Boycotting God
OK. Enough is enough. We need to become proactive. Take to the streets. Show solidarity. Make a stand and show we aren’t going to take it any more. For over two thousand years, man has submitted to the arbitrary rules and judgement of a non-elected and quite frankly dictatorial God. After centuries of uncritical and sycophantic worship, is it time to boycott God?
We sit waiting for the next disaster, atrocity or war, and when disaster does strike, what do we do? Head off to the nearest church, synagogue or mosque, asking for forgiveness, thanking him, praising him and pleading with him. Never once castigating him for allowing the bloody thing to happen in the first place. We heap praise on God for all that is good in the world, but apportion no blame for the bad. In fact, if there’s any blame to be dished out, we put it firmly on our own shoulders.
As parents, we know that if you constantly cover a child in ill deserved praise, never criticising or guiding, however gently and tactfully, when he or she misbehaves; if you go out of your way to spoil the child, giving him or her all that they want or could ever ask for with no responsibilities of any kind – you’re going to end up with a spoilt little brat with no sense of value for good or evil and little hope of becoming a loving, responsible adult who can clean up his own mistakes and preferably avoid making too many in the first place. Yet this is precisely what we do with God. We may be his children, but sometimes parents need taking in hand too.
So when the next tragedy strikes, let’s boycott the churches – after all, it did no good last time we got down on bended knee. Perhaps that way God might stop taking us for granted, or he might even sort out his act. Perhaps he might bring rain to drought stricken areas. Help us find a cure for cancer. Rid us overnight of warmongers, arms dealers, corrupt politicians, murderers, rapists and telephone salespeople who ring when the football’s on.
Perhaps we can start a petition here. We the undersigned withdraw the unconditional worship which has hitherto been afforded you. We ask that you take responsibility for your actions or inactions and the atrocities that are committed in this world in your name. We request that you immediately direct your attention to the ending of wars (most of which are going on in your name, in one way or another), famine, natural disasters (aka Acts of God – you see?), inequality of wealth, animal cruelty, oppression, slavery and discrimination of all kinds. Once our demands have been met, we pledge to return to acts of worship to a God that is Love, a God that is Just and Merciful. We shall duly offer unconditional love and worship, and if necessary watch Songs of Praise and buy the occasional Cliff Richard record. We will no longer add foreign coins of small denomination or buttons to your collection plates. We promise. Do you, God?
