Kindness is Worth the Risk

I want to thank the person who showed me that a kinder universe was out there…

And that kindness is worth the risk.

 - Groot #6

by Jeff Loveness and Brian Kesinger

I Am God's Regret

You're why this is happening. You ruinous excuses for human life.
You are why everyone will die. Why the rains are coming to wash them all away.
You are God's regret.

 - The Goddamned #2

 by Jason Aaron and R.M. Guéra

God Rid Me Of God

Dear God, what happens in and under the name of “God,” I do not know how to pray. One would think I would know how to do this by now, but I am afraid I do not. I am afraid the vocabulary and eloquence to address the Divine eludes me. I am afraid I lack the ability to properly respond to the insistent call of God. So I begin this prayer with the humiliating proclamation that I do not know how to pray.

Dear God, I agree with Jack Caputo and his accomplice Meister Eckhart when I pray that, dear God, rid us of God.

Dear God, rid us of the God of this selfish and entitled religion. Rid us of the God whose omnipotence is so impotent that he falters, flails, and throws an infantile tantrum at the slightest objection or protest to his religion's status quo. Rid us of the God whose followers behave the same way.

Dear God, rid us of the God of Red Cup Christians, so insecure in their faith that they need and demand capitalist corporations to affirm and confirm their beliefs. Rid us of the God that has perverted Jesus' teachings to sell our possessions and give our money to the poor into a right to waste that money on overpriced and superfluous First World extravagances.

God rid us of the God of equal measures, balances and ledgers, retributive justice, and the economics of salvation that stand in opposition of the unconditional impossible that is love, hope, and the gift.

Rid us of the God of the status quo. Rid me of the God that says my characteristics just happen to be normative and anything otherwise is deviant. God rid us of the God that separates and condemns the oppressed, the forsaken, and the lost. Rid me of the God that conveniently hates all the things that I hate.

Rid me of a God that hates me as much and as frequently as he loves me. Rid me of a God that I am terrified of and terrified to love. For what would it say of me to love such a God?

Dear God, rid me of the God that expects perfect prayers, wondrous worship, and exotic exaltation. Rid me of the God that cares if I don't know how to pray. God, rid us of all other Gods and gods that we have set up to take your place, for we find them more agreeable than you and your unconditional, ridiculous, obscene, and stupid love for the other.

Finally, dear God, rid me of the God of intellectual hubris. Rid me of the God that allows me to speak in such accusative, dismissive, and derogatory language. Rid me of the God that makes me certain of my uncertainty and arrogant in my theology.

Dear God, this is my prayer, which I do not know how to pray.

Dear God, rid us of God.

So Long, and Thanks for All the Jesus Fish

So Long, and Thanks for All the Jesus Fish

A Superhero Story in Three Short Parts

I. Origin

Reuben was always an ambitious lad, but his actions always lingered far behind his ideas. With an intelligence that surpassed his means, he always felt betrayed by the society that didn't recognize his genius. This resentment only intensified as his pursuit of employment met with increasing failure.

MitchWords 15.3

This past Easter was difficult for me.  I have been questioning a lot, doubting a lot.  I wasn't doubting the crucifixion or the resurrection, but I was struggling with what those meant.  What exactly was sacrificed?  What was gained?  Was it purely the violent, physical death of an innocent man that somehow assured my salvation?  How does that work?  Why does that work?

And what kind of God would orchestrate such a macabre atonement?

MitchWords: 15.1

We need to start talking about depression.

By "we," I mean Christians.  I mean the church.  I mean all of us that claim to have been called to love our neighbor as ourselves.

And by "talking about depression," I don't mean we should be dismissive about it or pretend it is something that only afflicts non-Christians.  Heavens no, do not do that.  Instead, we must face the reality that Christians struggle with depression, anxiety, and emotional and mental issues as much as anyone else.

Never Deserved or Earned

We've heard a lot about nature today. By its nature, mercy is never deserved or earned. It can only be given as a gift.

- Fables #93

by Bill Willingham and David Lapham

MitchWords: Part Eleven

Searching for the truth through stained glass windows,

Covered up in shame, things that only I know,
Strike a match and light another candle,

Raise my hands a sing a pretty song.
If anybody knew this ugliness inside me,

Would they throw a stone, would the crucify me?
How heavy was the crown of thorns? I wonder if I'm too far gone?

“Dark Hills” by Day of Fire

Ammunition for the Culture War

A guy like Clyde Birch knows he can just roll in, latch on, and ride our town right into international headlines.
And it's not just the right wing assholes.
Every leftie, atheist "progressive" is just waiting for a scientific explanation for Revival Day so they can do a little dance on the grave of organized religion.
We let them keep this up, and we're gonna have Ted Nugent and the Dixie Chicks playing dueling benefit concerts on Highway 51.
The riot we saw today is gonna look like a bar fight compared to the shit we're gonna have to deal with if this escalates.
I hate to say it, Mayor. I do. But we're not people anymore. We're ammunition for the culture war.

-Revival # 8

by Tim Seeley and Mike Norton

Under My Breath

My father was a religious man.
I got you, hon.
Can you hear me?
Jean, can you hear me?
For me, as a scientist, it never made any sense.
Don't go, Jean.
But for the first time in a long time--
Don't go...
--I hear myself pray.
Please...don't let her go...
Under my breath, at first.
Then louder.
Please--!

- Identity Crisis #4

by Brad Meltzer and Rag Morales

In Holy Defense

Yes, you fucking dimwit, with a sword. Like you got in your hands right this moment.
Assuming you were in a position to have to do so, in holy defense of our most blessed Lord Christ Jesus...
How. Hard. Do. You. Think, to kill a man?

- Northlanders Vol Three, "Lindisfarne" Part 1

by Brian Wood and Dean Ormston

Repay the Debt

Bird: Sounds to me like you're lookin' a gift horse in the mouse.
Dancy: Looking a gift horse in the mouth, bird. Not Mouse.
Maisie: You don't say.
All boils down to whether or not she's grateful, whether or not she's willin' to repay the debt.
Dancy: Debt? Christian folk, they don't do good and then expect--

- Alabaster: Wolves #3

by Caitlin R. Kiernan and Steve Lieber

Hope Against Hope

Wonder Woman: This is madness, Kal-El!
It was called The Vanishing, a hopeful name in the face of hopelessness.
For all we know, those people could be gone forever, and our only hope is that they didn't suffer.
Superman: For all I believe...
...they're alive.
Wonder Woman: You have no proof!
Superman: Diana... I don't need proof.
I have something stronger.
I have faith.

- Superman #211

by Brian Azzarello and Jim Lee