(no subject)

[docwebster]

Thanks to a post in filkertoms journal, I feel the need to re-post this for all to see.

Yes, I believe in God. Deal with it.

I don't believe in the tight assed control freak God the Leviticus inspired morons that are currently getting their shrivelled testicles in a twist over some illusionary war on Christmas believe in. I damn sure don't believe in the "kill 'em all and let me sort 'em out" God they believe in.

I like the book masquerading as the Bible they have out and have had out for centuries. But whatever that thing is damn sure ain't the Bible as it should be. It's been selectively edited by church leaders, time and again. It's had whole "books" taken out by church leaders who didn't agree with what was told and expressed in it, especially one whole book taken out that was removed because it was about a woman whose name escapes me. It's been twenty some years since I heard about it.

The God I believe in combines aspects of Buddha, assorted pagan Gods, Jerry Garcia, Jesus the Christ, J.R. "Bob" Dobbs and is very definitely gender neutral to put it mildly. I think it's the height of human arrogance to assign the supreme deity of the universe a sexuality or gender, anyway. Taking all these postulates as truth (for the sake of argument if nothing else), it logically tells you that at the very least, God and a smegload of metaphysical sysadmins, for lack of a better term. Anything else assumes a case of monomania on a truly, well, metaphysical scale.

I also think it's the height of human arrogance to think God's time scale would be the exact same as ours, anyway. Everything created in seven days? What do you think God is, some kind of speed freak on a level comparable only to John Belushi? Why is it so damn hard to conceive of the shocking possibility that God/Gods/Merle Finkelstein took his (yes I'm using his as my term of choice. It's just a word. Take a deep breath and try decaff if you're actually offended.) sweet time and created by evolving. I mean, I defy you to take one look at a duckbilled platypus and tell me that goofy animal was intelligent design. Late night drunken design, maybe. But I digress.

I think it's human arrogance at its finest to think that out of the wide cosmos in its infinite vastness that we're the only game in town when it comes to life. That's just farcical at best. "But there's no scientific proof", I hear you whinge. There wasn't scientific proof we could fly until somebody did it and I patently refuse to put my beliefs on hold until such time.

I believe in an afterlife. I think it was Charles Fort who postulated that if God created us in "his" image, then by extension we create Heaven in our image. In short, Heaven would be what we would envision as our Ideal Situation. I'll go into that in more detail somewhere down the road, but part of it is being able to go to Lakota Coffeehouse and sit down for a latte over conversation with Moe Howard, Glenn Miller, and just about anybody I'm privileged to call my friends, internet or otherwise.

I do NOT believe in some moronic fiery Hell. No, I think if you're so bad Heaven doesn't want you, you get sent back dirtside to try it again until you get it right. That's hell enough, right there, but it gives you glimpses of what Heaven can be if you behave yourself and don't turn into a total asshole.

In temporary conclusion (temporary as in it's time to get some cleaning done around here and get dinner on), just because I believe doesn't make me stupid, it doesn't make me childish, and it damn sure doesn't entitle you to sneer at me because I believe in God. Try it and I'll rip your face off and feed it to my cats.

Discuss - but keep it civil or I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger, to coin a phrase.

Comments

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

And more power to you, m'friend. Extra points for invoking Charles Fort.

[docwebster.livejournal.com]

Tune up, son, 'cause you're going to be there at the coffeehouse jamming with Jerry Garcia on "St. Stephen" if I have anything to say about it.

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Heh. I'll tell you this: I have a standing argument going with a number of people, which comes down to the validity of the term "atheist" versus "agnostic". As I allow that, if there ever is substantive, absolute proof of the existence of God and/or an afterlife, I would certainly believe, I am told that I'm not an atheist but an agnostic. It seems to me to be a twist of semantics that they don't consider: an agnostic is looking for proof, or at least for some religion or version of religion that suits him, and an atheist is not. That said, if there is an afterlife and I show up there, Jerry, Freddy Mercury, John and George, Oscar Peterson, and Louis Armstrong are all gonna be where I wanna be.

[eleri.livejournal.com]

As far as I can tell agnostic is "Damned if I know there is." and atheist is "There isn't, dammit!"

Only the public face of athiesm "There isn't, dammit!" seems to have, lately, become something of a petulant 4 year old whine with a foot stop attached. Either that, or "There isn't, dammit, and aren't you such a MORON of the first degree to think there is, hahahahaaaa!"

[ebenbrooks.livejournal.com]

Actually, my personal definition of "agnostic" is the belief that there is no way we, as mortals, can know whether or not God exists. That is, an atheist believes that there is no God, whereas an agnostic believes that there's no way to tell. Whether that's a real difference or not...enh. I call myself agnostic.

[hitchhiker.livejournal.com]

well, if there were substantive, definite proof that there was no god but allah, and that mohammed was his prophet, i hope that christians, for instance, would embrace that proof. doesn't mean they aren't christians here and now.

[jilesa.livejournal.com]

What's to discuss?

Your religious beliefs are your religious beliefs. So long as you don't try to impose them on me (by advocating the legislation of morality as defined by a particular religious sect, for example) or to mix them up with science (by presenting scientifically invalid 'proof' of biblical events, for example), then they're pretty much irrelevant to any interaction I might have with you, as far as I'm concerned.

Perhaps I'm reading more into this than is there based on some other interactions about religion that I've had elsewhere lately, but I'm a little baffled by what sounds to me like a defensive tone in your post. It sounds almost like you're feeling... persecuted in some way, for your religious beliefs, and I'm not sure I understand that. Because, so far as I can see, Christianity of one sort or another is still the majority religion in the U.S., and it's still the default belief system even of those who don't regularly go to church, last I checked.

Obviously, you feel however you feel, and I'm not criticizing that. I just don't quite understand where it's coming from, in this case.

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Some of it certainly came from my most recent post, in response to someone on my LJ.

[jilesa.livejournal.com]

Hmm... having gone and read the post in question, all I have to say is that you, sir, intrigue me, and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter. :)

Beyond that, I'll refrain from saying in docwebster's virtual living room.

[allandaros.livejournal.com]

(Here from Tom's LJ.)

I really, really like this comment, and agree with ~75-85% of it. Could you elaborate more about how "aspects of pagan Gods" influence your perception of God?

[griffen.livejournal.com]

As someone who used to believe, and who no longer can because he demands hard evidence, I must say I am somewhat envious of your ability to believe.

I have no issue with your beliefs unless you try to force me to believe them too, either overtly or covertly (by attempting to pass laws which would force me to fall in line with them, for example). So I think what I'm trying to say is: I get it, and we're cool.

[audacian.livejournal.com]

I think your God sounds very awesome. Jerry Garcia and Bob Dobbs? Can't beat that.

"No, I think if you're so bad Heaven doesn't want you, you get sent back dirtside to try it again until you get it right. That's hell enough, right there, but it gives you glimpses of what Heaven can be if you behave yourself and don't turn into a total asshole."

I like this idea.

[matchgirl42.livejournal.com]

especially one whole book taken out that was removed because it was about a woman whose name escapes me.

I believe you are referring to the gospel according to Mary (http://www.gnosis.org/library/marygosp.htm)...Mary Magdalene, according to the popular theories.

-Former Roman Catholic, now a practicing Pagan/Wiccan.

[drake57.livejournal.com]

There is a CBGB's in Heaven and Joey,Johnny and Dee Dee Ramone are letting Keith Moon play drums. :)

[hitchhiker.livejournal.com]

i just think it sad that anyone has to be defensive about believing in god :(

[bassbone.livejournal.com]

It happens sometimes. I've been called delusional and mentally ill by people who call themselves "tolerant."

[queen-jude.livejournal.com]

I'm pagan, but I really like your idea of heaven being as we'd imagen it and that if you're bad rather than being thrown into a pool of boiling lava and tortured for eternity, you have to go back and live your life again...

[bassbone.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I love this.