Wednesday, July 15, 2009

I could be God

I worked with an atheist at my first job. Not just an atheist. I liked to call him an attack atheist. He's probably still at it, until the world realizes Ayn Rand is the true god anyway

There was the profanity with which he greeted the Christians prostiletyzing in his apartment complex. at least that is what he told us. The Christian said, God bless you. His reply ended with a you, too.

It boggled my mind that one could be so intolerant of others' beliefs, especially people he hardly knew.

I roomed with a Jewish guy one year in college and was horrified that I wished his mom a "Merry Christmas." She just said, thanks. I guess if she had been brought up like my atheist she would have ripped me a new one.

But it wasn't just strangers. He mocked his co-workers for blindly following rules. I could never convince him that I didn't kill people because I did not think it was a good idea, not because it was a commandment.

I could also never convince him that if I was going to lie to myself to feel better, I would tell myself Buffy the Vampire Slayer is real and lusts for me. I would not make up an omnipotent, loving being who won't heal you, won't even, on many days, seem to hear you.

If I were God, people who need me most would not find me so inaccessible. People who are ill or injured or sad or all three should be the ones who get a little nudge from God to say, I got your back. Instead, these are the people who keep falling or getting sadder often with no one to lift there soul out of the black.

I am lucky; I have many people to keep me out of the black, who will believe in God's love for me.

I am putting God on notice here and now: Shape up, bub, or there might be someone else gunning for deification.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

You would be good at it too
mtc

Anonymous said...

Here is an interesting poem by Hafez. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hafez

I thought of you the first time I read it.
Please no commentary about rhyme -- it's translated from the Persian.
xxoo
Judy

A seed
Has sprouted beneath a golden leaf
In a dark forest.

This seed is seriously comtemplating,
Seriously wondering about
The moseying habits
Of the Elephant.

Why?

Because
In this lucid, wine-drenched tale
The Elephant is really --
God,

Who has His big foot upon us,
Upon the golden leaf under which lies
This sprouting
Universe

Wherein
We are all a little concerned
And

Nervous.

Matt said...

My first job would be to have no suffering but still free will. Everyone says impossible but that is because they are anthropomorphizing God. We cannot conceive of a way but God could. I would.

Can the seed be mad not nervous?

Shannon said...

Sorry to hear that atheist was not respectful! I am agnostic and try to be respectful. I really love your thoughts on God, Matt. I've had/have the same so often...

Matt said...

Thanks Shannon. The attack atheist was a long time ago. What really bugged me was that he was a good guy and great co-worker. As long as God never came up.


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