Monday, April 8, 2013
Who's Your Daddy?
Is there a God? Or a god? gods certainly, but God? That's entirely different. See what a difference correct grammar and punctuation make? Maybe not, but I see the difference. I wonder about God fairly often, although, I must admit less so as of late? Why? Eh...a number of reasons that mostly are irrelevant, or at least I think they are at this juncture. Going forward, like most anything else, there is a distinct possibility that my thoughts there may change.
Anyway, God...I remember when I was a kid I tried to envision what he may look like. Somehow at the ripe old age of something like four I had decided that God looked Atlas. Yep that one. The guy who holds the weight of the world on his shoulders. Now that I think about it though, that's seemingly fitting. The only difference though is that in my head, God was outlined in this fly looking white light. Atlas, or whomever it was in a 4 year old's head, was just kind of grey and cementish. (Yes I see the irony of me previously mentioning correct grammar and now making up a word. Sue me.) Sometimes even now I reflect back on that Lite Brite version of God in all of his glowing splendor. I miss thinking of him that way. He was big and pretty bad ass sitting there in his stoic glory. Totally the guy you would pick first for kick ball if for no other reason than he scare the shit out of the other team. Some days I could really go for that idea.
Then there are other days and with them come other thoughts, and sometimes no thought of God at all. But I like to sit and wonder and imagine what he might be like and why and likewise why not. Like today for example I think I have the stereotypical Jesus hanging out in my head. The guy with the wavy brown hair, that heavy white robe with the blue sash, and let's be honest-some epic cheekbones that would make the likes of Kate Moss blush with envy. That Jesus is the kind you would almost definitely smoke a joint with as you sat under the Joshua Tree, or at least I would anyway. I kind of really like that Jesus, even though I can't fathom how he managed to keep that white muslin so clean while traipsing around Jerusalem barefoot and all. I mean, I can't make it through breakfast without getting something on my clothes. Anyway, overall, this version seems like a reasonably cool guy-laid back, open minded, gentle, easy to talk to-I feel like I'm describing my ideal date. Is it weird to say I would date Jesus?
Okay, so then there's other Jesus or God. The two terms essentially are interchangeable right? So but this other guy, he's a total ass. I mean really, screaming damnation, hellfire, and brimstone like some enraged drunk at a bar. I wouldn't serve that Jesus a drink for anything. No sir. I'd have him escorted out so fast. Why? Because that Jesus is the one who allows pain and suffering. That's the guy who sends people to hell, which I just can't get on board with no matter how hard I try. That Jesus seems to forget all those really lovely things he preached to thousands of people. He seems like a "do as I say, not as I do" sort of fellow, and well, those sorts just can't be trusted.
So I'm curious, what does God look like to you? Why? How do you reconcile asshole Jesus with badass Jesus?
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3 comments:
i loved reading this even though your Jesus' are different than mine. i think for me that's kinda the beauty of it all. i've not personally sat with him at dinner, or had his physical being in my home. mine isnt right and yours wrong. we all just take what we read, form what we believe, and develop in our minds who our "Jesus" is. P.S. I love it when you write!! :) - BNR
Both are fictions created by other humans... Your supposition that "Jesus" and "God" are interchangeable makes it a little difficult to answer. There is a judgmental Old Testament "God" who will smite you for just about anything and who doesn't seem to know the meaning of forgiveness. Yet, in the Old Testament, the Jews had no concept of Hell at all. Punishment was death on Earth. Then there's Jesus who, as pictured in the Gospels, is a teacher of how to Love. Then there's whatever people who came after him have decided to say.
What did Jesus ever really say about Hell? The only thing I can remember for certain is the bit about, "better to enter the Kingdom with no hands then enter hell with two." (or however it goes) Luckily, that's (also) in Mark, so at least it's the earliest record we have... Given his propensity to speak in parable and metaphor combined with the fact that most references to "Hell" are actually to "Gehenna" (sp?) it seems incredibly unfair to me to paint Jesus as a "fire and brimstone" kind of guy.
The "asshole" Jesus seems to be much more likely an image concocted by the later church. It doesn't help that most doctrine seems to be based on what Paul decided to say about Jesus than what Jesus actually appears to have said.
So, after the crucifixion, is the new Covenant that punishment is a damned eternal life than a shortened physical one? That would be pretty fucked up. I suppose, given the OT, you do need to find *some* sort of punishment for God to dole out, but is it Hell? I don't know.
Regardless, the reconciliation is easy. Any fiery premonitions come later and were a tool used by the Church. Jesus was a teacher, and most everything attributed as his direct words are teachings of social justice and, often, an affront to the established (abusive) authorities.
Jim,
I love that you're so smart :) Your rationale makes complete sense and I love it. Thanks for weighing in.
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