"Eric," an otherwise anonymous commenter, noted a certain irreligiosity in some posts that could have been construed as – yes – critical of the high christian mumbo jumbo. Or funny. Or both. And that got me to thinking. I didn’t dig so deep as to examine Foucault’s discourse on the soul born in punishment. I’m still struggling with Kierkegaard. But I thought a little about how we could lay out religious practice on an axis with maybe something simple like zen buddhism at the origin and work our way out into complexity through some more elaborate stuff like gnosticism, into more demanding constructions like anabaptist beliefs and practices all the way out to the far end of dogmatic, authoritarian, twisted metaphysics, demonology, myth and lore laden religions like Roman christian… or other complex structures like Tibetan buddhist, and Hinduism (I’m particularly fond of Ganesh, but the apostle Paul is kind of cool too).
I have plenty of room for the metaphysical in my wanderings but I suspect I’m closer to Sartre than I am to Soren. What’s that they say? Before enlightenment: chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment: drive a new Mercedes S65 AMG and fake humility around the little people?
I love the bumper sticker that says, "AFTER THE RAPTURE, CAN I HAVE YOUR STUFF?"
Eric, I’m sorry if my humor offends you, but there is something really ugly going on in the world right now and it’s masked as a clash of religious beliefs. We have mad bombers on camel back lashing their steeds in a frenzied charge against the Tel Aviv Starbucks. American Baptists are burning abortion clinics and saving comatose vegetables from departing early as they prepare for the apocalypse and a chance for one last victorious crusade against the camel drivers.
One suspects that there is a certain cynical detachment among the leadership of all factions. Me, I just want one of those Mercedes Benz automobiles while there is still gas at the pump to fill her up. (Have I mentioned my friends all drive Porsches? I didn’t think so…)
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