Salvation

Last Wednesday at Burnie’s Bar I asked Max Angst what he thought of the "Da Vinci Code".
“I liked the book, but I haven’t seen the movie yet,” he replied.
“Max, give me your critique,” I urged
“I don’t know about the factual accuracy of many of the far out claims Brown made but I do like the picture he drew of Jesus. I took a “Historical Jesus” course a while back where I discovered the idea of Christ, Jesus being an aspect of God in the Trinity, did not become a major part of Christianity until the Nicene Council in 307AD, two hundred years after Jesus died. I never have felt comfortable with the idea of the Trinity. Actually, I don’t feel comfortable with the Christian God. There is just too much suffering in the world for me to accept that there is an omnipotent, omniscient, benevolent deity. Such a Deity would stop that suffering.”
“Wouldn’t it limit human freedom for God to interfere in the world.”
“Art, that’s the standard reply and it’s lame, terribly thought less. Don’t Christians pray continually for God to interfere in the world and believe he answers those prayers? Don’t Christians accept that miracles occur, which is God acting in the world? Hasn’t their God set up a required life style and judge people on how they comply with that requirement? Christianity is all about God being active in the world, so saying he doesn’t stop suffering because he doesn’t want to interfere with human freedom is a lie and that lie proves the religion itself is invalid.”
“Wow, but how about Jesus. Is he bogus, too?”
“ Not if you accept him as a wise rabbi who saw humanity’s greatest problem and tried to show a way to deal with it.”
“What is humanity’s greatest problem.”
“Art, we’re a bunch of bloody monsters. We’re forever killing and maiming each other. Jesus taught us to love one another. When he said God was love, I believe he meant love was the most important thing that exists and we should center our lives there “
“How does that work into the Da Vinci Code, Max?”
“ Jesus was a lover. He loved Mary Magdalene and had a family with her. Family love can be the strongest kind of love. I can relate to that Jesus and I see his teachings are very, very important. I can’t do that with Christ”
“How about Salvation?”
“Since I don’t believe in the standard God, I can’t believe in the standard concept of Salvation. But, there is a way in which I can see Jesus as mankind’s savior. Modern weapons put humanity’s future in jeopardy. We’re capable of blowing our selves to bits. . Accepting Jesus’ teaching to love one another would save humanity.”

More Insanity

Burnie’s Bar was noisy when I arrived. A few guys were playing shuffleboard loudly. Max Angst got up, grabbed my arm and hurried me out the door. Soon we were in his car on the way to the Knolls State Park. He pulled into the parking lot on top of the knolls and we got out and sat on the bench looking out towards the city.
“Art, they’re nuts, completely, undeniably nuts.” he told me.
“Who, what? I’m not with you Max” I answered.
“That glorious group running this country, Art. The Senate, The House of Representatives and the whole Bush administration are off their gourd.”
“Is this a statement about their overall performance or is there something particular that brings up this comment.”
“ There’s two things happening at this point in time that point to the insanity of our national government. First, as I have told you often before the government’s broke—eight and a half trillion dollars in debt and borrowing close to three billion dollars a day just to keep functioning. It is in the middle of two wars-- Iraq and the War on Terror-- that require considerable expenditure. Is it not then just nuts to give 70 Billion in tax cuts under these conditions? “
“Second is the problem of our Borders and Ports being wide open and vulnerable to terrorist attack. The game being played here is sickening. The House calls for strict border enforcement with no amnesty for illegal aliens. The Senate’s bill is prone to amnesty but light on border enforcement. Bush calls for something in the middle between these two. Each house will pass its own bill and the legislation will go to a reconciliation committee that will accomplish nothing. The election will come and go and the borders and ports will remain unprotected and the twelve million illegal aliens in our country will still be here working for peon wages just as big business wants. The whole thing is nothing but obscene political theater. American citizens are left vulnerable; aliens illegally in our country will continued to be economically abused only big business will benefit by this crazy show. We need to vote this entire band of phonies in Washington out of office. Vote for Daffy Duck but not for them. Daffy couldn’t do worse then they are doing and it will show them that the American people are sick of the crap that’s selling us out while catering to the wealthy.”
“Another aspect of all this is,” I said, “ Is that the Democrats don’t have a strong program to offer in opposition the Republicans. The people are disenchanted with both parties. Somebody needs to develop a strong third party. The Internet could help them with that. “
“ Art, I’ve just about given up on national politics. I believe serious people have to begin to think on a planetary sale that says every human has the right to a decent life and no one has the right to gather an amount of resources that would allow them to dominate large groups of people. What’s the old saying? Oh yes! Liberty and Justice for all.
.

I've Flipped My Lid

Sunset is one of my favorite times. I often sit out on my front porch as the darkness falls and watch the lights come on up and down the street. There always seems to be a quietness, a peacefulness as the sun goes down.
I was sitting out at sunset the other evening when Max Angst came down the street and turned in at my house. He seldom does that.
“What brings you here, Max?”
“I’m going crazy, Art. I’m certain I’ve flipped my lid and I need to talk to someone about it. You’ve been elected.”
“What the matter, Max? How can I help you?”
“Art, you know I’ve been against the war in Iraq from its inception. I’ve written God knows how many letters to the Editor, to Congressmen, to Senators opposing the war.”
“You sure have. You convinced me the United States should not have invaded Iraq.”
“ Art, I was wrong.”
“Oh Boy! What makes you say that, Max.”
“You know I’m always reading. My reading has made me rethink the situation. Mainly, it has to do with adding China to the mix. China was never considered when I made my earlier analyses of the US invasion of Iraq..”
“How does China fit in?”
“Art, you’re aware of just how spectacularly the Chinese economy has grown over the last fifteen years. In 1990 China was neither a military or economic concern for the United States. Today that’s no longer true. Economically we’re competing with China across the globe, often unsuccessfully. China’s economic success has given it the wherewithal to build its military to where in a few years it will pose a threat. Another aspect of this situation is the supply of oil available to the world. Not long ago it seemed there was more oil than we’d ever need. If supply would become a problem it would be a long time off. That is no longer true. The demand for oil has spread across the world. New areas like China, India and Indonesia are strongly active in the oil market and the US and Europe have increased oil requirements.. The discovery of new oil sources has diminished and many experts say the supply of oil has peaked and in the not too distant future supply may not meet demand. Everyone is competing for the oil the US thought it had a sole claim to. China is maneuvering to get Iraq’s oil.

“What do you mean? It surely can’t invade Iraq. We’re there.”
“Suppose we pull out of Iraq, Art. The country will fall under control of the majority Shiites. The Shiites are allied with the Shiite government of Iran. You’re aware of the conflict between Iran and the US. China has been supporting Iran. If the US pulls out of Iraq, you can bet that China will end up with the Iraqi oil. I’ve read that that supply is the biggest undeveloped pool of oil in the world. Another thing I’ve read is that Saddam Hussein was beginning to make deals with China in 2002 which could well have been the reason for the US invasion. Art, if China ends up with Iraqi oil the US could go down the tubes.”
“Still it involves the invasion of a sovereign country. The oil belongs to Iraq and we don’t have the right to go in and take it, Max.”
“Even if our survival depends on it?”
“Geez”
“Art, we’re living in a new world, a world where the entire planet has to be considered in making our decisions. What’s right and what’s wrong in that setting? Do we consider the nation state in the same light as in the past? There’s also the consideration that much of this has to do with interests of the investing class and they certainly have gone beyond considering the nation state. Do you see why I’m upset, Art. I’m not sure what’s right and what’s wrong in this mess. Ir scares me.
“Just one thought Max. The leaders of China are not dismissing the nation state. They’re doing everything they can to make China come out on top.”