Holy Huddles

Holy Huddles

This Saturday, as I write, the Alabama football team has just barely defeated Tennessee, who had previously lost 8 games in a row.

I have been thinking about football, and whether it is more important than God and religion here in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

I see various religious traditions getting together in “Holy Huddles.” It is just like they do in football. It is the Jews in their own “Holy Huddles” against the Palestinian Muslims and The Palestinian Christians in their “Holy Huddles.” It is the Islamic Shiites against the Islamic Sunnis, against each other in their own “Holy Huddles.” There are Roman Catholic “Holy Huddles.” There Eastern Orthodox “Holy Huddles.” There are Protestant “Holy Huddles” against one another, Evangelical “Holy Huddles,” and “Mainstream” Protestant “Holy Huddles.” Everyone seems to be against everyone else, and each “Holy Huddle” is against the other…

I was thinking about those who are already defeated, those who have lost their homes, their nations, and who can no longer participate in “Holy Huddles.’ They just do not have time, except to walk hundreds of miles to find the Paradise they seek, whether it is today, or in the future… There seem to be very few “Holy Huddles to support these refugees. There is fortunately UNICEF and the Red Cross, Germany, and Maybe Samaritan’s Purse to support these people some, Thank God.

But, where are all those religious folks who reside in their “Holy Huddles?” Where are those “rights to life” folk who have their own “Holy Huddles?” Is there something we can all do now to promote human life? Is there something we can do now to promote loving one’s enemies? Is there something we can do now to promote the image of God in every man? Not so much…, If we stay in our own “Holy Huddles….”

I would like to call us back to the Faith of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who had personal knowledge of the Great “I AM,” who called mankind to know him by Faith outside the parameters of the “Holy Huddles” of religion, when there was “Just” Belief… It was way back when Cain seemed to think he was not supposed to be his Brother’s Keeper…. It was a long time ago.. I could go on and on about what I am speaking of in reference to Matthew 25 and ALL the nations who will appear before the Judgment, but I will not now do that, except to hope that mankind, at least some of us who are called to do so, can get out of out “Holy Huddles,” and get into the business of loving each other, friends and enemies, of eating the same bread, and drinking the same wine…., or, the same Milk and Dates, or smoking Peace pipes with Indians, those who are left, and we have not already killed…

Oh well…

John Cooper