Thursday, July 26, 2007

Does it matter??

A few years back there was a movie called “A Few Good Men” playing in the theaters. It starred Tom Cruise and Jack Nickleson, as I remember. Tom Cruise played the part of a Naval lawyer. In one scene, a courtroom scene, Nickleson was on the witness stand and Cruise was interrogating him. He pointed his finger at Nickleson and in a loud voice demanded, “I want the truth.”…. Theatergoers watched as Nickleson’s face turned red, the veins in his neck bulged and in an angry voice he replied,… “You can’t handle the truth!”

For the past two hundred plus years, the “Professionals” of Christianity (the clergy, theologians, biblical scholars, professors of religion, the hierarchy of the church) have, in essence, spoken this same line to the people-in –the-pews, regarding the truth of religion. They have covertly said over and over, “You can’t handle the truth”, … about God, about the Trinity, about prayer, about the virgin birth, the resurrection, original sin, atonement, heaven, hell and eternity.

For over two hundred years, the “Professionals” of Christianity (with only a few exceptions) have chosen to remain silent about the true history and authenticity of God, religion and the dogma of the Church. Opting instead to allow the myth of an immature belief system to continue unabated; maintaining an “Our father who art in heaven” theology.

But now, at the beginning of the twenty-first century, intelligence is beginning to overtake the silence of the Church. More than just a few of the Church “Professionals” are breaking rank. They are talking and writing about the true understanding of gods and goddesses, religion and ‘faith’.

Some – who would squelch this new truth – object on the grounds that the people-in-the-pews should believe what ever they want to believe. If the old belief (myth) system gives them comfort, leave it alone. After all, many of them “…can’t handle the truth.”

My question to you today is this….. Does it matter??…. Does it make one ‘hoot’ of difference what the masses believe? Should we who profess a more progressive and intelligent understanding of religion just shut up and go away… or… Does it matter??

I solicit your comments… my opinion will come later… barry e