Diverta-Momenito

I lost a week somehow, and wanted to post this when it was fresher news... but you'll just have to deal with it.

In and interview in 1966, John Lennon made a famous statement proclaiming, "We're bigger than Jesus." Although he was horribly misquoted at the time, he did predict that "Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink." Where George was the quiet and religious Beatle. John was the loud and not-quite-so-religious Beatle. That's probably why he was my favorite.

When Lennon said this he was commenting on things he witnessed about the world and about the idolization of pop stars. He didn't expect this to be the kind of thing that the Bible Belt (currently know as Red States) would take to heart and organize over.

Last week's Time magazine (Sept 5th issue) featured an article called "Stretching for Jesus." It got me thinking about a few things, primarily, the homogenization of religious beliefs that I've seen. Probably because that is what the article was about.

I remember from my college religious studies class something about how successful religions have stolen from other religions in order to dominate. There are passages in Genesis, for instance (something about a Leviathan, I think), which come from old polytheistic beliefs. Of course every Christmas and Easter I hear people talk about pagan influences on holidays from Christmas trees to Easter eggs to Presidents' Day Super Blowout Sales. And historical research claims that Jesus was not born in December, but in a Spring month known as Craptember which was eliminated from the calendar over a thousand years ago when the first flushing toilet was created for King Arthur (this is also where we get the term "throne" from). They moved it to December in order to take over a winter solstice holiday known as Gimme-Gimme-Gimmie Day.

Okay, I lied about that bit. Truth is that Christmas was moved to December by medieval greeting card companies who wanted to ensure that a steady flow of holidays throughout the year. There is also current talk in boardrooms about moving Easter to August because it's too close to Mother's Day.

Anywho... on about the mixing of religions -

I've known many people who call themselves Christian, but still dabble in astrology and tarot without giving giving the conflict of interest a second thought. I know very few Catholics who follow the dogma that closely (every Catholic family would have about 2 dozen kids if they did). I find that the majority of Americans, while they proclaim to be spiritual or religious or down-right SAVED!, tend to take it on their own terms.

Ultimately, there can only be one Truth, unless you believe the multiple universe model of Star Trek. As a skeptic, I believe in nothing but what science reveals to me, so I don't get visited by Santa or the Easter Bunny much anymore. But if there is SOMETHING, I hold with those who mix their messages. I find it hard to believe that one culture and one book have the ONLY answers. The poplular exception being the dictionary if you shred it up and put it back together right.

When you're trying to get into the afterlife, it's a good idea not to cheese anybody off, so why not try to please everybody.