I’m beginning to feel like the writer of Ecclesiastes whose thoughts are so translated in the King James Version of the Bible; the original Aramaic being incomprehensible to the majority of Christians. It’s a sad thing that organized religion is so mired in orthodoxy and dogmatic thinking. Among theological writings the Holy Bible stands out in having been written by salty dogs and free thinkers. Not long after the flood Noah’s daughters-in-law get him drunk and hop into the sack with him; Lot’s wife turns into a pillar of salt; Solomon writes about how white his harem favourite’s breasts are; Deborah sneaks into the enemy general’s tent and hammers a spike through his head; Delilah shears Samson’s locks. The writer of Ecclesiastes is suffering from a middle age crisis and expresses his ennui with life in detail.
I was deeply saddened to read recently that the present Pope has declared that the Holy Catholic Church is the only true Christian faith—while the rest of the world is attempting to cope with the 21st Century his thinking is mired in the Dark Ages. But then the conclave of Cardinals who elected Benedict opted for orthodoxy, dogma and reactionary thinking. It is in the nature of ecclesiastical organizations that only those who toe the party line get advancement and it is rumoured that the one truly free thinker who made it to the papacy was murdered in the Vatican by his own curia. For similar examples look at the attempt to impose Sharia Law in Canada or the actions of Hassidic Jews in Israel.
Outside my windows as predicted it is raining and today was torrid and steamy; similar weather is promised for tomorrow. Oh well, if it does it long enough the soil can use the moisture. I suppose we can be thankful we’re not in the path of a hurricane and receiving a flood of Biblical proportions.
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