There has been a tragedy on my wife's side of the family. Her sister was taken from this world sooner than anyone could have expected. It is a great loss. Do not read any further if your faith cannot be tested.
I. Why would a great and merciful God allow something so wrong as this, and other tragedies? Some say it is the duality of man. You cannot experience happiness without sorrow, good without evil, etc.. Others say it is God's will. I say baloney. Thomas Jefferson was a deist who believed that God created the world like a watch. Then he wound it up and walked away. So what happens, happens. Who knows? ---- not me.
II. The Hindus. and later the Buddhists, believe in Karma, a great concept!! Do over until you get it right. I like the Buddhist better because you can take a shortcut to Nirvana --- no, not the grunge group.
III. Someone at the hospice commented that they were glad she was baptized a Lutheran, no matter what she is today. I guess that they didn't understand that Martin Luther was baptized a Roman Catholic, ordained a priest, and would not have left the Catholic Church if he wouldn't have been kicked out because he questioned authority.
IV. What about the Humanists. They believe that we should do the right thing just because it is the right thing to do.
V. The Jews have a great idea. If you live according to the Torah (first five books of the Old Testament), then you will see the face of God. If you don,t then you will not see the face of God. There is no Hell.
VI. The Muslims believe in the Old Testament, but they have the Koran instead of the New Testament. How can you hate a religion that says if you die a martyr, then virgins will meet you in Heaven. I hope it is female virgins. What if it is really Virginians. Jefferson and Washington are probably waiting for Osama with knives.
VII. Finally this rant is almost over. I am working on an all encompassing religion. I plan on calling it UNILIGION. It will take all the best parts of all the religions of the world, and interface them into a unified theory of belief. The best part ------------ There will be like 80 holidays per year.
Well here's one more religion you can add. I've been thinking about starting a religion called Flanism. The most amazing flan is served at the Sheraton Centro Historico in Mexico City. It's not just the best flan I've ever tasted(which isn't saying much,) it is the best dessert, of any kind, I've ever tasted. After eating it, I feel a calm come over me that can only be described as a religious experience. I can imagine people flocking to Mexico City to taste of the fabled flan. All hail the mighty (and delicious) flan.
ReplyDeleteI'm a member of Shit Happens.
ReplyDeleteBeing new to the blog, I'm just now reading this (August). I'm sorry for the family loss.
ReplyDeleteI do think you've hit upon where traditional Christianity has it most wrong. Jesus is the Savior, yet Christianity instituted an "eternal hell," the likes of which did not exist prior to Jesus' arrival. That doesn't sound like it's in conformity with Scripture where Jesus says he came to save the world, not to judge it.
Which leads me to believe eternal hell may be a concept made up by men to keep folks in fear, in the pews and writing checks to keep the "system" going.
I don't think it's what Jesus had in mind.