The YouTube algorithm strikes again.
It fed me a song by Greg in Good Company, a band led by Greg Gilman. They do “rock ‘n’ roll full of heart and soul,” and man, did this song hit me hard. I first heard it as a short of the third verse, and it just nailed me.
“Dedication Song” comes from the 2022 album Quiet Days and Quiet Nights.
It really summed up many of my views on life as a spiritual orphan, or atheist, if you prefer.
Even though I don’t believe in Jesus
I hope you get to shake his hand
I hope your sins are all forgiven
And you enjoy your second chance.
Let’s break this down.
First Line
I’ve said a number of times that I am agnostic about the idea of a single supreme creator. I don’t think it’s possible for us to know for certain that there is a single being that created the Earth and the universe and everything around us.
Even the Bible says there are multiple gods, else why would there be a commandment about Adonai being a jealous god and for us to not have other gods before him? There are also references to the divine council and to other gods worshipped by the various peoples in the Middle East.
There probably was an itinerant Hebrew rabbi in the First Century BCE named Jesus, but it’s not clear to me that he was the “Son of God” as portrayed in the bible.
Even if he was, I’m not thrilled with the things his father did or had his followers do in his name.
Hopes
If you believe in him…
If the Bible clicks for you…
If you think that’s all true…
Then I hope it does come true for you. I hope you get everything the bible promises you. Every tear wiped away. A house with many rooms. All of that.
I hope you’ve got a firm grasp on what the bible really says to do and not do, but I also hope you get what it says you’ll get.
I really do. I can want that for you even though I don’t think most of it is true or will happen.
It’s not that weird, you know. I can want your dreams to come true even if I don’t have the same dreams.
Can’t you? Can’t you want someone to accomplish their dreams even if their dreams aren’t your dreams?
On The Other Hand
Where I run into problems with my former brothers and sisters is when they insist that they’re right and I’m wrong. Many of them seem more interested in reconverting me than in learning why I changed my path.
Quite a few of them usually then insist that the bible be used as a basis for laws in this country, or that it be taught in schools as fact.
That’s where I’ll fight you.
It’s not biblical.
Jesus never told his followers to get Caesar to pass laws requiring people to obey the Ten Commandments.
He never told his followers to force people to follow him.
He never wanted them to use force for anything. Instead, they were taught to love. To serve. To help others. I see far too little of any of that from Christians of all denominations these days. I freely admit that may be the result of media bias, to some extent. The news media seems to talk more about churches getting sued over opening charter schools than it does a church serving people in prison.
Maybe churches should do more of the latter than the former.
“If there’s a God I hope you listen
To what he tells you to do”
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