Our life's destiny.....RUN!

 
It’s been said that every life is a story, and every story - though most of us refuse to believe it - deserves to be told. And I tend to subscribe to that theory, simply because the alternative is unthinkable to me. There are those, however, that have no problem believing our existence is simply a matter of chance nothing more or nothing less…… a cosmic raindrop in an infinite ocean of possibility. And I’m not knocking that way of thinking. In many ways it’s liberating, or at least it appears so to me, but I’ve never been able to take that leap. God, and his role in our life - or lack thereof - has always been intriguing to me.
There’s a school of thought that states we choose our destiny prior to birth. That seems a little screwed up if you ask me. I don’t know about you, but if given a choice, I’d choose a story filled with espionage, gun fights and copious amounts of gratuitous sex. Because, let’s be honest here, all those things are uber cool, especially the copious amounts of gratuitous sex. But, if this theory is to be believed, I chose something far more benign.
But on the other hand, maybe life isn’t preordained at all. Maybe we write our own story in hopes of understanding the complexities and hardships of this thing we call living. Or maybe it’s a little of both, and we play our roles - putting our own twist on our character’s performance - within the confines of a cosmic screenplay of course. But the one thing I have learned is this: Hardships and trials, though not pleasant or desirable, if processed properly, can create a beautiful and compassionate soul.
Of course I have no idea why life can be so exhilarating one minute and exasperating the next. But it is, and we all struggle to find our own way to cope with life’s realities. And I think that is why religion is such a powerful force within humanity. It offers absolute truth to those who are willing to follow it’s rules and regulations. The only problem is which religion is correct, and which rules do we follow?
For me that question was answered quickly. You see, I am a product of the Bible belt, or the flyover states as some people are fond of calling it. But that’s complete bullshit. Because the people that live here are some of the hardest working, hospitable and compassionate people you’ll ever meet. There’s just absolutely no room for discussion when it comes to religion. Which, if you think about it, is kind of strange. Fundamentalism of any kind, by it’s very nature is rigid and harsh. The fact that most fundamentalist are more compassionate than their theology allows speaks volumes to me. But I don’t have a crystal ball, and I can’t see into peoples souls. So, I’ll leave it at that.
Now that’s not to say that there aren’t any hippie dippy, love thy neighbor, universal health care, marriage equality advocates that reside in our little vacuum, but they’re in the minority. Religion, however, and fundamental Christianity in particular, is by far the prevailing mindset. It all seems so innocuous, really. And for many people it may very well be.
Bur religion, in my opinion, is supposed to be a sacrament pointing us toward something higher than ourselves. But, when taken as a literal fact, and sprinkled with a health amount of shame and fear, religion becomes something far more sinister. It becomes a means of control and abuse. I know those words sound harsh, but that doesn’t change the fact that their true. Anytime someone claims to know the mind and will of God for your life….. run!