christianity

what to do?

i have heart for anyone who invites mysticism divinity back into their lifestyle, especially if they are as spiritually depleted as many people in the area i live in. but really, i don't dig Christianity.

noone's really engaged me about how stupid Against His-story, Against Leviathan! is, so I'll go ahead and use the whole example of the Israelites and the Exodus and them turning into party-hardy pagans when big brother Moses turns his back. as Fredy Perlman tells it, Moses comes down off the mountain, sees that the people are no longer under his control, and sends his goons to kill a lot of them, which they do. Those were "the sons of Levi." I reread the part of the Bible this was in, and this seemed a justified interpretation of the scene.

and you've got the whole Christianity evangilism thing, with people having healthy parts of their culture ripped away by contemporary, unquestioned missionaries; especially evident with "uncontacted" folks who "haven't heard the good news". but it's past time i at least forgive the Spanish Conquistadors for what they did. apparently the sailors were very oppressed back in Spain. considering the age of exploration came on the tail end of the Inquisition, I'd a) have some pent up violence too if i were them and b) want to get the hell out of Dodge (fanatical, puritanical and feudal Europe), any way i could. and besides, the old conquistadors are dead and i waste emotion on them.

but there's a whole snake-hating thing from a pre-Jewish Semitic creation myth. i personnally think the snakes have suffered long enough, guys, without you continuing to invoke Yaweh and getting snake blood on your hands every time you see one of the most beleagered vertebrate suborders in this country, the Serpentes.

but the supernatural facts remain: when i hear about my christian folks speaking in tongues, or non-violent martyrdom, or curing AIDS by praying and laying your hands on someone, or knowing things most couldn't guess without the use of a Ouji Board or Otherworld journies of some kind, or displacing the Shuar head-hunting thing with lots of praying, i can't help but be excited.

so what's Jesus got to offer, hmmmmm? well, I'm tempted to say that his religion makers stole most of the good traditions from pagans, or smothered out traditions that filled a vital role in the society which they were converting and had to invent some new and incidently similar tradition for their newly expanded flock. but that's just simplistic.

"No Gods, No Masters," right? well, I've actually heard of lots of anarchists doing spiritual stuff. i've read descriptions of rituals that people invented to gods they came up with on their own; the @'s would ask for something, pray for it, if you will, and it would turn up. it's worked for me, for the courage to leave a major bad relationship and the opportunity to enter a major good on. it happens in unlikely circumstances, and it happens as soon as it needs to after you've asked. try what i did the first time if you're uncomfortable with the "G" word, and make your request out to the entire Universe, asking for whatever you need in exchange for your dedication to be good to yourself and others.

there're plenty of Christian Anarchists; the Psalters come to mind, as well as some folks in the Catholic Worker Houses.

my aunt, the uber-Christian one, says that she had alcoholism ripped out of her by god at her request; furthermore, that it was a fairly painless operation that anyone can do with His help. she and many others also credit seemingly inexplicable good fortune to God's will. she's a frickin' millionaire, and she's happy, and she supports lots of unlucky people and good causes with the money. i don't quite get it, but then again, i kinda do. now if they'd just give a damn about Earth and humans besides what'll happen between now and Judgement Day, which will be SOON, right, then i'd be much more simpatico.

fuck 2012