I am perpetually bemused by people who know exactly what God thinks–and are immensely comforted by the discovery that God thinks just exactly the way they do.
Wow–who’d have guessed!?
The most recent example I’ve stumbled upon comes from American Family Association’s Sandy Rios, who delivered this truly jaw-dropping diatribe on her radio program:
I would not want to be in the shoes of any of the left right now. I would not want to be in Barack Obama’s shoes. I would not want to be in the shoes of homosexual activists. I say that with humility and with fear for them because God will even the score, he will sort things out, he will be God and he will not be mocked. Whereas they think they are getting away with breaking all kinds of moral laws and mocking everyone in the process, they just don’t know God, they don’t know who they are up against and we do. And that should bring out some mercy in us because I wouldn’t want to be—what did that old evangelist say: ‘it’s a fearful thing to fall into the hands of an angry God.’
Unlike all us sinners, you see, Sandy Rios knows God.
The monumental arrogance and self-delusion displayed by those who purport to know the mind of a deity they themselves describe as all-knowing and all-powerful is certainly mind-blowing. But what really gets to me is the nature of the God these people have created in their own image: small-minded, vengeful and partisan. Hardly the sort of God worth worshipping.
I don’t mean to be snarky or dismissive, but if God exists, I’m pretty confident she will reward charity, inclusiveness and loving-kindness rather than prejudice and hate. But then, I must hasten to say that I can’t really know.
Unlike Sandy Rios, I haven’t chatted with God lately.
I previously commented on another blog regarding the comments of a Holocaust survivor on Oprah Winfrey. When Oprah asked the woman how she could maintain her faith in God while living in that hell, the woman responded, “When God gave man free will, control was taken from His hands. I believe God cries, too.” That was approximately 15 years ago in Florida and has a profound effect on me today.
Thirty years ago, during a conversation with a psychic while living in Las Vegas, the subject of religion came up. She commented that the Bible states, “God created man in his image; I believe that image to be intelligence.” These two comments, years and miles apart, meshed to give me an entirely different outlook on religion — and people who profess to KNOW God and the Bible intimately.
God does not include a physical description of himself in the Bible (which is man’s version of God’s life plan) and giving man free will is rather like raising our children to know right from wrong but once they are grown all we can do is cross our fingers and hope they make the right decisions in life. I left one church years ago initially due to racial differences when the subject came up during Bible study. This same church preached constant fear of punishment from God for making the wrong decisions about anything and everything. This left me indecisive and afraid to make any decision. No way to raise five children. When I realized their God was vindictive and only accepting of what they viewed as correct belief and behavior in His eyes, I called a halt. I can only wonder if Ms. Rios is a member of that congregation as her “preaching style” rivals what I left behind on Brookville Road 43 years ago.
We all have our personal belief in religion, IF we have one, or in evolution if that is our mind set. The truth lies somewhere in between and is a combination of both and it is not up to us or the GOP to decide what God believes or which way evolution is headed. If God is there, he/she is a forgiving spiritual entity; evolution is unforgiving and will continue on it’s own path. Neither will heed Ms. Rios and her diatribe, the GOP, Tea Party, far right-wingers, liberals or non-believers.
From Inherit the Wind: God created Man in His own image-and Man, being a gentleman, returned the favor.
Sandy Rios, like so many in her circles, claims to be a Christian. She claims to be a follower of Jesus Christ–but only the Jesus Christ that doesn’t exist in the New Testament. She believes in the Jesus Christ who packs a Glock and will “strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger.” (With thanks to Quentin Tarantino.) These folks cherry pick from various parts of the scriptural writings to support their “message.” I can’t help but recall the line from the film Hannah and Her Sisters: “If Jesus Christ returned to Earth and saw what was going on in his name, he’d never stop throwing up.” (Or something very close to that.)
Thanks Anna B. I wanted to post that quote and trying to remember where it came from.
Stupid people + Holy Books = hours of fun (plus the odd war here and there)
God is so much greater than the GOP, the Tea Party, or any other mortals! He/She is pretty busy with really important things!
Thanks, Sheila and others who’ve posted today!
Scott Desjarlais (R-TN) has already managed today to be rude and dismissive to a nine-year-old girl born in America whose father faces deportation to El Salvador. The child wanted Desjarlais’ help in slowing or stopping her dad’s deportation and the separation of their family. She also cited her heroes–Barack Obama and Selena Gomez. Mr. Desjarlais was very short with the child as he said, “Laws will be laws,” and just sort of left it at that. So then, we’re off to a fine election cycle for 2014 and 2016.
Gunman today at McNair Elementary School in Atlanta. In custody, no injuries to students or staff.
Those lax gun laws are just not the answer, are they?
You all can continue to speculate all you want to…….free will and all of that……I know my own mind and am perfectly comfortable with its contents, thank you very much. I don’t seem to find a Sandy Rios in my Roladex (I am after all a traditionalist). That ought to tell you something.
I do manage to scan Shiela’s inspired writings (even though I’m told she is dubious about me) and find them highly insightful.
I was given no monetary offerings for saying that.
And yes, I am a She if you really MUST know.
Then shouldn’t you more properly refer to yourself as “Dea Aeterna” or perhaps “Dea Aeternam”? My Latin is more than a little out of date.
Varangianguard:
If I had my preferences (which being who I am you would THINK that would be a given), I would do as you suggest, but the Latin noun for “diety” is a masculine one, and the custodians of the language (theological area) in the Vatican insist that they are not free to change it without approval from me. (Ooops, forgot….that’s “Me”)
I guess I could, but they seem so content that they (or at least one of them) infallibly speak for Moi (just to add a little spice to this) I really don’t want to break the news to them.
Deus,
hahahahahahahahahahahaah. Very good (which, of course it is -considering who you are, now and forever and ever).
Great response to Sandy Rios, Sheila. I just wanted to let you know that I quoted your response on my blog post Roundup of Recent Right Wing Idiocy and Hate