CHICAGO, February 27, 2012—Dear God,
You must still be on vacation because it has been awhile since any of us have heard from you. I just thought I would drop you a line and let you know what is going in this crazy, messy world you created.
Let me fill you in on the various things being done in your name.
The theocratic and autocratic regimes of Africa, the Middle and Near East are persecuting Christians, murdering and torturing them. They're burning and bombing your churches, all in your name. They consider Christianity a blasphemy against their one true religion.
They spread terrorism, bombing and killing people in your name, too. Whatever happened to "Thou shalt not kill?"
Here in America, your name is mud.
People are trying to erase it from public life, discourse, and even sight. Christmas, which has celebrated the birth of your son for centuries, is now just “the holidays.” Soon Easter will follow. "One nation under God" is now "one nation." In God we trust?
No one is supposed to trust you. It is in government we trust.
If people of the secular progressive persuasion have their way, you will disappear completely from our lives. The Judeo-Christian principles upon which our country was founded are being eroded.
They new religion is science, and Darwin is their prophet. Maybe you can shed some light on the matter.
At the same time, American politicians are all trying to out-Christian each other. They all claim to be God-fearing, moral Christians. They crow about their "faith" to the masses, but they advocate policies devoid of Christian principles. The only thing they really care about is winning elections. Every time they move their lips, they violate the commandment against bearing false witness.
They claim you hate this, love that, and condemn those behaviors.
There is this big fight over "social values." Could you please clarify those for us? Are they yours? Most of them seem to be man-made rules.
Your chosen people, the Jews, are facing annihilation by religious lunatics who invoke your name to justify their bloodlust. They demand that everyone else convert or die.
Their guy is the only one to worship and their prophet is the only one to follow.
There are violent disagreements on how you want us to live our faith. Christians, Jews, and Muslims are divided into various competing sects and denominations, each claiming to preach your message. Is that message conservative, liberal, orthodox, or moderate?
A little clarification would go a long way.
Maybe it is time you made an appearance. Use a burning bush, building, or volcano to tell us what you really want us to do and how you really want us to live. Maybe you can rain some fire and brimstone on those who persecute others in your name.
A flood, pestilence, or plague of locusts would not be out of place, either.
How about sending us some real prophets to guide us to your true meaning? It all gets so confusing sometimes. Or do you really want us to butcher each other in your name?
One other thing. Could you please tell us your real name or what you want the faithful to call you? God? Yaweh? Allah? The Great Pumpkin? The Great Comedian?
It would be nice if everyone called you by your true name and we were all on the same page.
Well, that’s about it. I will let you get back to your vacation. I hope you are having a wonderful time and the weather is fine.
Peter V. Bella is a retired Chicago Police Officer, freelance writer and photographer, cook, and raconteur. He likes to be the sharp stick that pokes, prods, and annoys. His opinions are his and his alone.
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