So, Good morning to those of you in Alaska, Canada, Japan and here in Europe. I will try and be more inclusive in future.
Now back to matters pertinent to the Sabbath, or more particularly religion. Since my divorce from my "chosen life time partner" I have been taking a critical look at what binds us together on this messed up rock in space. I have to confess that I am a bit "old school" and take oaths and my word as my bond rather literally, or did! I have found breaking my word a painful experience and it has been a shock to realise that the oaths one takes that encompass others are not always binding for the other person it seems. A perfect example would be my marriage that failed. I would have taken a bullet for that lady, but she strayed to pastures new and broke her word when I could not. Great pity considering the damage she caused to one or two relationships of my own in earlier days. But, is that not the nature of people basically selfish. They frequently put their problems far beyond the stricture of oath or word and any bond to another.
So, it interested me greatly to take a look at the Church into which I was brought as a kid and where I was first taught the meaning of binding oath. Here I found many good people its true but more people with a surface veneer of trying to be good and obey the rules they think they should and doing what they like when no one is looking. I think there is no doubt that they are just as selfish, vain and likely to stray from the straight and narrow as the great unwashed. I have no problem with that, but I have noticed a marked selfish streak in lets call them "the knowledgeable ones". Those that know their bible inside out seem to enact less of those teachings they so cherish than those of us who know few. If they did the world would be a very nice place.
Example in case: recently I was with a no doubt good women who knew the bible inside out and back to front and who sat there in her gems and finery showing utter disdain for the poor. Snobbery in the church seems to be endemic and very obvious. This links in with the rank structure that exists in the church. IE the closer you are to the Vicar the posher you obviously are.. Ive noted this peculiar creep factor in the Services and it came as surprise to find it in the church. In the services it was called "brown nosing" In the church lay people and Parish note worthies love to glad hand it with the Vicar and brown nose it.
However, I think the strangest thing Ive noted is that religious people all think that they are going to heaven and all sins will be forgiven no matter what. Naturally the bigger the sin the more they believe in this. Kind of get of jail free certificate.. I guess this is why religious people never seem to actually do much with the more practical teachings of the bible just reading it seems to suffice.
So, what have I learnt? Well, I can honestly say the only lasting bond I have found was in combat in time of war. Then the man looking after your back really was your brother no matter what his religion and letting each other down was not on the menu.. Makes you think eh!
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