Gettin Spiritual On You

For today, I'd like to talk about spirituality a bit. Now I am not an overly religious man, but I do believe in a higher power. I just don't succumb to the dogmas of many organized religions. And for that, I am choosing "Bang a Drum" by Jon Bon Jovi today. A little known classic that resides on the excellent, Young Guns 2 soundtrack. Now most people know "Blaze of Glory" which was a smash hit, but many of the other songs on the album are much larger in depth and meaning. From "Santa Fe" (my personal favorite on the album), to "Miracle" and "Dyin Ain't Much of a Living," good ol JBJ really hits on some true human dilemnas. So how does this apply to spirituality you ask? Well with the opening verse of the song:

"I went to the see the preacher,
to teach me how to pray.
He looked at me and smiled
and that preacher turned away.
He said, `If you wanna tell me something,
you ain't gotta fold your hands.
Just say it with your heart, your soul and believe it,
and I'll say Amen!'

This completely describes my take on religion. In my world, god is all around me, and if I need to rap with the all mighty, I don't need to go to a specific bulding to do it. Come on, he's god, don't you think he has a cell phone? Why do we need a landline like a church to reach him? Maybe I am being too existential here. But indulge me, because I am going to go even more off the beaten path. Some people even believe that there is a gospel out there, written by noneother than JC himself. And in that gospel, he wanted his ministry set up in the same fashion as my belief structure. Now, if you buy into the conspiracy fully, the Vatican found this gospel long after the church was solidified as an institution and they refuse to release it to the public. And who can blame them? If Christians everywhere realized that Jesus himself didn't want to have a strict regimented religion, the whole foundation of the church would collapse. But for me, I'll stick with my hotline to heaven and as long as I say what I mean, and mean what I say, then we be cool!