Friday - God & Janis Joplin
Nov. 9th, 2007 12:46 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ninanevermoreToday on my drive into work, I was thinking about how the people you love are often the same people you want to strangle with your bare hands.* Because you care about them, they have the power to drive you over the edge the way a person you are indifferent to just can't.
I suppose this is an open letter to someone I care about, but I advise her to skip it. I advise the rest of you to skip it, too, because I'm going to talk about a touchy issue I usually avoid here - religion. I am religious, for the record. I was raised in a Christian denomination that falls under the category of "moderate," meaning we are not literalists, and believe that the Christian Bible was written by men about God and that it is open for to interpretation and debate. There is a large misconception among non-Christians that the word Christian also implies right-wing and conservative, in large part because right-wing, conservative Christians like to say this and everyone just takes them at their word. A lot of us who worship under the umbrella of Christianity know this isn't true, but since we aren't shouting and waiving signs and voting Republican en mass, no one pays attention to us.
I try to respect other people's spiritual beliefs and arguing about religion is like arguing about whether red or blue is a nicer color: I can't look through your eyes and tell you how you should see the color red, and neither can I tell you how you should see (or not see) God. But this person who I love so dearly is blaming a lot of people for her ills, from her employer to her mother to the good Lord above. If only they would give her more money, and a place to live, etc. etc., then her faith in all of them would be restored. The church she attends is a mega-church that preachers the "pray and pay" version of Christianity. The slick preacher that leads it, who wears a suit that costs more than the car I drive, tells her that God wants her to be wealthy, and all she has to do is ask sincerely and she will get everything that she desires. Apparently, she hasn't been sincere enough.
Churches like this always sing a sort of religious bubble-gum pop music, but I think they should look to the late great Janis Joplin, who wrote the perfect hymn for them with her song, Mercedes Benz:
I have news for this dear, dear lady, who I admit has fallen on hard times. Her employer owes her nothing, and only employs her because it benefits them, and when it no longer benefits them they will let her go. In fact, this very thing happened to me earlier this year. Her mother is done raising her and owes her nothing. Once she turned 18, her mother's obligations came to an end, and everything after that was just gravy. If her mother doesn't want to let her use her currently empty lake house, she doesn't have to. I suspect her mother fears that if she lets her daughter and her family move in, it could be years before she gets her house back again. As for God, he also owes her nothing.
As one religious person to another, I feel I should point out that God is not there to serve you, you are there to serve God by serving your fellow man. Forget what the mega church tells you. They have taken Calvinism's idea that God wants you to work hard and that this may lead to prosperity, turned it on its head and flipped it upside down.
God is love, and when you feel love for humanity and lend a hand where you are needed, you serve God. God is creation (as opposed to destruction), and when you protect the earth and its inhabitants and you do what you can to protect them, then you serve God. God is mercy, and when you show mercy to those who need it, then you serve God. God is grace and strength and wisdom, and when you grow in these things and radiate them, then you serve God. The one thing God is not is money, so quit asking him for it. He's not going to drop a big bag of cash in your lap. I know: I've tried this, too, and I assure you it doesn't work. Believe me, I was very sincere when I tried, so a lack of sincerity wasn't the problem. The problem was that the good Lord doesn't deal in cash.
My friend, I love you dearly, but you drive me nuts. I'm sorry your life has taken such a harsh turn. You ask people for advice, but then complain when they tell you things you don't want to hear. You aren't willing to change, to adjust, to compromise, to learn from your mistakes, and until you do these things no one wants to come to your rescue because we all know you will only need rescuing again further down the road. Part of the problem is that when you pray, you pray for the wrong things. You are praying for cash and that you don't lose all your possessions, but these things are not God's concerns, they are only yours. Your Bible will tell you to give unto Caesar that which is Caesar's (i.e., worldly possessions) and give unto God that which is God's. Instead of praying for a cash solution to all of your ills, pray for strength, wisdom, and grace, and you will find these things inside of you, as real and as solid as the bag of money you were hoping for. They may not pay the rent, but they will help you figure out how to do it yourself.
*** I'm breaking with another tradition: I usually don't screen comments and try to respond all the ones I get. I don't debate religion, though, for the reason stated in the beginning. I'll allow comments, but they will be screened, and I don't promise to respond to them. The only reason this isn't locked and screened is because I suspect that at least one other person has someone in their life they would like to say this stuff to, so here you go.***
Oh, and one more thing, kiddo, I think it should go without saying, but… don't hate me.
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * # * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
* I specify with bare hands, because the impulse to garrote a loved one implies a chilling dark side to your character. Garroting should be reserved for annoying coworkers and people in restaurants who shout into their cell phones about very personal matters.
I suppose this is an open letter to someone I care about, but I advise her to skip it. I advise the rest of you to skip it, too, because I'm going to talk about a touchy issue I usually avoid here - religion. I am religious, for the record. I was raised in a Christian denomination that falls under the category of "moderate," meaning we are not literalists, and believe that the Christian Bible was written by men about God and that it is open for to interpretation and debate. There is a large misconception among non-Christians that the word Christian also implies right-wing and conservative, in large part because right-wing, conservative Christians like to say this and everyone just takes them at their word. A lot of us who worship under the umbrella of Christianity know this isn't true, but since we aren't shouting and waiving signs and voting Republican en mass, no one pays attention to us.
I try to respect other people's spiritual beliefs and arguing about religion is like arguing about whether red or blue is a nicer color: I can't look through your eyes and tell you how you should see the color red, and neither can I tell you how you should see (or not see) God. But this person who I love so dearly is blaming a lot of people for her ills, from her employer to her mother to the good Lord above. If only they would give her more money, and a place to live, etc. etc., then her faith in all of them would be restored. The church she attends is a mega-church that preachers the "pray and pay" version of Christianity. The slick preacher that leads it, who wears a suit that costs more than the car I drive, tells her that God wants her to be wealthy, and all she has to do is ask sincerely and she will get everything that she desires. Apparently, she hasn't been sincere enough.
Churches like this always sing a sort of religious bubble-gum pop music, but I think they should look to the late great Janis Joplin, who wrote the perfect hymn for them with her song, Mercedes Benz:
Oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz?
My friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends.
Worked hard all my lifetime, no help from my friends.
Oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz ?
I have news for this dear, dear lady, who I admit has fallen on hard times. Her employer owes her nothing, and only employs her because it benefits them, and when it no longer benefits them they will let her go. In fact, this very thing happened to me earlier this year. Her mother is done raising her and owes her nothing. Once she turned 18, her mother's obligations came to an end, and everything after that was just gravy. If her mother doesn't want to let her use her currently empty lake house, she doesn't have to. I suspect her mother fears that if she lets her daughter and her family move in, it could be years before she gets her house back again. As for God, he also owes her nothing.
Oh Lord, won't you buy me a color TV?
Dialing For Dollars is trying to find me.
I wait for delivery each day until three,
Oh Lord, won't you buy me a color TV ?
As one religious person to another, I feel I should point out that God is not there to serve you, you are there to serve God by serving your fellow man. Forget what the mega church tells you. They have taken Calvinism's idea that God wants you to work hard and that this may lead to prosperity, turned it on its head and flipped it upside down.
Oh Lord, won't you buy me a night on the town?
I'm counting on you, Lord, please don't let me down.
Prove that you love me and buy the next round,
Oh Lord, won't you buy me a night on the town ?
God is love, and when you feel love for humanity and lend a hand where you are needed, you serve God. God is creation (as opposed to destruction), and when you protect the earth and its inhabitants and you do what you can to protect them, then you serve God. God is mercy, and when you show mercy to those who need it, then you serve God. God is grace and strength and wisdom, and when you grow in these things and radiate them, then you serve God. The one thing God is not is money, so quit asking him for it. He's not going to drop a big bag of cash in your lap. I know: I've tried this, too, and I assure you it doesn't work. Believe me, I was very sincere when I tried, so a lack of sincerity wasn't the problem. The problem was that the good Lord doesn't deal in cash.
My friend, I love you dearly, but you drive me nuts. I'm sorry your life has taken such a harsh turn. You ask people for advice, but then complain when they tell you things you don't want to hear. You aren't willing to change, to adjust, to compromise, to learn from your mistakes, and until you do these things no one wants to come to your rescue because we all know you will only need rescuing again further down the road. Part of the problem is that when you pray, you pray for the wrong things. You are praying for cash and that you don't lose all your possessions, but these things are not God's concerns, they are only yours. Your Bible will tell you to give unto Caesar that which is Caesar's (i.e., worldly possessions) and give unto God that which is God's. Instead of praying for a cash solution to all of your ills, pray for strength, wisdom, and grace, and you will find these things inside of you, as real and as solid as the bag of money you were hoping for. They may not pay the rent, but they will help you figure out how to do it yourself.
Everybody!
Oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz?
My friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends,
Worked hard all my lifetime, no help from my friends,
Oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz ?
That's it!
*** I'm breaking with another tradition: I usually don't screen comments and try to respond all the ones I get. I don't debate religion, though, for the reason stated in the beginning. I'll allow comments, but they will be screened, and I don't promise to respond to them. The only reason this isn't locked and screened is because I suspect that at least one other person has someone in their life they would like to say this stuff to, so here you go.***
Oh, and one more thing, kiddo, I think it should go without saying, but… don't hate me.
* I specify with bare hands, because the impulse to garrote a loved one implies a chilling dark side to your character. Garroting should be reserved for annoying coworkers and people in restaurants who shout into their cell phones about very personal matters.
