bearing their own “special” kind of fruit. However, that doesn’t mean they’re not there. All you have to do in order to see it for what it is, is be willing to give it more than just the compulsory once-over because its horrendous nature offends and upsets you.
Speaking of which…
What was it that the son of God said about this contradiction of wolf-like ideologies, where fig trees die on command out of anger, instead blooming with fruit so as to more effectively allocate their bounty? Oh! That’s right. It was Matthew 17:20 where he said, albeit for edification: “Because of your unbelief I say to you, that if you have as much faith as a grain of mustard seed, you can say to the mountain [or fig tree, as the case may be,] remove yourself to yonder place [or bear fruit because I’m starving;] and it will remove itself [or bear said fruit.] Nothing will be impossible to you.”
Ah huh.
You will notice that, to lay hold of the illusion that is wolf bane, we must first deal with an enigma. After all, who did Jesus say was not to tempt God. Was it himself as his only progeny, during a time of desperate need? Or was it us as creations of bewilderment who can; and on faith alone; up and relocate entire mountains full of withered fig trees, simply because they pissed us off? And what’s up with all that blue sky, anyway?
Therefore that the comprehension of this truth must transcend expectation, I give you Mark 10:17, albeit for edification. This being where it’s written, “When Jesus was gone forth into the way [more about “the way” as we progress because, it isn’t some nondescript place that the son of God just happened to be standing at the time,] a man came running to him, and kneeled before him, saying, ‘Good Master, what need I do, to inherit eternal life?’ 18 Jesus replied, saying: ‘Why do you call me good? None is good but God.’”!
This statement is not only an admission of biblical proportion, like that of an unexpected hanky-bound aberration—but Jesus is most definitely trying to tell you something! And yes. It portends that, which is both sticky and thorny making it unseemly. Can you hear it calling out to you, as if a tiny seed of knowledge were struggling for sunlight from within a dense overgrowth of religion?
Shhh…
It’s saying that God and or Jesus take your pick—are not who or what they say they are! And because they themselves are proving that they’re not, I give you the verse that binds, albeit for edification. See St. John 15:2 where Jesus said of it, or flatly confessed, as is the case here: “Every branch in me that does not bear [proper fruit,] my Father takes away.” (And you thought I was being suggestive when I said Jesus was referring to himself in that self-portrait concerning the tree of corruption and its “fruit” of iniquity. Live and learn, spiritual grasshopper. Live and learn.)
What was it again, that Jesus said in that verse? I say we break it down. You know, just to be sure. This way, there can be no denying that “what I will” is a loaded statement barreling headlong down the margins of a one-way proclamation, as if in freefall. And, I will do it by wholly inverting my technique so that there can be no question as to its effectiveness regarding the nature of the truth it bears. Okay then. See St. John 15:2 one more time, albeit for edification, where Jesus said: “Every thought or action in me [meaning, branches] that fail to pass scrutiny because they are questionable and or problematic [meaning, failure to bear proper fruit on said branches,] my Father truncates as necessary. [Meaning, to prune and or take away.”]
Then there are those who would argue that Jesus was himself, a man of flesh and blood. So much so, he found himself struggling with the same short end of the stick as the rest of us. Ergo, the whole reason for his father in heaven having to keep him on the straight and narrow, and all is good to go. Right? I thought so. But then, if Jesus has issues to the point where the Almighty has to keep him toeing the line by pruning him back because he is riotous, violent, disorderly, unruly, uncontrolled, uncontained, lawless, mutinous, rebellious, manipulative and selfish, what becomes of St. John 5:19? You know the dreaded verse. Or at least you should by now. It’s where Jesus said: “Verily I say to you, the Son can do nothing of himself, except what he sees the Father do. For whatsoever he does, the Son does likewise.”
Let me guess: “Odds Bodkins!” Right?
If per chance you felt a cognitive shudder of realization traverse your spine, then know that you’re not alone. Yet, the road on which we must journey for existential enlightenment is fraught, with speed bumps such as these. These are those emotional confrontations that will require of us, spiritual fortitude on a heretofore-unimaginable scale. However, the reward for having endured the journey will be a healing of the heart, and soothing of the soul. A wound for which the world bears through-and-through skewered like an enormous overripe shish kabob of religion set to burst at its seams. Truth is, Matthew 13:13 has deceived us into believing the spiritual injury has healed when, in fact, it has been festering. Even to the point of systemic infection, wherein thrives all manner of religious strife. (Just so you know, “Odds Bodkins” is an archaic phrase used to politely replace the more offensive “GD!” word.)
Knowing that the world in which we live is spiritually contentious, we need to examine more than ever, why that is. All because, if religion were the cure-all for what ails us as an indigenous species, verses the cause, I ask you: would not we be living in a completely different world, than we do? Because religion has been around for so long, you would think so. If you at all doubt the sincerity of that statement, then perhaps another look at what is the world’s ongoing spiritual misery will convince you otherwise. Why? Because it’s in more trouble than you know and getting worse with each and every passing day, is why. This, even despite two thousand years of the church ramming New Testament “gospel truth” down our throats as a feel-good, heal-all, panacea. And, if you tell me that all we have to do to fix the problem is adhere to the teachings of Jesus as written in the Bible…
The spiritual discord for which I make reference is the same as to what you will find within the Amish community (to include their offshoot the Mennonites,) in that, through the vehicle that is their religion they shun everything the modern world has to offer. Why? Because of 1 John 2:15, is why. “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any [person] loves the world, the love of [God] is not in him. 16 For all that [exists] in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, are not of the Father, but of the world. 17 But the world passes away, [along with] the lusts thereof: but he [or she] that does the will of God [will live] forever.”
However, you should know that the Amish don’t exactly shun everything the outside world has to offer. They have, and do use, electricity, hot and cold running water, power tools, farm equipment and implements, radios, and even take rides to Wal-mart aboard internally combusted vehicles every so often. Not to mention, the marvels of modern medicine and hospitals equipped with the latest and greatest. Although the Amish claim citizenship with the United States of America the same as all bona fide citizens do, they do little to honor it. As an example, they refuse to serve on a jury because of Matthew 7:1. This being where Jesus said: “Judge not, lest you be judged.” (Where local municipalities would hold you and I accountable for such a choice, even if we quoted from said verse, they receive a pass in the form of a “get out of jail free” card.)
The Amish also refuse to serve in the military yet enjoy all the liberties and benefits that millions of others have sacrificed for. They also refuse to educate their children beyond the eighth grade because they know that, if they do, they wise up to their antiquated ways. Yet, the Amish are but the tip of the iceberg when it comes to assassinating the goose of loyal citizenship, while pardoning the floundering gander that is a relic of a religious construct. But hey! That old-world handcrafted hutch that retails for $1295.99 at the major retailers is only $750.00. And oh look—matching wall units too! (I know. But talk about having your spiritual cake and eating too, if only because of that worldly, almighty dollar that their secluded society; and just like any other society; revolves around.
