Monday, December 27, 2010

Religion and me

Over on his blog Dr Stu is having one of his regular rants about Christianity. If I were a different sort of Christian I might be offended; as it is I have to agree with much he says is wrong. It's fine to be offensive about religion, religosity and the bad face - that unfortunately seems to be the most prominent aspect - of religion. My God isn't in that.

My God threw the bankers out of the temple, likened the priests to whitewashed graves full of rotting flesh, wept for his friends, mingled with the down and outs. My God has nothing to do with religion and everything to do with humanity.

Wait till you meet him, Dr Stu: you could be surprised!

7 comments:

Gledwood said...

Religion is a way of life and your way of life seems perfectly proper to me. Even though I do make jokes about you being "in and out of prison like a fiddler's elbow".

BTW I wanted to tell you this especially: the reason I spell Christmas "Xmas" on my blog is because I believe there is no Christ in Christmas. I believe in Jesus Christ, Xmas I have some trouble with ...

;-)

Anne in Oxfordshire said...

What sort of Christians are there Liz .. I am a Christian , and didn't understand a word he said.

Ole Phat Stu said...

Soþlice on þam dagum wæs geworden gebod fram þam casere Augusto, þæt eall ymbehwyrft wære tomearcod. Þeos tomearcodnes wæs æryst geworden fram þam deman Syrige Cirino. And ealle hig eodon, and syndrige ferdon on hyra ceastre. Ða ferde Iosep fram Galilea of þære ceastre Nazareth on Iudeisce ceastre Dauides, seo is genemned Beþleem, for þam þe he wæs of Dauides huse and hirede; þæt he ferde mid Marian þe him beweddod wæs, and wæs geeacnod. Soþlice wæs geworden þa hi þar wæron, hire dagas wæron gefyllede þæt heo cende. And heo cende hyre frumcennedan sunu, and hine mid cildclaþum bewand, and hine on binne alede, for þam þe hig næfdon rum on cumena huse. And hyrdas wæron on þam ylcan rice waciende, and nihtwæccan healdende ofer heora heorda. Þa stod Drihtnes engel wiþ hig, and Godes beorhtnes him ymbe scean; and hi him mycelum ege adredon. And se engel him to cwæð, Nelle ge eow adrædan; soþlice nu ic eow bodie mycelne gefean, se bið eallum folce; for þam to dæg eow ys Hælend acenned, se is Drihten Crist, on Dauides ceastre. And þis tacen eow byð: Ge gemetað an cild hræglum bewunden, and on binne aled. And þa wæs færinga geworden mid þam engle mycelnes heofenlices werydes, God heriendra and þus cweþendra, Gode sy wuldor on heahnesse, and on eorðan sybb mannum godes willan.

That's the myth from Luke 2:1-14 for you in Anglo-Saxon, Anne ;-)
Perchance Liz has a Welsh version for me?

James Higham said...

Yes, that's precisely what I've been saying recently. The interpretation and misuse of scripture by humans with agendas has been the sum total of the misdirection and trouble.

Furtheron said...

but isn't that the point of many peoples complaint with religion? It is mine - I see precious little of what Christ preached in it... If he does come back as some predict what would he make of the Vatican? Canterbury Cathedral? etc.

Liz Hinds said...

I hope it's my faith that directs my life, gledwood, not my religion! I'm with you on the Christmas thing.

There are all sorts, anne. Those who say they are Christians because they were born in a so-called Christian country like Britain and maybe were christened. And those who are very prim and proper in behaviour but lack love. And lots of others - including the ones stu mentions, the ones whose lives make a mockery of what they say they believe.

I may be able to find you one, stu, but not right now as we're off baby-visiting!

Once humans get involved, james, in the words of Private Fraser, we're doomed. Fortunately God knew that so intervened.

Absolutely, furtheron. Millions starving while the pope lives in luxury and, oh there is so much wrong with organised religion. If only those of us who say we have faith lived life the way Christ did, if we listened to the words he said. If we read the beatitudes every day - maybe it would sink in.

Eunoia said...

See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMyZblR5W04&feature=player_embedded