There are billions of people and a version of normal to go along with each one of them. No two versions are exactly the same. There will be hundreds of thousands of little things that make up your version of normal. With any luck you can find people that have close to the same idea of what normal is that you do. These are your friends. Anyone else you try to tolerate as best you can.
....
The exact definition of normal depends on who's running the asylum.
I think had Constantine made Buddhism instead of Christianity the state religion of the Roman Empire, the West still would have ended up with the same old history of imperialism and economic exploitation, except we'd have dissidents saying how none of it has anything to do with the historical Buddha, and they'd be right, just as they are with Jesus.
Or maybe there are more than 4 options. It could be that it's just science. Life and death happen. When people die (at any age) from accident or illness, do we think of God as a murderer? Is God powerless or does God choose not to intervene and let nature take its course?
All in all, I've become pretty anti-religious for a former preacher guy. I stand by my earlier proclamation -- The further I got from religion, the closer I got to God.
Kathy - It's always good to think good thoughts. And now I had to go look up James Martin. Here's the Wikipedia brief take on him... "James J. Martin is an American Jesuit priest, writer, and editor-at-large of the Jesuit magazine America. In 2017, Pope Francis appointed Martin as a consultant to the Vatican's Secretariat for Communications. He is a New York Times Best Selling author and a frequent commentator on the life and teachings of Jesus, and on Ignatian spirituality as inspired by the life and teachings of Saint Ignatius of Loyola. Martin's outreach to the LGBT community has drawn a strong backlash from parts of the Catholic Church. This is the subject of his book Building a Bridge: How the Catholic Church and the LGBT Community Can Enter into a Relationship of Respect, Compassion, and Sensitivity."
Save me from your followers, lord!
ReplyDeleteYou're making me all sweety, Sweaty, er, sweaty, Sweety.
ReplyDeleteCloudia - Amen to that.
ReplyDeleteChuck - Or sweeaty.
YES.
ReplyDeleteSue - You're very agreeable today.
ReplyDeleteI think had Constantine made Buddhism instead of Christianity the state religion of the Roman Empire, the West still would have ended up with the same old history of imperialism and economic exploitation, except we'd have dissidents saying how none of it has anything to do with the historical Buddha, and they'd be right, just as they are with Jesus.
ReplyDeleteFather Martin is one of the few people who might have a chance of luring me back into church.
ReplyDeleteGreat ones! I must share. Thanks!
ReplyDelete"It's called history sweaty, look it up" HAHAHAHAHAHA!
ReplyDeleteOr maybe there are more than 4 options.
ReplyDeleteIt could be that it's just science. Life and death happen. When people die (at any age) from accident or illness, do we think of God as a murderer?
Is God powerless or does God choose not to intervene and let nature take its course?
All in all, I've become pretty anti-religious for a former preacher guy. I stand by my earlier proclamation -- The further I got from religion, the closer I got to God.
Took a break from painting bedroom wall and got to laugh instead of crying over spilled paint.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
Kirk - Sadly, I think you're correct.
ReplyDeleteBill - "might".
Peg - Have fun with them.
Deb - I wondered if this meme was fake. But it's funny as hell even if it is. And I can see a certain group of people claiming it's true.
John - I pick nature.
Shaw - Take another break. Read them again!
Some good thoughts here. James Martin is one of my favorite theologians.
ReplyDeleteKathy - It's always good to think good thoughts. And now I had to go look up James Martin. Here's the Wikipedia brief take on him...
ReplyDelete"James J. Martin is an American Jesuit priest, writer, and editor-at-large of the Jesuit magazine America. In 2017, Pope Francis appointed Martin as a consultant to the Vatican's Secretariat for Communications. He is a New York Times Best Selling author and a frequent commentator on the life and teachings of Jesus, and on Ignatian spirituality as inspired by the life and teachings of Saint Ignatius of Loyola. Martin's outreach to the LGBT community has drawn a strong backlash from parts of the Catholic Church. This is the subject of his book Building a Bridge: How the Catholic Church and the LGBT Community Can Enter into a Relationship of Respect, Compassion, and Sensitivity."
I feel nauseous every time religion of any type is mentioned.
ReplyDeleteOl' - You mean Joel isn't your good buddy?! Say it ain't SO!
ReplyDeleteI went to a funeral and the preacherwas telling us how Jesus made the universe and the planets. It's history sweaty, look it up!
ReplyDeleteMark - So according to him the universe is only 2000 years old.
ReplyDeleteNonsense. The universe was created on the day I was born. Anybody who says different is some kind of pagan heretic.
ReplyDeleteChuck - HEY! Some of my best friends are pagans! :)
ReplyDelete