The Highway.com

Yes, I do believe in God, and for once, my opinion is not going to be humble. I am tired, frustrated and hurt that conservative Christians insist I am bent on mocking God, whenever I question their actions or intent. Not once have I attacked, ridiculed, denied, or presented God in a negative light. While I may disagree with a religion, I have never abandoned my faith, and my loyalty, my trust, has never wavered. While I often challenge Christianity’s claim of sole ownership of the Almighty, the way it understands its central book, my criticisms have never taken aim at Him.

No, I do not mock God; conservative Christians do that all on their own.

Mocking God

Unlike my detractors, I know my place. God is on top, and I am not. I am merely a simple man living briefly on the fringes of the universe, hardly the object of His undivided attention. I don’t expect God to manage my finances, move heaven and earth to heal my hangnail, break their bones because their names hurt me. I am continually in awe . . . genuine awe . . . of all that is, and am grateful to its "architect and caretaker" for the brief glimpses I am granted during my short stay. He is not my God; I do not own "The Lord."

I belong to Him.

For me, God is not vindictive, petty or cruel, searching to exact revenge on those who fail to bow to my will. God is not an extortionist, a schoolyard bully, or an abusive spouse. He does not say "love me before I throw you down the stairs." God did not hire me to monitor the "dirty" details of everyone’s sex life, making sure we conform to Masters and Johnson (or at least be mindful of the Christian requirement to love the sexist but hate the sex.)

God did not invent guilt and shame. Even the writer of Genesis knew we did that all on our own. (Gen. 3:6-8)

God does not discriminate, create "abominations" that He can gleefully roast for eternity. God does not have an exclusive club of the "elect" who He waits on hand and foot, a slave to some very fickle masters. God does not have to suffer, bleed, and die so I wouldn’t have to accept responsibility for my failings. God does not have to grant me eternal paradise before I would even consider calling on his name, and He would know the difference between genuine praise and "kissing the omnipresent derriere."

"Honk if you love JESUS" is only a distraction, and it is spelled Bible, not B.I.B.L.E.

God does not need to be in our schools; he already knows everything. God does not need to solicit door to door; a single sunrise speaks volumes, but pales in comparison to a single breath. God does not need to plant a monument in front of a courthouse, when its words already are written in the biggest, best seller of all time. (Ex. 20:1-17; Deut. 5:6-21)  Maybe if Christians opened the book they clutch fervently as a shield and a weapon, they would not need an icon to clarify what they already should know.

And anyone who says God "needs" to be there, simply does not realize that God has never left.

Mr. Robertson, God does not fly planes into buildings to punish us for our sins, (www.atheists.org)   He is not going to kill any Supreme Court Justices for you, (www.cbn.com.) nor is He going to fix an election so you can have your way. (AP: January 2, 2004)  These are your words, your desires, and you should be ashamed of yourself for belittling God in attaching Him to your agenda. The rest of the Fundamentalist leadership is not much better . . . sometimes far worse . . . as everything petty vulgar and cruel in its narrow world view becomes Gods warning to the rest of us. God does not play political, social, or theological favoritism, though they try to tell us "God is on our side." God does not wage war, or spread disease and famine, though they tell us it is "His wrath." And Mr. President, protecting our nation is one thing, but when it comes to "crusades," you are on your own.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but God is not a card carrying ultra right wing Republican.

"Truth hurt?" (Yes, I am tired of that line too.)

God for me is like a Father, a loving Father, who grants me the place, time, and tools I need to learn and grow. God for me is a context, a way to understand the universe around me. God for me is the recognition that my opinion must always be humble, though I don’t always comply. Today, I am human, and when it comes to Christian conservatism, I can no longer contain myself, because I know who will really be will mocking Him tomorrow.

Maybe its time you step off your soap boxes, and let God speak for a change.

Release the Dragon Within!