jesus is just all right with me...really!

It may sound a little cliche, but the book "Tuesdays With Morrie" really did change my life. (If it weren't for "Night," by Elie Wiesel, I might have to call it my favorite book of all...but nothing touches "Night." )

What I learned from Morrie is that there is value to be found in setting my goals/plans aside so that I notice the unplanned in life...In our culture, we are not expected to question the value of being uber-goal-oriented. We move so quickly. We are drinking our meals now. Is it true that pb&j's now come FROZEN with the crust already removed?! The heck? What have we gained? What are we running toward? I have heard it said that our culture is moving toward a collective clinical insanity. We're running so hard, and burning bridges along the way...with eachother, our spirits, the earth...I know, I sound like a greeting card, but really!

Believe it or not, I was a very, very deeply religious child and young teenager. My grandma took me to church every Sunday. At first, I loved the wintergreen gum and droping a quarter in the collection plate. Later, I got pretty into it. Have you seen "Jesus Camp?" I'm talking a super fundy, here. I think I got "saved" at the alter at least three times, and once it was at an event where there were actually fireworks! Woo Hoo! I remember pastors asking people to keep their hands raised if they were saved, and then we would go talk about our numbers much like the stock-market. "Oh my heavans, the Assembly of God church on 4th Street had 45 saved this week! We only had 15!" I began to wonder about this whole thing.

There I was in spirtual, er, crisis.

So, I asked my Dr. for some Zoloft to help me deal with my spiritual crisis. I was 17 at the time. He said to me,
"Now... what?"

"I'm depressed b/c I don't think I believe in Christianity, and that's my whole life."

"Do you believe in anything?"

"Er, I don't know."

"Do you think that God made nature?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"Well, why don't you try praying to that God, then. You're 17, and your medical card will run out soon."

"Oh, okay."


and so it began...it really was a fun road, without all those rules....

Inspite of my pursuit to wash the bad taste that that particular flavor of religion has left in my mouth, I'm finding myself looking into the words of Jesus, whose words I've come to believe are the most misunderstood words ever spoken. I don't usually identify with most Christians; however, I'm reading a book, "The Complete Jesus," which is a compilation of Jesus' words from a variety of sources. The true, non jacked-with and manipulated teachings of Jesus are absolutely beautiful...Mahatma Ghandi said, "I like your Christ, but I do not like your Christians. They are so unlike your Christ." Dang, that Ghandi was smart. Right-o Ghandi. Right-o Dooby Brothers. Apparently, Jesus is just all-right with me too.