An Old Guy's Random Remembering #23

SPIRITUAL REMODEL?
2/24/06

Yesterday, for the first time since last Thursday, the weather seemed suitable for painting my freshly stuccoed front wall. I started with the eaves of the house.

Never having enjoyed painting things above my head, I was somewhat surprised to find myself sub-vocally singing “up above my head, I hear singing in the air..........there must be a God somewhere!” Interesting....., why was I singing this uplifting old song from my childhood instead of thinking about the prehistoric people of the Lower Pecos, my usual topic while working on the front wall?

I suppose the connection is that almost the only archeological record of these very primitive people of the Lower Pecos is their art. They left no permanent structures. A large percentage of the rock paintings left by these people is of a spiritual nature. I’m willing to imagine that the search for God is universal in mankind, and has been a part of our lives virtually from the beginning.

When I was a freshman in college, I became acquainted with an upper- classman who professed to be agnostic. I know of none in my circle of friends who weren’t appalled by his lack of faith.

For the last few days, it has been prominently in the news that groups of people are using “the wrath of God” to disrupt the funerals of gay military people. Invoking The Bible to condemn those soldiers, their parents, and even the United States (for tolerating homosexuality) seems to be their “righteous” mission. Have these people studied their bible enough to notice that much more space in the sacred text is dedicated to the preparation of sacrifices and dietary requirements than to “man lying with mankind”? What do they do about those other admonitions from The Bible? For the sake of their credibility, shouldn’t they be equally vocal about all the rules? Wouldn’t all the rules be necessary for salvation?

When any person seeks God, I’ve come to the conclusion that he seeks a god who will agree with him. In other words, it is clear to me that “religious” people tend to create their own god. Isn’t that detrimental to the security of their souls?

I’m sure I heard a song once which contained the words “God only knows what God knows”. It appears that when people of faith seek righteousness, they inevitably define God in their own terms, picking and choosing God’s will to match their own. Could it be that the agnostics are closer to God than anyone?

PS..... could it be that my work on the front wall has turned into a religious experience?