10.29.07 Old Time Religion
10.29.07 Old Time Religion
; )
One of Brevard’s local churches, St. Philips, an episcopalian fellowship, is having a special service on the evening of Halloween. It’s for parents who do not want their children to participate in the traditional pagan holiday of “dressing up” for trick or treat. It will be educational as well as fortifying and the entire community is invited.
As I understand it, they want to teach some history about the doctrine of atonement. Everyone who attends will be given a numbered ticket and two will be chosen to serve in very special functions. One will get to butcher a goat, and the other a lamb, representing in a nut shell exactly how the doctrine of atonement evolved.
The altar will be used for the sacrifice of both creatures. The blood of the goat will represent the sins of the congregation and the blood of the lamb to accent the jewish commandment to “do this in remembrance” of someone named Jesus, who was born from a virgin and later chunked into a volcano to appease God’s displeasure with our having been born into a state of sin! Before the actual sacrifice the two lottery participants will be dressed in the attire of ancient pharisees. It’s sure to be an unusual evening.
The congregation is also expected to participate. After the goat has it’s throat cut, it’s blood will be drained into a chalice. Everyone will get to swig, rinse and spit the blood onto a second goat, which will be released and then chased down main street through the town square. After that, the congregation will return to the sanctuary where the lamb will have it’s throat cut, representing the more ‘sophisticated doctrine’ of transubstantiation**, and also known as atonement 2.0, courtesy of Peter and Paul (and Mary). Everyone will have an opportunity to get another swig and will be expected to swallow the blood this time in order to receive God’s special blessing, “the peace that surpasses all understanding.”
While it might appear to be ignorance “that surpasses all understanding,” we must remember that “God” works in mysterious ways and no one should ever consider such tradition to be pagan in nature because “God” cannot tolerate Pagans who will not kneel and drink the blood of the lamb. (Only pagans who have been covered with the blood of Jesus (aka lamb of God) can be tolerated at the throne of a merciful Creator. It’s a little like the pot calling the kettle black.)
If there were a judgment day, and God were love, isn’t it more likely that God would say “no blood, no foul. You kept the commandment. Well done,” while allowing everyone that had shed blood and thrown judgmental theological stones at one another to simply fade into oblivion like dust in the wind, reaping what they have sown?
It’s all backwards. There was no original sin because there was no fall from grace. There was no Eden and Abraham was probably fiction too. It’s become a sickening mind game that poisons those who participate in this gross perversion of grace. The kiss of the sun is enough. Is it so hard, to try to and make tomorrow better for everyone, without the bloodshed? Pretending to “play” with blood, by calling it holy** after it’s been shed is blasphemous. God does not need a volcano, a cross or tree to say “I love you.” If your still here, you haven’t been “smote.” What more evidence could you possibly need? Just try and do better. You need not worry about hell or any kind of divine punishment. They made that up too!
gaia’s fool,
inertqorrtz