A Very Busy Schizophrenic God
I was just about to put the newspaper into the recycle bin the other day in anticipation of a visit by my six-year old friend Sam. Knowing, as I do, her uncanny ability to spot the smallest, most emotionally laden article in the newspaper, I was determined to “protect” her. Actually, that is a lie. I was determined to try to avoid answering difficult questions about the contents of a small article on page 5 of the Metro section of the Tampa Tribune on September 3, 2015. I knew her interest would not be piqued by the article on “Green turtle nest count breaks record” or even “Man accused of killing son during argument” although I was sure that would also catch her attention. No, the article about which I was most concerned about was the one entitled “Muslims decry assault rifle with Bible verse”. In this approximately 160-word article announcing that “Spike’s Tactical of Apopka, is marketing an assault rifle it claims was “designed to never be used by Muslim terrorists.” The semi-automatic AR-15 rifle features a Christian cross engraved on one side and a Bible verse on the other: “Blessed be the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle.” Who know that this same very loving God which that fellow Jesus talks about; that very same peaceful, all embracing Allah of my Muslim friend, Abdel, has an alter ego or separate personality which is committed to training then hands of so-called Christians for war and their fingers for battle.” Who knew that this very same Allah who is alleged by other extremists to await the arrival of the martyr wants to train the Christian to kill with the AR-15 rifle? It is true, of course, that it was the belief of David and other leaders in Old Testament times that God would help them win battles. Many still believe that.
I must protect Sam from this confusion.
Oops, again she is too quick for me!
Sam: Hi uncle Jim.
Me: Good morning Sam. How are you? All ready for school.
Sam: Yes but the bus does not come for 20 minutes.
Me: How is school going?
Sam: School is fine but that is not what I wanted to talk about Uncle Jim.
Me: Oh. I was just reading this article about green turtles. Do you know about green turtles?
Sam: (sigh) Uncle Jim! (She is on to my diversionary tactics). I was coming down the stairs and I heard my dad praying, “Oh my God, listen to this about gun shop selling assault rifle with bible verse on it.”
Me: Oh!
Sam: Of course he tried to change the subject as soon as I came into the room! I was not buying that. He said, ”Go ask Uncle Jim.”
Me: I see (and I did. The more precocious Sam becomes the more often she appears at my house, which is conveniently next-door.)
Sam: Why was dad praying?
Me: Actually, I do not think he was praying Sam. Sometimes we adults say “oh my god “ when we are surprised or shocked about something. I think your dad was shocked that someone was putting a Bible verse on a gun.”
Sam: He said it was an assault rifle. What is an assault rifle? Do you use it like a sword?
Me: I just looked it up and the gun that they were talking about is not actually an assault rifle. An assault rife has to be fully automatic. . An automatic gun is one, which keeps firing after one pulls the trigger one time. It would be like the arm of your little robot doll, which just keeps moving as son as you turn it on. In this case an automatic gun just keeps firing bullets meant to kill until it has used all its bullets. A semi-automatic rifle means the gun holds a lot of bullets but you have to pull the trigger for each one.
Sam: Oh! Like turning on my computer game which just keeps going until I turn it off.
Me: Yes or like turning on the range in the kitchen, which stays hot until we turn it off.
Sam: Okay! I get it. Why was dad upset?
Me: Well, the rifle he was talking about was originally designed for the military and was meant to kill people. In old times, before Jesus, many people believed that God would help them use violence against their enemy. This Bible verse on the rifle is part of a prayer of King David in the Old Testament. You remember that we talked about what people believed before and after Jesus came to teach us.
Sam: But why was dad upset?
Me: your mom and dad believe that the killing of each other has to stop. They also know that most Muslims are very peaceful just as Jesus was peaceful. Some people talk as if all Muslims are violent. You and I know Abdel and his children. They are Muslim and very loving.
Sam: Sometimes one part of me wants to do one thing and another part wants to do something else. Maybe God is like that.
Me: People used to believe that there were many Gods but I believe that there is only one God and She wants us to love each other.
Sam: I know. We talked about that. I still want to hit that girl in class, but I try to nice because you told me too. Can I have a dollar for being nice?
Me: Good try Sam! No!
I was just about to put the newspaper into the recycle bin the other day in anticipation of a visit by my six-year old friend Sam. Knowing, as I do, her uncanny ability to spot the smallest, most emotionally laden article in the newspaper, I was determined to “protect” her. Actually, that is a lie. I was determined to try to avoid answering difficult questions about the contents of a small article on page 5 of the Metro section of the Tampa Tribune on September 3, 2015. I knew her interest would not be piqued by the article on “Green turtle nest count breaks record” or even “Man accused of killing son during argument” although I was sure that would also catch her attention. No, the article about which I was most concerned about was the one entitled “Muslims decry assault rifle with Bible verse”. In this approximately 160-word article announcing that “Spike’s Tactical of Apopka, is marketing an assault rifle it claims was “designed to never be used by Muslim terrorists.” The semi-automatic AR-15 rifle features a Christian cross engraved on one side and a Bible verse on the other: “Blessed be the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle.” Who know that this same very loving God which that fellow Jesus talks about; that very same peaceful, all embracing Allah of my Muslim friend, Abdel, has an alter ego or separate personality which is committed to training then hands of so-called Christians for war and their fingers for battle.” Who knew that this very same Allah who is alleged by other extremists to await the arrival of the martyr wants to train the Christian to kill with the AR-15 rifle? It is true, of course, that it was the belief of David and other leaders in Old Testament times that God would help them win battles. Many still believe that.
I must protect Sam from this confusion.
Oops, again she is too quick for me!
Sam: Hi uncle Jim.
Me: Good morning Sam. How are you? All ready for school.
Sam: Yes but the bus does not come for 20 minutes.
Me: How is school going?
Sam: School is fine but that is not what I wanted to talk about Uncle Jim.
Me: Oh. I was just reading this article about green turtles. Do you know about green turtles?
Sam: (sigh) Uncle Jim! (She is on to my diversionary tactics). I was coming down the stairs and I heard my dad praying, “Oh my God, listen to this about gun shop selling assault rifle with bible verse on it.”
Me: Oh!
Sam: Of course he tried to change the subject as soon as I came into the room! I was not buying that. He said, ”Go ask Uncle Jim.”
Me: I see (and I did. The more precocious Sam becomes the more often she appears at my house, which is conveniently next-door.)
Sam: Why was dad praying?
Me: Actually, I do not think he was praying Sam. Sometimes we adults say “oh my god “ when we are surprised or shocked about something. I think your dad was shocked that someone was putting a Bible verse on a gun.”
Sam: He said it was an assault rifle. What is an assault rifle? Do you use it like a sword?
Me: I just looked it up and the gun that they were talking about is not actually an assault rifle. An assault rife has to be fully automatic. . An automatic gun is one, which keeps firing after one pulls the trigger one time. It would be like the arm of your little robot doll, which just keeps moving as son as you turn it on. In this case an automatic gun just keeps firing bullets meant to kill until it has used all its bullets. A semi-automatic rifle means the gun holds a lot of bullets but you have to pull the trigger for each one.
Sam: Oh! Like turning on my computer game which just keeps going until I turn it off.
Me: Yes or like turning on the range in the kitchen, which stays hot until we turn it off.
Sam: Okay! I get it. Why was dad upset?
Me: Well, the rifle he was talking about was originally designed for the military and was meant to kill people. In old times, before Jesus, many people believed that God would help them use violence against their enemy. This Bible verse on the rifle is part of a prayer of King David in the Old Testament. You remember that we talked about what people believed before and after Jesus came to teach us.
Sam: But why was dad upset?
Me: your mom and dad believe that the killing of each other has to stop. They also know that most Muslims are very peaceful just as Jesus was peaceful. Some people talk as if all Muslims are violent. You and I know Abdel and his children. They are Muslim and very loving.
Sam: Sometimes one part of me wants to do one thing and another part wants to do something else. Maybe God is like that.
Me: People used to believe that there were many Gods but I believe that there is only one God and She wants us to love each other.
Sam: I know. We talked about that. I still want to hit that girl in class, but I try to nice because you told me too. Can I have a dollar for being nice?
Me: Good try Sam! No!
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