[Faith-talk] another old Christmas favorite

[David Andrews]

>Something to think about!


Dave



>AN OPEN LETTER FROM GOD
>My Dear Children, and Believe Me, That Is All of You,
>
>I consider myself a pretty patient guy, I mean, look at the Grand
>Canyon, it took millions of years to get it right!  And about
>evolution--boy, nothing is slower than designing that whole
>Darwinian thing to take place, cell by cell, gene by gene!  And I
>have been patient through your fashions, your civilizations, wars
>and schemes and the countless ways that you take Me for granted
>until you get yourself into big trouble again and again.  I want to
>let you know about some of the things that started ticking me off.
>
>
>First of all, your religious rivalries are driving me up a wall!
>Enough already!  Let's get one thing straight:  these are your
>religions, not Mine.  I'm the whole enchilada!  I'm beyond them
>all!  Every one of your religions claims that there's only one of
>me, which, by the way, is absolutely true, but in the very next
>breath each religion claims that it's My favorite one, and each
>claims that it's Bible was written personally by me, and that all
>of the other Bibles are man-made.  Oh me!!!  How do I ever begin to
>put a stop to such complicated nonsense?
>
>All right!  Listen up now!  I am your father and mother, and I
>don't play favorites among my children.  Also, I hate to break it
>to you, but I don't write.  My longhand is awful, and I've always
>been more of a doer anyway, so all of your books, including those
>Bibles, were written by men and women.  They were inspired men and
>women.  They were remarkable people, but they also made mistakes
>here and there, and I made sure of that, so that you would never
>trust a written word rather than your own living heart.
>
>You see, one human being to me, even a bum on the street, is worth
>more than all of the holy books in the world.  That's just the kind
>of a guy I am.  My spirit is not a historical thing; it's alive,
>right now, right now, as fresh as your next breath.
>
>Holy books and religious rites are sacred and powerful, but they
>are not more so than the least of you.  They were only meant to
>steer you in the right direction, not to keep you arguing with each
>other, and certainly not to keep you from trusting your own
>personal connection with Me.
>
>This brings me to my next point about your nonsense.  You act like
>I need you and your religions to stick up for me, or win souls for
>My sake.  Please don't do me any favors!  I can stand quite well on
>my own, thank you.  I don't need you to defend me.  I don't need
>constant credit.  I just want you to be good to each other.
>
>And another thing, I don't get all worked up over money or
>politics, so stop dragging My name into your dramas!  For example,
>I swear to Me that I never threatened Oral Roberts!  I never rode
>in any of Raj Nish's Rolls Royces, and I never told Pat Robertson
>to run for president.  And I have never ever had a conversation
>with Jim Baker, or Jerry Fallwell or Jimmy Swagart.  Of course,
>come judgment day I certainly intend to.
>
>Now, the thing is, I want you to stop thinking of religion as some
>sort of a loyalty pledge to me.  The true purpose of your religions
>is so that you can become more aware of Me, not the other way
>around.  Believe me, I know you already.  I know what's in each of
>your hearts, and I love you anyway, with no strings attached.
>
>So, lighten up, and enjoy Me.  That's what religion is best for.
>What you seem to forget is how mysterious I am.  You look at the
>petty differences in your scriptures and you say, "Well, if this is
>the truth, then that can't be."  But instead of trying to figure
>out my paradoxes and unfathomable nature, which, by the way, you
>never will, why not open your hearts to the simple common threads
>of every religion.  You know what I'm talking about.  Play nice
>with each other.  Love and respect everyone.  Be kind, even when
>life is scary or confusing.  Take courage and be of good cheer, for
>I'm always with you, and learn how to be quiet, so that you can
>hear my still small voice, I don't like to shout.  Leave the world
>a better place by living your life with dignity and gracefulness,
>for you are my own child.  Hold back nothing from life, for the
>parts of you that can die surely will, and the parts that can't
>won't.  So don't worry, be happy.  I stole that last line from
>Bobby McFaron, but, who gave it to him in the first place?
>
>Simple stuff now.  Why do you keep making it so complicated?  It's
>like you're always looking for an excuse to be upset.  And I am
>very tired of your main excuse.  Do you think I care whether you
>call me God or Yahweh, or Jehovah, or Allah, Wakatonka Brahma,
>Father, Mother, even the Void of Nirvana?  Do you think I care
>which of my special children you feel closest to, Jesus, Mary,
>Buddha, Krishna, Mohammed, or any of the others?  You can call me
>and my special ones any name you choose, if only you will go about
>My business of loving one another as I love you.  How can you keep
>neglecting something so simple?
>
>No, I am not telling you to abandon your religions.  Enjoy your
>religions; honor them; learn from them, just as you should enjoy,
>honor and learn from your parents, but do you walk around telling
>everyone that your parents are better than theirs?  Your religion,
>like your parents, may always have the most special place in your
>heart.  I don't mind that at all.  And I don't want you to combine
>all of the great traditions into one big mess.  Each religion is
>unique for a reason.  Each has a unique style so that people can
>find the best path for themselves.  But, my special children, the
>ones that your religions revolve around all live in the same place
>in my heart, and they get along perfectly, I assure you.
>
>The clergy must stop creating a myth of sibling rivalry where there
>is none.
>
>My blessed children of earth, the world has grown too small for
>your pervasive religious bigotries and confusion.  The whole planet
>is now connected by air travel, satellite dishes, telephones, fax
>machines, rock concerts, diseases and mutual needs and concerns.
>Get with the program!
>
>If you really want to help me celebrate the birthday of my son
>Jesus, then commit yourselves to figuring out how to feed your
>hungry and clothe your naked and protect your abused and shelter
>your poor, and just as  important, make your own everyday life a
>shining example of kindness and good humor.
>
>I've given you all the resources you need, if only you abandon your
>fear of each other and begin living and loving and laughing
>together.
>
>Finally, my children everywhere, remember whose birthday you honor
>on what you call Christmas, December twenty-fifth, and the
>fearlessness with which He chose to live and die.  As I love Him,
>so do I love each of you.
>
>Now, I am not really ticked off.  Not really!  I just wanted to
>grab your attention because I hate to see you suffer, but I gave
>you free will, so what can I do now other than try to influence you
>through reason, persuasion, and a little old-fashion guilt and
>manipulation.  After all,you know, I am the original Jewish mother.
>I just want you to be happy, and I'll sit in the dark.  I really
>am, indeed, I swear, with you always, always.  Trust in me.
>
>Your one and only,
>
>God

         David Andrews and long white cane Harry.
E-Mail:  dandrews at visi.com or david.andrews at nfbnet.org