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| Cheese! |
| 11.30.04 (5:57 pm) [edit] |
Good afternoon Boys and Girls,Jesus reporting here. I was in a Barnes and Noble earlier today and found myself looking at all the Christmas stuff they had for sale. Seasonal this, Seasonal that, Calendars, Magazines, Hardcovers, paperbacks, Mugs, Special coffee blends, Christmas teas, CD's, DVDs, Videos, Scarves, Hats, Games, Wrapping Papers, Bows, Christmas cards, Christmas tree ornaments, Christmas card address books, Christmas journals, Christmas candies and last, but not least: Barnsie, the Barnes and Nobel stuffed thing of the year! And this was just in a book store. I was overwhelmed. Eventually, I got around to my purpose for going there. I wanted to see how many books that are IN PRINT, had artists' representation's of their impression of what I looked like, (or portraits for which I never posed) in them. But then I noticed an end cap display for Mary and Carol Higgins Clark's new Christmas novel. I picked up a copy and started to read the jacket, when out of corner of my eye I saw another display for John Grisham's Christmas book of the year, which, I learned, has already been made into a "Major Motion Picture" starring Tim Allen and... I don't remember the female lead. Suddenly I became fully aware of this new phenomenon that must have publishers gushing from July through December. They must simply coerce their brand name best-selling authors to pen a toss off story for release just in time for Christmas and virtually guarantee themselves a monumental profit! Holy Moly! I started looking in earnest. Janet Evonovich, David Baldacci, George Barr McCutcheon, Carol Lynne Pearson, Fannie Flagg... even Thomas Kinkade (the painter of all those gushy "winter nights in suburbia" paintings) has a Christmas novel! I don't know why it bothered me. I'm sure the stories are just lovely. I'm a cottage industry's cottage industry. At least there didn't seem to be a Christmas novel by those awful "Left Behind" guys. Be good to everybody! E-mail me at justplainoldjesus@mail.com |
| Sirens, Doughnuts and Chocolate Milk |
| 11.29.04 (7:52 pm) [edit] |
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Good Evening Boys and Girls; surrogate reporting here. On my walk today, the usual semi-urban soundtrack was split with a siren, and then another, and another... and then more and more. Had to be a dozen. And rather than hearing the familiar doppler effect produced by the sound getting closer and then further away, the noise level seemed to be constant for some time, which informed me that somewhere near, there was a need for more than the usual response to a routine emergency. As I walked along I caught glimpses of red flashes from lights peeking through houses, trees and hedges between me and the emergency's location. It looked to me two be about two blocks away. I found myself faced with the decision of whether to walk toward the fracas or away from it. I was curious as to what happened, and I'd have been glad to help if I arrived and my help was needed, but I didn't want to crowd the scene and I'm all too aware that bystanders in such situations are usually not only unwanted help, but are considered a nuisance by all the professional responders. So, I walked in the other direction. A few minutes later a destination for my walk suggested itself. Hadn't really had one in mind when I left, but something reminded me that the half and half I'd poured into my coffee earlier had polished off the carton, so I aimed my feet toward a grocery store, compromising between my desire to make my walk pleasant by staying off the busier streets whenever possible and my need to acquire my coffee creamer from the store on the busiest road in my neighborhood by choosing a route through a good sized, tree filled park adjacent to the back of a closed elementary school. This nice little path, though dumping me out at the very busy intersection that housed the store in question in it's northeast corner, kept my exposure to the heavy traffic noise to less than about five minutes in either direction, plus I'd be in and out of the store in another five minutes tops. Compared half and half prices and bought the middle priced brand, a habit, if not a trick I learned from my father as a kid when he'd usually opt for the "better" choice of whatever Sears product he was purchasing during their Monday Madness sales. The Bakery was between me and the checkout. As I walked by, I noticed a bakery lady was putting out some fresh sour cream doughnuts, my absolute favorites and one of those items that makes me remember my ex fondly. She loved them too. I said as much to the lady kiddingly. She said, "They're still hot too!" I grabbed two of them, putting one in a little plastic bag and starting to eat the other as I walked toward the checkout. It was marvelous. Just this side of crispy on the outside with real sour cream icing. I knew the second one wasn't going to make it out of the store intact. I entered the express checkout and was fourth or fifth in line, which still gave me plenty of time to gobble down the second doughnut prior to checking out. I'd enjoyed the unexpected treats so rapidly, that a thirst raced it's way into my consciousness. After a moments thought, I decided that since I'd allowed myself this silly spontaneity, I might as well go whole hog. Picked up my half and half along with the little plastic bakery bag, now empty, and walked toward the dairy case where I grabbed a half pint of chocolate milk and started a second time toward the 15 items or less line, opening the milk as I walked, I found myself once again fourth or fifth in line. I now finished opening the milk after fiddling for a moment with the little foil safety seal that is so incredibly annoying - and hopefully, incredibly unnecessary - and took a couple of satisfying swallows. I put my empty bakery bag, the milk and the half and half on the belt. When my turn came, the cashier looked at the pathetic little bag, picked it up, smiled at me and raised her eyebrows in question. I wiggled two guilty fingers then lifted the tiny carton for a final gulp. "Want me to toss that for you?" she asked. I said I did. "Three dollars and seventy-eight cents," she said as she bent a bit to throw away the bag and my chocolate milk container. "Hungry, weren't you?" It was at that exact moment I remembered actually considering grabbing my wallet as I left the house - but since I wasn't going anywhere except for a nice little walk, I'd decided I didn't need it. Oops. Enjoy. |
| we all make choices...be thankful for yours |
| 11.28.04 (2:28 pm) [edit] |
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Good afternoon Boys and Girls! Jesus reporting here. The other day, I reported from outside a 24 hour Kmart early in the morning and talked about the sales that were about to take place and said that all the buying and selling surrounding Christmas really doesn't bother me since the focus is still on giving to others. You can read it below if you're interested. One of the readers who comments frequently in the comments sections said that she couldn't help thinking about all the people who do without around the holidays but didn't want to take issue with the blog posting on that basis. You can read her comment as well below in that "comments" link. She's right of course. And I'm not exactly trying to equivocate for what I wrote, but to leave out that whole area of concern perhaps should have been better thought out. So, think about that. Think about people who, instead of deciding between game systems for the family this Christmas, are trying to decide where to find shelter tonight. Think about the people who, rather than debating whether to use garland or strung popcorn on their tree, are deciding whether it would be safer to stay another night or two in their homes or to move out before the fighting gets too close. Think about people who, rather than deciding between ham or turkey for christmas dinner, try to decide whether the water they usually use to make their rice is safe enough to use for that purpose any longer. As we decide between Mini-Van or SUV, many someones are deciding whether or not selling off the youngest child will provide enough food and clothing for the rest of the family to justify this rash step. Be thankful for the kinds of choices you get to make. |
| Cheek Turning in real life. |
| 11.27.04 (10:20 am) [edit] |
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Good morning Boys and Girls! Jesus reporting here. I find myself in a familiar place today. I find myself here often when I want to talk about difficult concepts, or rather concepts that are very difficult to implement in real life because they seem almost too simple, and hence, unrealistic. Our world is filled with conflict, seemingly fueled by conflicts. And there are times when it would seem not only silly, to "turn the other cheek" to people that do us wrong, but also irresponsible and therefore, wrong. How do we categorize these deeds, and react appropriately when a response other than simply ignoring the offense, (which is really what I mean by turning the other cheek) is called for? And then, to what degree do we respond? Is it the old 'eye for an eye' rule that should come into play? Well, first we have to back up a bit. We must look at every situation with clear eyes and honest hearts. If we do, things tend to sort themselves out a bit before we even have to make a decision about whether and how to respond. First, as decent people, we have the obligation to think through the following questions: 1. Is the offense we've endured a response or retaliation by others for something we have done to offend them, either knowingly or unknowingly? If so, our obligation is first to search our own souls and recognize the wrong they perceive has been done to them - to the best of our ability - as well as communicating our efforts and desire to make things right PRIOR to taking any retaliatory action. 2. Is the offense a personal matter? If so, do your best to ignore it. If you suffer by ignoring it when retaliating might have kept you from the suffering? Tough. In the long run, you'll be glad you did. 3. Are you are directly responsible for the safety of other people? If so and you're sure that not responding to whatever the offense was, will put others at future risk, it's mightily important to not only measure your response, but also that you respond in a manner the ensures that you eliminate the risk without bringing anyone else into the conflict. In other words, your response must be specific to the offense you've suffered and it should only be undertaken to eliminate risks to the people you're charged with protecting. Further, if you're so sure that your only option is to respond, YOU personally should be directly involved in the response and ensure that no other person puts themselves at any more risk than you are willing to endure yourself. Few things offend Father and me as much as people assuming that, since they've been hurt, they have the right to hurt others with impunity. 4. Is your response consistent with loving God, yourself, your friends and foes? If so.. okay. Be good to everybody! Email me at justplainoldjesus@mail.com |
| Ready? Set? - SHOP! |
| 11.26.04 (8:11 am) [edit] |
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Good morning Boys and Girls! Jesus reporting here. It's 5:55 a.m. and I'm outside a Twenty-Four Hour Super Kmart, where folks seem to be just about ready for the two hour shopping sprint that has become a tradition on the day after Thanksgiving the past ten years or so. Though this day has long been one of the busiest shopping days of the year, these early bird sales are relatively new. A few impatient people are doing a little pushing and shoving, trying to inch their way closer to the incredible bargains being offered "this morning only between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m." All in all, it seems to be a crowd enjoying themselves and the rush. Some people think I'm upset with the commercialization of the holiday, but I'm really not. I'd like to think that at some point during all the build up and anticipation, every one has a few minutes where they realize the reason for it all. But as long as the focus is giving to others, I don't think we're too far off the mark. I've never been all that concerned with people celebrating my birth anyway... or my death. I'd like to think that what I did while here made a mark, and that throughout all the hullabaloo, everyone takes some time to concentrate on that. I must say, I like just about all the various traditions that have sprung up around Christmas. Even Santa! They bring people together. Remind us all of what's important if only indirectly, although I never got the eggnog thing. Like liquid phlegm as far as I'm concerned. I think a lot of the Salvation Army. They seem to have a real handle on the direct approach to loving others by offering help. I like faith tied to action. Having said that, I'm especially troubled by how many of the Chain stores have decided to keep the bell ringers from doing their thing outside their store entrances the last few years. More important than the money they collect, to me anyway, is the fact that they've always served as a wonderful reminder of how, sometimes, loving people, even those we'll never meet, can at times be a very tangible act. Careful out there. I think some people are sharpening their elbows! And hurry home! There's turkey surprise waiting for you tonight... and tomorrow night.... and... Be good to everybody! |
| Holiday - Blues |
| 11.25.04 (6:47 pm) [edit] |
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Happy Thanksgiving Boys and Girls! surrogate here today. The clock on the wall reads 8:01 a.m. In about an hour the parade will start downtown. In years past, by now we'd have been up for hours mixing, cracking, stirring, baking, chopping, peeling, sautéing, browning, stuffing, tying, oiling, salting, peppering, laughing, teasing, rushing, delivering, running back home. Then maybe we'd try to steal another twenty minutes of sleep before waking up a second time, showering, hugging, dressing and waking up the kids. Once they were awake it was time to figure out what their intended schedule was. Then, by any means necessary, our next job became making our need to have them at both family gatherings for a reasonable length of time become the steel mold between which whatever play dough like earlier plans they'd made with friends were pressed. (We'd end up with brightly colored little play dough turkeys with the words "Family First" firmly embossed into the tail feathers.) During the teenage years for the kids, some of the stages in this admittedly coercive process included, but were not limited to: initial exasperation, outrage, discussion time, compromise, resolve and finally, "an agreement to implement" usually signaled to by, at least in later years, the daughter's folded arms, rolled eyes version of the ever effective and mildly sarcastic word "Fine." This complicated process normally took up exactly the right amount of time to ensure we arrived no more than reasonably late at our intended rendezvous "point A." Meal One. And now the real hustle and bustle would begin. Meal one rotated year by year depending on circumstances as varied as plane schedules, planned special guest appearances, football game times, changing dietary requirements, babies nap schedules, new cooking methods and theories, and whims of the planners. However, if I remember correctly, the very first year, when the rotation was set into surprisingly yielding bedrock, we determined which family to visit first by means of a divining rod, two dice and a live chicken. We'd leave for meal one by no later than about one o'clock p.m. Sometimes, the conversation was sparkling. Sometimes routine. At one house, puns were always abundant. Some wonderful, some real groaners, which made them all the more fun. Dinner itself was always superb and though we knew we were gong to have to go to another in a while, we'd still eat too much, telling ourselves that we'd leave room for at least tastes of any special treats we knew we could expect at the other house. Kids talked with cousins they'd only see at these gatherings. Adults caught up with each other's work lives and hopes. Card games and board games would break out, with teams made up of unlikely pairings, doubling the fun. Coffee and desert would be served amid all this - and then slowly the triptophane would kick in. And when it was time to leave for meal two, the long goodbyes would commence, lasting, perhaps, another hour. Then, we'd traipse over to the other house for a second go, with less emphasis on the food now. More talk, more games, but still, at least a sample from every dish. And, perhaps, a more relaxed feeling since we knew we didn't need to think about going anywhere else except home when we were ready. In the years after they had their own cars or friends with cars, the kids would usually have ditched meal two within an hour or two of getting there. That was fine. Even nice really. I remember feeling a strange pride that we'd raised the kids to the point where they could easily be trusted to go off on their own. Silly isn't it? Since, after all, that IS the point. Eventually, things would finally slow down. Fires would burn low. We'd say our goodbyes and head home, swearing at some point on the short trip, while knowing it was impossible, that next year, we'd only attend one dinner. And we'd collapse. My family. My wife, my kids, our home. 'Twas life. And I give thanks. |
| Dan, we hardly knew thee. |
| 11.24.04 (7:53 am) [edit] |
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Hello Boys and Girls! Jesus reporting here and just getting ready for the holiday. Well, Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day in the U.S. and what a Thanksgiving Day it'll be for many folks out there in T.V. Land. You've got the parades in the morning, the football games in the afternoon, a Seinfeld reunion show in the evening and most importantly to some of the folks out there; there will be the warm glow of satisfaction that Dan Rather, CBS's Evening New's Anchor and Managing Director for most of the last quarter century has announced that he will step down in March of next year. Long accused, by many, of wearing his politics not only on his sleeve, but on his typewriter, his editing pen and his teleprompter, Rather has most recently been under fire for using what may turn out to have been forged documents to make a point that has never been refuted, argued, admitted, or much discussed by President Bush during the recent Campaign. It's funny, but because of my status in the scheme of things, I happen to know for a fact whether, (a.) the documents are real, (b.) the evidence is accurate, (c.) who made the story a story and why, (d.) whether the plan was effective from the perpetrator's perspective and even (e.) what George W. was up to back then that made any of this necessary. Holy Reckless Youth Batman! Kapoweeee! I'd like to stay above the fray, so I'll just say that I think Dan Rather's sweater choices over the years have been right up there with Bill Cosby's on his old sit-com. Which is to say... uh, what were you guys thinking? I'll miss Dan. I've always loved his voice and temperment and his ability to make even the little human interest stories seem as though they are as important to him as the lead for the day. And, I for one, never got the impression that his politics were all that far from the middle of the road, though admittedly, the middle of the road is a whole lot further left than his critics like to drive. Ah well, some folks are never happy. So, enjoy your Turkeys. Enjoy your friends and family. (Anybody want to know the scores of the games in advance so you can justify turning off the Boob Tube for a few hours? Nah?) Remember! Baste, baste, baste! Be good to everybody! Email me at justplainoldjesus@mail.com |
| God... |
| 11.23.04 (1:51 pm) [edit] |
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God, the Father. God, the Mother. God, the great. God, the good. God, the powerful. God, the righteous. God, the creator. God, the spirit. God, the just. God, the wise. God the everlasting. God, the omnipotent, God, the loving. God, the angry. God, the judge. God. the merciful. God, the One. It's a hard concept. -And, one men and women don't even have to try to understand fully. As time goes on, and scientific breakthroughs continue to astound the planet, while at the same time we see more and more examples of how men (people) can be more creatively cruel to one another than we ever thought possible, the knowledge, for billions of people, that there is God who is aware of all these things and understands our difficulties, hopes, dreams, desires and wants what's best for us as a species as well as what's best for us individually, is not mere comfort - but a necessity for our own self worth. For those who believe, the manifestations of God's love for the people of the planet are as numerous and plentiful as the number of eyes who look for such signs of significance, worth and purpose. And for Christian's, my arrival, life and departure from the planet marked a final proof of God's love for us all. So you can imagine the dismay my Father feels when this magnanimity is dissected so finely that the whole of the plan is reduced into catch phrases, rituals and affiliations, whose purposes seem to try to provide pat answers for the incredible questions instead of finding such enormous beauty in the fact that some things, or at least this one thing, is simply unknowable, and even more wonderful because of that fact. Quit working at it so hard. Be good to everybody! |
| Zowie... |
| 11.23.04 (9:50 am) [edit] |
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Thanks to WhyNot for for sending me this link. http://www.wiseass.org/html/content-jesus.html" title="http://www.wiseass.org/html/content-jesus.html" target="_blank"http://www.wiseass.org/html/c... Pretty true to form I'd say. |
| Now THERE'S a church.... |
| 11.21.04 (1:11 pm) [edit] |
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Good morning Boys and Girls, I can't tell you how many e-mails I receive from people who say things like, "I agree with so much of what you say, but...." or, "well you don't understand this particular scripture verse: (Insert verse(s) followed by the writer's interpretation of it (them) and then usually some sweeping comment about how that (those) verse(s) prove(s) their idea of salvation, heaven, hell, forgiveness, blasphemy,... Please. And this seems to come mostly from the "Born Again" crowd who usually tacitly claim, if not total understanding of Father and me, at least quasi ownership of the correct interpretation of the "message." And yet, it always strikes us as ironic how so many of them seem to latch onto the back story and plot with amazing relish without understanding the big picture at all! It's... Freaky! I could site you so many millions of examples of this if I were so inclined. But it's almost pointless. Once the gleam reaches the eyes of these folks, all reason goes right out the window. And what's especially irritating is how so many of them feel that once "SAVED" (a complete bastardization of the concept I spoke of, by the way), their responsibility to humanity and this planet goes right out the window - except for, of course, bringing as many as possible others into their own sunny fog. And the most troubling aspect of all with this phenomenon isn't the waste talent of these folks might otherwise have to offer the world if they weren't lost in self promotion, but their own self satisfaction to which they seemed blind. (The questions, for instance, "Are you a professing Christian?" or "Are you saved?" or "What Church do you go to?" are nothing more than backdoor invitations to tell you what THEY think and rarely, I assure you, has much to do with what I wanted for the world. (Mostly, I blame Paul...lol) I didn't come as an excuse for people to form clubs, even in my name. And much of this stuff is a waste of the most valuable resource you've been given on this planet. Time. And, believe it or not, Their approach is horribly counterproductive even for what they hope to accomplish. I promise to expound on this in the coming days... I know it sounds like an attack, but it's not meant to. And I'm expected somewhere soon, so i'll be brief from here on out. Churches I'd love to see: Potluck churches that meet in a different home or public location every week. One Church building for a community that's shared by everyone. Park and/or public space churches. Picnics, cleanup, songs... what a hoot! Temporary Project churches that form for one purpose and disband when the project is completed. Habitat/Handyman type churches where folks come together to worship and build for people or groups a day or two a week. Soup Kitchen churches, where once the meals have been served there's time for talk. Tiny little roving shut in churches where two or three people take it upon themselves to visit a half a dozen shut-ins and provide companionship for them once a week. • Fluid memberships where people come and go from church to church to experience many aspects of what good can be accomplished. • NO new buildings. • Churches lead by people who understand that leading by example is far more important than leading by speech. I know. This is radical sounding. But... at least keep it in mind the next time someone suggests to you that the mark of a true Christian is whether or not you've been "saved." I know most of you folks mean well, and I'm equally sure you'll not have open ears to what I've said here. But here's just one example of why this sort of thinking is dangerous beyond anything you can imagine. George Bush, a good guy if a little pig headed, said he prayed and prayed over whether to attack Iraq, asking Father, through me, for guidance. He's "born again" (forgiven for his sins and guaranteed a place in heaven) which effectively ends up meaning, at least subconsciously, that he doesn't have to be very careful about what he does or how it affects other people. And, since the sort of folks whose thought processes allow them to accept such a simplistic and distilled version of my purpose here on earth tend also to be people prone to see certain other groups of which they are members to be the only ones that really matter, (in this case, being American) some pretty scary logic can be applied to situations for which they are charged to make decisions resulting, at times, with the deaths of thousands of "others." And what's funny/scary are the third and fourth tendencies to which these folks are prone. The third, simply stated, is the complete lack of ability to see the conflicts their own actions have with the "morality" they profess. Explanation? Nah, they wouldn't get it anyway. The fourth tendency is the most abhorrent to father and me. They, (some of them now, not all...) believe that since the world is going to end soon (Damn you Paul, you should have explained better) that some of what they do can have ramifications that may facilitate the "End Times." Oy. Rule one. Rule two. Wait on the everything else till that part is in the bag. Be good to everybody! |
| Denomi-nomi-nations-Part 3 |
| 11.18.04 (5:50 pm) [edit] |
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Hello Boys and Girls, Jesus reporting here. Well. Yesterday in Little Rock, thousands of people gathered to hear Bill Clinton, Georges H.W. and W. Bush speak along with lot's of other notables from your governments, past and present, at the rainy dedication ceremony for Bill Clinton's new presidential library. Jimmy Carter was there. Representatives from Gerald Ford's and Ronald Reagan's families were there, and I'm glad to say that all in all, everybody played nicely together. Imagine, all these people, representing all those administrations, gathered to pay tribute to a man who is loved by some folks, tolerated by others - and pretty much loathed by more than a few of them. Even John Kerry was there, I suppose representing the "But Ohio was supposed to be Blue!" contingent. All Americans... Factions galore. Smooth transition...to...... Protestants! All Christians... Factions galore. During my super diligent due diligence research for today's minor diatribe, I discovered a wonderful web site showing an easy to follow timeline, starting with my birth and continuing right up till now. It illustrates where and when each protestant denomination was started. Or, more accurately in most cases, where it busted off from the branch above it. (That had, in most cases, and at some earlier point, split away from its own parent limb.) Since I didn't get permission to use the info, I won't give out the web site's URL, but a quick google search will help you find it in no time. And, here's the surprising thing; it's really well done! It's not anwhere a near complete list, but I'm sure the people who put the website together are very aware that it's incomplete, but felt they simply had to draw the line somewhere. In the United States alone, there are over one hundred and fifty active denominations with at least a thousand members each. The larger ones have ten's of millions of members and thousands of churches. Over One hundred and fifty! Can you imagine? Now add to this THOUSANDS of independent Protestant Churches and you've got one on heck of a lot of ways to worship in this country... You want to play with poisonous snakes to prove you're worthy? We got'cha covered. You want full immersion baptism or specific creed reading? No problem. You feel more comfortable with folks of your own ethnic background when you worship? Tons of choices! How about Women preachers? What about denominations that ban women preachers? You want to go to a church where alcohol is forbidden? Or tolerated? You want modern music? Gospel singing? Guitars? Pipe organs? You want communion every week or once a quarter? Wine or Grape juice? Little bread cubes? Hosts? You want to break off bread from a big communal loaf? You want the preacher to wear a a clerical collar? A business suit? How about a big ole' muslin robe? How about your offering? You want to pay cash? Check? Direct debit? Visa or Master Card?... ....... Big Church? Small church? Your Church? Her Church? New Church? Old Church? Red Church? Blue Church? Granite? Marble? Alabaster? Concrete? Logs? Wood and Plaster? Stained Glass? Lucite? Pulpits? Kneelers? Bibles, Hymnals, Tracts and Feelers? Reverend Doctors, Pastors, Preachers Deacons, Elders, Gifted Teachers Committee Chairmen, Organists Choir members, Soloists All these people. All these choices. Some claim visions, Some hear voices Glad folks, Sad folks, Saints and Crooks Parse the verses in “the Book” “They think this way. We think that” “Our way’s better. You see that?” “The path to heaven's plain as day” “THEY’RE going to hell. It’s just their way” But folks, it’s not the way we do things Dad and I don’t pull your strings. You want heaven? You FEAR hell? Just love each other. It'll turn out.. swell. Love God, yourselves, your friends, your foes Be vigilent. Stay on your toes. Pay attention, be kind - be gentle. This world of yours is just a rental. Am I returning soon to rule? Who knows, who cares? T'was just a tool. You focus on the things that matter? You'll end up fine - I'll hold the ladder. Be good to everybody! Email me at plainoldjesus@mail.com |
| denomi-nomi-nations -Part 2 |
| 11.17.04 (9:28 am) [edit] |
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Good morning Boys and Girls! Well, yesterday it probably seemed like I was being harsh to Catholics. Perhaps I was. Let me clarify just a bit. I have no quarrel with anyone whose actions and beliefs are based on the two big rules. And I know there are millions and millions of good people out there, Catholics all, who feel as though the way they were brought up in the Church, or came to decide to become Catholic are very important if not THE most important part of their lives. And that is wonderful, and I am grateful for their faith. But the fact is the Church has gone off the tracks and needs to right itself NOW. The Papacy has too much power and should eventually be eliminated. He (the pope) is a man, nothing more. His opinions and blessings carry exactly the same weight as anyone else's. Yours for instance. If you want to be faithful to me and Dad, go out and treat the least among you with grace. Quit contributing to church building funds... and this goes for all of you! I don't need or want big buildings, colleges, museums, or Football stadiums built in my honor. And the funny thing is, it's gotten to the point where this crud is so commonplace, it doesn't give even most Christian people pause anymore. A bunch of you want to get together and build a hospital somewhere in the world where one is needed, do it because it's needed and therefore the right thing to do. Wonderful. Don't waste money for another statue of me out front. Buy a few more dialysis machines. In fact, I'd love to see every single church property in the world sold off or donated directly to the cause or charity it serves. Every single one. Which leads me to what I planned on talking about today, at least in a roundabout way. Where many of my annoyances (is that understated enough?) with the Roman Catholic Church revolve around its tendency, over the centuries, to make up rules out of whole cloth and attribute them to me, I have a different set of concerns for the incredible spurt of growth being enjoyed by "evangelicals" and their ilk over the past twenty years or so. Whether they sell their own brand of Christianity as "a return to traditional values" or as "today's church for today's Christian", I want you all to be mindful of the following signs that YOUR church is way off base as far as representing anything I'd approve of, (like I ever get asked!...lol). - and with apologies to Jeff Foxworthy for borrowing his wonderful format. - if your church is planning a multimedia Christmas pageant complete with flying angels, a 200 plus voice choir and a state of the art P.A. system - your church might have crossed the line. - if your church has moved out of a neighborhood "in transition" in order to "conveniently accommodate it's current membership and position itself for new growth" - your church might have crossed the line - if your church has a pastor who affects a quasi Southern Accent while preaching even though he's from New Jersey - your church might definitely, have crossed the line. - if your Church's mission statement focuses on "Winning Souls for Christ" - your church might have crossed the line. - if your Church has recently built a new mega sanctuary to accommodate it's wildly expanding membership - your church HAS crossed the line. - if your pastor uses a really impressive color brochure with a picture of him, his smiling wife and their 2.5 kids as a marketing tool - your church might just have crossed the line. - if your church has voted against being used as part of a rotating shelter for homeless people for any reason - yours is not even a church. - if your church has a budget surplus, a long term building fund, unused financial resources to be kept for a rainy day - your church may have crossed the line. - if your church embraces any discriminatory policies against any individuals or groups of people for any reason, has more than about one sermon a millennium preached that focuses on hell and damnation, has even a minor tolerance of bigotry in any form or and especially if your church thinks it's okay to either hate some individuals or groups because in the opinion of one or more of your members, (and this one I've never understood) you think that Father and I would hate them too. - Well then, my friend, your church is not "Christian" in any way, shape or form and I appreciate it if you'd quit using my name. And finally, if your church is headed by a nut case T.V. Preacher... well, come on. I promise, tomorrow I'll get to mainline Protestants and by Friday I'm hoping to have clarified my thoughts enough to be able to write about the many sorts of churches I like to see. E-mail me if you like. justplainoldjesus@mail.com Be good to everybody today. |
| Denomi-nomi-nations - Part 1. |
| 11.16.04 (12:11 pm) [edit] |
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Hello Boys and Girls. Jesus reporting here. I’m going to touch on a touchy subject today, tomorrow and Thursday. Wanted you to know how I'm feeling about denominations within the Christian Church. Holy smackarinos there are bunches of them. (Hundreds actually!) At the head of the list is the golden oldie and Grand Master of Christian denominations: The Roman Catholic Church. The original aloe plant from which all the others busted off a stalk, or at least seemed to get a hold of some of the goo to rub around to create at least an "illusion" of original affiliation, and therefore, I guess, claiming outright authority from me and Dad. The Catholics: "The One True Church" - their words, not mine - have done more to spread their version of Christianity than any other "brand", probably because they feel like they are the offspring of that idea I casually mentioned to Peter. And to be fair, and as I mentioned earlier, all the others have been either spin-offs from Roman Catholicism or spin-offs from the spin-offs... ad infinitum. (The Latin was for them- Hah!) And during much of their history, what they have accomplished can, I suppose, be looked upon with awe and amazement - assuming, of course you are primarily a businessman looking for one monster of a business model to emulate. I mean, golly, for the bulk of two thousand years, these people, these...men, have had a well enforced monopoly on soul processing, soul converting, religious political affiliations and even, in recent times, a loosely organized quasi condoned ring of black robed pedophiles! Let me ask you a few simple questions and go to your Bible if you want to look up the answers (we’ll call it an open book exam...lol), and new testament only remember, I’m not in the old one. • Can you find me one single reference where I urged any of my followers to create one of, if not the greatest, real estate and financial fortunes ever amassed in human history IN MY NAME? • Can you find even one inkling of an edict from me that any of my followers be a “special conduit” by which others had to come in order to either simply speak to God or ask for Father’s forgiveness for any wrongdoing? • Can you find any place where I suggested that it should be wrong for Priests to marry (or that they had to wear those silly collars...lol)? • Can you find any place where I suggested that ANY church ought to spend money collected as offerings for POLITICAL PURPOSES? • Can you find any place where I suggest that a marriage not taking place in a Roman Catholic Church is not a marriage in Father’s eyes? (Or a sliding scale fee schedule for annulments?) • Can you find one single place where I suggest that one person be able to stop another from receiving the sacraments for ANY reason? • Can you find any place where I suggest excommunication of anyone for “sinning?” If so EVERYONE would be excommunicated. I assure you, this is NOT what I had in mind. I don’t deal in fear. Time to downsize. I mention this because right now the annual Bishop’s conference is being held. Makes me sad to think about all the CRAP on which these old men place importance. None of them understand my message or they’d walk out, give up their positions and do God’s work. Tomorrow, we’ll look at the whole “Born Again” crowd and I’ll give you my thoughts on why they just plain don’t get me or my message. (You should see Father cringe every time one of these Bozo’s takes center stage; It’s hilarious.) Be good to everybody. Feel free to email me at: justplainoldjesus@mail.com |
| Terror-ble |
| 11.13.04 (9:25 am) [edit] |
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Good Morning Boys and Girls. Yesterday afternoon, I was sitting with some friends at a little family restaurant less than a mile from here. We had already eaten and the waitress was offering coffee refills and leaving our bill as a family came in and sat down in the booth across from ours. Obviously, they were involved in a conversation that had started in the car and had now continued into the restaurant. The little boy, about seven or maybe eight, was exuberant and sincere in his speech and one look at his mother told me that she was not enjoying the subject matter. The boy said to his Dad,"But you said if president Bush is reelected all the terrorism would stop and my teacher said that it wouldn't and we have to be careful for a long long time." At this instant their toddler got her finger pinched between the table top and a clip on her high chair and a loud wail filled our ears. She was fine. Just frightened a little. But it seemed like a good time to skidaddle and we did. (The young couple I was lunching with has been contemplating having kids. Later I wondered if either tiny event gave them pause.) I never got the chance to listen to the Father respond to his son. And why was the Mom so irritated? Who knows. My Father would know, which means I could if I wanted to. However, sometimes questions are far more important than the answers. Certainly they are more important than those given by those who just don't have a way of knowing the correct answer. I will say this. Cuz I know it. The little boy's teacher is right. Unfortunately, in the decades to come, centuries actually, terrorism will raise it's ugly head almost continually throughout the world. But she was also right in stating it the way she did. It IS something people will have to be careful of for a long long time. Being careful, however, isn't the same as living as though terrorists are waiting to get you at every moment and at every turn. It made me think of listening to your president tell us that America is winning the war on terror. He said this in yet another effort to justify the war in Iraq. War, especially today when communicating worldwide is so incredibly easy, is almost always a sign that the wrong people are making decisions. I suppose that if I were in a political position of power and another country invaded my country, I'd be forced to defend the soil, since that's part of the oaths people take who end up as national leaders. Short of that, I'm hard pressed to come up with a scenario where an actual all out full scale war could be justified. But one thing is certain. You never invade another country on the off chance that someday they may hurt you or your allies. If that were the way to do things, don't you think some of your really smart leaders would have invaded the Soviet Union during the Cold War? This Iraq war is absolutely goofy. I'm sorry, but if you people are still supporting this war after finding out all you have about why it's being waged, I'm afraid Dad did a lousy job in the distribution of rational thought capability in the U.S. over the past forty years or so. And, believe me, as the years go on and you find out the rest of what is really behind the "excuse for war" being tossed on our plates, you'll be sooo embarrassed, you'll be ashamed of yourselves. Three thousand Americans were killed in the 9-11 attacks. Your leaders are so unconcerned by the number of Iraqi civilian dead that they won't even offer an estimate as to the number. Is it that they are brown people so they don't count? You are rapidly approaching the sort of numbers that Sadam killed during his awful tenure as their leader. It's the old Viet Nam mentality of "we must kill the village to save it." And of course, as has been pointed out by everyone with half a brain, Iraq didn't have anything to do with those attacks. But I've gone far afield. Sort of. The reason you can't win "the war on terror" is simply because terror is a tactic. Terror is, has been, and always will be used by any number of groups and/or individuals to make a point when they feel that their voices have been unheard, or unheeded in the normal discourse of politics and religion. Yes, there are countries who support certain groups of terrorists with varying degrees of aid; from tacit approval for their aims to actually funding and providing recruits and supplies. However, the moment one group is rounded up, another will ALWAYS pop up. And the one thing that will always help terrorist groups recruit new members is disproportionate response to their methods. Do I mean that people who perpetrate horrors like Oasama, certain members of the I.R.A., Red Brigade and so many other groups ought to be left unchecked? Of course not. When I talked of turning the other cheek, I didn’t mean that we should allow others to be left to suffer from truly evil deeds, but neither is it sensible to react in ways that encourage more and more people to join the “causes” these folks see, wrongly of course, as righteous work. In the case of this 9-11 attack, doing nothing in direct retaliation, would have been more prudent that the course the U.S. has chosen, and only blind fools would refuse to understand that. Your country will suffer, unfortunately, for years to come in ways you don’t even see yet because of this absurd war. I don’t question the need for response, but smarter people would have made smarter choices in the sort of response needed. Retaliation is not punishment. Especially misplaced retaliation. One more point. How dare any of you making these decisions invoke my name or my Father's name in this kneejerk endeavor. I don't get angry at many things, but when fools use me to justify foolishness, I get steamed. Every single person killed because of this war is as important to me as any other. Further, you have the audacity to send your country’s young men and women off to fight a war like this and then call people who speak out against it treasonous? Just for fun, let’s paraphrase one of your great leaders from the early part of the last century on the subject: To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but morally treasonable to the American public. - Theodore Roosevelt Do any of you but the partisan extreme really think that G.W. will go down in history as someone with the careful and self-critical thinking processes of a Teddy Roosevelt? Please. Be good to everybody! |
| The Bible ... literal or not? |
| 11.11.04 (7:49 pm) [edit] |
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Boys and Girls, How are ya, How are ya, How are ya? It is an absolutely perfect November day. A bit gray perhaps, but crisp and cool bordering on cold. Where I am right now, most all the leaves have fallen and in fact, in this neighborhood, yesterday they were sucked up by one of those big yellow monster vacuum trucks. I feel guilty to admit that I miss the burning of leaves on the curb. What a wonderful smell. It added a perfect "second odor" to the already pungent aromas of those same leaves, now dead and drying, or wet and decaying, that permeated the air in this part of the U.S. in Autumn. But, I suppose it was the right thing to do to ban curbside leaf burning. Heck, we like it any time you folks try to do something to make the world a better place. Of course, if you folks knew what I'm privy to know, you'd realize that on the convoluted scale of things people might be doing to protect the environment, banning leaf burning is about as significant as trying to make cows less flatulent. I love being in the U.S. in the Fall. This morning just after sunup I went for a walk. A frost covered the raked lawns and every now and again I couldn't help stepping off the sidewalk to hear the crunch of the frozen sod under my feet. It's certainly not sandal weather! As I walked I passed by a cute little church with it's sign still lit from the night, though by then the sun had poked through the clouds a bit and dawn was at least an hour old memory. The sign read, "If it were not so, it would not have been so written." And I exhaled in exasperation. Sometimes I wish the Bible hadn't been written down along the way and the stories and laws had remained fluid and verbal, passed down from one generation to the next, with examples and illustrative anecdotes changed by the teller to fit whatever the situation called for. At least then there wouldn't be this goofy notion that the words in the bible are meant to be accepted word for word at face value. First of all, while almost all the major translations are pretty darn good with regard to getting the verbiage fairly close, much of what is in there, in BOTH testaments, is pure fiction... and meant to be! (*It's been pointed out to me that perhaps "fiction" is too strong a word, but that would be to imply that fiction is a bad thing. It's not.) Even some of what I said was said the WAY it was said because of the audience I was speaking to at the time. Just a quick example: I said that if your right hand caused you to sin, you should cut it off because it is better to lose a hand rather than having your whole body be cast into hell. What did I mean? I meant, try not to sin. That's all. I mean, we all know a hand CAN'T cause you to sin. Your hand can't cause you to do anything! It serves your brain! And if you took out your brain when you sin or think about sinning, well, the problem becomes obvious... doesn't it? During the same sermon, I tried to explain the nature of "sin" by explaining that you don't actually even have to do something wrong to have sinned. If you've thought about doing it, it's as though you'd already done it. What's the point? Try to keep your thoughts on good things. Things that bring joy, hope and love to others. That's all. Love God, Love your neighbors, enemies and yourself. Every single story in the Bible is just another way of explaining that. At least the good parts. All those rules in the Old Testament, the story of my own begetting, Revelations... all these things I had nothing to do with. And they are as unimportant to me as they should be to you. Keep the big things important to you and simply accept all the rest as plot development. I really did do miracles, though even they were simply done to show how much power love and faith can bring to any situation. Oh for those of you who like to send money to T.V. preachers: I'd be a little leery of any jerk who say's he or she can heal people because of "my power working through them." I don't do that. Sure does make for good entertainment though. I loved that one movie where Steve Martin plays the fake faith healer. What a hoot! See, here's the thing. Sometimes a fictional story, or a factual story that's been embellished is the best way of making someone understand a difficult concept... or even a simple one. And that's a good thing until the story becomes more important than the point you were trying to make. So be very careful of people who like to show off by quoting extensively from the Bible, or folks who try to impress others with their piety because of their knowledge of the Bible...or the Story, because folks like that tend to make more of the "script" than the point of the script. Trust me on this one. Be good to everybody tomorrow. |
| Taxes |
| 11.10.04 (6:02 pm) [edit] |
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Howdy boy and girls! Jesus reporting here. Today we're going to talk about taxes in the United States of America. The U.S. of A. Home to NYC, LAX, The worlds largest ball of string and the worlds largest rubber band ball! It's quite a place with over 275 million people made up of fifty individual states, each of which has multiple reasons to claim it's the best state of all, a theme that the country itself seems to have latched onto with gusto, zeal and fervor almighty! America! The greatest country in the world! And it just may be! Who am I to judge something like that. I say, if it makes you feel good about yourself and it doesn't do any harm to any OTHER country's people, why go for it. Of course, I'd rather see more BEING the greatest country in the world and less... bragging? Is bragging right? Well, an old American wild west bromide states that "it ain't braggin' if you can do it!" I agree. I think America can do it! And one of these days, when American starts defining "great" in more literal terms, and the country as a whole starts to realize how very, very close they are to actually deserving the prematurely self proclaimed title, why with a little tweeking, you may have other COUNTRIES begging to be part of your union! Taxes. How does all this tie into talking about taxes. I'm not entirely sure it does, except that Taxes (the bane of the western world), and the means by which taxes are collected, distributed and spent make up some of the most contentious debates in the U.S. Congress along with having been a campaign issue in virtually every single political race in the history of the country. No matter whether it's a local, statewide, or a national race, believe me, Taxes will come up. Taxes should be collected as simply as possible. I'm a believer that the tax code in the U.S. is far too complicated. The more money you make, the greater the tax burden you should have to shoulder. My reason for this is simple. I know Father gave some folks more of that certain type of smarts that has a knack for accumulating money. Those folks, even when annoyed by the formula, will always find a way to make enough money to support their own dreams and ambitions as well as pay any taxes levied. Giving them (the wealthy) a tax code whereby they are able to keep, for instance, the same proportion of their income as those folks who make a simple living wage, is not only silly and wrong but it doesn't encourage the smarties to use their talent to it's full potential. Remember when the justice department did the big attack on Bill Gates for unfair trade practices? I'll bet not many of you can even remember which way it came out! Why? Because Mr. Gates has been blessed with the very type of smarts I'm talking about! Financially, he was going to be fine either way! Donald Trump was damn near bankrupt more than once? Think he was all that worried? I doubt it. He has the same kind of smarts. If I were starting up a woodshop these days and I was planning to hire some folks to work for me, I'd sure feel more comfortable knowing I wouldn't have to compete with other shops that didn't provide the same coverage I'd provide to my workers! If everybody get's coverage nationally, the playing field would be leveled for all the small business owners and they'd be able to compete for better workers. I NEVER hear that argument. Plus, I can tell you that keeping people healthy is a lot cheaper than trying to make'em well after they've turned the corner. I'd like to see a tax system renovation whereby it became economically feasible to make sure basic hospitalization and health care is provided to all your citizens. I personally don't see how the richest country on the face of the earth can't figure that one out. Seems to me that if you all used your heads a bit, and I mean just a bit, you could find some energy source that could satisfy all your "automotive" desires without depending on the other side of the world for decaying dinosaurs to make 'em go zoom. Ever see that big yellow thing in the sky? Helloooo! You get that handled and health care costs will look like a drop in the bucket! I'll tell you this. You grow new food every year, why not grow new fuel every year? Father would smile... whooo boy! Yes, yes, I said give Caesar what he has coming, and I meant it! But I'm almost positive he would have expected those who benefited the most from the system to contribute the most. He was no fool. Sorry for the dry subject! Be good to everybody! |
| Abortion... yikes. |
| 11.09.04 (11:31 am) [edit] |
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Hello boys and girls. Jesus reporting here. I meant to get to this yesterday, but I simply had to think through what I was going to say. I'm sure I'll touch on this topic many times because it's so controversial and divisive and has become a... what? A political football? A bumper sticker bonanza? A water mark on the flood post of righteousness. Where to begin? I hate abortion. I hate the idea of it. I hate the way some people feel after having one. I hate the idea that a potential life is snuffed before it gets a chance to blossom. I hate the idea that some very unsavory characters use abortion and their feelings about it to castigate folks who feel otherwise. I hate the idea that many many young women are far more irresponsible with their bodies simply because abortion is available. I hate the idea that some people feel so strongly against it the they forget to love the folks who either perform abortions or have the procedure done that they themselves would become what they accuse those others of being. It's a lousy, rotten, awful, horrid thing and I wish they never occurred. And they should always be legal. Everywhere in the world. Here's why: #1. Abortions will always take place. Period. Not my doing, not my Father's doing. They just will. Obviously, where and when they are illegal, some folks wouldn't have them that otherwise do, but some will always occur. I am not in favor of people feeling like criminals or having to search out lawbreakers when and if they decide for whatever reason to have an abortion for all the obvious reasons. As believers in me or as least as followers of me, your job is to OFFER comfort, love and alternatives to those women who willingly accept your offer. The second you go beyond that, please don't pretend to be doing it in my name. It's as bad as terrorists doing their awful things in Fathers name. And by that I mean, no protesting outside abortion clinics, no hate mail, no "lists" of Doctors who perform abortions. None of it. No belittling. You worry about your own behavior and let others worry about theirs. See, to me, it's what's in peoples' hearts that matter. And if it even crosses your mind that somehow you are better people because you oppose legal abortion than those who favor it, you blew it. Love. I understand you worry for the fetus. Don't. We'll take care of the fetus. The fetus will be just fine and our concern... not yours. #2. I hear talk from some anti-abortion folks about how many of the early American Planned parenthood pioneers were racists and liked the idea of abortion as a means to keep the population of blacks from increasing in the U.S. It's true. And it's irrelevant to the topic. I hear you say that Hitler sterilized women and killed hundreds of thousands of unborn Jews. True. Irrelevant. It's no more relevant than me pointing out the apparent conflict between folks who are opposed to abortion tending to be pro-death penalty. That would strike most folks as a no brainer, but many of you have no trouble holding these conflicting points of view simultaneously. That fact that you can and do in many cases, leads me to believe that you should also be able to see how someone can be opposed to abortion, even every single abortion and still believe it ought to be legal, as safe as possible, and available worldwide. #3. I do not want to encourage anyone to adopt laws or amendments because you think that's what I or Father would want. No offense, and thanks for the thought, but I'd rather the country be run by men and women of good will who don't use their faith as a scapegoat for their actions. "Oh, I'm anti-abortion cuz Jesus wants me to be." Fine. I with ya there. Appreciate it. But accepting what I teach, taught...whatever, is an individual thing to be accepted because I offered it... not because you accepted it and are planning on forcing others to accept it as well and especially when you have the "stones" to force your filtered vision of what you think I'd want on others. It makes no more sense than FORCING a nation into democracy. It doesn't work. The whole idea of forcing someone to accept a gift makes it a gift no more and therefore corrupts the whole concept. Much more to say... I'm supposed to do a lecture on the true meaning of "meekness" later so I must wrap this up for now. Sorry don't have time to run spell check today... didn't spend much time in school. Be good to everybody! |
| Voting |
| 11.06.04 (11:09 am) [edit] |
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Hi boys and girls! Jesus here with a few thoughts on choosing correctly in the voting booth. First, if you believe what I tried to teach, you'll understand that I stressed the importance of prioritizing the rules by which we live. There are big rules and little rules. Sometimes these rules seem to come into conflict. I taught that whenever this happens, we should just about always defer to the bigger rule, or truth. For instance, I mentioned the biggies yesterday. To be fair I tend to mention them almost every day because, in fact, they are the big ones. (1.) Love God. (2.) Love your neighbors, your enemies and yourself. (For clarification on rule two, see rule one.) That's it. If ever there's any little rule proposed on which you're asked to vote, or any time a politician asks for your vote, see if the rule or the candidate seems to embody one of the two big rules. If it does, go for it, but if it seems to be in conflict with either one of the two big rules, then, if you like to consider yourself a Christian, consider going the other way just on principal. Oh, that means recognizing when a religious leader is wrong in asking you to vote one way or another on something, or for or against someone. Remember, I never campaigned for anyone and i take great umbrage any time someone claims to know how I would want you to vote on something. Only charlatans would ever even imply such a thing. How might this strategy actually apply, you may be asking yourself? Well, let's choose an issue. Since it came up in this election you folks had the other day, let's stay with the ban on gay marriage. If you voted against it, was it because you love God and you think that's what God wanted you to do? Ok. Except that it's not your place to know the mind of God. You show love to God by loving your neighbors, enemies and yourself. If your Neighbors wanted to express love to another by marrying them, that may their way of showing love to God. When you try to keep others from doing what they KNOW in their hearts is the right thing, You offend me and my Father. Any time you act in your own life in good conscience, that is almost always going to be a good thing. That's a different thing than trying to impose what YOU think our father would want for others. It comes down to this. Your President said that he favored all these state amendments (and a federal one to come) because he feels it protects Marriage as "an institution." Well, let me say this unconditionally: My father does not care in the least about any institution - especially not when it comes in conflict with all of you showing love to each other. Not marriage, not governments, not companies and certainly not one political party over another. My Father loves the world and its people. He doesn't love America more than Iraq. In fact, he doesn't love President Bush any more than he loves Osama bin Laden. He hates some of the actions both have taken, but he loves the men equally. Period. I don't like him, but Father even loves Sadam. Oh, by the way. God does not give one whit about whether any country has a democratically elected Government. That one always makes me shake my head. However, you are blessed to be living in a country that has one, but along with self rule comes the awesome responsibility of realizing when the "majority" is just plain wrong. Your job as citizens of the planet my father created is to do whatever you can to to fill his world with love. Short of that monumental task, it is vitally important to make sure every action YOU take in life promotes love. Little rules are minor guideposts. They are there for YOU. They are not there for you to shove down another's throat. If you walk toward the sun at the end of the day, you KNOW you're going west. A little sign telling you something different becomes moot if you follow the big yellow sign unconditionally. Too Vague? Yeah, some of my parables have been misinterpreted too. I try. I'm a little weak on allegory sometimes. When you vote, ask yourself this: Are my motives for making this decision centered in love for others or am I trying to impose my idea of what I think God would do? Cuz, we don't work that way. Sorry. You show love. We'll judge you on that basis. Period. Next time you pick up a bible, pay a little more attention to what I said and a little less to what came before and after. I lobbied for my own book. "The Quotes of Jesus." Pretty cool huh? But evidently the marketing department saw more long term potential by adding in all the conflicting stuff. It sure keeps the discussion buzz alive. Tomorrow. Abortion. Be good to everybody! |
| Jesus reporting |
| 11.05.04 (12:57 pm) [edit] |
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Hey there boys and girls. Jesus here, reporting on my take of the outcome of the U.S. presidential election. I'll say more later but for now I thought you all might like to know that I had absolutely nothing to do with the results. Not the campaigning, not the vote tallying nor any other aspect of the the way things turned out. In fact, I've never spoken to George Bush even one single time. Oh, now don't get me wrong, he speaks to me plenty, but I am damn sure I've never responded directly to any of his requests. That's simply not the way it works. I will say that I am ashamed of the way my name comes up as the reason G.W. won, or that I and Dad are somehow anti-gay or anti-gay marriage. I know that I never once spoke about homosexuality during my time on earth. It's just that it wasn't pertinent to any point I tried to get across. I spoke about the important and utterly timeless things in life, like the extreme importance of loving your neighbor, loving your enemies, and making God the center of your life. I'll define God at another "juncture." (That was for Bush 41!) -Whenever I hear people who think they are somehow more qualified to make judgments for other people simply because they do believe I am the Son of God (as are you all children of God), I just remember the Crusades (which is when all this middle-eastern crap started anyway) and how in MY name, millions and millions died. I was so surprised by the turnout for this election, but far less surprised when "born again" Christians (and who came up with that name?... not me certainly) voted to re-elect G.W. primarily based on his "Moral Values." Oh my, what a laugh... sad too of course, but it's so very funny to me. Why if these smug fools could see into the hearts and minds of some of the folks in this administration, they'd sure get a shocker!. Not George himself, I don't think. He's not a bad man, just in way over his head. But let me tell you, some of those puppet-masters he doesn't even realize he's being yanked by are some absolutely apocalyptically scary individuals. They remind me of some of the people I had to deal with toward the end of my earthly gig. But really, voting for George W. Bush because he's "more moral" than John Kerry? Oh dear. Boy oh boy. Dad and I have argued time and time again about the idea of giving human beings free will. I'm all for it on an intellectual basis, (human free will a good thing on an intellectual basis? Oxymoronic ya think?...lol) but giving it to people who can be so easily swayed by smear attacks and out and out lies makes me think my ideas on the subject are far more sensible than Dad's. I'll explain that in the coming days. I know some of you might be Republican and I don't want to confuse you... just a little lefty humor. Oh, by the way, if anyone asks you, I'm told that I'm sort of a middle of the road Democrat, though I tend to think of myself as a fiscal conservative. More tomorrow. Be good to everybody! |
Cost of the War in Iraq
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