Betting the House?

In the end, American Christianity would have done better here. (Image by Me)

Therefore the Lord said: “Inasmuch as this people draw near Me with their mouth and with their lips do honor Me, but have removed their heart far from Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the precept of men, therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, even a marvelous work and a wonder; for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.”  Isaiah 29:13-14 (21st Century King James Version)

Today, American Christianity’s betting the house by being on the wrong side of history and eternity.  It claims to be walking with Jesus, when in reality it’s running with the Devil.

Since the arrival of the early “Christian” settlers in the 17th Century with the displacement and genocide of the First Nations; and the Slave Trade that destroyed millions of Africans, American Christianity has been constantly winding up on wrong side.  American Christianity wholeheartedly endorsed slavery in the South; using Scripture as defense and to attack those brave Christians that preached abolition.  It later spread westward across the American continent, stealing land from more First Nations while inflicting racial and religious genocide upon them.  To many American Christians, “Manifest Destiny” was not just a slogan, but “God’s will to Christianize” the land.

American Christianity sailed on ships with missionaries, preaching a White, Anglo-Saxon, Protestant religion that demonized rich indigenous cultures in the Southern Hemisphere that existed long before Christ.  It later wrapped itself in white hoods in the South and Midwest, putting the “fear of God” into newly-freed Blacks, Catholics and Jews.  It also began its long journey into turning the United States from a democracy into a theocracy.

American Christianity fought overseas, proclaiming that God was on “our side”.  It endorsed the interment of Japanese-Americans in World War II.  It said it was “God’s will” when the US dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.  American Christianity was a special part of the “American Way” during the Cold War and its adherents gladly endorsed American nuclear superiority in the arms race.

American Christianity stood to the side while Blacks and other (true) Christians stood up for Civil Rights; even denouncing Martin Luther King, Jr-a Christian pastor-for speaking truth to power.  It demonized the anti-war movement and the counterculture movement, while cheering on the lost cause known as the Vietnam War.  In later years, it would go on to denounce Women’s rights and Gay rights.

American Christianity has bet against science-especially Evolution-despite the overwhelming evidence supporting Evolution.  American Christianity has bet against climate science-criticizing the evidence of man’s altering the climate; even going as far as saying “God won’t let man ruin the environment”.

American Christianity has bet on the side of the rich and powerful.  It has become the bedfellow for rapacious corporations, Government intrusion into the rights and freedom of Americans, sequestering Government programs that would benefit the poor, women and children.  It has cheered our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, turning them into religious crusades against Islam; instead of preaching against such wars.  Even worse, American Christians of color have now hopped on this bandwagon with its televangelists that have lost touch with the masses; and instead preached a “health and wealth” gospel.  And today, American Christianity’s trying to influence such to finally turn America into its dream-a theocracy.

American Christianity has indeed bet the house in favor of all that Christianity stood against.  It has bet the house on the worldly and ungodly, while using it to hijack Christianity and assimilate it like Star Trek’s Borg.

And now American Christianity’s about to lose, and lose big.  You see, in the Scripture above, God has watched how people been “worshiping” God externally as we see here in American churches.  However these peoples’ hearts were light years away from the heart of the Divine; they were doing their own thing.  Sound like here in America where we see American Christianity give God good lip service, yet is betting on the wrong side by its behavior.   And as God warned Isaiah, He/She’s about to do something big-something that looks like it’s going to blow the doors off of American Christianity.

What will God do?  I don’t know, however I see the signs already in this nation.  Atheism is steadily on the rise among the young and people of color-populations American Christianity needs.  Many brave Christians taking the very Bible used as a weapon by American Christianity, and disarming it through Higher Criticism.  How the idea that America’s a “Christian Nation” is being disproved by the very history it believed in.  How the very religions American Christianity preached against-Islam and Paganism-are growing in popularity.  How science is disproving Bible myths and despite its money and “clout”, American Christianity can’t do squat.

And in the end, when American Christians who’ve endorsed this warped theology stand before the Divine, what will they say?  What explanations will they give God?  One only knows what eternal repercussions this will have.

Don’t follow the bandwagon of American Christianity.  Instead, follow Jesus’ teachings and focus on the Divine.  It’s a surer bet.  And you might just keep the house!

Peace!

Reaching Home

Mom and I with my Sister, June at our cousins’ in Washington, DC.

But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.  Hebrews 11:16 (English Standard Version)

This evening at 5:55 pm, my mother, Mrs. Lenore Reynolds transitioned from this life into the next after ailing for quite some time.  Mom was 87 at the time.  As you recall in my earlier post, “Florida Reflections”, my son, Carrington and I were visiting her.  At that time, Mom was still lucid and we guys had the chance to chat with her.  Since then, Mom’s health worsened.  However, now she’s at peace with the Lord.

Mom’s completed her road trip, her Christian journey.

Mom was cash for road trips.  Mom would take two weeks in August off to spend time with us.  Since I was 10, Mom would load us kids up in her station wagon-and we’d take a road trip almost every summer, usually to see siblings in Massachusetts, Virginia, or later, Chicago.  I remember two memorable trips, one in 1973 and one in 1979; both lasting two weeks.  The first in ’73 took us to Virginia, Kansas City, Chicago, almost to Niagara Falls, and to Massachusetts.  The second in ’79 went from Montreal (with Quebec City), Toronto, and finally, Chicago.  The one in ’79 was pretty much my last big one since I started college the following year.

One thing that Mom did, was plan her route.  Back in the day, Exxon would have people who would get the big US maps and highlight the best (and scenic) routes for you to travel (GPS wasn’t around in those days).  Also, Mom would have the Howard Johnson, or Ramada brochures to tell you where their inns were along the way.  Mom was ready!

However, as anyone would know, road trips can be unpredictable.  In 1973, en route from Chicago to Niagara Falls, one of the tires had a nasty heat blister on it. which the cost of tire replacement dipped into the Niagara money.  Also that night, we lodged near Thousand Islands, NY, which should have been called “Thousands of Sandflies” thanks to the sandflies that were all over the place!  We’ve stopped at facilities that we had to use that were less than desirable.  We’ve made wrong turns and had to take detours.  Sometimes, the heat would get to us (I had sunstroke in Kansas City).  We’ve got a speeding ticket on I-80 in Indiana.

Yet the road trip can be memorable too!  Thanks to Mom’s road trips I visited Canada twice, visited Portsmouth Naval Base, been to the Midwest, toured maple country in Vermont, been through Appalachia, enjoyed state fairs, and even had a chance at horseback riding!  The road trips prepared me for the ones I took with my wife many years later.

Mom’s trip has had it’s detours, breakdowns, stops in unusual spots, even picked up a stranger or two.  Mom’s been widowed twice, with the first time having to raise three young children alone.  Caring for a sick mother who’s been sick most of her adult life.  Working long and hard at her own business.  Losing a son (my older brother, Reggie).  Suffering life’s vicissitudes when they weren’t her fault.  However, there were the fun parts.  Mom saw all of us kids grow up and live our lives.  Seen nine grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.  Has been to Jamaica twice and to London.  Lived to retire to Florida with my Dad.  Mom enjoyed reading and puzzles.  Mom loved her classical and jazz music (I got that love from her).  She even used to go to Harlem to the Apollo back in the day!

Although the journey can be just as fun, including the places we visit, we look forward to returning home.  To go back to that place where we’re known and where we can rest.  For Mom, she’s finished her Christian road trip and has finally reached home.  Home, we’re the Divine and she know each other; where Mom can truly rest with those who’ve gone on before her.

Thanks Mom, for the trips and exposing us to different parts of the Country.  You’re Home now, get your rest in peace and joy.  You’ll be missed, however we know where you are.  I’ll see you when I get there.

For you who read this, the living, may your road trip be memorable until you reach home.

Peace!

LAWS EVERY FREE SPIRIT SHOULD FOLLOW

Reblogged from Free Spirits United:

1. Love who you are in this exact moment in time
2. You might die tomorrow, so live like it
3. Be honest with yourself and the people around you
4. Follow your heart, but lead with your mind
5. Express yourself the best way you know how
6. Plan little, but experience much
7. People are going to judge no matter how you decide to live your life…

Read more… 101 more words

Thanx to Free Spirits United for such words to live by! Peace!

At Night

In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men  Job 4:13 (King James Version)

I’m one of those people who function better after the sun goes down.  I’m no “happy perky morning person”.  No, I’m definitely a nightowl who will hiss at sunlight (smile).  In fact, I was born at night; and although I don’t subscribe to the Zodiac my astrological body is the Moon (Cancer).  I love cats (nocturnal creatures). You may call me a ghoul, a vampire, or a werewolf, however I am a child of the night.

When I was young, I’d stay up late and watch TV, or later go for walks at night.  Some of my best classes were in the evening. I would party until the wee hours of the morning.  I would do a lot of night shooting (photography) pretty much up to the time I had my son.  Even today, I’d read when I would sleep; or as now, sitting at the computer blogging, writing, or some photographic task.

To me, the night is an inspirational time for me.  Usually, I’m to myself with my family asleep.  I can let my mind wander freely since the duties of the day that need my attention are over.  I can express that which I may have thought about during the day, yet couldn’t due to work, family, or church constraints on my time.  Some of my best photography was when after the sun went down.

Many of us don’t like the night.  We want the predictable daylight with it’s warm and sunny glow, lighting the way for us.  Our religions show night (dark) as evil or dreadful; whereas the day (light) was good and celebrated.  I believe that this hearkens back to our prehistoric times when we never ventured past the glow of our campfires for fear of what was beyond.  Even today the night has too much mystery and unpredictable.   Even our familiar surroundings change when night falls.

Yet the night is also silent.  It’s when the world winds down to rest; and its vibes take it down a notch.  At night, a different song is sung all about us if we’re willing to listen  In nature, the animals become more muted and the wind blows differently.  And it’s in this silence-this “silent night”-I can become attuned to my creative side.  Thus, my love for the night.

“Night time is the right time?” As per Nappy Brown?  To me it is.

Peace!

Above Image: Walker in Washington Square Park, New York City.  Image and after-effects by Me, February 2013.

Alone

Image by Me Taken in 2000

And when it was day, he departed and went into a desert place  Luke 4:42a (King James Version)

Alone time. Solitude. “Me” time.  Concepts which are becoming more unheard of in our 24/7 “connected” society.  It’s almost impossible to get some time to ourselves.  We’re constantly bombarded by cellphone calls, Tweets, Facebook messages, instant messages, e-mails, and let’s not forget the beloved texts.  Plus, we have so much on our proverbial plates and people pulling for our attention, being alone is a luxury!

However, we need that time alone.  As I posted in the past, “Solitude” is one of my Core Values.  We need time to ourselves to recharge and refocus; whether we’re in communion with the Divine, with nature, or sitting on the pier at dusk and meditating on the waters before us. Also, solitude gives us time with ourselves-free from the noise of others.  We need time to unplug our smartphones, shut off our computers and tabs, put away our i-Pods, leave our loved ones home, and learn to be alone.

It’s my opinion that we find being alone an anomaly in today’s world.  We feel that we have to be connected at all times.  We’re “nobody” unless we have zillions of Facebook friends, zillions of followers on Twitter and Instagram, and get bombarded with more texts than anyone on the planet.  We have to be involved in every activity imaginable-whether it’s church, work, school, social organizations, etc.  In essence, being connected and involved make us feel important and feed our ever-greedy egos.

To be alone however means we have to shut down the ego and realize we’re not that important.  It means we have to get real with ourselves and the Divine; to be alone with our thoughts and our emotions.  Jesus in the above verse took time for himself to be with the Divine.  It was nothing for prophets, sages, and our enlightened ones-both past and present-to spend time alone, away from it all.  This was time to breathe, to refocus and gain clarity, to hear the voice of the Divine.

Me? I need alone time.  I look forward to being alone to take care of my spirit and to refresh it.  I love people, yet after awhile I need to be alone for they can get too “crowding”.  I need to “have a little talk with Jesus” which can’t always take place during worship service.  And although the Scriptures encourage the gathering of the saints, even being with the saints can be too much.

This is true especially when I do my photography.  When I’m alone shooting, this is my “offering” to the Divine.  It’s where I can be one with the art and attend to the calling of the Divine Muse/Erotic Creative Spirit, fully and freely.  Even if it’s attending a gallery opening or just observing the Universe around me.  Especially before I had a cell phone I could truly enjoy my alone time-creatively and spiritually.

Let’s get back to having alone time and solitude.  We need it badly to become more whole, creative, and spiritually grounded people.  For if we all do this, we will truly become connected with ties that run deeper than any social media could produce.

Peace!

Happy 420!

420 Celebrants in Toronto (Courtesy Torontoist)

And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. Genesis 1:29-31 

Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot.  Ecclesiastes 5:18 (Both verses from the English Standard Version)

Today, April 20th is “420″-the day where folk here North America and in New Zealand celebrate and consume that “herb superb”, cannabis (which I’ll use interchangeably with “pot” or “marijuana” .

Now I know there are those fundagelicals that will have heart failure for what I’m about to say. Well folks, you’ll just have to deal with it.

For years, marijuana has been demonized by the media, church folk, and spineless politicians that are in bed with “Big Pharma”. Even though its pain alleviating properties have been demonstrated to assist cancer and HIV sufferers, the powers that be still criminalize it.

I know there are those out there that accuse marijuana of being a “gateway drug”, or a drug that causes people to abuse other, more addictive, drugs. Plus there are those who’ve abused cannabis (as well as other drugs) and are right now recovering. Please, I understand the sentiments behind those arguments. and I applaud those who have overcome a major life threatening addiction.

However in the above scenarios it is not the drug but the people who have used it. We have people who are addicted to food who end up obese and diabetic, yet we don’t criminalize food.  How about people who smoke and end up with COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), lung cancer, and emphysema, but yet we don’t criminalize tobacco.  How alcohol addicts that drink themselves into detox, cirrhosis of the liver, and other related health issues, and only one time was alcohol criminalized was during Prohibition (1920-1933) and never again since.  What about the prescription pain-killers many take and become addicted to them?  We haven’t criminalized the pharmaceutical industry yet (although there are those who’d like to).  Yet many “good Americans” and church folk have fallen into one or more of these scenarios; but instead of tossing them into jail we seek help for them and pray for them.  In fact, we pay big money to Big Health Insurance and to Big Pharma to help these people.

The United States has drug laws that are draconian and racist in nature.  Many Americans have suffered a the hands of over-zealous lawmakers for cannabis possession-even the sick people who could legitimately use it.  Many inmates in the prison system are non-violent drug users who committed victimless crimes, yet are being treated like mass murderers. And as one in the African-American community, these laws are tearing up the fabric of my community’s society every day.

However, a growing number of Americans are calling to decriminalize cannabis use, to cut down jail time, and to legalize medical marijuana. It’s high time America gets into the 21st Century and repeal these anti-pot laws.  God created it and said it was “good”, so why not legalize it?  Many people use pot and aren’t addicts or in dire straits. My reason is that the powers that be want to control the lives of We The People with a phony “we know what’s best for you” policy.  Also, if Americans can grow (and roll) their own, what next?  What will happen if Big Pharma can’t shove its painkillers down our throats?  What if legislators, having legalized pot, are now forced to the table for other issues affecting We The People?  Plus if drug use of any kind is turned from a criminal issue to a health issue, the prison-industrial complex will suffer, law enforcement will have to go back to catching real criminals, and the powerless will gain more power.

History is on the side of We The People and pot legalization.  It will only be a matter of time before pot will be legalized in the US of A.

God knows I know folk-especially among fundagelicals-that can use a good toke!  So let’s legalize marijuana so they can “lighten” up (pun intended).

Happy 420 to my “herbalist” friends out there.  Light one up for me. And remember, “A friend with weed is a friend indeed!”  (Couldn’t help that one-smile).

Peace!

Critical Illness

The heart is deceitful above all things,
and desperately sick;
who can understand it?
“I the Lord search the heart
and test the mind,
to give every man according to his ways,
according to the fruit of his deeds.”  Jeremiah 17:8-10

How sick is your heart, declares the Lord God, because you did all these things, the deeds of a brazen prostitute
Ezekiel 16:30  (Both verses English Standard Version)

Recently, I saw on the Internet an article about a father in New York that has a site featuring videos of his crying toddler son, which I find disturbing since it’s bad enough little people have “moments” as they go about in the world.  But to videotape every distressing moment his child has?  That’s too much.  I hope this dad doesn’t have to depend on his “star” when he gets old.  If my man uncovers those embarrassing videos, he may put dad in some dump!

I also read about Rick Ross and his rap about drugging and raping a woman.  Now Reebok dumped him thanks to said lyrics.  However, the fact that such lyrics-or any other lyrics that demean anyone-can make it onto CD boggles my mind (and I believe in the First Amendment).  Now some impressionable young male who follows Ross may hear this and think it’s cool.

These days, we take serious issues and make light of them in the media; didn’t we just have a recent comedy film about identity theft?  We’ve become bullies and tolerate bullying, no matter how it damages the victims (or drives them to suicide). We’ve traded serious facts for “reality TV”, to which we hang on every broadcast.  We have award-winning commercials that insult the intelligence of my cat, let alone human beings.  We want bad news over good news-in print and on the screen.

And many of us in the Church are right in line with the above.  We’re into the above nonsense without even batting an eye.  Plus, we sit and get off on books about people who died and “went to Heaven” while our very neighbors are going through Hell right now.  We want to hear a “get happy” gospel, or “get even” preaching over justice and mercy.  We talk about “Jesus/God is love” yet support abortion clinic bombers and Gay-hatred.    The Gospel of Peace that Jesus preached has been hijacked by American militarism we call “Christianity”.

And to make things even worse, we proud of our mess!  We think it’s hip to be dysfunctional; looking down at those who want integrity in their lives.  We flaunt our crap before the Divine and each other with a “So what?” attitude-like the “brazen prostitute” in the passage from Ezekiel.   We hang on to every word of reality TV, yet ready to string up the Julian Assanges of our world that tell the truth at great cost.

We’re a sick bunch of pups; and it looks as if we’re getting sicker by the day.  Jeremiah said it well, our hearts are sick. It’s as if any vestige of sanity, or integrated thinking just flew out the window.  We’re critically ill and need to stop this madness and fast!

God knows our hearts and sees them as sick.  Despite it all, He/She does send people our way to show us the error of our ways: prophets like those cited above, Jesus, the Heretics that stood up to the Inquisition, abolitionists in England and America, Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, Mahatma Gandhi, and others.  However, we’ve killed off, arrested, or at best ostracized these heroes and heroines of history; preferring darkness over light.  God’s getting tired of trying to heal us, yet we act non-compliant.

One day God might just euthanize us…and won’t that be a blip? We need to look at the Egyptians, Romans, and other civilizations of old who acted stupid and thought their shit didn’t stink.  Who’s not to say that Western Civilization today is not far behind?  Maybe God will diagnose us too far gone…not just critical, but terminal.  And if God euthanizes us as a species, or at best a civilization, what then?  Or at the rate we may go, God may just let us flatline on out of here-pretty much back up and let us die at our own hands. What will become of us in any of those scenarios?  I don’t want to think it.

We’re critically ill, sick in heart.  We need to admit this and begin the healing process-no matter how painful or costly it will be while we still have time.  Or we will die-as a culture, a civilization, and quite possibly a species.

Peace!