God, Jesus, Mary … are dicks!

New Year is a time of reflection, at least for me. I don’t make resolutions, as I figure that if I need to make changes, and I often do, any date will do. But the following paragraphs deal with other matters beyond attempting to be captain of my ship

Prayer: I was taught to pray to Jesus for certain things and to the Virgin Mary for others. Usually, I was to be on my knees with hands facing each other and pointed upward. I did so all the way through grade school, though in high school I might have lost that habit. I don’t recall. At other times in my life, I took on the habit again, saying to myself “God love him/her,” God forgive him/her – and nothing incidental. I don’t recall every praying for something good for me, job, promotion, winning the affection of a girl, etc. I always figured that stuff was left to me to handle. But to this day I say on someone’s death “God rest his/her soul.” Sometimes I insert the word “troubled” before “soul”. I do so for the benefit of people suffering loss.

For every prayer for any reason whatsoever that I ever offered, I got no response. None. No signs, nothing! My conclusion: God, Jesus and Mary are dicks. They are inconsiderate and self-involved, and have no time to help a human, troubled or not. Praying to God is, like Woody Allen said, like trying to get a plumber on weekends.

Oh, there is this: I was told sometimes that Jesus existed in other people, and that’s how I would find him. He does not come right out and show himself. So, he’s not only a dick, he’s also s stalker.

Events: I was told for everything that happened, it was God’s will. If a mother or father loses a child, God’s will. If someone has an illness or injury, ditto. If a nasty crime is committed against any of us or our loved ones, it is but a test, really, done to make us smarter, stronger, more patient, better able to deal with trouble.

The problem with that is that events happening in our lives happen, and their timing is random. They are said to be part of God’s plan, but they could as easily be the result of no plan at all. As a consequence, there is absolutely no difference between there being a God and there not being one. The same stuff happens.

Howdie folks! As recommended by a commenter I am reading the book Exit the Cave: The Reincarnation Trap, written by Howdie Mickoski. The author is making valid points about the theory of reincarnation, but the one that stands out for me is this: In theory, when we are reincarnated, we are brought back to live another life on earth. But in order to do so, our minds are wiped clean!

Ian Stevenson, who attempted to study reincarnation in a scientific manner, came upon children who were very clear about having been someone else. Stevenson went on to investigate the other life for details, and did his best to assure himself that the child was not under influence of parents or anyone else, merely speaking from memory. I’ve read his work, and find it intriguing, as reincarnation has an appeal, a do-over. I could use one of those. (Children, he said, lose those memories early on in life.)

But there are no do-overs, even on a return trip. We start out blank slates. It does not matter what I know now at age 75 that I did not know at age five … I’ve learned plenty, and most of that learning comes from mistakes. I have to start over.

Mickoski’s idea is that when we are drawn to the light after death, as experienced by so many people in near-death experiences, that we should avoid it. He thinks the light is a trap, a way to send us back to Prison Planet for another life sentence. He names names of those in charge of this filthy game.

I have a long way to go in this book, and he’s written a sequel too. But thus far I am OK with him. As I’ve said on many occasions, if after death it simply goes black, as with Tony Soprano, I’m fine with that. It’s not like I am suffering in a cage. I am simply … not.

If, on the other hand, there is life after death, given the extreme fallibility of humans, there will be forgiveness. If punishment awaits, that will be one crowded detention hall.

What then? What happens after life review, forgiveness, avoidance of the light … I do not know. I’m still waiting for Howdie, or Lucy, to ‘splain.