Too many religious folks - especially Christians - have a great need to maintain hell. It is the eternal need for - us and them. It is the way folks can go about justifying the terrible things that happen to some folks and then turning around and justifying the good things that happen to others. It is the old, old story that often is allowed to take away the power of the old, old story of God's creative love that has never ceased to make things new even when we want hell to prevail. When we have a hell to which we can cast folks and a heaven into which we can commend others, we are maintaining hell everywhere.
We just exited a car in which the Uber driver told us about the weather. Weather is quite important down here in NOLA when you consider it can make a mess of everything - a damn mess. If you remember Katrina, you may remember that some TV Christians tried to tie the devastation of this city to the loose living, the gays, and just that damn sinful stuff they say we should all stop doing. It would be easy to name the ones who gave us their religious critique of the shape of the world as it unfolded in NOLA, but it is a religious critique the simply lines their pockets with the money they earn maintaining heaven and hell. What an embarrassment religious folks can be to a world that knows better.
Here's one thing I mean when I say a world that knows better. We were talking about the heat at a festival we just attended. We said it was much hotter last year. He then made a comment about his garden. He said things didn't die off this winter. Everything is simply coming back to life. That - is not good. That, he said, means the gulf is likely to warm up this year and that will mean a greater possibility of hurricanes of some size. It is called science - not hellish reason for a hurricane coming through - not damnation of the people hit by it - no moral cause for a deadly storm. He never once said anything about hopefully God will protect us from another Katrina or maybe it will be a big one because NOLA persists in its 'sinful' ways.
He simply told us the story of his experience, Three times he had to leave NOLA under the threat of a hurricane that year. He stayed as long as he could and then left. His friends who worked for the city told him he did not want to go back and see his place after Katrina hit. The water had completely submerged his home - it was not even visible by satellite pictures. His good friend died in an attic because he was not able to bust through to move to the roof. His parents sat on a freeway for days. He made it to another state and lived there for six months with his family. No mention of God - good or bad. It was the weather. When it is hotter all year round, watch out - common folk know what may well happen. Folks like this also know that it is corrupt systems of cities and local governments that add to the devastation - not any god.
As I listened to him tell his story I realized that I may dislike and not trust 'climate-change-deniers'
more than I do good old 'God-deniers.' Climate change deniers need and want a god onto which they can hold so as to make the world better - safer - drier - wetter - whatever. Pray to God for good weather. Pray to God for more rain. Pray to God to rescue those who will be lost in the storms around us. God-deniers seem to be quick to look at that which may be causing the events around us to get out of hand. That may be the weather or it may even be the politics and the warring madness around us. If anyone is blamed, it is the whole of us - not treating the globe or one another with utmost respect and honor so that we will be open to the need for changes among us. Climate-change-deniers turn to their brand of god that will handle all things for the benefit of those who think their god is on their side and operates by their system of belief.
Maybe the God-deniers have a better feel and understanding of the God of all creation then those who claim to have a special tie to a god who operates as they think and feel the world should be. Religious folks - even good Christian religious folks - work so hard to keep up the story of their own liking, that they may have lost touch with the God who has invited all of us to be care takers of creation - an honor and duty bestowed on all of humanity. In the meantime, we may need to think about getting rid of the hell and heaven of our storytelling and go back to the promises of creation - a shalom - a peaceable Reign in which humanity owns up to our call to live in the the image of the one many of us call Creator - no blame - simply creative responsibility for all.
TRRR
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