Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Suicide and The Sacred Spirit

It breaks my heart all over again when I hear people discussing what their god will do with the soul of Matthew Warren, who apparently took his own life. Why aren't people comfortable with what they can't see? Why do we want charlatans acting as if they know the "mind of God?" There is much that we aren't wise enough to know. Live with it!

I have had several members of my family take their own lives, one a beloved uncle, back in the day when my religion refused church burial to these "sinners." We were told that my uncle would forever burn in hell. What unmitigated arrogant bull dung this was and is! I have had several family members persecuted by church people attempting to exorcise the demons of their mental illness, rather than simply stepping in and holding them until their fears dissipated.

Here's what I know. My uncle's Sacred Spirit never left my soul or my mind's eye. Those with terrible "demons" nipping at their brains to the point where they couldn't hear the sound of The Sacred Spirit anymore still shared much of their beautiful souls with me.Their spirits live on in my soul, and presumably in all of the earth that they touched. Some I still see and hear in my most contemplative states.

I made up my mind as a child of six that if my siblings weren't going to heaven, I didn't want to go. I still stand by that belief. While I wait for the fires of hell, all those who ever loved me are parts of my "heaven on earth."

Pentecostal Prayer Day 8

Abrahamic religions must begin to see the light of the end of their adventures toward true enlightenment. If they are to believe that all humans are made in the image and likeness of one same Sacred Spirit, they must stop killing each other to appease this god. Abraham's hand was stayed as he attempted to offer his own son's blood as sacrifice to his god. Moses led the Israelites to peace, having been stopped from taking up a sword. Jesus reattached the severed ear of his enemy and started a movement that worked for peace on earth, as it is in heaven. Muhammad began as a man of peace.

All these religions seem to have gotten scared or impatient with their progress toward peace and took up arms. Has The Sacred Spirit ever actually asked for bloodshed? I think not. If peace among the Abrahamic religions was possible in the seventh century, we know that we can reclaim this brother/sisterhood. Perhaps we should all look to the peaceful protests of our own century, which did produce many martyrs. Perhaps we should follow examples of our twentieth century prophets who gave their lives and their blood to this endeavor.

I believe that Gandhi, MLK, and Moses were listening to The Sacred Spirit while leading us away from our own fears.  I pray that more prophets speak out against fear and accept that only respectful, responsible communication and compassion beget peace.

The flames of The Sacred Spirit burn deep in our souls, but they never burn up babies and the bedridden. My prayer for Pentecost is that we recognize the prophets and potential of peace "on earth as it is in heaven."