Getting Things off my Chest

I will say as I have said before I in no way wish to offend anyone with this writing; however, my collective psyches demanded I put these thoughts down.

Getting Things Off My Chest

Hum, think I need to explain this King David random thoughts kick. What were those thoughts you ask?  Well, one was David was called “A man after God’s own heart," one instance of this can be found in Acts 13:22 should you decide to look. The second was as you will see later in this writing was how utterly depraved and evil David was. The third was how those who feel their path is the only "right" path and do terrible things to other people.

You see I was watching this PBS special Friday night. It was about the Europeans and when they came over to America and how they treated the Native Americans. How they pushed them off their land, made them into “praying Indians” how they tried to change their religion and their entire life outlook. Well then it occurred to me, the Native Americans and the Celtics are the same. The Celtics got pushed around by the English. England did to the Scots what was done later to the Native Americans. Both cultures had a lot in common on their views/etc.

Next that lead me to the crusades and how “religiously sanctioned military campaigns” were waged against all kinds of other belief systems. That then of course lead me to the poor Gnostics and how they got labeled as heretics by the “developing” church led by political powers who felt they knew better than everyone else.

This of course led my thoughts to the Jews and King David's crusade against all non-Jews and his slaughter of women, children, etc., who had other belief systems. Now obviously, all these things lead to my two random comments about David.

It just ticks me off that well-meaning people throughout history and of course today think they know it all, think they are the only “right ones.” I sure do not know all the answers and will be the first to point that out; I don't but don't take my lack of limited understanding of all this as a failing that needs to be fixed, changed, squashed, killed or whatever. Now know I will defend anyone's right to feel totally differently than me to the bitter end, even if I entirely disagree with you.

Is it all clear now as mud?

I know I feel better now I got that off my chest.

Reviews

[Zaliodir]

Feeling upset, or pained at suffering is the mark of a person who wishes to be good. It is indescribable to see that people who start out wishing and trying to be good, change into monsters. In the same way, it is just as bad when a religion and/or cause loses sight of itself. So many bright cultures have been lost to a marauding group of people blinded by the demands of a single person whom they assume to be righteous. My wife is from the Philippines, she doesn't even know most of what her culture was before the Spanish arrived. So sad. It begs the question, if there is a person who God or whomever/whatever a person believes in does speak to, how do you know it? Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us. I too have been pondering many of my beliefs and wondering.

[Zaliodir]

I was just reading this again trying to think of differences between all those wars in the name of religion. Some would say that all those people were "acting in the name of God", I say not so. The only difference is that David was in a war that was a natural consequence of disobedience to God's laws. You see when Moses brought the children of Israel to the edge of the "Promised Land", God told him and Joshua to destroy the people of those lands completely. Moses would not actually step into the land so Joshua was left to lead Israel and do God's bidding. Towards the end of the Book of Joshua though you see that Israel spared some of the natives to the land and allowed them to dwell with them. All throughout the Reign of the Judges, through the Reign of the Kings of Israel and Judah, the Israelites continually pay the price of their disobedience. Constantly they are put under the thumb of the Philistines, the Phoenecians, the Syrians, Assyrians, and finally Babylon. David was not on some holy crusade, he was throwing off the yoke of the Philistines. I believe the Bible to be true insofar as it is translated correctly by the hands of men. This also means I believe in prophets such as Moses being the mouthpiece for God. David was fighting a war sanctioned by God hundreds of years beforehand that just never had an end until Israel was carried off captive, and Judah was scattered to the four corners of the earth. Maybe this helps. I hope so.

[H.L. Cerveise]

I am glad the writing really made you think. I always enjoy your comments. Thanks.

[Samuel Dickens]

I think your lighter chest caused mine to lighten some, too. If only we'd quit carrying out the ill will of others. What? You want me to go mess with those people over there and make them do what you want? Bite me! I've got a field to plant.

[H.L. Cerveise]

Thank you for reading and reviewing this writing. I am glad it helped.

[Coyote Poetry]

My wife gets upset at me. Honduras, 100% Catholic because Spain came to. Was death or Catholic. I liked and I agree with your thoughts my friend. In the name of religion. How many people been slaughtered and killed? I don't know. My Ojibwa belief. One earth and one people. We must get along for the sake of the children.
Coyote

[H.L. Cerveise]

Thank you my fellow Warrior Poet. It is good to see others also feel the injustice that often is thrust upon others.

[Coyote Poetry]

We must not forget and you are welcome my friend.