It's Easter and my feet have walked down many a different path but seldom have they led me into a church. My father wasn't a religious man as far as I know, or if he was, he kept it just between himself and God. Now my stepmother was of the religious variety and when I was a boy, she made certain that my two stepsisters and I went to church every Sunday. It wasn't until my sisters ratted on me about skipping out and spending the collection money that my church going days ended - guess I should have shared my bubble gum and chocolate bars with them. I've never been baptised, never had some water sprinkled on my tiny face and blessed; perhaps not beginning life in the proper manner is partially to blame for some of my misdeeds but I don't really belive so. I'm a firm believer that eventually, even if one isn't the quickest learner, at some point, a person has to be accountable for their own actions.
Today, my footsteps led me to the little Baptist Church down the road. I went, not so much because it's Easter and to worship the good Lord Jesus, who was brutally crucified on a cross and then resurrected after three days but because our youngest daughter Jessica and a couple of her friends sang "Jesus Loves Me", which was very cute. Not belonging to any particular religious denomination, I have, over the years, attended quite a few different churches and listened to the sermons, some of them rather unusual, and I have to say, I found the casual atmosphere at this church to be most friendly and casual, the pastor actually making the odd joke during his sermon. However, I'm not sure if the politician sitting near the back of the church found one of his jokes to be that comical.
Now, I don't know if the good Lord is God or the Son of God but I do know that he was a Man and a very good Man; definitely a Man everyone could look up to and behave in a likewise manner. In these times where catastrophic calamities seem to be occurring at a rather steady pace and the weather patterns have changed dramatically; a time when our beliefs are being shaken from us one by one and left to wither and die at our feet, I feel it's important to believe in such a Man. A lot of people say believing in the good Lord distinguishes us from the animals but I like to think that it keeps us human and even though most of us are dastardly sinners, it's the goodness within our hearts that keeps the darkness and evil from overpowering and ruling us and it also allows the good side to triumph.
I used to gamble a lot; can't recall how many times because I bet my last buck that my wristwatch hit the table during a poker game. I can't remember if one of my gambling buddies told me this or if it was a man singing some cowboy song on the radio but whoever it was he said, "I believe in God and I go to church on Sundays; a fellow needs all the luck he can get. Some things just aren't worth risking a chance on." I also have a good friend Winston Bushnell who doesn't belong to any particular church but because his wife is a devout Catholic and goes to church faithfully every Sunday; he tags along. When I sailed with him through the Northwest Passage, if we weren't at sea or stuck in the ice somewhere, when Sunday rolled around, he went to church. When I asked him why, he replied much like the gambler, "It doesn't hurt to give thanks for safe passage" and he wasn't just talking about our sailing voyage; it was safe passage through life's storms. The church I attended this morning with my family reminded me of the church I went to in Clyde River on Baffin Island with Winston - the one difference being, they spoke Inuktitut; I couldn't understand a word except when a group of little kids got up and sang, "Jesus Loves Me" in English.
A lot of wars are happening at various places in the world at the moment and the only reason to me that they ever really escalate, get right out of hand, is when religion becomes the reasoning. Wealthy business people, politicians and royalty can't convince ordinary men to pick up a gun because there's a buck in it for them but by gosh, convince them it's a war against God and the blood will flow; make the tsunami that just hit Japan look like a wee ripple on a puddle. God, Jesus, Allah, The Great Spirit or Whomever, as far as I can see, the word "slaughtering" of innocents isn't in their vocabulary.
Anyway, before I begin sermonizing, I'd just like to mention that going to church on Easter or any other day is probably a good thing - who better than Jesus Christ to have for a mentor - beats the hell out of emulating some actor or singer the media have blown up so huge, in comparison, the Firestone blimp looks like a balloon at a children's birthday party - cheers - eh!
Jesus loves you.............stool
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