Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
God of Perception
For those who read my blog regularly, which to me is inconceivable because I don't think I have regular readers, I apologize for not posting anything since April. The reason is that I was cilium deep in final editing (I hope) of my novel, For the Heart's Treasure, which will be published in 150 years if I am lucky. It is my first novel. Since I fancy myself a realist, I know that publishing a first novel is like trying to knit while wearing boxing gloves: possible but unlikely. But I did not write it for publication; I wrote it to please me. Publication will be, when it comes, the delicious sauce I perceive it to be. And that takes me into my blog for today.
Recently, I read a small book (75 pages) entitled The Adventures of the Black Girl in Her Search for God by none other that George Bernard Shaw. Seems the great playwright was trapped in Africa in 1932 and decided to write the book, which he describes as an allegory.
The black girl, as she is referred to throughout, has been raised by white missionaries to believe that God is clearly portrayed in the Bible. On her birthday she is given a Bible, and taking literally what the missionaries have taught her, she sets out through the forest naked with her knobkerry--a club--and the Bible, which she uses as a guidebook in her search for God.
Her first encounter is with a mamba snake that has deadly venom and will attack humankind if crossed. She is obviously the new Eve in this scene, and although aware of the danger from the snake, she has been taught by the missionaries not to kill anything. So, she speaks to the snake and asks who made it and why its creator gave it the will and the ability to kill her.
Unlike the serpent in the Garden of Eden who tells Eve of the flaws in God's plan for her, the mamba snake leads the black girl to God, or at least a god. She finds this god to be a cruel old man who gets off on the smell of burning flesh and seems to enjoy the agony he has inflicted on humankind, his creation as he tells her.
Indeed as I read this passage I saw immediately, because Shaw pulled no punches, that it was the God of Noah, and the God of Noah was not a nice god. As Shaw points out in the last chapter, where he discusses his reason for writing the book, that God demanded Noah kill and sacrifice (burn) animals to him. This the God that demanded Abraham sacrifice Isaac in order to test Abraham's faith in and obedience to him.
The black girl rejects this terrible deity and moves on. A rattlesnake this time takes her to an old gentleman who seems quite nice. He, too, says he is God, creator of everything, but unlike the first god, he does not demand she bow down and worship him. What this god tells her is that he likes to argue, debate, and contend with his creation, and his best debate was with Satan over Job, whom he crushed for the sake of argument. The black girl cannot accept that God would purposefully cause suffering in a person just so his debate with Satan would have a point. She rejects him, too, as willful and cruel, and goes on.
Well, in the course of her search for God, she encounters prophets (Paul), a saint (Peter, the Rock), and Jesus, who appears to have the right idea when he preaches about love being the answer to what God is. Of course, no one listens to Jesus, or they try to interpret what he says to support their own ideas, and in the end he is killed, an act that is, again, sanctioned by his father in heaven, who still likes the idea of blood being spilled.
For me the book was a revelation. I know very little about Shaw, but after reading this tiny tome, I have respect for his views concerning God and religion, especially religion that is Bible based. Shaw believed that everything that was done in life was divinely inspired. I'm not sure if he included a god in that, but I suspect he is the black girl who eventually gave up her search, married, had a family and spent her life tending her garden, as Voltaire suggested.
Shaw is very critical of the Bible, and so am I. I believe as a book or books it discloses humankind's encounter with the so called word of god. Notice I did not capitalize word or god, because I believe there are several gods described in the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, and and all of them disclose their word, and none of them are real. They are creations perceived by writers who believed they had encountered that god's word. God, in my opinion, is what we say he, she, or it is; our perception of God is who God is.
Now, I'm not unique in that concept of god and the Bible. Shaw obviously thought along those lines, as shown in the last chapter of this book I've been discussing. But I think I'm part of a small group who has the courage and the insight to be honest about god, the Bible, and religion in general. To me it is all myth, but their is wonderful and everlasting truth buried in the myth. What infuriates me most are Christians who declare that belief in the divinity of Jesus and his resurrection is essential for salvation after death, as if they knew what was after death. Oh, they will tell you unequivocally that they do know all about life after death because it is explained in the Bible. What nonsense. What is said in the Bible about life after death are the opinions of people who believed the world was flat and was the center of the universe. (There are people today who believe the world in flat and reject evidence from science as fake. Hubble photographs are fakes, they believe, and moon landings were created in the Arizona desert. Or was it the New Mexico desert?)
Sunday, I listened to a Baptist preacher declare that the Gospel, the dictates of Jesus found in the New Testament, demanded that Christians save souls first and care for what he, the preacher, called social needs second. Now as I understood him social needs included feeding people, clothing them, treating them medically, etc. I recalled Jesus feeding the 5,000. He was about to talk to them and he wanted their attention. He did not want to compete with the growls of hungry bellies. So, he fed them. Once fed, they we willing to listen. I think we take care of social needs, as defined by the preacher, first so that people will be willing to listen to the Gospel of salvation. Feed me and I'll listen. Leave me hungry or naked or infirm and I will be distracted.
I recommend Shaw's little book if you have the guts to read it and think. An open mind is necessary to read it; a closed mind makes it a waste of time. And I might add that I believe if we all followed the dictates of Jesus' gospel, the world would be a paradise. I also believe that the fundamental dictates of all the gospels of all religions would make this world a paradise if we would follow them. Love, it is my experience in studying religions for 30 years, is the foundation upon which they are all founded. It is we who corrupt that love; we are at fault, not the religion.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Clap-Trap Clouds Issues
The political harbor must be jammed with swift boats. One was launched from its slip for John Kerry, who sank, as we know, because of the barrage of lies shot at him regarding his service in Viet Nam.
Now a swift boat is launched against Sen. Barrack Obama with a load of lies that are, indeed, a load. As with the “Swiftboat Veterans for Truth,” some facts drifted through. Kerry was in Viet Nam. Kerry did command men, and he did beach a boat under an enemy ambush, and he did kill a Viet Cong soldier. But, embroidering those facts were “witnessed” accounts by men in the crew that Kerry was a coward and failed his men, and, worst of all, lied about what he did in order to receive medals of commendation, the Silver Star being one. All this was proved lies by other witnesses and by Naval records.
Drafted into a controversy now comes Obama, one-time friend of Antoin “Tony” Rezko, the Chicago businessman indicted for influence peddling among other crimes. Yes, according to The Chicago Sun Times, that is true. They were friends. But, we have to remember that Obama is an Illinois politician, and that means association with Chicago politicians, which means no politician, no matter how high-minded and pure he or she is when going in, is going to remain clean. Politically, Chicago is a cesspool into which a politician bathes or kisses his ambition goodbye. To paraphrase a familiar axiom, in Chicago do as Chicagoans do, politically speaking. Should Obama be excused because of his ablutions in the cesspool. No, just understood for what he is as an Illinois politician.
All this stuff happened in the past—2005, 2006—just as the sermon by the Rev. Jeremiah Wright with which Obama has been slammed. What does any of this have to do with issues facing the American people now and what does it have to do with Obama’s qualifications for being president? None, in my view.
Most powerful people are in power because they have “compromised” a lot of their character along the way. No person got to a high political office without having had a passing relationship with something unsavory. That has always been true as far back in history as we want to go. John F. Kennedy was tight with organized crime, we were led to believe, and well he may have been. However, he had the makings of a great president had he been allowed to live. Even George Washington, with his halo intact, was accused of sexual indiscretion and of being the father of many “love children” as well as father of our country.
So, should we let Obama pass as we have many others who have attained high office, or shall we allow a minor mistake cloud the issues and not allow us to see for ourselves if Obama is up to them? Yes and no, respectively. Is he up to dealing with the war, the economy, domestic problems and foreign affairs? Those are the issues we should be considering, not his past friendships or deals as an attorney in Illinois or as a state senator. (Included in the cloud over the issues is this latest brouhaha over his remark about anger among small town Americans. He was correct. When we are angry, confused or scared, we reach out for the first thing that gives us solace. That his choice of words was stupid is not in question. But, show me a candidate without at least one gaff and I’ll show you a goat with a jeweled anal orifice.)
We must learn from history. John carry shot himself in the foot for not fighting the swiftboat accusations. Obama is lashing back at his accusers, including Sen. Hillary Clinton, and let us hope he continues. Allowing clap-trap to keep us from issues is a wonderful way of joining a congregation of idiots who vote in rubbish because they do not understand what is important. Our present administration is a classic example. Had we, the people, voters, been willing to see beyond the smoke and mirrors thrown up by the Republicans, maybe, just maybe, our world would be better now.
Now a swift boat is launched against Sen. Barrack Obama with a load of lies that are, indeed, a load. As with the “Swiftboat Veterans for Truth,” some facts drifted through. Kerry was in Viet Nam. Kerry did command men, and he did beach a boat under an enemy ambush, and he did kill a Viet Cong soldier. But, embroidering those facts were “witnessed” accounts by men in the crew that Kerry was a coward and failed his men, and, worst of all, lied about what he did in order to receive medals of commendation, the Silver Star being one. All this was proved lies by other witnesses and by Naval records.
Drafted into a controversy now comes Obama, one-time friend of Antoin “Tony” Rezko, the Chicago businessman indicted for influence peddling among other crimes. Yes, according to The Chicago Sun Times, that is true. They were friends. But, we have to remember that Obama is an Illinois politician, and that means association with Chicago politicians, which means no politician, no matter how high-minded and pure he or she is when going in, is going to remain clean. Politically, Chicago is a cesspool into which a politician bathes or kisses his ambition goodbye. To paraphrase a familiar axiom, in Chicago do as Chicagoans do, politically speaking. Should Obama be excused because of his ablutions in the cesspool. No, just understood for what he is as an Illinois politician.
All this stuff happened in the past—2005, 2006—just as the sermon by the Rev. Jeremiah Wright with which Obama has been slammed. What does any of this have to do with issues facing the American people now and what does it have to do with Obama’s qualifications for being president? None, in my view.
Most powerful people are in power because they have “compromised” a lot of their character along the way. No person got to a high political office without having had a passing relationship with something unsavory. That has always been true as far back in history as we want to go. John F. Kennedy was tight with organized crime, we were led to believe, and well he may have been. However, he had the makings of a great president had he been allowed to live. Even George Washington, with his halo intact, was accused of sexual indiscretion and of being the father of many “love children” as well as father of our country.
So, should we let Obama pass as we have many others who have attained high office, or shall we allow a minor mistake cloud the issues and not allow us to see for ourselves if Obama is up to them? Yes and no, respectively. Is he up to dealing with the war, the economy, domestic problems and foreign affairs? Those are the issues we should be considering, not his past friendships or deals as an attorney in Illinois or as a state senator. (Included in the cloud over the issues is this latest brouhaha over his remark about anger among small town Americans. He was correct. When we are angry, confused or scared, we reach out for the first thing that gives us solace. That his choice of words was stupid is not in question. But, show me a candidate without at least one gaff and I’ll show you a goat with a jeweled anal orifice.)
We must learn from history. John carry shot himself in the foot for not fighting the swiftboat accusations. Obama is lashing back at his accusers, including Sen. Hillary Clinton, and let us hope he continues. Allowing clap-trap to keep us from issues is a wonderful way of joining a congregation of idiots who vote in rubbish because they do not understand what is important. Our present administration is a classic example. Had we, the people, voters, been willing to see beyond the smoke and mirrors thrown up by the Republicans, maybe, just maybe, our world would be better now.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Black Rage Spills Out
I am white and I do not understand black rage. None of my ancestors, as far as I know, were lynched, beaten, bought and sold, refused service because of the color of their skin, degraded by a word created solely to debase and humiliate them, spat upon for being black, arrested while driving black, called boy when they were 65, and a host of other examples too numerous to list. Actually, many of my ancestors were probably the perpetrators, except for my black ancestors of whom I do not know but believe unquestionably were there. So, I know nothing of black rage.
Nonetheless, black rage exists. Not just among older blacks, like Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright, Barack Obama’s pastor who at 67 is old enough to have experienced constitutionally sanctioned prejudice (Jim Crow) but among black youth, especially teens who have encountered racial prejudice while growing up in a community, be it black or white. Senator Obama has experienced racial prejudice from his grandmother, so he says, and whether black rage is in the senator we have yet to find out. But, he knows about it.
Surprisingly, I agree with Dr. Wright. Even if his fame as a theologian and orator has not made him politically savvy or he would have thought about the backlash his illustrious communicant would experience after his remarks during a sermon at his church, Trinity United Church of Christ on Chicago’s south side, he was correct in what he said. He let his rage out, and even though it is causing Obama some grief because the media have picked it up and are running with it like a fumbled football, he was right in what he said.
America has killed innocent people. Haven’t we? America has threatened citizens as less than humans. Haven’t we? America does act like she is the god of the world, striding as Shakespeare said, like a Colossus. Is that not true? Many Americans are proud of those accomplishments in the name of blessed America, but Wright knows that they come from the same place that sanctioned racial prejudice came from 50 years ago and remain today hidden in an unwillingness to end it.
Sucked into the fray, Obama is using it to urge Americans to kill racial prejudice now that it is on the table. We need to discuss it as we need to do away with it. We are Americans, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, and all the other people from around the world that make our country so great and unique. We are the envy of the world partly because of our diversity, and we all need to take that diversity to heart and stamp out any prejudice that aims to destroy it.
Dr. Wright and his generation are correct in the rage against what they and their ancestors experienced from white America. Dr. Wright was saying to damn America because these prejudicial ideas still persist, and they persist because we, black and white America, i.e., diverse America, allow it. We, diverse America, are at fault. We are America, and damn us for allow something as petty as racial prejudice to besmirch us. Perhaps Dr. Wright was unwise to say it the way he said it, but he was correct in what he said.
Let us see Obama for what he is. What HE is, and not what we suppose he is because of our prejudice. Lots of Americans are looking on Obama as just another n-person. They won’t admit it, but they are. They say he is a closet Muslim. Horse hockey! They say he will take the oath for president on the Koran. A load of road apples! Obama, like his pastor Dr. Wright, is an American, and in my view one who loves his country so much that he is willing to take on the most fearful job in the world. He loves America so much he is striving to help us come together as one people, one nation, under God, with liberty and justice for all. Gee, didn’t some other guy who was vilified as a hick from Illinois support that?
Saturday, April 12, 2008
This Moment Right Now
Right now I intend for this blog to be eclectic. But, eclectic by definition denotes change, so my mind will change often. Health, politics, food, movies, books, music, education, religion, science--all these and much more are fodder for my blog. Once in a while I'll publish a poem or short story.
Hoping to offend some people, comments will be appreciated. In fact unless I get comments I will feel I've failed.
Here I offer a bit of who I am. I am a flaming liberal Democrat, but I am liberal first. If a liberal Republican should be found, I will surely give him or her consideration.
I am a writer. Links to where I can be read will be included here, but you need not stray far to know what I think.
All animals are sacred to me, but cats are first. I adore cats, and have one named Millie. You'll hear a lot about Millie, who from time to time will blog, too. As far as nature is concerned, I would classify myself a tree hugger.
For anything else, read my profile and my blogs, which will be at least once a week unless I get fired up and feel I have to rave, then they may be daily.
Looking forward to all this even if it is just for me and my friends.
Hoping to offend some people, comments will be appreciated. In fact unless I get comments I will feel I've failed.
Here I offer a bit of who I am. I am a flaming liberal Democrat, but I am liberal first. If a liberal Republican should be found, I will surely give him or her consideration.
I am a writer. Links to where I can be read will be included here, but you need not stray far to know what I think.
All animals are sacred to me, but cats are first. I adore cats, and have one named Millie. You'll hear a lot about Millie, who from time to time will blog, too. As far as nature is concerned, I would classify myself a tree hugger.
For anything else, read my profile and my blogs, which will be at least once a week unless I get fired up and feel I have to rave, then they may be daily.
Looking forward to all this even if it is just for me and my friends.
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