Chapter III Verse XI - Free God Now!

Oh yeah, I’m back. For everyone who notices or reads this, I’m here again to make your lives more complex. I missed you, my quiet group of readers. May your brains swell with love for all creation. Anyway . . . . .

Back to my religious rant. . . Many of us lead double lives; one for God, one for us. We go to church for God, we work for ourselves. Sometimes we want God right there with us and sometimes we wish the good Lord was busy watching children in Africa. This is why so many of us like the idea of a church. God is over there at church, not out here watching what I’m doing . . .

Maybe it’s easier for us to say “I go to church and pray before I eat” than it is to say “I was going to take that job because it had such a high salary but I would have to do things that I believe are wrong”.

But what if God isn’t some judgmental-Santa-Claus type who is keeping a record of things to decide if we are going to heaven or hell? What if God wants us to learn to make better decisions so we can have a better life, including good sex, fulfilling work and material possessions? If that was the case, then it would be pretty stupid not to listen all the time, right?

But if we start thinking like that, we might have to let God out of church. And we don’t want God getting into what kind of shoes we buy and what food we eat and how we treat the opposite sex.

Of course, a big part of that problem is that we trust someone else’s opinion about what God wants. So if we want to know what kind of clothes to wear we gotta ask our parents or our pastor and who wants to dress like them, right?

Well, even if you don’t want to take responsibility for it, it’s your life. If you want to do things that negatively affect you and those around you and then say “I didn’t know” or “My pastor didn’t tell me about that” be my guest. It will leave you confused and afraid. But, if you are ready to take responsibility then why not take a look at things. Are you happy with the choices you make? Do you make them because other people respect them and value them or because you do?

However you define God, it seems that negative actions have negative reactions. If you choose to ignore the fact that thousands of people suffer so that you can buy cheap shoes and coffee and tobacco then you will live in a world where people are enslaved to provide you with cheap shoes, coffee and tobacco. That’s it. No complex thinking there.

Of course positive actions have their own reactions. You may find out that a shoe company that takes the time to ensure that it’s workers have a good life also takes the time to make sure it’s customers are happy. Hmmmmm . . . .

But why worry about such social questions? It’s much easier to discuss the immoral way other people, religions and nations are acting than to work towards genuine social health. As long as they don’t ask us to give up too much of our possessions or to come too often, most of us are happy to spend $5 or $10 buying peace of mind from church every Sunday (or Saturday).

“What you have become is the price you paid for what you used to want. “ - Unknown

- Dsus Pays

Chapter I Verse V - Can God be a Girl?

Many of today's religions are built around the concept of a single, male God, a Father. But where’s Mum? In the case of the trinity, there is God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. This really confuses me because there is space for two guys and an asexual being but no girl.

I mean no insult or disrespect but I must explain myself plainly. When I look at the world there is balance everywhere. No exceptions. Then I look at something up close: Hot and cold are two different manifestations of temperature and their balanced interaction is essential for life. You could not define one without the other. And yet, when we look to the creative force in our universe it is to a single, male figure.

Male energy is active- doing. Female energy is passive- feeling. This is a general statement however and, in practice, both genders use both types of energy in whatever ratios they choose. I don’t believe one is better than another since both are essential. Most of the people I know respect male energy more. This leads me to the question: Do they respect male energy more because they call God a father or did they start calling Him Father because they respect male energy more?

See, I like girls. A lot. I don’t just mean that I like their bodies, although I do; in fact the female body is my favourite of God’s creations so far. But, I also like the way girls think, talk, move, dress, eat. Many times those differences drive me insane. Many, many times. But I would not trade them. I can’t be around males all the time. I need to hear a female perspective on things at least once a day or the world is not in order.
Sadly, I have more respect for women than a lot of the women I know do. So many of my beautiful Bahamian ladies distort their image to appeal to the most juvenile of male behavior. Too often they fight and bicker and hate each other. INSECURITY. Why do we so often doubt a compliment and so quickly believe an insult? Stop hating yourselves ladies. God loves you and values you. God made you look the way you do for a reason. You really want to argue with God about your appearance? Does arguing with God usually work out well?

Try this and learn something: See how people react to the image of God as a Mother. Note the reactions when it’s just guys, just ladies and when they are together. Women usually strongly reject the idea. The guys not so much. I used to think that it was social conditioning that made my female friends react so strongly. Then I realized how many women I know want to mold their lives to a man’s life. For a woman devoted to God as a Father I can imagine her faith being an extension of a tendency to follow a male lead. Perhaps the ladies I have asked (it’s in the dozens) don’t want to consider what life would be like if they lived for a female God. I think it’s time they do and we do. What do you think?

- Dsus Pays