes, or argument that covers the person's lack of knowledge, plainly written, they don't know. Yes, yes, YES, I know they don't have a basic theory that includes all in the group, but when I ask an opinion, I would guess everyone has one. It seems that if they don't know an answer to my questions, they get angry and go on to the easier questions. John harrison has the balls to say "I don't know". And I dont think the OP has the slightest idea what an asset this man is to their group.

It's rare these days for someone to say that, you know. It's a simple phrase. "I don't know". It seems everyone has to have the answers, has to be seen as an intellectual icon. Why? In this age of Twitter and Facebook, I think having a 140 answer is the trend. Where did honest conversation go? Why can't humans interact anymore, even thru the sterile environment of the computer? Social network was supposed to ease debate, make it available to everyone. It seems to me that it has given us a convienient hiding place, to drop quotes and statements without the responsibility of explaining the meaning or having a real conversation. One can drop a 140 statement then disappear into thin air. This doesn't work for me especially when discussing religion or new thoughts on the parts of the Bible that don't count anymore. I don't do "hit and runs". Sure, everyone is entitled to their opinion, but when you put it into the abyss of Twitter, and people are free to see what you are saying, I think the responsible thing to do is to answer questions about the intent of the opinion.

This Halloween I will observe my ritual of Samhain, the begining of the New Year for pagans. i don't consider myself a pagan because i believe in Jesus Christ, but i am still struggling with the concept of the Trinity. so i will thank my Lord and Lady for all that i have, reflect on the past year and ask for blesings for the next. i will build my fire and light my candles for the ritual that I love but you know what? i see God, the Christian God in these rituals as well. I believe that "God" encompasses both male and female and the only difference between my "pagan" beliefs and the Christian God is that the Female and Male are separate. Well, I ask, isn't the Trinity both separate but the same? So is mine.

My ritual asks for patience, love, for other people, direction to know how to best help hurting humans in need, how to help my family. Is this not the same prayer Christians pray? I light candles for focus, for reverence, for symbols of what I am asking. And I will ask my own Great Spirit for the wisdom to sift thru all the hoo-ha I'm seeing thrown out on social media without explanation.

i love the Bible because i feel there is something in it we are not getting. To me it says despite all the arguments of how to love, why to love, when to love, where to love, just to do it, DO it, is what matters. No matter what. Am i going to hell? I don't know. Is there a hell? the few answers i get to this question are varied. But if it counts, i love. Even the idiots with massive egos. i may not like them, but i love them as a human being with a reason for being here, whatever that reason may be. Do i still have a lot to learn? Of course. But at least I'm listening.

Listen to the people who question. Hear what they are asking. Take the time to answer. It may be the last time they will ever ask.

Thank you John, for listening to me and answering me EVERY time, even if it's with an honest "I don't know". With all your cursing and ungodly humour, I feel you are truly a man of God.