If I was a church going
person and I was looking for a new congregation of like- minded individuals,
I’d be hard pressed into a decision. I’m regrettably homesteading smack in the
middle of the bible belt, at present, and have to put my spiritual radar on
ignore most of the time.
This revelation has just come
upon my fully conscious mind by way of the numerous billboards and marquees
which encroach upon my peripheral vision as I drive about town. The latest
phrase to catch my attention was something about “The Path to
Transformation”. Transform into what?
There are limited possibilities regarding the human species. On a personal
level, my ability to change my attitude is generally all the “transformation” I
require. The probability of my morphing into other than what I am is slim,
given the tools I currently have in my kit.
How does one decide what
topic would be relevant? The messages don’t provide any prologue or visual
cover jacket to explain contents. Without the benefit of knowing the speaker,
it could be risky. I am not a risk
taker; rather conservative and happy with that mindset. That being said I think
lectures should come from the classroom, not the pulpit as I see it. I have given my best efforts in remaining in
a pew or a row to learn about spiritualness until the clergy person started to
admonish or invite me to declare my faults, ask forgiveness, pay the fine (tithe),
and come back for more next week. That’s
not going to happen. Been there, done
that, and regret my former decisions.
I don’t want to live my life
based on the what ifs. So, I just don’t go in anymore.
However, that’s not to say,
I’m not amused by the competition between the varied houses of faith concerning
my salvation. Some of the better marketing strategies are located on those
above mentioned billboards and they constantly evolve through the 52
weeks. It must be a full time job for
someone.. I mean some of those ads are thought provoking. But I wonder…
What or who determines the
schedule of advertised lectures? Is
there a predetermined selection of appropriate topics for say week number
23? Are the contents set on a course to
an eventual climax? Well…duh! The answer would be yes, especially if you have
been conscripted by family or community into any number of organized religions.
But doesn’t the message get
stale? Aren’t we intelligent enough to
realize that Wiikepedia will eventually run out of popular lingo and there
we’ll be waiting with baited breath for the answer to all questions only to
discover that we’ve come full circle in the allotted 365 days… and… since we
didn’t get it right last year, we get another chance.
I’m not wasting my time. I’m
not that curious. My today is all I can
handle. I have a healthy sense of
self-esteem, my ego is fully intact and I don’t need to question the path I am
on. It’s working out just fine.
It’s Monday, so I have a few
days in my comings and goings out of the house to entertain myself while gazing
at all the signs out there. I am determined to outwit those who are devoted to
tampering with perfection. I am, you see.
My journey, will all its twists
and unexpected side trips, has no time for even an hour’s reflection to spend with
like- minded people. But thanks for the invite anyway.
