July 25, 2023 – A

Sin gets all the press.
Who wants to be penned up in heaven
for eternity
with a vindictive and easily angered God
who is insistent on everything 
going his way?

We need a different narrative.

Theology is the origin
of all our trouble today/any day.

Theology, doctrine and dogma
are enraptured with a story
as old as the species.

"We have pissed God off
and he is out to get us 
if we don't make him happy quick!"

The priests cooked all this up
and were good at fooling most of the people
all of the time.

Different priests carried the theme
with different spins 
throughout history,
but it's all about making God happy.

Keeping the people busy doing penitence
and making offerings 
kept the priests in business
and kept the people from exploring
the deeper side of themselves.

"Don't go there," 
they were told.
"It's all evil and dark in there!
The Devil lives in the darkness!
Stay out! Stay away!"

The old Taoists laughed
and said, "Circumstances are all there is
and ever has been.
Circumstances creating circumstances,
producing momentum and chaos,
disrupting harmony and flow--
just strive for balance,
and align your nature and virtues
with the drift of life 
and circumstances
to restore peace and serve resonance
within and without.
Nothing to it."

The priests started losing market share
and said, "Out with the Taoists!
They are making God angry!"
And here we are.

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