"One of Us" - Joan Osborne
I've been thinking about religion a lot lately. Not that I, all of a sudden, want to be born again or that I could even commit to going to church every Sunday. I never considered myself to be religious by any means. I know I don't have what it takes to finish this process because I would question most of it before I believe in all of it. Hence, why I'm in my 30's and still can't eat the circular bread (aka "the hosts," and yes I had to Google it). I haven't earned the right to do so and I've accepted that, but does that make me less than?
Coming from a family that truly feels this is something I should've done, it's kinda awkward that I somehow fell out of the loop and into what's known as "polytheism" (believing in more than one God or being). Just because I have respect for it, doesn't necessarily mean I wholeheartedly get it. I barely understand Catholicism and I've been surrounded by this for most of my life!
Here's the thing. I don't have a true explanation for this. I know I'm not an atheist because it's hard to imagine that there isn't something more superior than a human being out there somewhere, although there's more solid proof to back up the fact that we evolved with time vs. being created by a rib. Then again, I'm not even sure how the story goes.
Now don't mistaken me for someone who's willing to buy into EVERYTHING. I'm not that gullible, but I don't think it's impossible to have more than one faith either. It's not so black and white as most often want to think. If it was, then people wouldn't be so passionate about arguing their points of view. The world would follow the ONE and we'd all just get it from the get go. But we don't.
I think religion encompasses too much to control. It involves stories, hearsay, the written word, miracles, emotions, history, language, art, culture, sex, beliefs, superstition, upbringing, life, changes, people, love, creation, destruction, peace, birth, death, giving and taking. It goes from dark to light and dark again just as quickly. It moves in stages, but jumps back and forth. It's common sense that doesn't make any sense. It's a melting pot of ideas and every now and then I serve myself a few spoonfuls to see what it tastes like.
So I guess the best way to describe where I stand is that I appreciate the few similarities as well as the vast differences of each and every religion. I may not follow a single one perfectly. I may never try. I'm not confused, just too curious. What can I say? I definitely like living in the gray.
Lyrics:
If God had a name, what would it be
And would you call it to his face
If you were faced with him in all his glory
What would you ask if you had just one question
And yeah yeah God is great yeah yeah God is good
yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
What if God was one of us
Just a slob like one of us
Just a stranger on the bus
Trying to make his way home
If God had a face what would it look like
And would you want to see
If seeing meant that you would have to believe
In things like heaven and in Jesus and the saints and all the prophets
And yeah yeah god is great yeah yeah god is good
yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
What if God was one of us
Just a slob like one of us
Just a stranger on the bus
Trying to make his way home
He's trying to make his way home
Back up to heaven all alone
Nobody calling on the phone
Except for the pope maybe in Rome
And yeah yeah God is great yeah yeah God is good
yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
What if god was one of us
Just a slob like one of us
Just a stranger on the bus
Trying to make his way home
Just trying to make his way home
Like a holy rolling stone
Back up to heaven all alone
Just trying to make his way home
Nobody calling on the phone
Except for the pope maybe in Rome
http://www.lyricsondemand.com/onehitwonders/ifgodwasoneofuslyrics.html
http://www.last.fm/music/Joan+Osborne/+images/280737
I've been thinking about religion a lot lately. Not that I, all of a sudden, want to be born again or that I could even commit to going to church every Sunday. I never considered myself to be religious by any means. I know I don't have what it takes to finish this process because I would question most of it before I believe in all of it. Hence, why I'm in my 30's and still can't eat the circular bread (aka "the hosts," and yes I had to Google it). I haven't earned the right to do so and I've accepted that, but does that make me less than?
Coming from a family that truly feels this is something I should've done, it's kinda awkward that I somehow fell out of the loop and into what's known as "polytheism" (believing in more than one God or being). Just because I have respect for it, doesn't necessarily mean I wholeheartedly get it. I barely understand Catholicism and I've been surrounded by this for most of my life!
Here's the thing. I don't have a true explanation for this. I know I'm not an atheist because it's hard to imagine that there isn't something more superior than a human being out there somewhere, although there's more solid proof to back up the fact that we evolved with time vs. being created by a rib. Then again, I'm not even sure how the story goes.
Now don't mistaken me for someone who's willing to buy into EVERYTHING. I'm not that gullible, but I don't think it's impossible to have more than one faith either. It's not so black and white as most often want to think. If it was, then people wouldn't be so passionate about arguing their points of view. The world would follow the ONE and we'd all just get it from the get go. But we don't.
I think religion encompasses too much to control. It involves stories, hearsay, the written word, miracles, emotions, history, language, art, culture, sex, beliefs, superstition, upbringing, life, changes, people, love, creation, destruction, peace, birth, death, giving and taking. It goes from dark to light and dark again just as quickly. It moves in stages, but jumps back and forth. It's common sense that doesn't make any sense. It's a melting pot of ideas and every now and then I serve myself a few spoonfuls to see what it tastes like.
So I guess the best way to describe where I stand is that I appreciate the few similarities as well as the vast differences of each and every religion. I may not follow a single one perfectly. I may never try. I'm not confused, just too curious. What can I say? I definitely like living in the gray.
Lyrics:
If God had a name, what would it be
And would you call it to his face
If you were faced with him in all his glory
What would you ask if you had just one question
And yeah yeah God is great yeah yeah God is good
yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
What if God was one of us
Just a slob like one of us
Just a stranger on the bus
Trying to make his way home
If God had a face what would it look like
And would you want to see
If seeing meant that you would have to believe
In things like heaven and in Jesus and the saints and all the prophets
And yeah yeah god is great yeah yeah god is good
yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
What if God was one of us
Just a slob like one of us
Just a stranger on the bus
Trying to make his way home
He's trying to make his way home
Back up to heaven all alone
Nobody calling on the phone
Except for the pope maybe in Rome
And yeah yeah God is great yeah yeah God is good
yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
What if god was one of us
Just a slob like one of us
Just a stranger on the bus
Trying to make his way home
Just trying to make his way home
Like a holy rolling stone
Back up to heaven all alone
Just trying to make his way home
Nobody calling on the phone
Except for the pope maybe in Rome
http://www.lyricsondemand.com/onehitwonders/ifgodwasoneofuslyrics.html
http://www.last.fm/music/Joan+Osborne/+images/280737
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