Thoughts on Faith, Part 4 - Why So Improbable?

Countless millions of your fellow humans have some sort of belief in a fantastical tale. Their tale usually includes some form of Father Figure who dwells skyward and upon his last visit, left you with either a promise of a return, or a promise of being reunited with him at some future time in some future place. This is your Belief Tale.

Yet anyone who believes in the similar and not identical version of your Belief Tale is wrong in your eyes. Why is that? Is their belief in their father any more far fetched than your belief in your father? Yet you persecute and you hate. You wage war and commit all sorts of violations against your own code of ethics or your own commandments. And such violations in the name of your Father is excused or ignored or simply rationalized away.

You isolate yourself in your beliefs and scoff at the others whose belief - while similar - are not the same as your own. How can you justify that?

Over my past three blogs, I cited lyrics from Dave Clark's "Time: The Musical" from 1986. This failed slice Theatrical 80's BritPop/Rock barely reached these shores, but the words, strike more profoundly in me than the various Belief Tales that billions believe in.

The 'Isms' that divide this spinning rock of ours, continue to hold us back as a species. Continue to separate us from each other. Continue to cause us to waste resources, funds, generations of lives - and yes, time - over small variations in a similar tale. And a fervent assumption that since your Belief Tale is correct, then an other's Belief Tale must be wrong. And a misguided assumption that anyone who does not share your Belief Tale must either conform, be shunned, or die.

How do you live with this?

You hide your head in the sands of your Belief Tale, you chalk it up to The Word or the Will of your Father Figure. You couldn't even tolerate others belief in multiple Father (and Mother) Figures. You forced them to believe in only one. The One. Your One. Yet of course, which "The One" they chose even became a point of contention.

It's almost as if you strive to Hate. You look for reasons to Shun. You create worlds of Wrong that others dwell in. You must be Right and only those who agree with you are right as well.

Should you chose to re-read Thoughts on the Origin of Faith, Parts 1-3, think about my thoughts from this Part 4. Please try to draw some parallels and step back from your Belief Tale to view the other Belief Tales. See their similarities. Look closer at those other believers.

Are they really any less than you?

Think about the possibility of the Believe Tale in my Thoughts on the Origin of Faith, Part 1. It is merely yet another variation on a theme; neither wrong nor right.

And just as probable as the rest.

Thoughts on Faith, Part 3 - Beauty, Truth, Love, Freedom, Peace

Beauty ...
Truth ...
Love ...
Freedom ...
Peace ...

These are your ideals.
There is not one person
on the entire Planet Earth
who, in his right mind,
doesn't want these in his life.

So ... where do you go wrong?

To find the solution,
we must first
identify the problem.

Perhaps you wonder
how much "free will"
you actually have
when you see yourself,
for example,
saying and doing
hurtful things
that you don't
really mean.

Why can't you seem to stop?

You want to,
you try to,
your intentions are
good.

Is it habit
or is it lack of understanding
that keeps you bound
to the pull of destruction?

The mineral sources
of energy upon your planet
are almost depleted
and yet
the two greatest sources of energy
remain almost untapped --
the sea and the sun.

Furthermore,
you seem content
to allow the aggression
of the weak
by the strong.

You seem content
to allow
a great part
of your world
to starve
whilst for economics' sake
food is left
to rot
or be destroyed.

You seem content
to allow
the obscenity
of the maimed and crippled
who have to cope
with broken lives
after each confrontation
of force.

Your East and West
have never even
made the effort
to conquer the basics
necessary for people
of different cultures
to exist in harmony;
that is, to respect
your opposite's culture --
and what is more
important --
their way of thinking.

Even in your own life
your thinking
is not in order.

These facts
do not inspire
confidence,
do they?

by Dave Clark, Jessica St. John and Hans Poulsen for Dave Clark's "Time: The Musical" (1986)

Thoughts on Faith, Part 2 - The Order of the Universe is the Order of Your Mind

Throughout the Universe
there is order.

In the movement of the planets ...
in nature ...
and in the functioning
of the human mind.

A mind
that is in
its natural state of order
is in harmony
with the Universe,
and such a mind
is timeless.

Your life
is an expression
of your mind.
You are
a creator of your own
Universe,
for as a human being
you are "free to will"
whatever state of being
you desire
through the use
of your thoughts
and words.

There is great Power there.

It can be a blessing
or a curse.

It's entirely
up to you,
for the quality
of your life
is brought about
by the quality
of your thinking.

Think about that.

Thoughts produce actions.

See the pettiness
and the envy
and the greed
and the fear
and all the other attitudes
that cause you pain
and discomfort.

Realize
that the one thing
you have
absolute control over
is your attitude.
See the effect
that it has on those
around you,
for each life
is linked to all Life
and your words
carry with them
chain reactions
like a stone
that has been thrown
into a pond.

If your thinking
is in order,
your words will flow
directly from the heart,
creating ripples of love.
If you truly want
to change your world, my friends,
you must change
your thinking.

Reason
is your greatest tool.
It creates an atmosphere
of understanding
which leads to caring
which is Love.
Choose your words
with care.

Go forth ...
with Love.

by Dave Clark, Jessica St. John and John Christie for Dave Clark's "Time: The Musical" (1986)

July 5 - Ghosts, Religion, Reincarnation and The Piano

Various religions allow for a Holy Spirit, Zombies, Angels and Satan. Ghosts for some reason are in the same category as Vampires and Werewolves. Supposedly fictional creations. Why?

If religion allows for a Holy Spirit and the idea of a Soul, why is it inconceivable that said Soul, once freed from the earthly bounds of its mortal confines, could remain earthbound as opposed to ascending into the Heavens? Wouldn't the concept of Reincarnation hold some credibility in Christianity? If Jesus was to return, would it not be either a form of Reincarnation (should he take another human form) or if his essence or Holy Spirit descend from the Heavens to walk the earth, would he be a Ghost?

Religion aside, I have a tale to impart. In June 2002, someone at work on my company's intranet, was giving away an 1849 Mahogany Upright Piano. I only need pay moving charges. I was excited. I don't play, but always wanted to since the days of fooling around with my grandparent's piano.

On June 29, after delays in the actual move, the Piano arrives at midnight (at the cost of $100), and after I put it in place, I turn off the lights to go to sleep. Almost immediately, I begin tossing and turning, very restlessly and break out in a sweat. I can actually feel the presence of the Piano looming in front me against the wall (my pullout bed in the same main room as the piano). I sit up, turn on the light, and stop sweating.

The Piano is giving off a weird vibe and it’s creeping me out. I look at the Piano and try thinking good thoughts about it, and how it is a good piano and it brings joy to people through its music. I turn off the light again, lay down and break into a sweat again.

I sit up, clutching my knees and rocking - just looking at the thing knowing deep inside that all I want is the Piano gone. Completely irrational thoughts for me. But I don’t like the Piano, I don’t feel good with the Piano here and I don’t want the Piano under my roof any longer. At 1:00 AM, I push the piano to the curb and put a sign on it that says “Free”. I come back to bed and almost immediately fall asleep peacefully. In the morning, the Piano is gone.

What was it about this Piano? Was it inhabited by some sort of spirit or ghost or evil energy? I'll never know, but for anyone who knows me... this is not me. I'm not a 'believer' in much that cannot be seen or proven. But this incident began to change my opinion of some things.

Ghosts would be one of them. The idea that energy remnants of prior beings can linger after said being is gone, no longer feels far-fetched to me. Certainly no more far-fetched than most 'concepts' that many people have 'faith' in.

"I See ______ On A _______!"

Jesus on a piece of toast?



Potato Chip Jesus?




Pita Jesus?



Really? Why would the return of any god be as ambiguous as this? Wouldn't he want to be seen... reach the masses?

How about instead of appearing to one person after a few minutes of toasting a slice of bread, he knocks on the front door of the Vatican?

"Hey there Mr. Pope, I'm here. Let's get this party started."

How about CNN or The Today Show? How about Wembley? His face appearing on the Sun or the Moon?

(unfortunately, this is probably what we'd do if we saw his face in the moon!)


Garbage Jesus:


It's a shrimp tail sans the shrimp!!! Really? That's how he's going to return? Are people so desperate for his return that they need to see his visage every and any where they can?

And what happened to the Second Commandment? A Google Search reveals many different versions: "You shall not make a graven image" or "You shall not take the Name of the LORD your God in vain" (the inverse being "Respect for God and the things of God") - respect does not come from Jesus' image appearing here:


That's just NOT right.

I just don't get it. Does Buddha appear in toast? We know Allah doesn't because that image is truly forbidden (by death I believe).

In summary, how about we look for our gods WITHIN and not without. Let's NOT see them in...

Mildew:

(and yes, I see a face... but Mildew? - Jesus is peeking into your life through Mildew? Why?)

Chicken Jesus:



Pancake (with a cameo by the Virgin Mother):