What Little I Know About Love

 Morals can’t be legislated; but behavior can be regulated ( Stride Toward Freedom, Martin Luther King Jr. p.175)

   One of the central problems with Christians is that they tend to think their book of faith has all the answers, exclusively. If one belongs to any organized religious institution it is believed that all one needs to know is written down by some God fearing man, a spiritual man—and this stuff, these theories, beliefs, these proverbs, these rules, this knowledge, and this information is written down in the scriptures. Some monk living in the hills has interpreted those scriptures to reveal some eternal truth.  And, as far as the bible is concerned it does hold eternal truths; but the word eternal is different from the word internal.  Consequently, Christians think what their church believes, specifically what their religious institution over emphasizes, usually one of several standard Christian themes, that becomes their cross bearer. It’s either the Great Commission, gifts of the spirit, you have to say Jehovah, you must believe in the trinity, positive thinking.  It’s enough to make your head spin like Linda Blair.  And don’t get me started on the magic underwear.  Once, on my mom’s insistence, we toured the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, California. I don’t think they believe in the power of underwear but the docent did say, “We all know Angeles are white.”

    What Christian religious institutions all have in common is that they think these few verses, or even a single verse is God specifically communicating to them, and He could be.  Logically, though, if God were to demand your faith to hinge off of one verse verily verily I say unto I doubt it’d be as restrictive as gays are bad, don’t have an abortion, or any other verse that could be twisted into a narrow focus, especially given our late 20^th century mores and norms.         Obviously it’s the 21^st century now—but I take nothing for granted since we elected Bush twice, elected Obama at all, and the public seemed shocked that the government spies on us. Rationally, this all important biblical verse/verses should have a more catholic appeal capable of being applied to a variety of situations.  Certainly it should be deeper than gays are bad, Republicans go to heaven, abortion is unforgivable, but killing a nurse that assists in an abortion is okay. Ironically these same people don’t mind the state killing people. Hating gays, even disparaging gays is such a limited objective.  Conversely, a message of love is much nobler.  Furthermore, the theme of love is constantly emphasized by the Prince of Peace in the New Testament (Luke 10:27-28).  When asked how to inherit eternal life, Jesus replied, “Love God and love your neighbor as yourself.”  That’s all you have to do—love love, love to love, and love to be loved.  How simple is that? So simple we can’t seem to do it.  Frost’s Mending Wall poses that question a century ago; don’t put up unneeded barriers just because of tradition.  Unconditional love can be juxtaposed against traditional Judeo-Christian attitudes towards gays as well as abortions, despite love being the greatest gift of all (1 Cor 13:13).

   Currently, Christians claim that they believe the bible was inspired by God and written by man.  But historically, it hasn’t been that long since Christians claimed that the bible was the direct word of God.  This fight between conservative literalists and rational liberals came to a climax early in the 20^th century and the theology changed.  In practice, though, many Christians still believe the Bible is the direct word of God; and so God’s unadulterated, pure word becomes the language and dogma of organized religion. Each sect or denomination is slightly different. 
    Even the most fundamentalist Christian would have to admit, at least publically if pinned down, that God exists mostly beyond the Bible.  This metaphysical God presents himself as the Holy Ghost—God’s spirit.  But, isn’t the very definition of God a spirit?  And so, to talk sensibly about a spirit is such a dichotomy.  Yes, I believe there are spirits and they can communicate, but to talk openly and candidly about spirits in the secular world is the first step towards being locked up or getting your own reality TV show.  But, in the religious subculture language is subtle and codified.  “The Holy Spirit spoke to me,” is a common phrase Christians use.   Exactly what people imagine that means is presumptuous for me to say.  I doubt, though, people believe you saw a burning bush or heard a booming voice from a dark ominous cloud.  Instead, I imagine what one thinks is the little voice inside their head said blah blah blah. Joan of Arc was burned at the stake for that.  We lock you up in the psych-ward for hearing voices in your head.  Actually, we put you in the psych ward, put you on at least two medications, and possibly a third to control the side effects of 1 of the first two drugs.  Then we make you go for a week of outpatient therapy.  Unless, of course, you’re part of the religious subculture. Then we send up some white smoke, and you’re the Pope.

   One has to be open to hear and accept God’s communication.  One may have to be quiet to hear God simply because one has to be quiet to establish any relationship. A relationship and a conversation require that each person talks, while the other is quiet and listens.  Men, pastors, women, priests, theologians, laity who believe God is uniquely working solely through them, that they have the special truth, are probably lying to themselves if they’re sincere, but obviously on a guru trip. 

      No two souls are alike and what connects us is God’s love which unites all of our souls for God’s purpose.  “No other soul but yours can satisfy the same need in God.”  He needs us all to act our various parts to create that perfect whole.  So, even a Hitler is not a mistake.  One could argue that the cruelty of Hitler’s Nazi regime propelled the Jews to no longer be the openly hated ethnicity they once were.  Well, everywhere except where their country is. I think the Jews should’ve done what the Armenians did after their last genocide—move to Glendale, California. Now the gentleman’s agreement in the Western world is to never publically be anti-Semitic. Instead, Arabs are the current anathema to the world. Accordingly, a loathsome person as Hitler is not a mistake because of Karma—cause and effect, because of the divine plan.  It is as if   God’s creation of the human experience adjusts itself with precision for every eventuality.  God’s love is like the stream from the melting snowcapped mountains—its wet trail will continue progressing despite a boulder suddenly in its path.  God’s love will always break thru.  The dilemma is Christians get hung up on language, which is so limiting in the first place, especially in describing the indescribable.   Consequently Jehovah, Allah, God, a higher power, the universe—some of these terms Christians consider blasphemous if used in the wrong narrow context.  All these names, the nomenclature in general, cause an unneeded and hopefully unintended discord.  It’s important to remember that Jesus was the ultimate radicle-usurping the authority of the church officials.  We are all in the wilderness now, all of us—there is no Garden of Eden. The Rolling Stones cite one of the most important experiences of Christ’s—besides, I don’t believe any Christian truly believes unless they have their moment of doubt in faith.