A Rant About Jesus

Let me be clear. This isn’t a rant about Jesus, per se. It’s actually a rant about his followers, the true believers. I know. It just got personal for a lot of you, didn’t it? 

Here we are in the second paragraph, without even knowing the post's content, and already sixty-five percent of FanStory readers are preparing a rebuttal and figuring out which scriptures to quote.

The third paragraph covers the rest of you. A small percentage might be open to agreeing with me, but not publicly. Everybody else is in the kitchen fixing popcorn, waiting for the reviews.

I just started reading this piece again, and I think I better explain the first paragraph in a little more detail. I might have put the words Jesus, true believers, and personal in the wrong order. It happens.

The thing is, I’ve known ever since I was knee-high to a horned toad in West Texas that true believers have a personal relationship with Jesus. That’s the only way it works, right? I meant no disrespect when I got those words out of order. I blame it on my dyslexia.

Dang it! But it figures. I just received a private message from a good writer friend on the mid-Atlantic coast. "I support your rant one hundred percent. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to review it for a few weeks as work has become very busy." And I thought she was one of the ones in the closet who would come out publicly. I’ll save that thought for a future rant.

Well, lookie here, it happened in paragraph seven. On my computer screen is a purloined copy of an email chain stating that a circle of prayer is being organized to counteract the content of this rant. 

I see two groups of people. One is praying, and the other is in the closet. I'm not sure what the folks in the closet are doing, but I smell popcorn. I don't think that's fair.

Just an aside, one other thing I learned when I was knee-high to the horned toad in West Texas—never underestimate the power of prayer. Geez, we lived in West Texas, trying to pray our way out. Do you need proof? I left in 1964.

Nobody has ever heard of the power of popcorn, not even a horned toad.

Okay, this whole thing is getting completely out of hand. My first review has been posted. Guess who? Yep, you nailed it. Guess what the rating was. It's not as bad as I thought. But I haven’t finished the rant, and I haven’t posted it.

I do know what’s happening, and so do you. It’s the work of that administrator, Tom. He works in mysterious ways. It’s a conspiracy. The draft of my rant is being leaked to others who, in turn, send out “Praying points.” So, beware, you may be next. But you may have to wait a while, as they ain't finished with me yet.

I'll wrap this rant up with one other thing I learned when I was knee-high to the horned toad in West Texas. I believe we all have the right to religious freedom, including freedom from religion. The choice should be up to an individual and not a suggestion or mandate from a government entity.

The previous paragraph is the essence of this rant. When true believers of any religion think that the government should make laws governing or mandating religion in public places, education, and symbols, they send the message to all citizens that the government endorses a religious preference. 

I'm no scholar, but have studied the Bible in church and college. Jesus told the disciples to take his message to the people. Nothing wrong with people-to-people. Government to people, not so much.  

In Texas these days, our state legislators are making freedom from religion hard to find. If you don't believe me, just ask that smart-horned toad.

Here's the bottom line: I respect an individual's choice about religion. Choose one that works for you or reject religion if you wish. I'm okay with your choice. If you read this rant closely, you noted I never told you my choice. Are you okay with that?   

Now I feel better.