Positive Fascism
PG had a few minutes to spare this morning. He dived into the innertubes, and found Staying committed sucks…REALLY??? The post made him think. He decided to leave a fast comment. If you want your comment to be noticed, be one of the first ones to go up.
The post is about the downside of positive thinking. It starts with a woman, who says her husband has discovered, a bit too late, that he really does not enjoy practicing law. The hypothesis here is that Hollywood glamorizes the legal profession, and does not tell anyone about the boring aspects.
Chamblee54 I would say more, and perhaps will later. Now, I have to get on the road to my job.The problem of what I call “positive fascism” is not exclusive to Hollywood. Many people like to glorify the positive, and deny that anything non wonderful exists. Jesus worshipers are some of the worst. The trouble is, when the going gets dull, many people think it is a sign of weakness. If their role model does this without boredom, it must be something wrong with me. This is a problem.
Biochicklet Snarky man under the bag. I was raised without a religion and I know legions of atheists. Singling out a religious group is really unfair. The topic is commitment and hard work to have something of great value. If you want to pick a fight, please come see me. I am a positive fascist.
The Culture Monk Ellen, LOVE the comment. I think its my favorite of week.
There are a couple of obvious points. The gravatar image of PG has a paper bag over his head. There is no indication whether the blogger is male or female. How did Biochicklet correctly guess the gender?
Second, Culture Monk talks about his Christianity in almost every post. A frequent theme is Christians who make Jesus look bad. It was highly fair to include that observation in this comment.
PG is writing this after a hard day in the real world. A couple of things happened today to cloud any cheerfulness he might feel … those who know PG IRL will know what these are. A lengthy discussion of positive fascism, and the belief paradigm that spawned it, will have to wait. (Or is it positive fascism that facilitated the belief paradigm? Maybe they are one and the same.)
There is a story, though, which illustrates the point, and will not take too long to tell. A friend of PG became acquainted with some people in a Christian group once. We will call this group “The Light.” They were faith healers, with a nifty catch 22. If you were cured of your illness, hallelujah. (Thank you spell check.) If you were not cured, it was because you did not believe enough.
This is a repost. Pictures are from “The Special Collections and Archives, Georgia State University Library”. The video is from “The Way,” which worships the same G-d as “The Light,” and participates in the same economy. Biochicklet, Chamblee54, and Culture Monk are still producing.
Home Churched
A poem appeared at Chamblee54 yesterday. The pictures were from a photo mural on North Avenue. There were two people in each shot, with a white bar in the middle. The text was adjusted, so that the white bar was a compliment, rather than a distraction. The result was G-d Doesnot Write Books.
There are 20 words used: my thoughts are my business ~ practice outweigh beliefs ~ g-d doesnot write books ~ thought about jesus doesnot ~ affect life after death.
The text comes from a post, at a blog called 22 Words. At the time, comments at 22 words were limited to 22 words. That is no longer the case. Here is the story.
Abraham at twentytwowords wrote… “When I asked about churches last week, some of you reminded me you’re not Christian.So…Non-Christian readers, what (non)religion are you?” That is 23 words.
PG answered the original post “home churched”. He decided to answer the follow up question. Unlike most of the others to answer, PG wanted to keep this under 22 words. … PG decided that this label thing was not going to work. Labels belong on jars, and PG’s hair is a half inch over jarhead level. The best solution was to write a list of beliefs.
1. My beliefs are my business. 2. Practice outweighs belief. 3. G-d probably exists. 4. G-d does not write books. 5. Jesus has nothing to do with Life after death. This is 25 words. Three words need to go. Line 4 states that G-d does not write books. This implies that G-d does, indeed, exist. Line 3 can be eliminated, and the answer reduced to 22 words.
America is a religious country. To many, this means Christianity. This religion is based on beliefs, rather than practices. The beliefs of Christianity tend to fall into four categories: G-d, the Bible, Jesus, and life after death. There is a lot of disagreement.
There was a comment. Christ Centered Teaching February 17, 2015 at 7:33 pm “So if your thoughts are your business, why share them here with others?”
Religious themes have been used for content in Western art for centuries. Painting, music, and architecture have been devoted to images of Jesus. How many of these image makers are true believers? This is especially true in team sports like music and architecture. Is the bricklayer at the Cathedral saved? Is the gospel music keyboards man born again?
PG has used the bible as text on several occasions. He also uses public domain works by others, including Walt Whitman, William Blake, and Emily Dickinson. Just because you use a text in a graphic work does not mean that you are expressing a belief in the content.
When you take a book of poetry, and use it as a tool of authority, you compromise the beauty of that work. Maybe, by using the poetry of the Bible as text for graphic poems, some of this beauty can be restored. The Jesus worshipers can still use the magic book as a sales tool to promote their scheme for life after death. The text has been abused for centuries.
Pictures today are from “The Special Collections and Archives, Georgia State University Library”.
Gay Marriage And The KKK
It seems as though the United Dixie White Knights is opposed to gay marriage in Alabama. The article in The New Civil Rights Movement credits blog superstar Joe.My.God. with breaking the story. JMG reports he was “Tipped by JMG reader Fred.”
As could be predicted, facebooker are gleefully posting stock photos of klansmen, and making snarky comments. The opposition of UDWK is seen as another selling point for the benefits of gay marriage. After all, if the Klan is against something, then you need to be for it.
The fact that the issue of marriage is being decided in federal courts is not discussed. Marriage has always been a legal construct. The states and the federal government are fighting over who gets to regulate marriage, which usually does not end well for the states. The acronym IANAL is useful. Maybe arranged marriages, involving cattle, are the tradition to follow.
One wonders why “the Klan” even bothers. They are a national joke. They get less respect than the Westboro Baptist Church. If they say something, the media gleefully reports and distorts. It is almost as if someone hacked into the UDWK site, in an effort to make them look bad. If you look at the rhetoric, grammar, and spelling of the document, you might come to that conclusion.
If you want to see the UDWK statement, you get a screen: “Adult Content Warning ~ The site uniteddixiewhiteknights that you are about to view may contain content only suitable for adults.” You have two choices: “I would like to proceed to the site. ~ I do not wish to view this page.”
In it’s report, The New Civil Rights Movement mentions “The statement, to which we will not link.” TNCRM story is sponsored by LGBT Family Planning, and How To Remove Dark Spots, Watch Shocking Presentation. Stories about the KKK are good for getting people to look at paid advertising.
Last summer, a report circulated: KKK Raising Money for Police Officer Who Shot African-American Teen. “The South Carolina-based New Empire Knights of the Ku Klux Klan says its Missouri chapter is raising money for the still unidentified white police officer who shot and killed Michael Brown, 18, who was scheduled to begin college classes this week.” This report was used to discredit Darren Wilson, while the investigation was ongoing.
During this weeks Klan sighting, a followup appeared to this story, KKK Disowns KKK Fundraiser for Darren Wilson “The fundraising email is actually in violation of the traditional Klan constitution, according to another Imperial Wizard, Frank Ancona. Ancona leads the Traditionalist American Knights, one of the largest branches of the KKK, approaching 10,000 members in the lower 48 states. Their headquarters are in Missouri.
The KKK is split into many smaller subdivisions, explained Ancona, and often times, banished members of a larger branch will attempt to start their own. Ancona believes this is the case with Murray, who is not even known to the Traditionalist American Knights. (Murray is Imperial Wizard Chuck Murray, of the New Empire Knights.)
“He basically made up his own name,” Ancona said, explaining that Murray may not even be on his birth certificate. “We are a registered organization. We have a charter with the state… Half of them don’t have the rituals for our ceremonies.”
Ancona worked with senior members of his organization to attempt to find Murray and confirm his connection to the larger group, but they could not. “No one has ever heard of the guy, I talked to the older members of our group,” he said. “There are other legitimate Klan organizations, but this group here sprang out in the last year or so I don’t believe he has any members. I think it’s just him.”
Additionally, Ancona believes Murray’s fundraising effort is a scam, because technically, members of the Klan cannot speak with the media, let alone solicit their help with raising donations. All members sign an agreement that forbids conversations with the press. Only highly vetted officials interact with reporters, and even then, interviews are rare.”
The KKK has historically been a secret society. Is posting a manifesto on the internet, and leaking it to Joe.My.God., the way things are done in the internet age? Is the UDWK a glory seeking fringe group? Maybe the post is a false flag operation, designed to build support for gay marriage.
In case anyone is confused, this post does not support the KKK. Nor will there be the ritual denunciation that anti-racists seem to feel obligated to make. It is just an effort by a slack blogger to make sense of a few things that defy explanation. The pictures are from “The Special Collections and Archives, Georgia State University Library”. The rally was held July 14, 1939 at Stone Mountain.
Tiny American Faith Groups
As you may have heard, a man killed three of his neighbors in North Carolina. The victims were Muslim, and the alleged perp is white. Since America is now a nation of media critics, the way this incident is covered is getting as much chatter as anything else. The usual comments about lack of media coverage, and the different ways the race of the perp affects what the media calls the person, are being made. If you can’t say anything good, criticize the media.
Some stories report that a dispute over parking spots was behind the slayings. While this may seem trivial to some, parking disputes can be heated. Did the condo community have enough parking spaces? Is killing over a parking spot any sillier than killing because of differing opinions about G-d?
The Washington Post has a story about the killing, Chapel Hill killings shine light on particular tensions between Islam and atheism. “The alleged assassination by an outspoken North Carolina atheist of three of his Muslim neighbors is shining a light on particular, deep tensions between two tiny American faith groups: Muslims and atheists.”
Is that tiny America, tiny faith, or tiny groups? How can atheists be called a “faith group?” Maybe we should go back to saying religion, instead using faith as a semantic substitute. Or maybe, just maybe, we should quit labeling people based on their opinions about G-d. Is it really any of your business?
The WP story has a link to the facebook page of alleged killer Craig Stephen Hicks. There are numerous comments criticizing the Abrahamic religions. There are also a puzzle, a video about New Zealand, and a link to a story about what occupations the 50 states have. The Hicks page is not different from most facebook pages.
Perhaps the facebook page has a clue to the real motive for the killing. Mr. Hicks is a Pittsburgh Steeler fan. Mr. Hicks is married, and went to Disneyworld two months ago. Mr. Hicks is in two facebook groups: Atheism on Youtube, and LET’S REACH 1 MILLION PEOPLE CAMPAIGN…It’s a start! LGBT EQUALITY. Mr. Hicks likes the movie “12 Years a Slave.”
This incident is tough to wrap your head around. Mr. Hicks probably did not need to own a firearm. Since he is white, the media guide says he is a troubled individual, which does not seem to be in question. If he had been black or brown, Mr. Hicks would be labelled thug or terrorist. Those two labels also seem to fit, regardless of whether or not this was a hate crime.
Pictures are from The Library of Congress. The 1927 pictures were taken at “California Beauty Week, Mark Hopkins Hotel, July 28 to Aug. 2, auspices of San Francisco Chronicle.”
The Prayer Breakfast Speech
President Barack H. Obama gave a speech at the National Prayer Breakfast Thursday morning. Some are not happy with POTUS giving a speech reinforcing the belief paradigm, and including phrases like “people of faith,” “word of G-d,” and “children of G-d.” The name used today, for a higher power is dog spelled backwards.
POTUS is an American politician. A certain ritual invocation of the G-word is part of the game. BHO is probably a hypocrite when he says “You know he’s not saying it because it helps him advance, or because somebody told him to. It’s from the heart.” It will be a long time before a professed atheist is elected POTUS. It is part of the ritual.
There has been blowback to the speech. When a Democrat POTUS says something, the Republicans feel obligated to criticize. It is how the game is played. This is where we get to hear someone really important, like the former Governor of Virginia. “He has offended every believing Christian in the United States. This goes further to the point that Mr. Obama does not believe in America or the values we all share.” That is telling him!
So what values is the former Governor talking about? The first thing BHO called for is humility. “And, first, we should start with some basic humility. I believe that the starting point of faith is some doubt — not being so full of yourself and so confident that you are right and that God speaks only to us, and doesn’t speak to others, that God only cares about us and doesn’t care about others, that somehow we alone are in possession of the truth.” It is easy to understand why professional Jesus worshipers don’t like talk about humility.
The speech lasted 24 minutes. It was two sentences that ruffled feathers. “And lest we get on our high horse and think this is unique to some other place, remember that during the Crusades and the Inquisition, people committed terrible deeds in the name of Christ. In our home country, slavery and Jim Crow all too often was justified in the name of Christ.”
Perhaps the most ridiculous reaction, or reaction to a reaction, was at The Atlantic. Ta-Nehisi Coates is fond of high octane rhetoric. He is in rare form in denouncing the linkage of Christianity to slavery. “The “all too often” could just as well be “almost always.” There were a fair number of pretexts given for slavery and Jim Crow, but Christianity provided the moral justification.”
The embrace of Christianity by African America is not mentioned. Black people might be the most Christian population in our Jesus-mad country. There is a poignant irony in the fervent celebration of a G-d, by people whose ancestors whose enslavement was justified by that same G-d. Mr. Coates notes “(Confederate Vice President Alexander) Stephens went on to argue that the “Christianization of the barbarous tribes of Africa” could only be accomplished through enslavement.”
The feature at the Atlantic is illustrated by a picture of a Klan rally. As we mentioned before, the loyal opposition is going to criticize the POTUS. And some are going to lose their minds, and compare this criticism to a cross burning. This, as Mr. Coates might say, “gives you some sense of the limited tolerance for any honest conversation around racism in our politics.”
Pictures from “The Special Collections and Archives, Georgia State University Library”.
Jesus Gets A New Nickname
There is a video making the rounds now. The title involves Jesus, and a certain racial slur, delicately known as the N word. The video is embedded above. You can feel the magic for yourself.
Here is a story about the song, with the edgy language bleeped. “One pastor is trying to spread the word of God with an edgy rap song. The rapping pastor and his wife claim they have “Christian swag” while tossing around the n-word. … The video of the rapping pastor was recently uploaded to YouTube but it’s not clear when it was filmed. It was taken at a church in Iowa which closed in 2004.” Another helpful interneter has the lyrics.
In case you didn’t know, Pastor Jim Colerick, and Mrs Mary-Sue Colerick, are melanin deficient. They are, as Bette Midler once said about Karen Carpenter, so white they are invisible. It is not considered good manners for Caucasians to use this word, with or without salvation.
There is another angle to this equation. Many Jesus worshipers see not using cusswords as a sign of righteousness. As a result, many Jesus worshipers use the words G-d, and Jesus Christ, as tools of their anger. This violates the third commandment. Now, this use of a sacred name, as profanity, is being extended to using a sacred name as a racial slur. Someone is always ready to manipulate language to serve an agenda.
When you call a book “the word of G-d”, you give certain words too much power. When you designate the lazy way of saying black as a super duper naughty word, you give those six letters way too much power. Now, we see the convergence of these two taboos. Let the party begin.
This is a repost. Pictures of Pastor and Mrs. Colerick are taken from the video. The other images are from The Library of Congress.
Coexist
The custom of expressing your innermost thoughts on the back of your vehicle has taken a curious turn. One popular emblem says coexist. The seven letters are equipped with symbols, both religious and secular. One hopes that no one receiving this message has forgotten to stop, and hit the car with the coexist symbol on the bumper.
When PG was young, there was a miniature golf course on Cheshire Bridge Road called Putt Putt. The first bumper sticker he saw said “I play Putt Putt.” Is coexist an improvement?
When this post was first conceived, the i in coexist was perceived to be unadorned. It was as if the religion of i was receiving due recognition. Upon closer examination, it seems as though the tittle has a five pointed star. This means that the i is a sorcerers wand. The i apparently stands for paganism.
The c, x, and t of coexist are pretty obvious. They are symbols for the three Abrahamic religions. O is a peace sign, and e has the male and female symbols. The religions they represent are not apparent. The s is a yin yang, which is somehow related to Taoism.
Buddhism, Atheism, Communism, and Hinduism are not represented. They spell out Bach. The composer Johann Sebastian Bach produced glorious music for the Lutheran church. Perhaps the e in coexist represents the left out denominations. If this E is combined with BACH, you can spell out BEACH. This is a repost. Pictures today are from The Library of Congress.
Who Told You That You Were Naked?
One recent story is the termination of Atlanta Fire Chief Kevin J. Cochran. He self published a book, Who Told You That You Were Naked? The book was about Jesus worship religion, and said rude things about people who do not agree with this religion. The Fire Chief allegedly gave copies to his subordinates. This is said to create a hostile work environment, and create ill will for Jesus.
The title of the book is in the Bible. It is found at Genesis 3:11. This is where the Adam and Eve story is told. Maybe, if it had been Adam and Steve, things would have turned out different.
Mr. Cochran’s book is published by 3G Publishing, “3G Publishing Inc. is a faith-based company that has created a unique niche in the publishing world.” Another book from this press is Inside Oedipus Closet. ““What happens in this house, stays in this house … Walk into their lives as they find that no matter how hard they try, skeletons never stay inside the closet.”
The dispute over whether Mr. Cochran is being fired for his faith, or for being a jerk, will go on for a while. Lawyers, with dollar signs flashing in their eyes, will lead the charge. Meanwhile, to quote 3G publishers, “Though He reconciled Adam’s condition by clothing him in coats of lambs’ skin, Adam never got over what he had done.”
PG once worked in a place where excessive Jesus worship created a hostile environment. His co-worker placed a radio next to the bathroom door, where you were forced to listen to it. When PG objected, the co-worker declared holy war.
This co-worker was not a supervisor. He was a black man, working in a company dealing with a discrimination lawsuit. The co-worker was untouchable. This man utilized all the leverage this lawsuit gave him, preaching a crude brand of Christianity. The preacher had total contempt for the comfort, and the soul, of his neighbor. “I don’t care what man thinks, I care what G-d thinks.” Some call this selfish behavior “faith.” This does not speak well for Jesus.
Common Sense I am buying this wonderful book simply for all the one star comments, and to support a great and Godly man. :)
Joshua A real man writing the Truth is exactly the kind of thing we need … in the black community.
Fiction Addiction I’m so glad that this blithering fool Kelvin J. Cochran has been thrown out of his job once and for all. Just imagine how this Christian fundie would squawk his head off if he had been forced to work for some Muslim, let’s say, who created a hostile work environment by telling him to read a book in which Christians were described as Satanic or filthy or doomed to eternal Hellfire.
Travis Mac A gay friend of mine tried to read it but it burned his fingers and gave him some nasty paper cuts. The Atlanta FD was of little help in putting out the fire.
a.ryan one of the most bigoted books I’ve had the misfortune of tripping over. Seriously offensive, not only to gay people, but to women, jews, and anyone who isn’t Christian. Way to prove to the world what a joke “Christians” are.
Atlanta30312 Obviously written by a closeted, self hating homosexual. Can’t believe a book can be published in 2013 filled with such HATE, under the guise of “Christianity”. This book describes Homosexuality this way: “Uncleanness — whatever is opposite of purity; including sodomy, homosexuality, lesbianism, pederasty, bestiality, all other forms of sexual perversion.” … Authors such as this that continue to speed such hate are the reason gay teens commit suicide.
Dianne This is a disgusting work of lies, perpetuating myth about human sexuality. You should not be selling this on Amazon. Pull it.
Pictures are from The Library of Congress.
Bill Cosby Rape Joke
@chescaleigh Cosby’s jokes is rape culture in action. victims & rape are seen as JOKES. this is why victims don’t come forward. it’s not funny.
@AnUglyN**** @chescaleigh so by making light of a situation its advocating rape?
@chescaleigh if you were wrongfully accused of raping 20 women, you think making jokes about it would be a good idea? seems innocent? @AnUglyN****
@AnUglyN**** @chescaleigh So idk why u put my @ at the end of your tweet tryna attract your pro black panther feminist friends. cause I asked a question
@chescaleigh putting your name at the end of a tweet is not telling anyone to attack. welcome to the internet where this convo is public @AnUglyN****
Before we get to the meat of this discussion, lets discuss @AnUglyN, and the four stars. This twitter address is connected to a user, I AM A GOD. This person violates the first and third commandments, and then further degrades himself with the n-word. It is tough to insult someone who has thoroughly humbled himself. A racist can ignore the spectacle. @AnUglyN**** is doing the dirty work.
So, Bill Cosby is making a comeback. Apparently, there was a show in London, ON. The venue was Budweiser Gardens. A comment about current affairs was made.
“The strangest moment of the night came midway through, when a woman in the front row rose and started walking out. Mr. Cosby asked her something. She appeared to reply that she was getting a drink and asked Mr. Cosby if he wanted one. He declined and then said with a smile “you have to be careful about drinking around me.” The audience expelled a collective “ooooo” at the joke then laughed and cheered and the show went on.”
Is that a “rape joke”? It depends on how you define a joke. Is it funny? Appropriate? In good taste? Remember, this is an entertainer. Is an internet hissy fit going to make rape victims feel better? Will Mr. Cosby get more publicity? What would Fat Albert do?
Sometimes, the best commentary can be found in an unlikely place. Today, it is the comments at Perez Hilton. This should not be confused with the droppings of Mario Laundromat. “Bill decided to embrace his public image and made a full on date rape joke during his set.”
Dunya Bill Cosby is the new Michael Jackson. No matter what happens from here out he will always be judged by public opinion which will go on well after his death.
bnietzsche id be pissed if he didnt make a joke about it in someway.. that’s what comedians do.. its like not addressing the elephant in the room. as a comedian, you need to get that outta the way before goin thru the rest of ur set without all that tension
Pictures are from The Library of Congress.
Matthew Is Too Republican
The following story is a repost. Pictures are from The Library of Congress. Today is the first sunday of the new year. Yesterday saw the sacrilege of NFL playoffs on pay tv. Today, the wild card game is on the idiot box where it belongs. The Falcons had a losing season, and are not in the post season. The story was borrowed from a blog that is no longer published.
PG found a story about the Christmas season at another blog a few minutes ago. It is a feel good tale, even if you don’t completely agree with it. The story is about the “true meaning” of Christmas. Large Tony says that Christmas is about being good. Is good something you believe, or something that you do? Maybe living in a good world means to believe, and to practice.
Some atheists put up a sign, encouraging people to “be good for goodness sake”. While this is a *good idea*, it is also a line from a Christmas carol. It rhymes with “he knows when you’re awake”. Maybe we should just leave it as a silly rhyme in a song, and not make a rule for living out of it.
As we said, PG does not totally agree with this story. Or maybe he wants to argue about the words, but agrees with the spirit behind the words. Sometime the spirit is what is important.
PG is a practice kind of guy. Belief is all well and good, but what is do is what is important. A gram of practice is worth a pound of belief. Part of practice is to shut up, and let someone else tell his story.
I just said goodnight to Granny and turned off the lights in her room. After getting her settled in, I sat next to her on top of the covers. We propped ourselves against the headboard and watched TV.
She got tired but wanted to hear the story of the nativity before she fell asleep. As you all know, I’m not the most religious person in the world, but I’d have to be a downright heathen to refuse to do that. So, I grabbed Granny’s Bible off the night table and read from the second chapter of the Luke. No room at the inn. Shepherds and their flocks and all. But no Wise Men. No kings.
At first I thought maybe I was reading from one of those contemporary editions. But when I looked at spine, it said “King James.” I asked Granny,and she told me, “That’s Matthew.”
Then she told me she prefers Luke, which is why I guess that’s what she asked me to read. I asked her why she preferred Luke since it was essentially the same story. “Luke is more for regular folk. Matthew is too…too…” She searched for the right word, then finally finished her thought with, “too Republican.” We both chuckled about that and I made a mental note to tell the Attorney, who has been known to have Republican tendencies.
Apparently there are differences in the facts of the Christmas story, depending on who told it. Luke talks about the manger and shepherds. Matthew talks about the kings. The shepherds heard from an angel. The Wise Men followed a star. Isn’t it ironic that the Gospels are not necessarily the gospel?
So, I guess it shouldn’t be a surprise that even now, 2000 or so years later, that Christmas is a different thing to different people. But whether your Christmas includes shepherds…or not. Kings…or not…Jesus, Santa, Angels, Rudolph, presents, trees, or stars…or not, we’re all celebrating the same thing. The easy answer is “the birth of Christ.” But the bigger answer is “goodness.”
You may not believe a baby was born in a manger to a virgin. Or, if you do, you may not believe that babe is the Messiah. But, if you celebrate Christmas at all, surely you can believe in the goodness that the story represents. And, if you don’t celebrate, surely you can believe in goodness nonetheless.
It’s all mankind truly has to give. Happy Holidays, dear friends and readers.
The Second Great Flood
Here is part one . Somewhere in his drifting around the internet, PG found a reference to the story of Noah and the Ark. A light bulb above his head switched on, and the answer was apparent: Global warming is the second great flood.
In the Biblical story, G-d was upset with the way man was doing things. She gave Noah a heads up, and he was ridiculed by the good citizens of the day. Finally, it rained forty days and forty nights, and everyone except Noah got wet.
In the modern version, G-d sees man making a wasteland of the bountiful planet. An amazing resource like oil is controlled by hateful tyrants, and burned to make cars run. The signs of dis ease are apparent to some, but they are ridiculed by the good citizens of the day.
This time, things are different. Instead of forty days and forty nights, it is two hundred years of burning fossil fuels. It is a time of war, and rumors of war.
Here is part two . PG was shooting from the hip the other day, and said that G-d was causing global warming. At first it seemed a bit goofy, but like other thoughts about her (G-d is in the details,) the more PG thinks, the more sense it makes.
A lot has to do with your idea of who G-d is. (maybe the four other w’s… what, when, where, and why… should also apply.) Although PG would not put global warming past Jehovah or Mary’sbabydaddy, those conceptions are just a bit obsolete. The idea of G-d that PG uses is the fifth element, to go with earth, air, fire and water.
The moonies have another view…that G-d is the difference between a human being and five dollars worth of chemicals. There seems to be an overall body of knowledge that makes the earth function. A DNA, or software. This framework of knowledge is how PG views G-d.
Right now, man is living in a paradise. A planet with earth, air, water and fire that is uniquely fabricated to support intelligent life. The role that G-d played in facilitating this planet is a mystery. There is a balance of life here…the right amount of gravity, the right ph balance in the oceans, the proper mix of gases in the atmosphere. Man has been granted this paradise…it was not earned, it was given out of the bounty of G-d. And man has done his best to destroy the environment. Promiscuously burning fossil fuels is just part of the damage.
There does seem to be a plan to deal with this. If the level of CO2 in the air goes above a certain level, then the temperatures will start to rise. This has been proven time and time again. There are nay sayers…some of whom are not on fossil fuel industry payrolls… who say this is a natural process, and has nothing to do with the actions of man. These people are similar to the upstanding citizens who ridiculed Noah when he built his ark.
It should be noted that the story of Noah and the ark might be a myth. That is, it is full of symbols and allegory, and is not to be taken literally. It could be that in an ancient time, G-d got fed up with the evil deeds of man, and decided to teach a lesson. This could be what is happening today. Pictures are from “The Special Collections and Archives,Georgia State University Library”. This is a repost.
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