Begin Again is a quaint concept. We have been raised with many good and not-so-good ideas that our parents bequeathed to us. Often we stop at that jumping-off point of our lives. Especially where prejudice and bias reign supreme. We know we must be the best people and the ones that God loves simply because we have been told as much. Later in life, we identify with those who have a similar lifestyle to our own. Surely the way that we do things must be the best way. Our peer group informs us who to love and who to hate. After all, our peers must be right after all they are our peers…

Religion is notorious for the judgment of humans against other humans who do not have the same sins as they do. Some churches have excellent headgear. Apparently, Christianity must be connected with hats…and nice ones. One faith will sprinkle you on your forehead when you are baptized while another insists that you must be fully submerged underwater to be really baptized. Many churches insist that you must never allow a drop of alcohol to touch your lips…unless you are in your basement closet and have the light off…or on vacation somewhere far away. The heterosexual will protest that they can not worship with the homosexual…but their married friends who are ‘sleeping around’ are simply victims of their healthy libidos.

Wink we do at our sins and shortcomings. Point our fingers we do at others who do not meet our standard that was developed by a group of as fallible leaders as any human being that you can find.

Chicken Little of the fairy tale was certain that the sky was falling…and from his limited perspective, it seemed right. I had a manager when I was working at University who insisted that soon our department would be contracted out and that we would all be out of a job. Later he was fired and I understood his perspective.

A parishioner leaves the congregation and the others disown them. They ceased to follow the precepts of the leader and were guilty of imbibing Saspirilla on Sunday. Shaking of the heads and constructive criticism ensues. They have backslid and are a bit doomed…while the person who left has a wide smile and a dance in their step…they have been let out of jail…