Coffee With Jesus

  There is actually a cartoonist who does an excellent job with a strip called Coffee with Jesus. So, apologies for ripping off the title.

Two things before the start. A wise woman once told me "Steve, don't tell anybody everything but God. I have learned the wisdom of that statement. Another wise saying comes from the Buddhist Tradition: "If you see Buddha on the road. Kill him." To me that means don't get so dogmatic and sure of your own righteousness that you confuse your concept of God or in the Buddhist sense "enlightenment" as complete.

My Christian faith is much different and my conception of Deity is much different than the faith I was raised in. The foundation of prayer and inner dialog remain. The dogma? Not so much. Still we all have our own journey and I'm not as concerned with other people's interpretation of my journey as I was in my youth.

 I don't say that with arrogance. I could be wrong. I've killed my inner Buddha but the inner dialog and hope of incarnate grace remains. I realize that I no longer have an absolute religious litmus test for my life. That will appall some and others will see me as naive and holding on to superstition. Oh well. I gotta be me. You be you and at least we can try to treat others as we would like to be treated. That's not as easy as it sounds.

I have a meditation app on my phone. One of the programs is a timer with the sound of running water as background for meditation. I often use it when I just need to be silent and drown out any background distractions. One of the places I mentally go is a hybrid of places from my youth. A combination of Black Creek in the town of my birth Gadsden, Al and a place in the country in the town of my family Altoona, Al Both located in Northeast Alabama. Black Creek is a swift running creek with Noccalula Falls at the head of it. Altoona is a small community that was a booming coal mining town in the early 1900's. Not much going on out there now and Gadsden isn't exactly booming anymore either. But, I digress.

  Anyway, I could tell you the exact coordinates in Altoona but most people think of Altoona, Pennslyvania when they think of Altoona which ironically is to the best of my knowledge where Altoona, Alabama got it's name.  Anyway, (in my mind because it doesn't actually exist in a physical location) at the foot of the old mountain where the mines were is a running brook that expands to a nice little lake. This is where I go in my mind to meditate. So, away we go...

I like to sit here and think that I'm with you and I can see you in my mind. Remember the old picture back in the day where you are sitting on a rock teaching? Well somehow the artist made that rock look comfortable. But, here I like to see us sitting on the soft grass. Maybe if it's morning we can share a coffee or just talk.

 The world is crazy right now. I'm not sure how to deal with it. I think back on my upbringing and on how seriously my elders took the concept of Jesus identifying with the poor. But, lately the evangelical church is rushing to the aid of an extrememly rich and vulgar man of power.

Jesus: Well, they are following their own lust and desire. But, they also are scared and trying to make sense out of a changing world. The old stories and myths are being challenged. The foundations are crumbling and somebody has to take the blame. Even the man you speak of has insecurities and fears and he is doing what most people do. He's using power and influence to get what he wants.

Me: But, he made a mockery of faith. Didn't you notice how wooden he looked when he marched across the street after his troops shoved and overran people? He looked like an automaton.

Jesus: His defenses were up. He was in the midst of his own arrogance and remember my prayer? They know not what they do? That's him in spades!

Me: But, what about the feelings of the people he shoved aside? Where were you?

Jesus: I was the angry young black woman and the rich idealistic white man who were trying to find common ground. I was the elderly man bleeding in Buffallo and I saw from the perspective of the angry and frustrated police that shoved past him as if he were just a disgarded piece of inconvinient trash in the road. I was George Floyd pleading for my life as someone with authority was crushing it out of me. I even saw through the angry and venomous eyes of the killer. He is guilty but also to be pitied.

Me: Well, that may be a little deep for me right now. But, I think I'm starting to understand. At least a little. Is all humanity to be pitied?

Jesus: Humanity waits on a god to show them and force them to behave a certain way. They count money and power. They count spiritual authority and all these other things as signs of God's favor or societies favor. They treat the intellect and the ability to do science as a means of control and a way to gain admiration and money and influence. They are trying to shout and shoot each other down to pave the way for a better place. But, the things they are hungry for here are just reflections of a deeper and more real need.

Me: Well, that won't pay the rent.

Jesus: Sadly, no it won't. But, if they could look out of each other's eyes just a little bit then maybe they would stop worrying that someone else is going to get ahead or not have to work as hard as they did. Do you wish your child or your brother to suffer hardship just because you did? Yet, we don't want to pay an extra penny in tax or give shelter to the poor or food to the hungry because someone who doens't deserve it might get a little something. That's part of the problem. We are all connected but we see it as us vs them.

Me: I think about my youth when I would talk to you. There were times when I had nobody else to talk with. I would go into great detail about my needs and desires. Even the sexual questions and the personal questions. I found so much help mentally in talking with you.

Jesus: It was the foundation of your sanity. I love you for trusting me with it.

Me: So sometimes I would walk by the TV and see Pat Robertson and he would start praying at the drop of a hat right on camera. It always made me uncomfortable. I knew the price I paid to get to a place of prayer and stabiltiy and here they were scrooching up their eyes at the drop of a hat as if God were the doorman at an exclusive club.

Jesus: Well, your thoughts then were not quite that focused or mature but yeah, I see what you mean. I really do.

Me: So that's one reason that the president offended me. He treated prayer and faith as if it were just another prop in his reality show.

Jesus: It was.

Me: I'm so tired of arguing politics with people. I guess maybe they are tired of arguing with me. I don't know. But, we all wake up in our own skin everyday. I see people yelling at each other instead of talking with each other. As if that would cause the other person to change their mind. I see people giving Trump a free pass where they would have savaged Obama. I see people trying to deify Obama and make Trump the devil incarnate. But, honestly I do think he's a narcisstic person and of low intellect.

Jesus: Done with that rant?

Me: Yeah, Thanks for listening.

Jesus: So, what are the things you really want to talk about today?

Me: I have a long list. But, wait until I close this window. There are things I can't trust anybody else with.

Jesus: You don't have to.


Peace!