No Other Gods Before Me

I’m thinking that the ancient Greeks had it right. There is more than one god or, at the very least, more than one manifestation of the same god.

Humankind, from every corner of the earth, celebrates the goodness and cowers at the condemnation they experience when conversing with their god.

The rewards and consequences received from their moral transactions vary from the type of god they worship. That which is considered moral also varies from culture to culture.

The vagaries of god’s judgment, moral actions, rewards, punishments, etc. also vary from sect to sect within religious disciplines. Within Christianity, for example, there are sects believing that instrumental music played in a house of worship goes against god’s law. While there are other sects that build mighty pipe organs to glorify their god.

Since the death of Jesus Christ, many different Christian sects have been formed because of theological, political, moral, personal and proprietary differences. Each believing that the difference in opinion was sufficient to establish a new Christian order or that the opposing opinion was sufficiently heretical to excommunicate those who held it.

As an observer, it is difficult to see the god prayed to by evangelical Christians to be the same as the god prayed to by United Methodist; or to interpret the beliefs and practices of Primitive Baptist to be similar to those of Roman Catholics or Episcopalians.

The written authority of each of these faiths comes from the Holy Bible, or should that be a holy bible: since the god’s written word has been interpreted different ways through differing translations. Different sects subscribe to different translations.

All Christian faiths hold that certain sins, the biblical term for immoral behaviors, are particularly offensive to both humankind and god – murder and stealing. Other sins like adultery, coveting, blasphemy, idolatry, and lying are often subject to denominational or individual interpretation. There is even controversy among religionist on the translation of the Commandment “Thou shall not kill. Some say the correct translation is “not murder.” Others take a broader view “not kill.”

Some Christians hold that god did not ordain and Jesus would not condone female priest, ministers, or preachers. Other denominations fill pulpits, these days, mostly with women.

Who is right and who is wrong? It is impossible for any thinking person to conclude the rightness or wrongness of the variety of views and beliefs held by the various god believers; though some beliefs and practices do seem more outrageous than others.

The current debate among Christians is concerned with homosexuality. Most of the homosexuals I know are very nice people, though I would not want to have sex with any of them, much less marry one.

Should homosexuals be allowed to become ministers? (I haven’t heard any argument about homosexuals becoming choir directors, organist or cantors.) Should homosexuals be allowed to marry one another?

The debate rages. Even the government is in the fray. Should partners of homosexuals be eligible for healthcare through places of employment? What is the difference between civil union and marriage? Should homosexuals have their own god or is it OK from them to worship mine?

One thing for sure, this homosexual thing is dividing Christian believers like no other issue in my lifetime including women clergy, abortion, and equal rights for black people.

United Methodist are disengaging from other United Methodist over homosexuality; Southern Baptist are quitting the Convention; Episcopalians, Lutheran, and Presbyterians are forming anti-gay congregations; and Roman Catholics are trying their best to hate the sin and love the sinner. Some say what goes on in another persons bedroom is their business. Others say god can see in there and he doesn’t like what he sees.

In the Middle Eastern religions, where the men rule and women wear veils, homosexuality can result in dismemberment or death; no vagary there.

There is no doubt that homosexuality will continue to cause schism in Christian institutions, particularly those on the North American continent. In my opinion that can be a good thing.

I looked; ecumenical is not mentioned in the Bible. And, if Christian can have different interpretations of sin, why do they all have to think they worship the same god? Why do they waste their time trying to convince other Christians on the rightness or wrongness of a particular position or scriptural interpretation?

If you are a Christian and your god is against homosexuality, then get together with likeminded Christians and shout “Halleluiah!”

If you’re a Christian and your god interprets brotherly love in a more inclusive way, get together and love one another, according to the Scriptures as you know them.

The Greeks had a god for most everything. They may have had the right idea.