A Funny Thing Happened on Facebook…..

Dateline:January 31, 2012–

Okay, so I get up this morning and went to Facebook, and the following discussion ensued:

Darenda S: Lots of prayer request on fb this morning..for both human friends and four legged friends..i just dont understand why there has to be such cruel people and such horrible diseases in this world..power of prayer and uplifting in the spirit we all can do..it dont cost u anything but a few seconds to say a little prayer ..thanks in advance …

Wisdom: It doesn’t cost anything…..it doesn’t do anything…..

Lisa K: Wow, how sad 😦 Sorry for your loss Wisdom. I’ll pray that u find peace.

Wisdom: What are you talking about, Lisa?
Oh, and don’t pray for me. If you want to help someone DO something.

Ella B: an humble prayer is doing something.. it is asking our almighty Father in heaven to have mercy and give us HIS grace to deal with whatever HIS will is. HE knows what is best, even when we , as human sinners, cannot understand. I don’t know you but i HAVE prayed for you…

Wisdom: Folding your hands and mumbling is not DOING anything.

Ella B: everyone has their own views.. in my opinion and belief.. God hears every prayer sent HIS way… He answers in His own time .. sometimes yes.. sometimes no.. and sometimes.. not yet

Rev. Doug H: one day Wisdom you will SCREAM for God to save you. do it now while you have a choice

Wisdom: Oh, so now you’re going to threaten me with your imaginary friend?
Charming.
You have no proof hell exists, so I dismiss your threat as the arrogant, hateful piffle it is.
“That which is asserted without proof can be dismissed without proof.”

Lisa K: The uglyness on ur heart sadens me. Your pain must be great? I understand ur need to strike out at those of us but it won’t ease ur pain. I pray u deal with ur demons b 4 they consume you. I’m sure ur a wonderful person in spite of the anger u hold towards those who chose to believe in Christ.

Rev. Doug H: have you ever seen a newborn baby? or seen a beautiful sunrise on a beautiful day? or even the storms on a not so beautiful day? maybe a hummingbird when you feell down? or just look at the mountains and the beauty of the sea? look aro…und you Wisdom, all of God’s miricles are proof of His existance. even your birth was a miracle of God. I love you, even tho you hate what I stand for. and that is a miracle of God too. read your bible. BE BLESSED

Wisdom: Lisa, it’s not pain, it’s disgust. However, you go right ahead and waste your time. You pray for me….I’ll think for you.
Doug, have you ever seen a child eaten with disease? How about children starving from famine? What about the result…s of an earthquake or tsunami? How about birth defects or stillbirth? What about the viruses, bacteria and other virulent, infectious “gifts”?

The beauty is wonderful but you’re ignoring the filth.

Rev. Doug H: yep i have. BE BLESSED

Wisdom: So your god ONLY is responsible for the goodness but the rest is just what? Accident? Mistakes? Not his department? C’mon Doug! A little intellectual honesty please.

Ella B: i do not know why you are so bitter and it is none of my business.. but God loves you no matter what.. whether you choose to believe in Him or not.. HE believes in YOU!!! His love and grace is all around us. Wisdom.. I have lost so many l…oved ones, but i have the peace in knowing without a doubt that they are with Jesus.. I have even lost a grandbaby..8 months invitro, I begged Jesus to take me instead of the baby,, but it was not His will..He knew, and knows, what was the best… that baby is with Jesus and someday, i will see her again… May God bless you and comfort your heart Wisdom….

Rev. Doug H: You should know why those things happen Wisdom. You live for satan, so you know where those things come from. Come to God before it is too late for your everlasting life. I meant it when I said i love you and I would love to meet you in person to lead you to the Lord and ALL of his goodness. BE BLESSED.

Wisdom: It’s not “bitter”. Again, it’s disgust. Otherwise intelligent people abandoning their good sense for a fairy tale! Seriously? Talking snakes? Virgin birth? You wouldn’t buy that if someone said it happened today, why believe it because someone said it happened then?
Unless and until you can PROVE something, you cannot assert it as FACT….just belief….or hope….or a wish. But I don’t base my life on wishful thinking or imaginary beings OR old books. I like to work from reality.

Wisdom: Don’t try to threaten me, Doug. I don’t believe in your boogey man either.
BTW, YOUR BIBLE says YOUR GOD created EVERYTHING and has ALL the power. If, as you say, those things are from Satan (who your god claims he created!) then your god allowed it.
Logic says that if your deity CAN prevent evil and DOES NOT, then either he is evil or indifferent.

Rev. Doug H: I wasn’t gonna respond to you anymore but this is my last post. God gives us choices. and yes He allows things to happen not because He is evil, but to show us He can bring us through. He has brought even you through some tough times. H…e walks with me down here or I will walk with Him up there.. He has the power to choose, not me. I will definately pray for you and I hope you add me as a friend so you can see what God is doing in my life. I still love you. BE BLESSEDSee More

Wisdom: According to your Bible, your god CREATED evil. That makes him evil in my opinion.
Tell you what. If your god is so powerful, make him show me. Have him prove it. If he knows everything, he knows my fondest wish, my deepest desire, my dir…est need…..have him attend to it TODAY. Remember, your Bible says in John 14:13….”And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” You’ve got that direct line to god, don’t you? Use it. Have him give me what I want, need and miss the most. It is a VERY specific thing so I’ll know if it happens. It won’t be ambiguious. Surely your all-mighty can do this one, small, simple thing…..See More

Wisdom: Oh, and I’ll add you as a friend IF, and ONLY IF, your god does this one thing……

Rev. Doug H: He just did. He sent me to tell you the good news that you can have Salvation and an everlasting life with him. WHAT MORE WOULD YOU WANT. I still love ya. BE BLESSED

Wisdom: No, you don’t get to cop out like that. Either he can do what he said or he can’t. Have him do this specific thing for me and I’ll believe. YOUR BIBLE SAYS HE CAN! So, work that mojo, mister!

Patti A: You are a sad, sad young lady!!! and I to will PRAY for you!!!!!

Wisdom: Go ahead! Add your prayers to Doug’s for my proof! Come on….all of you gang up on me with your prayers and have god send me the specific proof I need. You think prayer works…..fine. PROVE IT!

Rev. Doug H: yes He can. but, not because i ask for it. You have to believe He can. And it is not a cop out. It is the truth, He sent me to tell you about Him

Rev. Doug H: Worldly things will never make it to Heaven

Wisdom: Your BIBLE says he can IF YOU ASK. Are you saying the Bible is wrong?

Wisdom: I even quoted the verse, Doug……

Rev.Doug H: One verse of the bible won’t get it. read the rest of it. BE BLESSED

Ella B: wisdom… my heart and prayers go out to you…. and yes. i believe in the one and only almight God

Wisdom: I have read the whole thing. I’m asking you to use your clout and ask for the thing I need, want and miss the most. If he can’t do it……why not just admit it without saying he WON’T do it? You’ve not even TRIED to pray for my proof, have you?
Come on….you should at least TRY! Put it to the test. Jesus SAID you could!

Wisdom: I don’t care what you believe. I want proof. YOUR belief isn’t proof for ME. Join Doug in praying for my proof! Surely the creator of the universe and the most might thing ever can do one, tiny, little, piddly thing to prove this to me…..

Rev. Doug H: WISDOM ADD ME AS A FRIEND AND FIND OUT WHAT GOD DOES IN MY LIFE THAT I CAN TRUST IN HIM AND LIVE FOR HIM AND DO HIS WILL. LOOK AT WHAT GOD HAS DONE….IS DOING…. AND WHAT HE WILL DO. This is my last post here. If you wanna discuss it further send me a friend request and i will respond there

Wisdom: No, Doug. I’ve told you what my criteria for adding you is. If you can’t do it, just admit it.

Patti A: Doug, just Pray that God will give her peace and mercy, that is what she needs the most!!!!!

Wisdom: No, y’all do what the Bible says you can do! Pray for my proof! Make it a group effort! YOU don’t get to decide what my proof is…..I DO. However, if y’all can pray this into happening today, I’ll become a Christian the SECOND it happens and post it for the world to see!
John 14:13 says you can do this so do it! Y’all could at least TRY!

Ella B: God knows your heart wisdom and your desires.. He only gives us what we need.. not what we want

Wisdom: That’s a cop out Ella. The Bible SPECIFICALLY says, “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”
It says “whatever”…..I think that covers my proof. It does not say you only get what you need, not what you want! Jesus says he will do it JUST to glorify his father! So, put that promise to the test! Have him send me my proof!

Ella B: i will wisdom… praying that His will be done…I ask in Jesus

Wisdom: No, not “his will”. MY PROOF. Exercise that promise jesus supposedly made in Joh 14:13.

Wisdom: Oh…..and he’s got a time limit. I figure the most powerful being in the Universe should be able to meet a deadline… 1:00 am Wednesday, Feb 1, 2012.

Ella B: Jesus’s name , that IF what you want is in His will, He will grant it for you… Have a blessed day… My prayers are with you.. You keep going on about PROOF… you woke up this morning.. that if PROOF… you are breathing,, your heart is beating,.. that is PROOF… Again,, my heart goes out to you Wisdom.. have a blessed day…. Time is like unto a vapor to the Lord God almighty…

Wisdom: No, this is YOUR prayer for me. YOU are asking him to give me PROOF.
The fact I woke up isn’t proof of god. It’s proof of biology.
So if time is like a “vapor” to god, then he should have no problem doing this one, teeny, tiny thing to s…how ME. You want me to believe, well….ask for the proof that will convince ME….not the proof that works for YOU.
BTW, the verse doesn’t say anything about it being “in his will”. It says “whatever”……that seems to imply you can ask for ANYTHING. So do so! Surely he can give me the proof I need to convince ME.

Ella B: yes He can Wisdom… but YOU have to believe in it also.. beyond a shadow of a doubt… believe!!! i gotta go Wisdom… God bless you

Wisdom: No, I don’t have to believe it BEFORE the proof. The proof is to CAUSE the belief. Besides, this is YOUR prayer and YOUR belief. So don’t try to wiggle out with that bassackward logic. If he can do anything you ask in his name, then YOU ask… him to send me the specific proof I have in mind. Surely a being that can create the entire Universe with a thought can do this one small thing.
If your god wants me to believe then he knows the criteria he has to meet. My piddly little lack of belief shouldn’t be a stumbling block to his omnipotence.
Don’t smear blessings on me unless and until my proof arrives.

Patti A: First of all.To all my fellow Cristians.Youve said and done all you you could.and yes keep on praying.but lets remember 1st Cor.2:14 and that will explain it all.I will add this to my prayers.By the way its good to here from you guys Doug and Ella. Love ya!!! Eddy

Wisdom: Awww….Patti….throwing in the towel? You’re not even going to TRY and pray for the specific proof that will convince me?

……..
That’s all for now. I PWNED!!!

………
UPDATE:

Ella B: love you too eddy… i know exactly what you mean….

Wisdom: Just so y’all know, the deadline came and went and no proof. I guess prayer didn’t work, huh.

Patti A: Wisdom, may GOD have mercy on your soul!!! like it or not I will pray for you!!!!

Wisdom: But I ASKED you to pray for me!!! Remember? I asked that specific proof be sent by 1:00 am this morning. It didn’t work.
I can issue another prayer challenge if you like, but if you’re going to pray for me to start thinking the way you do …and to start agreeing with your ideology, you will be spectacularly wasting your time.
What NONE of you know is that I used to be a very devout Christian. Yes! I was scared of hell and thought Jesus was cool……then I read the Bible.
THAT is what caused me to leave.
……………
This, IMO, is the ONLY way the religious are entertaining.

Why I’m Not a Christian–Part 2

So there’s this Supreme Creator of the Universe, not just this planet, the whole fricking Universe, and HE (I’ll get back to that) not only made this planet–a fourth rate dust mote on the edge of a trifling galaxy in the outer reaches of Nofuckingwhere–the center of not only his attention, but that previously mentioned ginormously-huge-beyond-all-comprehension Universe. AND he not only created all that fabulosity, but he’s got an ego problem and needs us mere tiny humans on this insignificant piece of Universal lint to worship and praise him or he will be displeased and might well smite us all.

Uh…..yeah.

While I do believe in Universal Intelligence, I don’t think it cares for each one of us personally. That would be like caring about each of the cells in your body personally. Oh, sure, you sorta kinda care about your spleen, but how many of you actually know where it is? And if you DO know where it is, can you name the parts of the spleen? The function of the spleen? How about the names of all the cells in the spleen?

I’m sure you see where I’m going with this……

The Universe may well have a Supreme Intellect, but that doesn’t mean that this supposed intellect needs us OR that we need it to survive. I don’t feel that the Universe is that involved on a day-to-day basis with each and every individual person. It’s simply not necessary.

Ritual worship is NOT to make the Universal Intellect happy. Nope. It’s to make the worshipper feel more in tune and connected with the Universe. The Universe doesn’t need your praise or worship. IF the Universal Intellect is paying attention at all, and I’m not saying it is or isn’t, I’m sure that it’s pleased that we notice it and thank it for being there, but hey, it was going to be there whether you thanked it or not. And so were you.

Ah….here’s the part that twists the panties of most theists.

We are not some purposefully created creatures. We are just the likely by-product of the Universe and pretty much what happens on rocks like the one we inhabit. Life isn’t planned so much as it just happens. Sure, it was supposed to happen, but our lives are no more important to the Universe than life anywhere else. Think about it…..do you hold your spleen in higher regard than your appendix? Do you even think about them? Just like organs generally show up in the same configuration in humans, life shows up on habitable planets. It’s just how the Universe does shit.

Now Christianity would have you believe that not only was this ginormously-huge-beyond-all-comprehension Universe created solely for the human life on this teeny weeny planet and that we are the CENTER of the attention of that Universe but that the Creator of that Universe is angry, spiteful, vengeful, petty, trite, small-minded, hateful, vicious, misogynistic and will do bad things to you if you don’t kiss his Supreme Ass on a daily, or at least weekly, basis. AND that this schizophrenic deity not only created us in his image, but made us ‘sinful’. And because we are sinful, we will all go to hell forever and ever and ever unless we accept his son, who is really him, as our ‘savior’ and then spend our lives emulating him and his infinite ‘greatness’.

Right.  And I’ve got horns on my ass that play “Moonlight Sonata” when I fart.

And this masculine creator business……really? IF you must anthropomorphize a deity who created the who ding-dang Universe, why not make it female? It  only makes sense since all the life on this planet is generally created by the females.  Hell, in some cases, there are no males of the species. Some females eat males. Some incorporate them into their bodies. Some males die after mating. Some males are the nesting material for the young. It’s seems pretty darn obvious when you take a close look at nature how the males of the species are generally considered not all that important. So why does a male creator make even the tiniest bit of sense?

It doesn’t.

Well, as a kid, I was spoon-fed the cutesy, lovable, darling aspects of the Christian God and Jesus. I loved the Bible stories, especially the ones with the cool ass pictures in my mom’s Bible. I was told that God loves me and watches out for me and has a home for me when I die.

Then I started using my “God-given” brain and it all fell apart like cardboard in a thunderstorm.

The more I learned about the world and science and astronomy, the more it clear it became that I was being lied to on a regular basis by those who loved me most. 

Oh, I tried…..I really tried to believe that God existed as they told me and that he cared for me and that he had a plan for me. But the older I got, the harder it was to pretend that any of this was reasonable, right and good. I wanted to belong and wanted to feel the “Holy Spirit” and wanted to feel close to God. It never happened. Not like they say it does anyway.

I did feel the presence of the Universal Intelligence FINALLY. Years after I left Christianity in disgust, I was still searching for a connection to the Divine, for lack of a better word. Then I got an ear infection. It was the worst ear infection in history. It was horrible. Several rounds of antibiotics had failed miserably leaving me with explosive diarrhea and a yeast infection that made me want to commit suicide. So I called around, found an herbalist and got her remedy. It worked in a mere days. Three days later, my ear was healing nicely, the diarrhea was gone and the yeastie boys had been sent packing. So I called to thank this wonderful person who had given me this remedy. She and I got to talking and the topic came around to religion……and I’m not sure how it happened, but I recall clearly the sentence that changed my life. She said, “Maybe you need to acknowledge what you are.” I said, “What is that?” She said, “You’re a witch.”

The next week, I attended my first circle and I’ve not looked back since.

That was about 15 years ago. Since then, my beliefs have morphed and changed as I learned more. I hope that continues as my life goes on. That is the beauty of Paganism. We don’t have a static way of being with the Universal Intellect. We can change it and adapt it to our personal lives and it will change and grow with us. We don’t have spiritual leaders or holy books. We have no hard and fast rules except one, “Do as you will and harm none.” 

There’s more to why I’m not a Christian, but that’s enough for today. I’ve rambled on enough and I’d like to go outside for a while and enjoy the wonders of the Universe…..or at least my little corner.

There’s a God Being Born in Iceland

There’s a God being born in Iceland

Conceived of lightning and lava and snow.

There’s a God being born in Iceland

And it’s likely no one will know

For this God being born in Iceland

Is born in the age of the mind.

No one will notice, even though they all see,

The birth of a God this time.

This God being born in Iceland

Is forged of fire and stone.

But this God being born in Iceland

will stand on the mountain alone.

No one will see her and worship.

No one will send her their praise.

She will stand in the North, in Iceland,

Alone for all of her days.

Yes, a God’s being born in Iceland

And I would like to be first

To see her and worship and send her a prayer

And welcome her on her birth.

Why I’m Not Christian:Part 1

Okay, so I am not a Christian. Those of you who know me already, know this. Those who don’t–SURPRISE! I’m also not a Muslim, Jew, Hindu, Buddhist, or involved in any other organized religion. (Although, to be fair, Buddhism isn’t actually a religion.) I’m not going to be so satisfying as to give y’all a simple, easy to understand label to put on me. Call me a Gnostic Pagan if you must call me something, but don’t hold me to it. My spirituality is fluid and ever-changing. Which is how I think it should be.

Anyhoo…..back to the subject at hand. Why did I give up Christianity, and the obvious perks associated with being in the “God Club” in this society, to become a heathen? Short answer: I read the Bible.

Yep, sports fans, I read that book that I was exhorted to live by and found it to be one of the most horrific, heinous and hateful books I’d ever clapped eyes on. Then, with the assurance of the naive and innocent, I began to ask questions about it to those I trusted and saw as “good Christians”. Not only was I chastised for having the audacity to QUESTION THE BIBLE, but I was told I didn’t understand it.

Now, hold up one minute there, Sparky. I’m fucking smart. Real fucking smart. Painfully so. And here was some nearly illiterate, half-witted hot mess of  hillbillies telling ME I didn’t understand what was plainly and clearly written.

My ass.

I was deemed capable of understanding physics at age 13, but reading English and comprehending it was beyond me? I don’t think so.

So then I was told that I hadn’t properly studied it and come to the “right understanding”.(Which is Jesus-Speak for “you’re not mouthing the party line”.) You know, if something says, “on that day, you will surely die” that seems pretty clear to me. I don’t think there’s a mistranslation or misunderstanding. I think it means you will die. That day. However, if you know the verse of which I speak, Christians love to hedge this one. “It means a spiritual death” or “they became mortal” or “they were separated from God”. BULLSHIT. I think it was supposed to mean ‘dead’. As in no more heartbeat, body temp falls, rigor sets in, flesh decays, parted-this-mortal-coil DEAD.

And so it went over and over. I’d ask a question about some violent, hateful or terroristic act and I’d be told I didn’t understand or I’d taken it out of context. Can someone please explain to me in what context would it be okay to rip babies from the wombs of their mothers? Is that EVER okay? NO? I didn’t think so. Context be damned. Some shit ain’t right no matter what the circumstances.

So there’s big, fat, hairy reason Numero Uno why I’m now a member of the great unwashed instead of being a Christian.

BTW, if you’re a follower of some religion or other and read this and think I need conversion, praying for or a good preaching to,  kiss my pretty pink ass. If you’re not willing to listen to my way of thinking, I don’t want to hear yours. And proselytizers are NOT in the business of listening, are they?