Another Liberal for Jesus

BY RICHARD MATHIS




For starters, let’s deal with money. We need real Biblical quotes on our legal tender, not something made up by man. And what better way to honor to Jesus than by putting his very own words on our money? Put “You can’t serve God and Mammon” on every dollar bill. On the back take off that Roman-looking eagle and put Paul’s warning that: “the love of money is the root of all evil.”

Hallelujah, Wall Street could hold a revival and proclaim that it is better to sell all your riches and give alms to the poor than being a greedy capitalist. Alan Greenspan could explain that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than it is for a rich man to enter into heaven. He could add that if we really want to follow Jesus then we need to sell off all we own and give away the proceeds to the needy.

The revival could trickle down to malls where shoppers could be greeted with at least one the 10 Commandments. Yes, mall entrances could boldly remind consumers that : Thou Shall Not Covet.

Television evangelists could set an example and sell off their treasures stored here on earth to feed the hungry, clothe the naked and shelter the homeless as Jesus required of his followers. They could preach that among the original followers of Jesus that

“no one among them was in need; for everyone who had land or houses, exchanged them for money . . . and put it at the feet of the Apostles for distribution to everyone as they had need.”

Preachers can explain that since Jesus said to redistribute the wealth that it is not socialism but is good Christianity.

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The only problem, as Gandhi put it, is that:

“I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ. “

Yes, another one "give to Caesar's what is Caesar's," and "give to the Lord, what is the Lord's," are one's that are abundantly abused from these asswipes.

Case in point, (and this may be a shocker) but I'm making it anyway...

My dad, who is still alive, divorced my mother in 1976. While it's obvious, that I'm not going to get into the reasons why, (as it doesn't matter anyway) there is ONE REASON, and ONE REASON ALONE, why I'll never respect him again.

We have 5 kids in our family. At the time, three were still minors. Long story short...

He was $35,000.00 in debt with the I.R.S. When he made his "religious getaway," to the warmer climate of Florida, he told everyone at "his cultish church," that he was "freed from the bondage of the I.R.S."

While I didn't say anything for approximately 30 years, HE SOON REALIZED, THAT HIS 17 YEAR OLD SON, WAS A GROWN MAN NOW!!

..it wasn't pretty

He made a comment one day, approximately 10 years ago. It was the typical "right winged filthy religious, fire and brimstone" comment, that the Pat Robertsons, and the Ernest Angly's always make.

IT, IN SO MANY WORDS, INVOLVED MY PERSONAL SALVATION!!

Like a real man would of done, they would of pretty much, "agree that we disagree," on some stuff.

...but organized religion doesn't operate this way!!

...and as he soon found out, NEITHER DO I!!

After sending my "eye opening fact," about how I felt about him, he took the liberty to not only send the rest of my family, the "nuts and bolts," on how I felt about his "trashy talk," but he sent an e-mail to all his "cult members," at his "hate filled church" in Florida as well.

He suddenly realized who he was fucking with...

He made the mistake, of sending me, his whole religious congregation's e-mails, in one of his "fire and brimstone" messages to me. (not all, but a shitload)

I took the liberty, (and GREAT PLEASURE) of telling his 15,000 hate filled congregation, that the reason why Jesus, got his ass out of a sling with the I.R.S. WASN'T because he tithed, (10% of income to the Lord) it simply, was the fact, that HE NEVER PAID CHILD SUPPORT!! AND SOLIDLY CONFIRMED BY MY MOTHER OF COURSE.

My mom, work two full time jobs, to support three of us, until they were of legal age. One of his arguments to not paying, is that he supported us kids, during the few days we visited him, down in Florida.

The only exception to the few visits was me, when I was 24 years old. I moved down there to get a job, and try to make a life for myself. Long story short, didn't like it. Moved back to (S)indiana, ten months later. (like a major improvement)

He was an insurance salesman. (and damn good at it, WHEN HE WORKED)

All the time I lived with him, not one, BUT TWO OF HIS NOW EX-WIVES AND ME, supported his "lard ass."

In conclusion, and it's very important that I mention this. I love my dad very much, as I have told him this. He was a fantastic father, and gave us a fantastic childhood. All my friends, and my sister's friends, loved him too. (after all, he was a great insurance salesman and good looking to) Heck, one of my girlfriends had a crush on him!!

But in conclusion and unfortunately, making mistakes along the way, (like smoking pot with me and my friends) produced a guilt, a guilt SPECIFICALLY PLACED ON HIM, BY THE RELIGIOUS RIGHT!! This kind of "fire and brimstone guilt," was a pre curser, to his NOT attending a drug abuse center, but one who admitted himself to a cult. The kind of cult, that has plagued this nation, since God was a teenager, working part time with Moses at the stone quarry.

Yeah, it's sad and it hurts sometimes, but acceptance is something I have had to endure, since my bout with the bottle.

My sisters agree as well. But at the same time, they dropped the hammer on me, for saying what I said to him.

...but as adults, we agreed to disagree!!

*** Says so right there on our money. In God We Trust.

We have a license plate now in Indiana, that says just that...

"In God We Trust"

Every 131 years, we switch the looks of our license plates. About three years ago, when I went to my local license branch, I opted for the "normal" license plate.

Actually, it was just given to me, without actually asking for this "special" license plate.

It was rather humorous, because at the time I paid for my plates, the lady at the license branch apologized, for not giving me the option to purchase this "special" license plate.

...perhaps my "Black Sabbath World Tour 2007," had a lot to do, with her forgetting to ask

Check out the Forum at the Freedom From Religion website. Maybe you could tell your dad to go there and discuss his religious beliefs! http://ffrf-forum.org/

HAH!!!

I may send it to his "cultish congregation" as well. I love the guy and always will. Even though us kids have told him this lately, none can remember him telling us so.

Which, like our government, organized religion places layers of bondage and oppression, on the poor bastard seeking some kind of freedom/relief.

One of my sisters started bible study about a year ago.

...she hasn't smiled since

I completed reading Steve Berry's book entitled The Templar Legacy today and I highly recommend it to anyone who doesn't accept all the religious traditions handed down through time about Jesus and his "resurrection." It's a good adventure, with believable characters and laced with enough factual info to make it almost as good a read as The Da Vinci Code. In fact, I enjoyed it more than I did Dan Brown's book. Best of all, the protaganist, Cotton Malone, appears in 5 more of Berry's books, which I'm looking forward to getting at the library.

Remember what Pope Leo X said in the sixteenth century: "It has served us well, this myth of Christ."

It's just a "crying shame," that a "spiritual believer" such as I, have to put up with clowns such as these!! Unlike an "awakening," people over the years, have put "God in a box." Harnessing the power, for their own personal/political gain.

While it's so easy for me, to accept a "higher power," from my own experience, I fail to see how ANYONE, can be tied down to this "religious dogma." If I'm going to be proud of something that has changed my life, it's gonna be from a personal experience, and not bullshit, from a "pre-packaged box of bigots."

It's one thing, when the spirit seeks your attention, it's another, when PEOPLE seek each other's attention!! There's "no free lunch," with "religious dogma."

...never has been, never will